4 — BAD NEWS OR GOOD NEWS…

ASTRID

“Mum, dad, please take Claire outside. I would love to speak to Astrid alone.”

I scoff. “I don’t think I’ve got anything to say to you, Nathan.”

Claire is still crying profusely and my parents give me the stink eye as they lead her out of the ward.

“When did you become this person?” Nathan spits the moment we’re alone. “How could you hurt Claire like that? You’re not the woman I married, Astrid.”

“First of all, I did not hurt Claire. If you’d take your head out of your ass for one second, you would realize that she’s manipulating you. All of you.

Also, the woman you married is dead, Nathan. She was kind, respectful and submissive, but unfortunately, she’s dead now. You killed her!”

At my outburst, he has the decency to look remorseful. He lowers his head and mumbles;

“Astrid, I’m sorry…”

“How long has this been going on, Nathan?” I ask quietly. “How long have you been cheating on me with Claire?”

Nathan swallows and I know his answer is about to break me.

“A year.”

I press my hand to my chest to soothe the sudden sharp pain.

“A year.” I repeat, slowly becoming numb.

“Look, Astrid, I’m sorry, okay? She seduced me when we went on a business trip to Italy and I fell for it. But along the line, I think I fell for her too…”

Oh, the business trip to Italy. I remember that I was due to have a surgery to remove my appendix, but my husband chose to fly to Italy, leaving me to endure the pain all alone.

Now what? Should I tell him about the pregnancy? Of course our marriage is already in shambles. There’s no redeeming it even if I wanted to.

But he’s the baby’s father. I don’t plan on aborting my child so he deserves to know.

I open my mouth to speak but Nathan beats me to it.

“Besides, Claire is already pregnant with my baby. Three months gone. Her parents would never allow her to have a baby out of wedlock so we need to get a divorce as soon as possible.”

At that moment, my mask slips, revealing the hurt and bitterness that I’ve fought so hard to keep hidden.

“Claire is p-pregnant?”

Nathan nods and looks away. He can’t even look me in the eye while he shatters my entire world.

“She was on birth control but you know that these things are never one hundred percent effective. I’m sorry, Astrid.”

“You’re sorry?!” Tears prick my eyes and this time, I let them fall. “Do you realize how serious this situation is? You got my sister pregnant, Nathan! How can you act so unbothered?”

“And what would you like me to do, Astrid?” He growls, his eyes gleaming with impatience. “How should I act? Should I jump off the top of a building so you can be satisfied? The damage is already done. I don’t believe there’s any point in crying over spilled milk.”

“We’ve been together since high school, Nathan! I stood by you when you had nothing. Hell, I housed and fed you for years with my hard earned money. I was by your side when your family almost disowned you. You had cancer for a year and I never left you. But this is how you repay me? This is what I get for loving you unconditionally for five years?!”

He’s about to respond when we’re interrupted once again by the door slamming open. A male nurse hurries inside, his eyes wide with alarm.

“Mr. Callaway? Your wife just suffered a heart attack. She’s asking for you.”

The pure, instant panic in Nathan’s eyes when he hears that Claire is in danger is like a kick to my stomach.

“Look what you’ve done!” He screams in my face. “Claire is suffering because of you. I hope you’re happy now.”

His eyes drop to the diamond on my ring finger.

“Since we’re getting a divorce, I’d like to take my ring back. It cost me fifty thousand dollars and I believe I could sell it for a decent amount. With a baby on the way, I need all the money I can get to take care of my new family…”

***

THREE DAYS LATER…

I’m currently seated on the balcony of my new apartment, staring blindly at the twinkling lights from cars below.

Three days have passed since I was discharged from the hospital and during this time, Nathan has only reached out to me once — to ask for my wedding ring and send divorce papers. It’s been three days of darkness and overwhelming depression.

Most mornings, I wake up with a bitter taste in my mouth and hatred burning in my soul. Sometimes, I wake up to find my pillows soaked with tears, because no matter how strong I pride myself to be, I miss Nathan so much.

He’s the only man I ever loved. The only man I thought I would ever love.

