Chapter Nine

Daniel sat in his mini wine bar, a bottle of whiskey in hand and his phone in the other. He had been dialing Renee’s number nonstop with the hope that she would suddenly pick up even though he knew the chances were slim as he had been blocked.

 

“Fuck.” He hissed, gripping his phone tightly out of frustration, and his hands

 

The door soon opened with a bang and Daniel looked up from his drink just in time to see Chloe storm into the bar with a twisted face.

 

“Wow, Daniel. Wow! Things are getting worse yet you have the time to drink.” She clapped mockingly.

 

“This here…this is why Renee left you. You’re completely useless!” She fired.

 

Daniel hissed, having had enough of her tantrums. “Don’t walk into my house and start yelling like a mad woman. What do you want?” He asked nonchalantly and took another gulp from his bottle.

 

Chloe tapped her feet impatiently, her body shaking. “Are you aware that Renee is gone?”

 

He paused.

 

“What are you talking about? She’s staying in a hotel. I will be going to the company later today to make her come back to her senses.” He said confidently but Chloe scoffed.

 

“You’re so out of touch. It’s embarrassing.” She hissed.

 

“Renee is gone! She made Priya acting CEO and disappeared into thin air! She’s not in the country anymore! Do you understand?”

 

Daniel’s eyes narrowed and his hands froze on the drink, blood draining from his face.

 

“Say that again.” He said, his voice calmer than expected.

 

Chloe sighed and placed her hands on her waist but re-echoed. “Renee’s gone, Daniel! She left!”

 

“I don’t believe you.” He said flatly, his face rigid. “Renee wouldn’t leave just because of some petty argument. Besides, she would have told me if she was leaving.” He added confidently.

 

Chloe’s eyes widened and she took a step forward. “Are you being serious?” Her voice was laced with disbelief.

 

“Even after handing you a divorce certificate and moving out of the house, you still think she considers it a petty argument? Are you delusional or just plain stupid?” She sounded irritated by his behavior.

 

“She’s just upset with me. If I apologized, she would come back. Renee is not a girlfriend that she would leave after one fight! She’s wife, Chloe. A wife!” He told her, a smile making its way to his face.

 

“Do you even know how many things she had put up with in this marriage? If she were to leave, she would have done so a long time ago but, Renee is well-mannered and devoted to her husband. Leave, Chloe. Everything will be back to normal once I apologize.” He said, sounding as though she was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince Chloe.

 

“No, Daniel! Nothing will be back to normal if you apologize! You won’t even get that chance because she’s gone! You can’t see that bitch anymore! For fuck’s sake! Are you still in love with her? What’s with you’re attitude?” Chloe snarled.

 

That made his eyes snap to hers. They were cold and piercing.

 

“Stay the fuck out of marriage! I’ll handle my wife so stay out of it!” He growled with gritted teeth.

 

“Wife?” Chloe scoffed. “Ex-wife, you mean? And when did you start caring about your marriage?” She asked and suddenly smirked, closing their distance as she whispered. “We both know you didn’t care about it when you fucked me senseless on your matrimonial bed the day of your anniversary.”

 

“Enough!” He yelled, slamming the bottle on the table, almost hard enough to break it.

 

“Get the fuck out of my house!” He ordered, raging like an angry lion.

 

Chloe smirked and pulled back. “Don’t you mean Renee’s house?”

 

Daniel rose from his seat and lunged at her, wrapping his hand around her throat and hitting her hard on the wall, causing a scream to leave her lips.

 

“Don’t fucking push me, Chloe!” He growled, tightening his hold on her while she struggled to break free- kicking and hitting his arm.

 

He let her go and turned around, unable to look her in the eye.

 

Loud coughs and gasps left Chloe’s throat, her eyes red from the choking.

“You’re an asshole! A penniless asshole!” She yelled and ran out of the room without another word.

 

As soon as she left, silence returned to the room but not to Daniel’s chaotic mind.

 

He wasn’t going to believe Chloe until he heard it for himself so, he marched to his car and drove to JHoldings.

 

Unlike the ONeil, he was allowed access into the building as instructed by Priya who wanted to speak to him one last time.

 

“What is this bullshit I hear about Renee leaving the country and why the fuck are you sitting on her seat?” He yelled, eyeing the seat jealously.

 

“I was expecting you,” Priya said, twirling confidently.

 

“Where’s Renee?” He asked, ignoring her. “I know she’s hiding somewhere. Just tell me where she is before I find her myself.”

 

Priya shook her head, laughing at his foolishness.

 

“Renee is gone.” She said simply.

 

“That’s bullshit.”

 

“Do you want to see for yourself?” She smiled and handed him her tablet so he could see the news for himself.

 

The moment he read through the news about Renee’s departure, his heartbeat increased.

 

It didn’t make any sense.

 

It was just a minor argument and he was going to make it up to her soon.

 

They hadn’t even had a proper conversation about the matter and yet she didn’t waste any time in leaving.

 

Had she always wanted to leave?

 

“T..this isn’t possible…” His voice shook and his hands trembled as the truth became clearer.

 

“She wants you to forget about her and live your life with Chloe, just as you wanted. Don’t bother looking for her because you’ll never find her. This is your reality now, Daniel. You brought this upon yourself.” Priya taunted, snatching her tablet from his hands.

 

“Fuck…fuck.” He could see his world crashing.

 

Renee was the reason he was known and respected. Without her, he was nothing. That was the only reason he couldn’t leave her to be with Chloe.

 

If only she had stayed for longer, his plan would have been complete and he would no longer need her.

 

“No.” He whispered and looked at Priya with a serious expression.

 

“I refuse this.” He said and walked closer to her.

 

“I know that you are well aware of where she is so, you are going to tell her that this is far from over.”

 

“I am not letting her go…not yet.”