Five

Lily waited purposely until 8:30 to return to Asher's home. She didn't want to move in before the time he gave her and have him think she is still going to submit to his whim all the time. The Lily he was previously married to might have done that, but not her... She was going to play the part of a wife that is married only on paper very well this time around.

    Her heart however broke in disappointment when she walked back into the house with the two suitcases she walked away with, and he wasn't even home yet. She bit down hard on her bottom lip, to keep its trembles from the gazes of the servants, who were all overjoyed to see her. Lily knew the excitement wasn't because they loved her so much, but because now their jobs were secured. Marie had told her Asher's threats last night.

    "Let me help you, ma'am" the voice of the driver interrupted her thoughts, and with a small smile, she let go of the suitcases and he carried it up.

"I am glad you are back, ma'am" Marie said, and Lily bobbed her head with a small smile. She looked around the living room and she bit back a tear, it looked just as lifeless as it did when she first moved in as a wife, and then she had been excited to add touches of homeliness to it, but now, she decided it was better off looking lifeless. It would be an epitome of the lifelessness of their marriage, the same way her touches of homeliness signified her stupid hope that one day, a man who swore to never love her will finally one day, do.

"I can't say the same, Marie." She said and Marie shot her a sad smile. "Is dinner ready?" Marie immediately nodded and pointed to the direction of the dinning room.

"Ready and served."

"Excellent" she decided she was going to have dinner without him, then go and get the needed rest from moving twice in a day. She wasn't going to wait up for him, not anymore.

    Asher's eyes darted to the wall clock in his office, and he nodded. It was 8:20, she should be back now. 

"Ash baby! Are you even listening to me?!" A loud voice interrupted his thoughts, and he turned in annoyance to the owner. His frown immediately disappeared and was replaced with a forced smile when he saw Charlotte staring at him angrily, her hands folded under her boobs, and he couldn't help but wonder if her voice has always been this annoying.

    "I am sorry, what were you saying?" She released a breath and strutted over to him before she made herself comfortable on his laps. Her scent immediately engulfed his nose, and he wanted nothing but to push her away. Her scent was rough, nothing like Lily's soft vanilla scent, and her moves were too bold, too knowing unlike Lily's... He immediately shook his head and snapped out of his thoughts.

Since Charlotte walked into his office this evening he has done nothing but scrutinize and compare her to Lily, and it was maddening because even though she looked like Lily, she was nothing like her.  When she showed up unannounced yesterday after 5 years, he waited for happiness at her return, at her apology, but it never came... He thought taking her home to Lily will finally bring back the missing passion, but all it did was show him how much he has come to appreciate gentleness to the brazen ways of Charlotte... But he loved her, right?

    His gaze met hers, and he listened with forced interest as she went on and on about the most irrelevant of things. Lily would have talked about... He stopped himself and shook his head, no, not Lily, this isn't just about Lily, he would have been interested in her little yapping about nothing a few years ago, but this time around he couldn't even muster the faintest interest. He couldn't care less for her anymore, and to him, Asher Allard... The minute he stops caring is the minute he stops loving. 

    "Charlotte..." He cut her off in the middle of her rants, and she responded with a sweet smile. "It's time for me to go home."

Her hands immediately found its way to his tie and she began fiddling with it. "Do you really have to go? We can just stay at a hotel tonight, I know neither of us want to see her botched face tonight." Asher clenched his fists tightly to keep in check the sudden surge of annoyance he felt at her insulting Lily. She had done the same last night and he disregarded it, but not this time.

"I'll appreciate it if you don't insult my wife." Her eyes widened at his words and she immediately stood to her feet.A

    "Your wife? Since when did you start referring to her as that... In my presence!? You know she stole you from me!"

"You ran away at our wedding, Charlotte!" He said, his voice calm and steady as always, but Charlotte almost tripped over her ankle at his words. "Lily didn't steal me, you gave me up."

    "Ba-babe..." She turned on her slutty voice and walked over to him, her hands cupping his face. "I already told you that..."

"That you are sorry? Yes, you have. What you haven't told me is the reason you actually came back." Charlotte's eyes widened and she immediately backed away from him. Her mind raced all over, trying to figure out why he was doubting her. Could he have found out the truth? She glanced at him, and shook her head... There's no way.

"Baby..."

Asher cut her off by standing to his feet, "I think you should go now."  When she walked into his office with her crappy apology and crappy excuse, he had a hunch she was lying but he was too busy trying to feign happiness at her return. He waited all these years for it, but now... He knew better or rather, he has finally acknowledged the truth he has always known.

    Charlotte is a pathological liar, and a manipulator, and it's become difficult to deal with it.