Mr. and Mrs. Montessori have not bothered to check on me since I left the hospital. I don’t consider them my parents anymore. They’re dead to me.

I went back home all alone that night only to realize that I couldn’t gain access into my own home. Nathan had changed the locks.

I knew they were trying to frustrate me, so instead of falling for their bait, I quietly called my good friend, Gemini, and he was able to arrange a small apartment for me within my tiny budget.

The Montessori’s also froze my allowance accounts. Aside from my personal savings, which isn’t much, I’m pretty much penniless.

Memories of my biological parents flit through my mind and a dull ache starts in my chest.

I was just seven years old when armed, masked men broke into our townhouse on a Sunday night. That night is now a distant memory, but I will never forget the cold feeling of being scared to death.

My parents sacrificed themselves to keep me hidden, but I was forced to watch those men beat up my father and strangle my mother to death.

Papa died from his wounds at the hospital two days later and I was shipped off to the Ray County Orphanage.

Life in the orphanage was terrible. I was bullied every single day because I suffered from a reading disorder. Most nights, I went on my knees and begged God to take me. All in all, I had a pretty traumatic childhood.

My phone buzzes and I pick up absentmindedly. I swipe up and I’m greeted with pictures of Nathan and Claire on a gossip blog.

Anger and betrayal churns in my chest when I notice the ring on Claire’s finger. That’s my wedding ring.

“That bastard lied to me!”

Nathan never wanted to sell that ring. He gave my wedding ring to his new bride!

I throw the phone to the corner and get to my feet, shivering with rage.

Five seconds later, I’m pacing the sitting room, trying to let off steam when my eyes land on a sleek, black card on the sofa. I walk over and pick it up.

The words “Femme Fatale” are written on it in silver, curvy print.

The day I left the hospital, Nurse Hannah told me that the same anonymous man had cleared all my hospital bills. She gave me this card, saying that he’d asked her to invite me for a masked party at his sex club.

I never got the chance to ask Mr. and Mrs. Montessori about him. Maybe he was their guest?

At first, I was offended by the stranger’s gesture. Who gives a woman he barely knows an invitation to a sex club? However, after looking up the club on G****e, I up with a devious plan.

Turns out, Femme Fatale isn’t just any club. It’s an exclusive sex club in the heart of the city, and it’s only open to the top ten percent of billionaires in New York.

Access to the club is strictly by invitation, and I’ve got the VVIP card that admits two people.

All my life, I’ve been a prude. My greatest joys came from making my family proud and submitting to my husband. But what did that get me? Heartbreak and depression.

Not anymore. Tonight, for the first time in my life, I will toss my awkwardness aside and try to live a little.

I’m about to call Gemini when my phone rings. A quick glance at the caller ID reveals Nathan’s name.

My fingers suddenly itch with the urge to throw the phone over the balcony.

Finally, I take a deep breath and answer the call.

“What do you have to say? Don’t waste my time.” I don’t bother with preambles.

My tone is cold and emotionless. For a moment, I’m proud of myself for not breaking down.

Silence.

“You’ve never spoken to me in such a harsh tone, Astrid. What’s gotten into you?” Nathan asks.

I shut my eyes tight, swallowing the fury that burns in my throat.

“What do you want, Mr. Callaway?”

“Well, since this is the way you want it to be… Claire and I just returned from the hospital and she’s complaining that your clothes are all over the place. If you could—”

“And who’s fault is that?” I interrupt, my anger finally rising to the surface. “If you hadn’t changed the locks to the house that we jointly own, a house that we equally paid for, I would’ve sorted my clothes before you and your beloved fiancée returned. Don’t blame me.”

“Don’t take on that sarcastic tone with me, Astrid. Please show some respect…”

“No.” My tone rings with disrespectful finality. “Last I checked, we’re no longer married. I do not owe you even the tiniest morsel of respect, Nathan.”

I stew in rage for five silent seconds before he responds;

“Be here by nine o’clock to pack your bags, Astrid. Maybe by then you must’ve calmed down and we can finally have a decent conversation.”

A decent conversation? Over my dead body…