Chapter 2: No Longer A Wife.

“To console you?” Marie asked, her heart hammering violently.

Ronan didn't answer, instead he lifted Tiffany and took her upstairs.

Marie collapsed to the floor again, crying.

It was double blows tonight; Grandma Barb was dead, the one person Ronan feared, the only shield Marie had was gone.

And now, Ronan had brought his mistress into their home.

To console him.

He hadn’t even allowed himself to grieve; he just wanted to fuck his way out of it.

The thought burned, forcing tears from her again. She hugged herself tightly, her mind racing.

There was nobody in Ronan’s family to share her grief with, his mother and sister despised her.

“You have to fight,” she hiccupped, remembering Grandma Barb's words.

The memory gave her courage to stand, and even to walk to Ronan’s room, but when she reached the door the courage faltered.

It was half open and Marie could see just enough.

Tiffany was on top of her husband, wearing only her lingerie.

Marie froze, her chest clenched.

“That was easier than I thought,” Tiffany murmured.

Ronan grabbed Tiffany's butt, his mouth curled into a smile. “I told you she was weak. She never fights, never complains.”

She? Weak? The word pierced Marie’s chest.

“We should’ve done this long ago,” Tiffany replied. “All these months of hiding were torture, baby.”

Months?

Ronan buried his face in Tiffany's neck. “Grandma Barb wouldn’t allow it. Marie had her claws in her, there was no way.”

“Thank God for chances,” Tiffany purred as Ronan’s mouth moved to her cleavage. “Now I finally have you.”

“I'm all yours, my love,” Ronan said without hesitation.

Tears blurred Marie's vision for a moment, but she didn't miss the deep kiss they shared, didn't miss the tenderness in Ronan's movements.

She watched her husband suck another woman’s breasts until bile raised at the back of her throat.

She fled to her room, her legs heavy, her soul shattered. She threw up in the bathroom, hoping it would erase the memory, but it didn't.

Images of Ronan on Tiffany’s nipples burned her brain, yet that wasn’t the betrayal that hurt most.

It was how Ronan saw her; weak, fragile, cowardly.

Was he right? Had she failed her marriage?

Pain knotted in her chest. Grandma Barb was gone, and somewhere deep inside her, she knew something dangerous awaited her.

She climbed on her bed and cried herself to sleep.

The next morning, Marie woke with determination. Maybe Ronan was right, maybe she had been weak. But she wouldn’t be anymore, she would fight for her marriage.

She bathed carefully, perfumed her skin and wore a pink robe with nothing underneath.

Ronan always woke early and she decided to take her chance.

She went to his study, and thankfully he was there and alone. She knocked and waited for his response.

“Come in,” he said flatly as if he already knew it was her.

Marie swallowed and stepped inside. “Good morning baby.”

Ronan sat behind his cluttered desk, fully dressed, his jaw clenched. “I don't have time for whatever this is. My grandma is dead and I need to secure her finances before my fucking half-brother shows up.”

Marie blinked. “Your half-brother is coming?”

“With Grandma's death, he sure will,” he groaned.

Bruce was Ronan's half-brother, the black sheep of the family. Marie had never seen him before, but she knew just how much his name bothered Ronan.

This was it, the perfect opportunity to get Ronan.

“What do you want?” he asked sharply.

“I came to… help,” she said softly, stepping closer. “To ease your stress.”

He frowned. “What?”

She swallowed, summoning courage. “I forgive you for yesterday.” Her hand trembled as it touched his chest. “And to show you that I'm not angry at all, I have this.”

She let the robe fall.

Ronan stared expressionlessly at her bare skin and heat crawled up her cheeks.

“Say something,” she pleaded.

He stood up and her breath hitched. His eyes dropped to her breasts and her nipples hardened.

Relief surged inside her.

It worked! It really did!

She shut her eyes in anticipation. She had expected sex would be on the bed, slow and romantic, but if he wanted to take her on his cluttered desk, she didn't mind.

Marie waited, but when nothing happened she opened her eyes.

Ronan was back at his desk, his eyes on his laptop.

She gasped, humiliation crashing over her. “Ronan—”

“Go take a bath, you stink,” he scoffed without looking at her.

“But I just—”

“Do it again and leave!” he spat.

Pain mingled with the humiliation inside her. She was naked and hot.

Before she could respond, the door opened and Ronan's sister and mother rushed in.

“What's going on here?” Glinda demanded, eyeing Marie.

Marie quickly put on her robe. “Hello, mother-in-law.”

Glinda ignored her, turning to Ronan. “Are you okay, Ron?”

“No,” Ronan replied coldly, “and on top of that, she—” he pointed to Marie. “—came to seduce me.”

Marie froze.

Regina, Ronan's younger sister, stepped forward. “Oh gosh! Where's Tiffany?”

Shame crawled under Marie's skin. So they knew Tiffany?

“She's still sleeping,” Ronan replied, as if on cue, the door opened and Tiffany walked in, wrapped in one of Marie’s silk robes.

“There's my angel,” Glinda cooed, hugging her.

“Marie, I hope you don't mind,” Tiffany said sweetly. “I didn't bring any robe so I borrowed yours.”

Marie said nothing, she just wished the ground would swallow her whole. She looked at Ronan, hoping he would defend her, but instead he walked over to Tiffany and kissed her.

“Morning beautiful.”

The pain doubled in her chest.

“So perfect together,” Regina teased.

Tears burned Marie’s eyes and unable to stand the humiliation, she ran away.

In her room, panic surged through her as she found all her clothes on the floor.

“Tiffany,” she whispered, bending to arrange them, a headache forming as she did.

She had barely finished when Glinda and Regina walked in.

“Eww! The stench!” Regina said, wrinkling her nose.

“How do you live like this?” Glinda snapped, stomping on the clothes.

Marie just let the tears fall. There was no arguing with the Hills women.

“You're so pathetic,” Glinda spat, “so weak. And now that your defender is dead. You can finally be free.”

Despite her tears, she lifted her head. “Free?”

Regina threw some papers at her. “Divorce papers. Ronan already signed.”

“No!” Marie wept. “It's a lie!”

“Look around,” Glinda snarled. “Nobody wants you here. Go back home to your bloodsucking family.”

“If you sign now,” Regina added, “maybe we'll let you keep the clothes.”

Marie stood up and raced out of the room. She rushed back to the study where Tiffany now sat on Ronan's lap.

“They want me to divorce you!” she cried.

“Then do it,” Tiffany replied softly. “Save us all the trouble.”

Marie ignored her, facing Ronan. A part of her believed he was being pushed, maybe if he really saw her, he might fight for her.

“Ronan…” she sniffled, touching his hand.

For a split second, guilt flipped in his eyes, before it vanished.

He nudged his hand away. “Sign it, Marie, be free,” he said flatly.

Her heart shattered.

Regina and Glinda joined them. Someone forced the pen into her hand and she signed.

“Hope to never see you again,” Glinda said, laughing and the rest joined.

Marie fell to the ground, tears blurring her vision and just like that, she was no longer a wife.