The atmosphere on the other side was suddenly quiet, but I knew he was still there and listening to me. We were still together. How dare he flaunt their relationship in front of so many people. I saw them, so I was sure others might have witnessed the incident, too.
"Good, you know everything. Things will be easier now. Yes. Bella and I are getting married soon," he declared arrogantly. "We've been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. So stop ruining my plans. Sign the divorce papers and come to the court tomorrow."
"Ruining your plans? Have you gone mad? You've ruined our marriage by cheating on my best friend!" I protested.
He laughed. "Camari, Bella and I knew each other before we met. She was my first love, the woman I wanted to marry. Listen. I never loved you."
His words pierced my heart like a sharp sword. The pain made me unable to speak for a while. I even had to lean against the wall, realizing my legs failed to support my body.
"Y-your first love?" I stammered. "Th-then what am I?"
"Do you think you're my first love?" He scoffed. "I'm just following this game you invented. Do you think I don't know what you're doing behind my back? You act innocent and kind, but you're a cunning person."
"What?" I asked, not understanding.
"No need to play dumb. I know you planned this wedding. You've managed to separate me from Bella eight years ago, but we will be together forever now. You can't separate us again."
His accusation pierced my heart. I could hear the hateful tone in his voice. I couldn't even reply because I was shaken by his change in attitude. Since I was no longer talking, he ended the call.
What did he mean I planned our wedding? I only knew him eight years ago. How could I separate him from Bella and plan all this? I didn't even know they were in a relationship. What kind of things had I done behind his back?
The more I thought about it, the less I understood. Eight years ago, Farrell came to me. Our introduction process was brief until he confessed his love. I, who liked him, agreed to be his girlfriend.
Three years into the relationship, he proposed. When we married, I was even surprised to learn he wasn't an ordinary employee at Haworth Incorporation. His name was not Farrell August, as he introduced me, but Farrell August Haworth, the heir to the highly respected Angus Haworth.
"Camari?" Someone rubbed my shoulder. I turned my head and saw Jasmine looking at me with concern. "Are you alright?"
I looked around and realized I was still standing in the same place. "I-yeah. I'm fine." I straightened my body.
"We waited, but you didn't come to the cafeteria. So, Jasmine and I came to pick you up," Emily explained. "Are you sure everything is okay?"
I nodded slowly. "Yes. Let's go to the cafeteria now," I suggested.
Jasmine and Emily were my coworkers when I was working in the finance division. They, Bella, and I had been together since we started at the company. We remained friends, including having lunch together, even though I had moved to another division.
Compared to the two of them, Bella and I got along better. We were compatible in many ways and comfortable around each other. She knew everything about me and vice versa. She had been my friend since I was single until I married Farrell.
"Where's Bella?" I asked as I looked around the office cafeteria. We were queuing up to get our food.
"Huh?" Jasmine handed me a tray. "You guys are so close. I thought you knew the news."
"What news?" I wrinkled my forehead.
"Bella suddenly resigned yesterday," Emily replied.
No wonder the drinks she promised didn't make it to my room. She was only toying with me. That was why she was laughing so amusingly with Farrell. My eyes heat up at the memory of their intimacy at the café. What did I do to them to cheat on me behind my back?
Oh, my goodness. What was going on? He and Bella never seemed to get along. They had been behaving like two people who knew each other casually. Bella didn't even like him and fought every time they met. Was it all an act?
As if knowing I was thinking about her, I found Bella standing by the side of my car when I walked to the parking lot. She took off her sunglasses and told me to follow her car. I was surprised to see her enter a luxury car.
Farrell was pretending to be an ordinary employee. Could it be that Bella was not an ordinary woman but the daughter of a billionaire? What did these two people from a wealthy family want from me? Who could I trust when even my husband and best friend lied to me?
Her car entered the parking lot of a café, so I followed her. The waiter greeted her kindly and escorted us to the eatery. It turned out that she had reserved a room for us to talk.
