She Left and didn't Come back

"But... did you ever love me, even a little?" asked Darlene, her voice almost drowned out by her heartbeat. She bit her lip, waiting anxiously for Landen's answer.

But instead, she heard another voice. A soft, spoiled voice.

"Honey, who is it?"

Darlene stopped her steps. It was Olivia. Does she already know about their marriage?

"She's the crazy woman I told you about. I'm sorry, honey, I made you worry." Landen simply turned off the phone.

Darlene squeezed the hem of her dress. "You're bad, Landen. That really hurt," she said as she wiped a spot of blood from her lip.

Once at Landen's mansion, Darlene went straight to her room, ignoring the scowls of the servants.

After scratching her signature, she left the mansion with nothing.

***

"She can't be serious about getting a divorce." Landen's voice was sharp, his hand throwing the divorce papers on the table.

Just five minutes ago, Theo - his secretary - returned from dropping Olivia off at her apartment. He was carrying a small package containing the divorce papers.

"Let's bet. She'll be back in three days," he said.

But as a chuckle escaped his mouth, his eyes said otherwise. It was like there was something stuck in his heart. His hands clenched into fists, his mind was on Darlene. Did she really want a divorce from him? Or... was she having fun by playing with him.

He sighed heavily, with one decisive movement he rose from his chair.

"Where are you going, Mr. Landen? The meeting starts in ten minutes," Theo said, preventing Landen from moving.

"Cancel it," he said without turning around. "I want to make sure."

The sound of tapping on the floor was a musical accompaniment as Landen left his office.

Arriving at the mansion,

He went straight to his room by elevator, after a long time.

As soon as the door opened, silence greeted him. There was no Darlene there. No smile or soft voice greeted him. Only a trace of her perfume remained.

His hands moved stiffly as he opened Darlene's large closet. Clothes, bags, shoes and jewelry, everything was still there.

Then his steps stopped in front of the dressing table, his eyes squinting as he saw something there.

It was the black card he gave to Darlene.

His breath caught for a moment, his brow furrowed. "She left and didn't take anything?" He shook his head. "That's impossible. She's a woman who would do anything for money!"

Landen called Theo, telling him to investigate Darlene by tracing the bank card transactions he'd provided.

For five minutes Landen paced the room. He still couldn't believe that Darlene was really gone.

Wasn't this what he wanted? Why, then, did he feel upset.

His cell phone rang. It was Theo. He quickly picked it up.

"Did you find her? Where is she? Eating at a fancy restaurant or at a spa?" he said, as if he had memorized Darlene's activities.

"Sorry, Mr. Landen, I can't trace Miss Darlene's whereabouts. " Theo's voice sounded shaky. "She never used the bank card you gave her. Even the VVIP access at restaurants, shopping malls and spas that you gave her was never used."

Landen was silent for a few seconds, then laughed. "What do you mean she has that much money to pay for everything?"

In his place, Theo nodded vigorously. "I called the staff there, they said that Miss Darlene paid all the bills - for the past year - with a bank card in Darlene Hillary's name."

What?!

Landen's heart skipped a beat. "Hillary?" His eyebrows drew together, trying to remember the familiar name.

He turned abruptly, staring at the painting on his bedroom wall. Then, he shook his head.

"Find out which men she's been in contact with. Now!" he ordered.

This time he suspected that Darlene had a source of money from other men.

"Damn it. How dare she play behind my back. Isn't she satisfied with me?" Landen looked very upset. His chest was expanding and deflating rapidly.

"Just watch! After you come back, I'll make your screams even louder as you say my name and beg for mercy. Even if you faint, I'll still continue."

***

"What's with that face of yours?" Brian tapped Landen on the shoulder. "Your lovely, Olivia, is back, you should be in the middle of the dance floor," he said, pointing at his other friends.

Landen was currently at the nightclub. Darlene's sudden agreement to divorce, and not bringing anything with her, was bothering him quite a bit. So tonight he decided to have some fun with his friends.

"Have fun?" Landen grinned, then he laughed. "As you know, my body can move only for Olivia, my beloved," he said, then gulped down his drink.

Brian nodded, agreeing. So far Landen had only wanted to dance with one woman, Olivia Stanley.

Meanwhile, Andrew seemed to be hiding his laughter. Among his friends, he was the only one who knew about Landen and Darlene's marriage.

"Hope Olivia recovers quickly, Man, and we can dance together like we used to." Brian picked up his drink and headed for the dance floor.

"Your body moves just for Olivia?" Andrew laughed again. "Then who is this guy who calls me almost every day?"

"Even in the middle of the night, I was forced to come over just to check on the woman lying weakly on the bed."

Landen glanced at Andrew briefly, then smiled slightly.

"Now, what about Darlene?"

Andrew's question made Landen's heart skip a beat. He rubbed his face, as if weighing a decision.

"You can't have two women at once. How about... Darlene for me?"

Andrew's sentence succeeded in making Landen's

face red, his eyes bulging.

Andrew laughed so hard. But it stopped abruptly when Lucas returned from the restroom.

"Are you sure about Olivia's reasons?" Lucas asked as soon as he sat down on the sofa. "She disappeared for four years just because she felt guilty about the accident?" He shook his head. Here, only he doubted her words.

"Of course. She's my lover, and I trust her," Landen replied.

The man's gaze was blank, his face flat. He hadn't been excited at all when talking about his girlfriend. Andrew and Lucas noticed that. They smiled at each other, furtively.

"All right. Tomorrow bring Olivia to our annual event. I miss her so much." Lucas stood up, he had deliberately teased Landen and was now getting ready to dodge his friend's attack.

Usually, Landen would overreact if anyone dared to tease his woman. But now he just nodded his head.

"I guess he must have another woman." Lucas whispered to Andrew. "Is it the woman you were checking out last time?"

Andrew just shrugged his shoulders. Pretending not to know.

"Looks like our Mr. President has lost his feelings," Lucas muttered, and Andrew agreed.

But, that phone call changed their view of Landen.

"Landen...." Olivia's spoiled voice came from the other end of the line.

That one word made Landen get up from his chair and leave his friends without a word.

Yes. That's what Landen Anderson was like.

***

After arriving at Olivia's apartment, Landen immediately pressed the buttons on the door.

"Still the same as before." Landen smiled.

Once inside the apartment, he saw Olivia lying on the sofa.

"I thought you had forgotten me. But you're still my old Landen." Olivia smiled, it made her very beautiful. "You came as soon as I called you."

"I'm sorry...." She held out her arms, asking her lover to hug her.

Landen squatted on the floor, then returned Monica's hug tightly. "Don't apologize. I was wrong. If only I hadn't gotten drunk that night, the accident would never have happened. We're married and have children, now."

They looked at each other, full of love and passion. Olivia kissed Landen first and was warmly welcomed.

Suddenly... Landen felt sick to his stomach. He broke off their kiss just like that.

Olivia was surprised. "What's wrong with you, honey?" She smelled her own breath then said, "does my mouth stink? Why do you get nauseous every time we kiss?"