Chapter 1

Elle's POV

I quietly and quickly picked up my clothes scattered on the ground of the hotel room. I felt dirty and ashamed of myself. But I knew that the deed had already been done and there was no going back.

“It's for Richard's sake,” I kept chanting in my head to rid myself of the guilt that I just cheated for the first time in my seven years of marriage.

After getting dressed, I glanced once more at the sleeping man on the ruffled bed before stepping out of the hotel room. He was the new manager that joined the company a few months ago, a handsome bachelor who I had to lead on so I could get my hands on the promotion that my husband needed so badly.

Speaking of my husband, Richard must be waiting for me to give him the good news; that I had successfully done what he asked.

I arrived home tired and walked straight to the bedroom assuming that Richard was in there since I couldn't find him anywhere else in the house. I stepped into the room and color drained from my face when I saw him snuggling with another woman on our matrimonial bed.

Their clothes were scattered around the room and the air reeked of sex that they obviously just had.

Still in shock at the scene before me, I staggered weakly and called out distraught “Richard, what is this?” tears began to well up in my eyes as I thought of my dignity that I had sacrificed for him.

Upon hearing my voice, the cuddling pair shook in surprise to see me but they remained on the bed.

“Can’t you knock before entering?” Richard hissed at me.

I shuddered, shocked to see him look at me with so much irritation. I was also angry that I had put my dignity on the line for him and I returned to see this. I walked closer to them and handed him the document, perhaps he would understand what I had done for him when he saw it.

He eyed the file and took it before chuckling, “So you really did it?” he asked a question that I didn't know how to answer.

“I don't understand. You told me to get the contract with any means necessary even if it was sleeping with your manager. I did it for you” I tried to keep my voice clear but I couldn't help but quiver from sadness and anger.

He chuckled again and hissed, “This wretch! So you cheat on me and expect me to be happy about it? I never told you to sleep with my manager, you made that decision yourself because you are a slut and a cheat. You did nothing for me, I never put a gun to your head to help me” he spat out.

Every word he said pierced me like a knife, I couldn't believe he was the one saying all this after pushing me to do it. He was the one who told me to keep the fact that we were married couples a secret from the office, we always acted like strangers at work and working in different departments made it easier. When his manager took an interest in me, he encouraged me to keep it up till I could get him to sign his promotion. I never wanted to do it but he kept on pushing, begging and threatening. Why was he pretending to not know anything about it now?

He even threatened to end our marriage if I didn't… so I did it all for him. I made his manager book a hotel and got him very drunk then I had sex with him so he could approve the promotion document. How can he say such a thing now?

I eyed the woman lying nonchalantly beside him and then I remembered seeing her before. Oh yes! She was the chief operating officer directly under the CEO, Melody, people respected her due to her high position in the company. Compared to her, a mere department manager was nothing.

I could finally understand why Richard went for her, she could easily give him a promotion and other benefits.

“You are accusing me of being a cheat but what does that make you? I came in here to see you in bed with another woman, you know I never would have slept with the manager if you didn't threaten to end our marriage” I retorted back, out of frustration and anger.

Richard sighed tiredly and handed me another set of papers along with the one I had given him, “I am not like you because our marriage already ended a while ago in my eyes. You think I didn't notice you staying up at night to flirt with the manager, you became distant and never cared whether I was alive or not. I know I don't measure up to him but I thought our seven years of marriage would mean somethin⁵g to you. It was during my distraught state that I met this goddess and she has been my strength ever since to put up with you. Now you suddenly returned with a promotion document as if I ever asked you to do that for me. I am tired of your games, Elle. Take this and sign quickly, this marriage is over” he poured out.

I couldn't help but burst into laughter as soon as I read the title of the document as divorce papers. Oh how pathetic I looked, I had spent the entire night struggling to get his contract signed and he already found a quicker option. Now he wanted nothing to do with me, I could never give him half of the benefits the COO offered. All the lies he just spewed was to act like a saint in her presence while I took the fall for it.

I could certainly be given the wife of the decade award for cheating for my husband and still getting divorced. My seven years of marriage was one big joke; my husband was leaving for power despite all we had been through together.

I took the documents with shaky hands as I pushed back the urge to bawl my eyes out. I didn't want them to see me heartbroken and weak, I had lost enough dignity today.

“And one more thing, Melody doesn't like you here so turn in those papers and pack your things, I want you out of my house within the hour” I heard him say behind me as I walked out of the room. I could hear their giggles all the way from the living room while I packed my belongings and left my matrimonial home with a heavy heart.