"I won't waste my time." She stared at me arrogantly. Completely different from the way the old Bella looked at me. "I heard you didn't come to court this morning. Stop dreaming, Camari. It's time you woke up. Farrell never loved you."
I held my suddenly trembling hands over my lap. "I don't know why you've been my friend for the past eight years, but I don't allow anyone to interfere in my private life," I retorted.
"I'm just having fun with you. You wouldn't know how I refrain from laughing when you say Farrell loves you so much." She covered her smile with her right curled finger.
"Farrell hates you. You have no idea how hard he tries not to reject you when you hold his hand, hug his body, or kiss his lips." She smirked. "That's why he stopped touching you after you became his wife."
"You're lying." I felt my whole body tremble with anger.
"He only loved me since we were in college. We were already planning a future together, and then you ruined everything," she accused fiercely.
I frowned at that sentence again. "What do you mean? I didn't know you or Farrel before. I didn't even know you had been together since college. Why are you accusing me of ruining everything?"
"Is there a criminal who confesses his actions?" she asked rhetorically.
"Are you going to keep talking nonsense about that? Why not tell me frankly where I've ruined everything?" I shook my head uncomprehendingly.
"This is the last chance. You have to come tomorrow morning to court. You'll regret it if you're absent again." She still didn't answer my question, so I stopped asking.
"I'm not afraid of your threats, Bella." I looked into her eyes without flinching. "I'm his legal wife. You need more than big talk to separate me from my husband."
"Is that a challenge?" She slyly smiled while crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine. Don't blame me for the suffering that has befallen you. You've asked for it."
The events of this morning I still think of as a dream. Two people who were close and dear to me walked embracingly in front of me. Farrell didn't even take his eyes off my best friend until they got to his car.
But hearing them both admit that they had known each other for a long time, I realized they were on the same page. Farrell's voice was full of hatred when he spoke to me. Bella's eyes were full of anger when she threatened me. They really hated me.
I jumped up in surprise at the sound of the horn. I blinked my eyes and looked around me. Oh, my. I was daydreaming. I waited for a green light but was busy thinking about those two bad guys instead. I hurriedly stepped on the accelerator and drove the car.
A blinding light came from behind. A car was flashing its headlights repeatedly. Seeing that, I pulled the car over. I wondered if the taillights had gone out. The window on my side was suddenly hit hard, making me jump in my seat.
"Open the window! Open it quickly!" he ordered.
I turned and saw a man staring at me with bulging eyes. I swallowed heavily. What had happened? I hadn't hit anyone or nudged a car. Everything was fine. Then what was he mad at me for?
"What's wrong? Why did you ask me to pull over?" I tried not to flinch at him.
He kicked my car instead. "I said, open up! You've worn out my patience. Open it!"
"Who's going to open their car window when you're acting like that?" said someone on the back left of my car.
"Hey, you stay out of it. Go back to your car! Let me deal with this bitch!" The man hit my window hard again. "Open it!"
"Please stop that, sir," the second man said again. He put his hands on the first man's shoulders.
"Assh*le! I said, stay out of it!" He threw his fist at the second man.
I squealed in surprise as I closed my eyes. Oh my. Oh, my goodness. What was going on? What had I done to make someone so angry with me that they forced me to open the car window? My heart was beating so fast. What should I do?
Hearing the sudden silence, I ventured to open my eyes. I saw the man running backward with limping steps. I watched him through the rearview mirror. The man got into his car and drove away.
The second man stood at the side of my car and smiled. My heart was still beating fast. I didn't know if I was out of danger or not. Seeing my hands holding the steering wheel trembling, I took a deep breath. After calming down, I turned to my helper.
"He's gone. You're safe now," he said kindly.
I braved myself to open the car door and then got out. "Thank you so much. I don't know what happened. He just suddenly pulled me over and hit the window."
"He was just looking for a fight. You were just a little late moving after the light turned green. It happened sometime," he reported. "Next time, don't stop. Just take him to the police station. He won't dare bother you."
