Chapter 3

Sandra's pov

“Lucas!” 

I hated how my voice rang out with concern, betraying my concern. He'd lost his balance on the stairs and fallen to the bottom wrenching with pain.

 Before I knew it, my legs were running down, halfway through I took hold of myself.

 This man had betrayed me, there was no need for me to rush to his aid like this. His eyes, blurred behind the alcohol, rolled through my body. Big orbs of blue begging me to forgive him, but I couldn't. 

 To think that only a week ago, we'd been on this staircase together. I was telling him that I was going to be on the cover for a certain magazine I'd been eyeing forever, and with his hands wrapped around my waist, he'd listened.

  Back then, I thought that we were going to be happy forever. 

  Now I couldn't even stand to look at him. 

  I made sure that the divorce was as messy as possible, plastering his betrayal for the world to see. Of course, I knew that my ex-husband was too powerful a man to fully collapse just because of that; however, it was a balm to my injured heart knowing that I was dragging his reputation through the mud anyway. 

   Finally, after several months, the divorce was finalized, and I was no longer Mrs Hudson anymore.

 I put my modeling career on hold for a time to recuperate, George and Margaret insisted that I was invited to stay as long as I needed to.

 George was almost too supportive, urging me to get on dating apps and ‘meet someone new’. I kept politely refusing until he pulled out another card. 

“Which of these cake designs do you like the most?” he asked one day, practically shoving his entire phone screen into my face, and I was instantly overwhelmed by the thousands of choices that slid across the screen.

“I'm fine with anything as long as it's chocolate,” I said politely, pushing it away. “Wait, are you actually going to order me an entire cake? There's no way I can finish all that by myself!” I exclaimed, dropping the magazine on my bed and turning to face him completely.

 He smiled mischievously, “Don't worry about that, you won't have to eat it alone.”

He continued his grin getting even wider.

“I'm sure the guests at your divorce party will do justice to it,”

“A divorce party?” The words came out awkwardly like it was the first time I knew they could be used together like that. 

He nodded enthusiastically anyway; “I can't look away as you bedrot anymore, get out there, meet somebody new and show that loser what he's missing out on!” 

 It was silly, and petty too but I was tired and feeling and looking like crap. 

 The divorce had granted me momentary satisfaction, securing millions in alimony and shared property was a sure win that had embraced my cold heart like a warm, cozy blanket.

 But recovering from the betrayal didn't happen overnight; in fact, it still didn't happen when I was amid familiar faces celebrating my freedom.

 A long list of guys approached me, a handful had been mutual friends between my ex and me, Hmpf! I guess loyalty was something all of them lacked. Of course, I turned them down and tried to occupy myself with drinks.

 I wasn't a big drinker, as a model, I had to be careful about what I let into my system, but tonight, I didn't care. 

 With George's encouragement, I was chugging one bottle after another until I smelled a familiar cologne.

 My chest compressed tightly.

 He was here.

 I couldn't be mistaken, it was a one-of-a-kind cologne I'd made especially for him.

My first anniversary gift to him.

 It was delivered with a bouquet of flowers–blue roses. 

 

He'd actually broken down in tears, hugged me close, molding my body into his.

 My fingers squeezed the red cup in my hand. To think that this bastard would have the audacity to show up here!

 I started searching for him through the crowd of people to kick him out that was when someone dancing bumped into me and I would have crashed on the ground if someone hadn't caught me halfway through.

When my lips were about to thank him, my eyes zeroed in on the person who had caught me.

Lucas.

 I'd never seen him look so disheveled; he wore a beanie, huge baggy clothes, and his chin was itching for a shave.

 “Hi,” He said like he was learning to talk.

 My stomach churned, and I grabbed his wrist and pulled him to my room. He followed without resistance, without anything really like I was dragging a zombie rather than a living breathing person.

“You have exactly five minutes to explain what you're doing here!” I slammed the door shut behind the two of us.

 He looked at me, his dull eyes lighting up a bit.

“Can I be honest?” 

 I laughed, “Maybe you should have thought of that before you slept with another woman!”

“Baby, I swear…I never–What can I do to make you believe me?” 

 I crossed my arms, “Nothing, I told you that with me it's one strike and I'm done, but you must have thought I was just teasing.” I gritted my teeth, “I meant every word, now we're over and I don't ever want to see you again. I'm only letting you go because…Well, I don't want to get involved with you anymore, and…oh, go to hell, Lucas! Stop making me feel bad when you destroyed us,”

 I stepped forward, “And for what? A one-night stand that didn't even go anywhere,” 

 Tears glistened in the corner of his eyes, and I could feel my skin crawl, “Sandra, you know I'd never…”

“But you did! You wretched two-timing pieces of scum! I clenched my fist, pounding his chest. I continued, and he didn't move an inch, even when my movements slowed down, softening, and my fingers reflexively unbuttoned his shirt, and he reached for the hem of my dress.

 The rest of the night was history.