CHAPTER FIVE

ELOISE’S POV.

The world is fading in and out of focus, shades of grey. My mind is torturing me by replaying the scene that unfolded in Klein’s office. My heart is bleeding like it’s been ripped to pieces. He didn’t listen to anything I had to say, he chose her over me and as if all of that wasn’t enough, he’s made her my Superior in my father’s company.

The little hope I had left that Klein isn’t having an affair has been crushed completely.

“Mrs. Wesley.” The doctor’s gentle call brings me back to earth. I look down and notice he’s done stitching the wound on my palm and has even plastered it. “You’ve received four stitches on the wound and I advise you not to do any strenuous activity with the hand until it heals.” He says and rises from the chair he was sitting on while a nurse clears the nearby table of the tools and medications that were used to tend to my wound. “Also, you should pass by daily to have it checked and cleaned, but if you can do that at home, it’s still okay. However, report here the moment the wound shows any sign of infection.” I nod lifelessly at the doctor’s instructions while staring blankly into space.

I can’t stop thinking about the fact that Klein is with Jasmine and not with me.

“I will prescribe you some pain relievers and once you get them, you can go home.” The doctor concludes and exits the ward with the nurse.

“I’ll get the medicines.” Says Logan as he goes after the doctor.

The moment I’m left alone in the ward, the tears in my eyes break free, spilling down my cheeks like a waterfall and the tears do not stop flowing until we arrive at home.  I have to slap my uninjured palm over my lips time and again to stop myself from crying out loud.

It isn’t supposed to hurt this much.

On our wedding night, Klein already made me understand his feelings towards me and our marriage during our first sexual contact. As he thrusted in and out of me, he made it clear to me that he only married me because his father asked him to in order to strengthen the business alliance between our families and that he would never treat me with affection. He wasn’t joking.

Three years of marriage and he has never treated me like anything more than a work colleague. He never initiates a personal conversation with me when we are together and doesn’t engage in any I try to bring up. He’s hardly at our home and even when he comes, he only sleeps in our bedroom on nights when he wants to have sex. And for sex, I can count the number of times we’ve had sex since we got married on the fingers of one hand and there will be left overs.

To the public, our marriage is nothing short of perfect, but in reality, every aspect of our marriage is a failure.

And I can almost say that my husband hates me.

I have known this for years now and I’ve never expected him to change, so why does it hurt so much to see him act like this towards me? 

My stupid, stupid, stupid heart keeps hurting!

My thoughts are interrupted by a click on the backseat door. The moment it’s opened, I step out of it and revel in the cool, gentle breeze caressing my face and exposed arms and swaying strands of my hair in different directions. The throbbing headache that began at the hospital has not abated and I’m happy to be home because all I want to do right now is go up to my bedroom, crawl under my duvet and sleep for the rest of the day.

“Eloise!” A familiar voice booms from a distance. My heart sinks into my abdomen when I turn around and see my mother-in-law marching towards me, with a murderous look in her eyes. She’s vibrating with anger as she takes quick, long steps over to where I’m standing and when she’s finally close to me, I watch in horror as she lifts her right hand all the way up and behind before bringing it forward and smacking me right across my face. My head sways to the side and I stagger for a bit before regaining my balance. The assaulted spot burns as I struggle to wipe away the hair covering my face so I can get a clear few of her again.

“Mother what…”

“How dare you!” She fumes, raising her hand to repeat her previous action, but the impact is intercepted by Logan who steps between us and traps her hand in the air. “Let go of me, you filthy low-life! How dare you try to stop me from teaching this gold digger a lesson! Have you no regard for authority or at least, fear for your life? I could end you with a single phone call.”

“Ma’am, you have to calm down. You can’t do this here!”

“Yes, I can!” She screams, wrangling her wrist in Logan’s hold and he finally lets her go, but doesn’t bulge from his spot. “This house belongs to my son and I have every right to do whatever I want here!”

“Mother please, what’s going on? What have I done wrong?”

“What have you done wrong?” She says, skipping to the side to access me, but Logan is quick enough to block her. “Step out of the way, right now!” She screams at the tops of her lungs and I tap Logan who turns to me with a mortified look on his face.

“She’s going to hurt you again.”

“I know, but please just do as she says. I don’t want any trouble with Klein.” I beg weakly. If I don’t do this, the moment she leaves here, she will call her son and narrate a totally exaggerated version of what has happened to him and that’s going to cause problems between us. I’d rather deal with her right now than have more problems with Klein later.

“Mrs. Wesley…” Logan starts to protest but I cut him off.

“Logan, please.” I plead firmly and he reluctantly steps aside. My mother-in-law immediately takes his place and I expect her to hit me again, but she surprisingly, keeps her hands to herself.

“Jasmine called and told me what happened. How dare you attack her!” She thunders and a derisive scoff tumbles from my lips before I can hold it in.

Of course, Jasmine told her the same lie! It’s something a desperate wench like her would do.

“I did not attack Jasmine!” I defend fiercely.

“You're a lying, piece of shit!” She sneers as she comes dangerously closer to me, her eyes shooting daggers at my face. If looks could kill, I’d be dead and forgotten by now. “If anything bad happens to Jasmine, I will make your life a living hell! Mark my words!”

As if my life isn’t already.

I don’t say that out loud.

“Stupid girl!” She raises her hand again and when I think she’s going to baptize me with another neck-swaying slap, she instead places the tip of her index finger on my forehead and pushes my head backwards like I'm a naughty five-year-old boy. My mind is still reeling from the shock of her bizarre punishment when she turns on her heels and marches back to her car. I only breathe properly again when her car drives out of the premises. I turn to Logan who' s giving me the most pitiful expression ever. I swallow the needles in my throat and flash him a dry smile.

“Thank you for defending me.” I say in a quiet tone and he replies with a silent nod and starts leading the way into the house.

Logan has never expressed it openly, but I know he’s on my side. I see the looks of pity he gives me every time Klein or any of his relatives treat me with disdain. Even when I don’t ask, he updates me on Klein’s daily schedules and whereabouts and today is not the first day he’s taking care of me in Klein’s place. He’s the only one who treats me like an actual human being over here and I’ve never understood his reason for that because he’s fiercely loyal to Klein.

“Mrs. Wesley.” He calls me once we are in the living room and I stop in my tracks but I don’t turn to face him. I take one look at the pitiful look in his eyes for me, I will break down and that’s something I want to avoid at all cost.

“Yes, Logan.”

“I just got a message from Mr. Wesley.”

A kernel of hope sprouts in my chest as I quickly turn around and shoot him an eager look.

Is Klein worried about me? Is that why he texted? Does he want to know how I’m faring?

“What did he say?” I ask, my eyes glowing with impatience.

“He wants you to accompany him to a fundraising party tonight. He’ll be here to pick you up at six pm on the dot. He has asked that you dress elegantly like always.” He reports in a robotic tone.

I nearly die of disappointment. I never truly learn my lesson.