CHAPTER 5: TWO AGAINST ONE

My husband, Alan, was in bed with his mistress, Samantha. Furious, I jumped on her and started hitting her, but Alan quickly grabbed me, pulling my hair and turning the situation into two against one.

He restrained my hands behind my back and let Samantha strike me. I cried out for help, but no one came to my aid.

"Alan! Why are you doing this to me? What have I done to deserve this treatment from you and your mistress? Why did you bring her into our home and have the audacity to sleep with her in our bed?" I yelled, trying to make myself heard.

"You unfaithful wife! You’re calling this your home, yet you come back at 8:00 PM after being gone for hours. What kind of married woman does that? You question me for bringing Samantha here when you were nowhere to be found. I needed to fulfill my desires, but you were with someone else!" Alan retorted, with Samantha smirking beside him.

I felt bewildered as Alan twisted the narrative. He was the unfaithful one, yet he made me feel like I was the one in the wrong. However, I stood my ground because I knew I was innocent. "Alan! Don’t you dare accuse me falsely. You know I would never cheat on you..."

Before I could finish, he slapped me hard. I held my cheek, trembling and sobbing quietly.

Alan shouted at me, and as I closed my eyes and cried, he seemed to lose control, hitting the wall beside me. "Audrey! You open your mouth to claim you’d never cheat on me? Let’s think logically: work ends at 4:00 PM, but you didn’t come home until 8:00 PM. Where were you? Don’t tell me you were working late because that’s not possible. Just admit you were with another man!"

I reached out and touched his face gently through my tears, explaining, "No, I was with my colleague Jessica. I went to her house after work... “If you don’t believe me, you can call Jessica. She’ll confirm that I was with her and came straight home from her place…” I began to explain, but Alan cut me off before I could finish.

“Shut up, Audrey! You can’t tell me what to do! I’m not calling some ridiculous cleaner—what would I even say? Who would I tell her I am to you? But I do have one simple question for you, and I expect a straightforward answer: why on earth did you go to this so-called Jessica’s house? Since when did you start making friends?” Alan asked, his voice filled with anger. I sensed jealousy beneath his words, even though he was trying to hide it.

I was hurting deeply, desperately hoping Alan would trust me in this moment. “Alan, the reason I went to Jessica’s house is that I needed someone to talk to after how you and your chief adviser treated me at work. I swear I’m not cheating on you, Alan. I love you so much." I sobbed and sniffled.

He pulled my hands away from his face. "Liar! How dare you Audrey! You’re looking me in the eye and lying! I can't stand liars, which is why I prefer Samantha over you. She would never lie to me; she's honest and direct." Alan barked as he pushed me outside, threatening to file for divorce because he wanted to be with Samantha. Little did he know, he was about to leave the real tycoon’s daughter for someone he thought was important.

My love for Alan was so deep it hurt. I dropped to my knees, pleading with him not to divorce me. He looked at me with pity and said he would let it go this time. Hearing this, Samantha scowled at him. "Is that all you have to say to her? Be a man for once, Alan."

Alan nodded, filled with anger, and grabbed me by the neck. I gasped for air, struggling to breathe. "I can’t breathe," I wheezed. He warned me that if I ever touched Samantha again, it would be the end for us. I nodded submissively, feeling powerless, and he released me. I shuddered and coughed uncontrollably, tears streaming down my face. Samantha smirked, raising her eyebrows, then rudely stuck out her tongue and spat on me before she and Alan got dressed and left.

While driving, Alan noticed Samantha murmuring. "Why are you mumbling?" he asked.

Samantha turned to him, her expression flat. "Why not just divorce her and marry me? I saw the pity in your eyes. It’s not like she has any property you’d inherit. If you love her, just say so."

Alan slammed on the brakes. "Samantha, you’ve said enough. You’ve seen how I treat my wife because of you. I want to divorce her, but who will do all the housework? Who will clean, cook, and do laundry?"

Samantha shook her head and waved her hands dismissively. "You can hire help. You have the money, so don’t worry about it. Just do what you need to do."

Alan sighed and held her hands gently. "I know, but she does it for free. Just give me time to figure everything out, and she’ll be out of my life before you know it."

Samantha rolled her eyes. "So, you’re saying you’ll divorce her eventually."

Alan leaned in and kissed her. "Yes, my love, but only after I teach her to respect you and treat you like the queen you are."

Samantha rubbed her nose against his. "I like how you handle her. Make it worse if she’s still living with you."

They drove off to an expensive hotel and spent the night together. I felt utterly alone, drowning in my tears. I wanted to call my brother Kevin for help but hesitated since I’m not one to give up easily. With no one to talk to, I curled up and sniffled. Just then, my phone beeped. I was thrilled to see a message from Alan but my heart sank when I opened it to find something that took my breath away…