5. Scorned—Discarded devotion

"Emily is carrying my child..."

This revelation slashed through Audrey's heart like a sharp knife as it hit her ears.

Her surroundings faded and for a fleeting moment, she struggled to grasp anything.

"What?" She muttered, finally reeling from shock as she glanced between her husband and the woman she once called her friend. "What?" She was still shocked.

"Listen, I'm sorry, Audrey. I really am. But it's time we call this marriage quits. I want to be with Emily. I want to raise my child with her. I love her, Audrey. And I hope you can understand—"

He was interrupted as the sound of Audrey's palm connecting with his cheek reverberated throughout the penthouse, shattering the tranquility there before.

"How dare you?"

Theodore didn't flinch, but judging by his tightly clenched jaws, the slap Audrey had just delivered to his cheek stung.

"Love?" Audrey's eyes flickered between his. "Hope I can understand? Are you deranged? How dare you cheat on me and then have the audacity to ask me for my understanding?" Her eyes glared daggers at him. "After everything we've been through. After all I did for you. You dare betray me, Theo?"

In that state of rage, she barked at him. "Where are the divorce papers? I want to sign them right the fuck now. I'm done. I'm fucking done with you, Theodore Rodriguez! Give me the papers," she said these words in a bluff, not like she actually expected he would comply with her demand.

However, to her utmost surprise, Theodore nodded subtly. "Sure. They're already prepared. I'll go get them from the bedroom. Excuse me."

Theodore strutted out of the living room after that, leaving Audrey alone with Emily.

What was left of Audrey's heart shattered completely as she watched her husband rush upstairs, his demeanor giving away his eagerness to put an end to their marriage.

For a moment, Audrey was at a loss for words, her thoughts a raging mess. But then she recollected herself as she remembered the presence of the snake in the room with her. Of course, it was no other person but her evil best friend, Emily.

Audrey turned to Emily and shook her head as she regarded her.

"I thought you were my friend. So this is what you've been after all along. My marriage? My husband? Seriously?"

Emily had dropped her facade as soon as Theodore left the room.

With a disdainful huff, she replied to Audrey. "Oh I'm sorry, Audrey, but I believe I've always made it known to you from the start how badly I wanted your husband. You never took the hint cause you were too caught up in your own shit or perhaps you were just stupid and naive. Anyways, I never thought Theodore would actually reciprocate my feelings, but you know what they say about soulmates." She said with a sulky pout.

"Don't you dare," Audrey gritted but Emily persisted anyway.

"I'm not sorry your husband chose me, Audrey. I love him and he loves me too, unfortunately for you. Perhaps, you should've been more careful in the past when you wouldn't stop yapping about how perfect he is to me. Of course, I also wanted to experience that kind of attention, or am I not worthy enough?" A sly smirk pulled her lips.

"I trusted you, Em. How could you betray me like this?"

Emily rolled her eyes sassily. "Oh, come on, Audrey. You're making it look like I stole your husband. I didn't. Okay, maybe I did. But he wanted me first. He chased after me in fact. You know, he told me that he fell for me from the very first day he laid his eyes on me when I arrived as the new employee. That was the reason he convinced you to step down so we could be close to each other. You do know this is all your fault, right?"

"What?" Audrey was fazed.

Emily sighed dramatically. "Okay, listen. You introduced me to Theodore, knowing fully well that I have a huge crush on him. You were stupid, Audrey. You thought you could oppress me with your man, right? Well, look who has him now."

Audrey couldn't believe her ears. She couldn't believe it was the same woman who had desperately begged her for a spot in her company a year ago, even if it was the cleaner's. Emily had claimed she was in dire financial straits and urgently needed a job to survive.

Even though Emily hadn't qualified for the position, Audrey still offered her a helping hand anyway. She had even chosen Emily as her replacement after Theodore coerced her to resign. She found it hard to believe it was the same woman who was now criticizing her kindness. Most especially, she found it hard to believe she was actually the reason Theodore had convinced her to step down.

Emily's voice broke into her thoughts. "I don't feel remorseful for sleeping with your man, Audrey. To be honest, I think I'm the better woman for him..."

Audrey darted her eyes at Emily, noting the smirk etched on her face. All Audrey wanted at that moment was to get rid of that smirk from her face using violence. However, she restrained herself, her eyes only glaring daggers at Emily.

"Come on, don't give me that look. I'm innocent," Emily pouted. "I did nothing wrong. You wanna know what Theodore told me a week ago when I broke the news to him that I was pregnant?"

Audrey remained silent, her breaths expelling swiftly in short pants as she watched Emily.

In a hushed tone, Emily took a step towards Audrey and said. "He said I was a better woman than you. That I was better in bed. A better chef, and the perfect woman for his kids since you obviously can't get pregnant,"

This was when Audrey lost it.

Adrenaline coursing through her veins, fueled by their closeness and Emily's audacity to spout such nonsense to her face, in that instant, she gripped a handful of Emily's hair and yanked it sharply, prompting a sharp scream to tear from Emily's throat as pain ripped through her skull.

"Listen here, you dumb bitch," Audrey sneered as she twisted Emily's hair in her merciless fist, forcing her gaze up.

"Arghh!" Emily yelped, but Audrey still held on tight.

"You are definitely going to regret this, I promise you. You think you will get away with this?" Audrey snapped, yanking harder on Emily's hair and causing her more distress.

But even in her state of anguish, Emily still shot back at Audrey. "Theodore doesn't love you, Audrey. Hell, he never did! You were merely a tool he used to regain his status. He never wanted you to have his children too; that's the reason he's been slipping birth control into your vitamins! Ha, bet you didn't see that one coming—dumb bitch!"

Audrey staggered back, disbelief faltering her expression. "What?" She muttered.

However, she didn't have enough time to fully process before Theodore's cold voice sliced through the air. "Audrey, let her go now!"

Audrey turned instinctively, seeing her husband rush towards them like a knight coming to the rescue. The brown envelope he was also holding firmly didn't go unnoticed by her. Pain tugged at her heartstrings.

In her moment of vulnerability due to shock, Theodore was able to free Emily from her stronghold.

"Here are the papers, Audrey. Fucking sign them," Theodore said with a detached tone, tossing the envelope toward her while wrapping a protective arm around Emily, who pretended to shiver.

Audrey caught the envelope instinctively.

Theodore persisted. "I told you she's pregnant, and you still try to harm her; how could you? You shouldn't blame her for what happened. I already admitted that I cheated on you, and that is the reason I've decided to end this marriage. Just sign the papers, Audrey. You disgust me with your cruelty."

"Cruelty? That's funny." Audrey said. "Is it true? Have you really been slipping plan B's in my supplements, Theo, despite knowing how badly I wanted to have a baby—Your baby?" She trailed off with heartbreak.

But he snorted dismissively. "Who deluded you into believing I wanted to have babies with you in the first place?"

Audrey stared at her husband, unable to fathom if he was the same man she had chosen over wealth three years ago, despite her family's warning.

"You're seriously divorcing me for her, Theodore?" Audrey asked. "After everything we've been through together? After all I've done for you in this marriage. Are you seriously throwing away the last three years of our lives because of her?"

He ignored her.

He focused on consoling Emily for what had just happened.

Audrey's heart squeezed painfully. It was another kind of emotional torment to watch the man you love giving his affection to another woman, especially when you're in dire need of it. Perhaps, it was better she let them be.

Divorce was what he wanted, wasn't it? Divorce he shall get.

But she vowed to ensure his treachery would become the biggest regret of his life sooner or later!