"Ah, I get it." I smiled nervously. "Once again, thank you. You did me a favor."
"You're welcome. I'm leaving. Be safe on the road," he said politely.
"Will do," I replied.
I stepped into the car and glanced at the vehicle a few meters behind me. That second man entered the car. It looked like he was a driver because there was a shadow of a person sitting in the back seat. Hopefully, we would meet again so that I could thank you properly.
I didn't come to the courthouse that morning. I went straight to work and did all my job. I didn't care about all their baseless accusations. I had the right to refuse a divorce from my husband.
Farrell hadn't come home last night, so I intended to visit my parents. I wanted them to know about my divorce from me, not the media. The incoming calls and new messages from Farrell hadn't stopped since ten this morning. I didn't want to fight with him over the phone again. He could meet me at my parent's house to talk.
I pulled over when I entered the city border where they were. My tears wouldn't stop flowing, obscuring my vision. My chest was getting tighter every time I got closer to where they lived. I felt heavy carrying the bad news.
My phone vibrated, so I turned to the dashboard. Reading Mom's name on the screen, I took a deep breath and cleared my throat. "Hi, Mom."
"Camari, what should I do?" Mom was sobbing.
I was stunned for a moment to hear her. "Mom? What's wrong?" My heart was beating rapidly. Did something happen to Dad?
"Your dad,” she reported frantically. “He collapsed and is now in the emergency room."
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to brace myself. "Okay, Mom. I'll be there soon," I consoled."What do you mean, the distance between where you live and our city... are you on your way here?" she asked once she understood what I meant."Yes, Mom." Thankfully, I did the right thing by visiting them.Arriving at the hospital, I headed for the emergency department. Seeing that Mom wasn't there, I looked at my phone and found a new message from her. Dad was taken to the ICU. I rushed to meet her there. I was worried for my dad, causing my heart to beat rapidly."Camari!" called Mom frantically.I approached her and let her hug my body tightly. "What happened, Mom?""The doctor said your father had a heart attack. They've managed to help, but the critical period hasn't passed. Your father needs surgery immediately." She released her embrace and then looked at me with wet eyes. "Camari, the cost is huge.""What about insurance? Don't you have health insurance?" I asked hopefully."Not
[Otis] On the second day of Farrell's appointment as CEO of Haworth Incorporation, the media was all over it. Relentless praise was heaped on the thirty-two-year-old man. Finally, Dad could retire in peace. The big celebration was held on the third anniversary of his marriage to Camari. Father didn't hesitate to dig deep into his pockets to invite and entertain thousands of guests at a luxury hotel. I was the only one not invited. I turned off the television and walked to my bedroom. After bathing in the shower room, I headed for the sink. I climbed the small ladder provided to brush my teeth and shave. After getting dressed, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. If only I could choose the shape of my body. I looked away, unable to bear staring at myself for too long. After breakfast, I walked out of the apartment. Jasper was waiting and walked with me to the elevator. He was my driver, bodyguard, friend, and informant. "Farrell and Bella have started their act, sir," Jasper re
That weekend, I asked Jasper to take me somewhere. Work had consumed my attention for the past few months. So I hadn't had time to visit. Thankfully, all business matters were in full swing. I could relax a bit. Arriving at my destination, I marveled at the scenery around me. The place was beautiful because of various flowering plants. The cemetery was clean, and no wild plants were around the grass. I approached the cross-shaped tombstone with an angel statue on its side. Catherine Haworth was engraved on the stone. Mother died fourteen years ago after years of battling breast cancer. My life drastically changed when she passed away because a part of me died with her. I lost the only family that loved me for who I was. "You shouldn't go there, sir," Jasper said as I stared at another headstone closer to my mother's grave. "That man doesn't deserve your respect." "He was my brother." I glanced at Mother's tomb for a moment, then walked over to Arnold's grave. Despite our poor rela
