Legally Bound to Him

Lena

My fingers tightened over my dress as I listened to my husband’s condescending words,

"Better behave yourself while at this party, you dumb ass. You know you would never be here if it was not for your pretty face. That's all you're good for!" Vincent warned me in the car and I nodded, about to open the door when he sharply grabbed me.

My face twisted in pain, a sharp inhale hitched in my throat as I gritted my teeth from the force of his grip.

"Are you crazy? You want everyone to think I am not a good husband with you opening the door yourself?"

I shook my head no frantically, smiling tentatively, "So sorry, please. You don't have to be angry…"

"Keep quiet, Lena! You do not have a say here." With that, he got out of the car and went around to open my side of the car for me.

The camera flashes began almost immediately and Vincent became a completely different man, planting kisses on my palm and shoulders every chance he got.

Martha and the rest of the women on the table gushed about Vincent and I. I could even see a sign of jealousy glaring at me. Oh, women. I did not blame them, I was just too good an actress with the way I smiled widely and leaned into him.

Years of learning and unlearning taught me how to cope with this man.

He led me to the table where the other trophy wives sat and asked them to "take care of me." Such a bloody pretender.

"Wow. That man really loves you, girl. You look so expensive, too! The highest my husband ever spent on me at a go is five thousand dollars. Shameful to admit, but yeah." Amara spoke as soon as he left, her cheeks flushing red from embarrassment as the other ladies stared at her with pity in their eyes.

I looked away, my eyes following my husband as he chatted with another lady in a corner. I knew her. She recently launched her second company. Fun fact; my husband was behind the funding, as she was one of his many mistresses. Of course, my husband just had to be a serial cheat even with all his other existing flaws.

I sighed, adjusting the mask on my face as it was a masquerade party. One of Vincent's biggest stakeholders and a thriving politician turned 45 and he threw a ball. Of course, Vincent had to drag me out with him to flaunt my pretty face.

"What? Amara, your husband is a fucking billionaire, how can he be so selfish?" One of them cried out, and I discreetly rolled my eyes.

Here goes.

I was already fed up at that point, so I stood up and one of the women asked, “Where are you off to, Lena?”

I flashed her a coy smile, “Restroom break. Be right back.”

I walked towards the restroom, then redirected my steps eventually, towards the bar. After a quick glance around, I grabbed a beer and disappeared towards the back with it.

I had only wanted to drink up to like half of this bottle but like the alcoholic I was, I ended up downing the full bottle, craving another one almost immediately. I loved alcohol; it helped me forget what a sad life I truly lived. In my fucked up world, there was only one person keeping me sane. Just my son, Ethan.

Vincent would kill me if he found me like this. But then I murmured to myself,

"Vincent can go fuck himself for all I care."

"Your husband?" I heard a voice ask above me and I almost choked on my spit, looking up so fast that I almost broke my neck.

The man in the mask standing above me chuckled, "I do not think the wife of an elite should be drinking this much. Cussing at her husband, too. You must be a very interesting woman."

"I'm really not," I blurted out. "I'm just drunk."

He hummed, "Can I sit with you?"

I looked to the empty seat beside me that had started to resemble five seats in total, then nodded, "Mmhmm. Of course."

Then I frowned, looking up at the masked man now that he was sitting directly beside me, "Hey… why does your voice sound familiar, though?"

He stilled for a moment, then cleared his throat and answered, "I have never met you before, if that is what you are asking. Like I said, you are piss drunk."

I nodded. Fairs. I was actually really drunk.

"You are stunning… and different."

I grinned, "… from the other women. Yeah, you said that before."

He laughed. "Yeah, I guess."

I looked him over. He was mostly a big, blurry figure but I could see that he was fit, still. He looked like he was going to be a beautiful man, from the way his jaw was carved, and his eyes through the mask.

Why did these eyes do something to my chest? I felt strange looking into them so I avoided them for most of our conversations, even while I shifted closer to him.

