LOGINMONIQUEThe maids quickly left, and Nadia immediately started preparing breakfast for me.“Are you going to have your breakfast in the dining room?” she asked. “I can bring it in for you.”“No, it’s okay,” I said. “I’ll just have it here.”She nodded and quickly set everything up.I ate while Nadia and my aunt talked, sharing little stories, trying to include me in the conversation. And it was good to be included. It felt… nice.I realised I hated being alone now.Most of the time when I was married to Ryan, he liked us being apart. He told me he was working, sending me off to different places, leaving me alone to make friends I would never meet again.This felt different.This felt peaceful.Once I was done eating, my aunt turned toward me.“So,” she said, “what are we doing today?”“Well, you already know I’m getting a divorce,” I said. “And I already told you what happened with Mr Smith. He sent Marcus the retainer agreement. I left it in the dining room. I’m going to read it over,
MONIQUENico then left the room, leaving me with a big smile on my face.... This must be love, playing on my head.I quickly went into the closet. I didn't want him to come back and find me in the towel. I was going to put on his shirt before I went downstairs to my bedroom and changed. And guess what surprise I found in Marcus's closet? There were a few dresses on one side of his closet. Five dresses, two pairs of shoes, some night wear, even pants and bras.Okay, I know this doesn't scream move into my room, but it screams she's going to be sleeping here, and I like it.So I quickly get changed when I hear Marcus come back into the bedroom.“Precious,” he calls to me.I smile to myself as I walk back into the room. “Yes, darling,” I answer back with a smile.He smiles back. “Here is the retainer agreement from Mr Smith.”“Have you read it?” I asked him.“Yes, I went over it yesterday.”“And what do you think?”He looks at me for a few seconds before he smiles.“What?” I ask unsure w
MONIQUEMarcus's expression changed instantly. His face turned into something sharper, protective.“That's not going to happen,” he said firmly. He caught my face in his hands, forcing me to look at him. “Listen to me, Monique. You're not going anywhere alone, okay? From now on, you're not going anywhere alone. The driver will take you straight to Mrs Smith's office and wait for you there. He will not leave. If Ryan so much as breathes in your direction, you call me immediately, okay?”I swallowed. “But what if.... the driver will be down there, you don't know Ryan. The last time, I thought I was getting rid of him. And then what happened? I don't think that if he takes me this time, I'll be able to survive it.”“There is no what if,” Marcus cut in. “Ryan will not get access to you anymore. Not physically, not emotionally, and not legally. That ended the moment you walked into my house.”“You know what,” he said, taking his phone from his pocket. “I'm going to assign a bodyguard for
MONIQUEHe laughed this time. “I can’t imagine your aunt walking into your bedroom and finding me in there. She will lose it.”I couldn’t help myself, I laughed too.Without waiting for him to answer, I turned and started walking toward his bedroom, holding his hand. Of course, he had to follow.When we reached his bedroom, I went to use the bathroom first and took a shower. I came back wrapped in a towel while he excused himself and went in after me. I went to his closet, chose a T-shirt, and put it on. It reached my thighs, almost like a dress. I walked back into the bedroom and pulled the blankets over me, intending to wait for Marcus to come back from the bathroom.But I guess I was too tired. Because when I woke up in the morning, I was by myself. For a second, I thought Marcus hadn’t slept in the bed at all. But then I noticed his side, rumpled sheets, disturbed pillows. And then I heard the water running in the bathroom.I sighed and took a deep breath. Because if he had left a
MONIQUEI lifted my glass slowly, “To life,” I said quietly.“To us being here,” he echoed. “And to having you here,” he added again, softer this time.Our glasses touched with a gentle clink.I took a sip, letting the wine settle me, letting the warmth spread through my chest. Marcus leaned back in his chair, one arm resting along the railing, the other holding his glass loosely, as if he wasn’t trying to impress me or rush anything, just be here with me.“Stop overthinking everything,” he said after a moment.I exhaled slowly. “I feel like I am expected to have Answers. Make Decisions and Explanations. And I don’t even know where to begin.”“You don’t have to begin tonight,” he said calmly. “Tonight can just be… this.”I pulled the blanket closer around myself like a shield before I opened my mouth again.“My aunt thinks I’m rushing,” I admitted. “She thinks I’m running from one thing straight into another.”Marcus didn’t react defensively. He never did. He just listened.“And what
MONIQUEI swallowed, trying to gather whatever patience I had left, but my aunt’s eyes were sharp, unblinking, already drilling into me like she was two seconds away from exploding.“Auntie…” I began, but she lifted her hand, stopping me.“No. Don’t ‘Auntie’ me.” Her voice had that tight, trembling edge, “Yesterday you disappeared for hours, today you slept the entire afternoon, and now you’re wandering around the estate in the dark like a ghost. You don’t answer me, you don’t sit with me, you don’t tell me anything anymore. I’m your aunt, Monique. I’m supposed to know what’s going on with you.”I sighed. “Nothing is going on with me. I just....”“Don’t lie.” She stepped forward. “You’ve been....distant. And now you are glued to Marcus....”“I’m not glued to Marcus.” My voice rose, before I could help it.Her eyebrows shot up. “Really? Because the way you follow him around, the way you two disappear....”“We don’t disappear,” I said, frustrated.“—and the way you’ve suddenly forgotten