[Camari]I gathered all the expensive jewelry, clothes, bags, and shoes Farrel had given me over the three years we'd been married into one pile. The gifts from his grandfather were stored in another box. I didn't need all that fancy stuff anymore.The servants carried them to the rented pickup truck waiting in the yard. I looked around me one last time. I tried to remember, but there wasn't a single intimate memory of me with Farrell in this room.We lay in the same bed but never made out or discussed anything before bed or when we woke up. We used the same bathroom and closet, unfortunately, never at the same time. Why did I only realize that?"Goodbye, ma'am. Don't forget us," said the servant in charge of meeting my needs during my time as hostess."I won't. We can meet again when you're on leave. I won't change my number. Just give me a call. We can have lunch or coffee together." I smiled at her and her partners.They looked sad to see me off. At least some people felt my presen
Farrell and I weren't officially divorced, but why would his grandfather want to see me? Had his grandson said nothing about our divorce? Oh, God. I was becoming more convinced that he was coming to scold me for what I'd done the night before.My heart was beating faster and faster as I got closer to Grandpa's car, which had stopped near the main entrance. I looked worriedly at his assistant as he opened the car door for me. After taking a deep breath, I got in."Camari," Grandpa greeted me as I sat beside him in the car's back seat. He hugged me tightly.That was a relief. It didn't seem like he was angry with me. "Grandpa, why did you come to my office? You could have called me to meet you at home," I said worriedly."I'm not even seventy-five years old. I'm still young and strong. Just sitting in the car to come see you won't make me sick." He let go of his embrace."Where are you taking me?" I watched the car turn left as it exited the gate of my workplace."We haven't had dinner
I sighed with relief after scanning my card on the attendance machine near the entrance to my office. That was close. I didn't want my perfect attendance record ruined by my carelessness today. I was hoping to be named employee of the month.My boss had arrived, but he wasn't angry to see me enter his office. I read his schedule for today, and he nodded slowly. I was grateful he didn't ask to cancel or reschedule any appointments. That was the most challenging task.I was an executive secretary but only focused on administrative matters. The CEO of this company had an assistant who was his right-hand man and went with him wherever he went. Because of this, my working hours were the same as the other employees. I didn't accompany my boss to meet his colleagues."Wow, look at this!" squealed Emily. She brought her phone closer to us. "Bella's full name is Mirabella Thompson. How could we not know this?""Mirabella Thompson?" Jasmine brought her head closer to the screen. "Isn't her full
[Otis] There are many invitations addressed to the CEO of Precious Fund. Should I pick one and attend? People didn't know who I was. Maybe they wouldn't care about my presence, but I could practice being brave in public. Besides, Jasper would never be far from me. His presence could give me a bit of confidence. I didn't have to worry about anyone hurting me. He would protect me from them. That was it. That was a good start. I couldn't rely on my absent mother forever. There was a knock on the door, and I invited him in. Jasper entered with a bag of food. We had lunch together. "Their divorce will take two months at most," Jasper reported. "Do you think Farrell and Bella will wait that long to formalize their relationship?" "I'm suspicious of Father for keeping quiet and doing nothing to prevent it," I muttered. "Why would he urge Farrell to marry Camari if he didn't have a plan to see their relationship through to the end?" "Farrell is a cunning man. He could have manipulated the
Many things happened in the past that I didn't want to recall. That woman was one of them. The person who I thought was my life, soul, and everything wasn’t sincere in her love for me.She knew I wouldn't believe her just like that. Yet she was so persistent in approaching me. She didn't give up until I fell in love and accepted her to be my lover. I was on cloud nine when I discovered she was only playing with me.She betraying me with the person closest to me wasn't her biggest mistake. Her thinking I deserved to be toyed with was a crime I couldn't forgive. I was also a human with a heart who could be devastated when all his dreams and hopes were shattered.Dorothy knew how humiliated I felt by that woman's actions. How dare she open up old wounds I didn't even remember anymore. I should have refused her invitation. She would never be kind to me."I take my leave." I stood up. "You said you wanted to eat with me. If you want to insult me, forty years is enough.""You know why God g