"You have beautiful lips.”

“Hmm.” His voice tried to portray calmness but I could pick up the rough edge to it. I inched closer, feeling so daring and needy tonight. His cologne was the most expensive thing I had ever smelt. Vincent also loved scents, but he did not come close.

My eyes fell to his lips and then I looked up at his eyes to see that he was staring at my lips too. I turned away, giggling lightly, but not meaning it.

God, I needed to kiss him so bad…

I felt so hot, so alive, so different… and maybe my emotions were heightened by the drinking but I knew I always wanted to feel this way.

All of a sudden, his finger went under my chin and he tilted my head to face him. I swallowed, my eyes focused on his lips again.

Fuck it. Maybe this was even a dream and I had dozed off in the middle of drinking, I lied to myself before leaning forward and placing a lingering kiss on his lips, which he rewarded with a low growl.

I quickly placed my head back on his shoulder, trying to catch my breath.

We talked some more after that; he kept arranging my hair and just listening to me blab about the most random things, until I blurted out of the blue,

"This is the first time in a long time anyone has ever listened to me speak for so long. Vincent calls me a talkative. I may never see you again so I'll just say it…"

There was silence for a few seconds and I thought about keeping my feelings to myself but then my drunk, irrational self won against my rational self and I continued,

"I wish… I wish I married someone like you before my husband."

Of course, he did not answer.

Unless, he did. This mystery man responded, "Me too, Lena. Hell, me too."

I smiled happily, and then we had just gone back to bickering when I heard my husband's voice over the seat,

"Hope I am not interrupting much?"

My heart dropped as quickly as my neck snapped up. I did not bother to force a smile; it looked like it was going to be a long night either ways.

"Of course not, Vin. Your wife and I were just talking about a few things."

Vincent only nodded stiffly before turning to me,

"Lena?" He called out, and I simply hummed in answer so he continued, "Can we speak in private?"

"Of course!" Then I stood up and waved goodbye to the guy I had been talking to, recalling that I had not gotten his name. This was the worst time to think about that, by the way.

I walked behind Vincent with shaky legs. Had he seen the kiss? I just knew he was about to spoil my fun one way or the other—he had probably seen me laugh too much this night, and wanted to put an end to that.

Plus, he had seen me getting comfortable around another man that was not him. Thank goodness I was drunk—I could handle whatever came my way with a bit more courage.

Unless he decided to wait until I was sober to teach me a lesson… he had done it a couple times before.

I mentally prepared myself for whatever he had in store for me.

We got to the hallway eventually, and I pulled my mask over my head when he stopped in a corner, looking around. More fear. I hoped to God that he would not hit me. Not here, at least. I mean, there could be CCTV cameras everywhere. If he got involved in a scandal, it was even worse for me as I would take all the blame.

Vincent had his thick palm around my throat in a flash and he was choking me… hard. I gripped his hand, trying to drag it off.

"What were you doing with him? Huh? What the hell were you doing with him in such a tight corner?!" He barked, keeping his voice low, determined to kill me.

I could not answer. His grip on my throat was too tight. I tried to get his hand off, using all my strength but Vincent was always ten times stronger than I was. My eyes widened and tears gathered in them. I opened my mouth to speak… beg him… but no words could come out…

"Vincent? Let her go."

It was him. His voice was deeply rooted in my brain.

Vincent let me go at once and I broke down, wheezing uncontrollably. I think I heard him say,

"It's fine, Adrian, she just… we were just in the mood to try out a kink."

"Then go practice it at home, this is a public place." He noted.

"Noted. We were just leaving. You know, our son, Ethan has been calling for his mama all night." And then he outstretched his hand with a smile at me. We left the hall to the house with my heart in my throat and a very faint recollection that I had heard my husband call that familiar man I had almost kissed at the party, Adrian.

Was this just a coincidence or was my first love and first ex at the same time, back to town?