5

AVA

FEW HOURS LATER

“Are you sure this is what you want?” 

Ria’s voice caused me to pause and drag my gaze from the rear view mirror of my car. I ran a finger through my curls and fixed my lipstick in the mirror before turning to her.

“Since he wants to paint me as his mentally unstable soon to be ex wife, the least I could do is to attend his little announcement galore, right?”

“I’m just worried for you. Who knows what he could do if you ruin his party.”

I glanced at my reflection on the last time in the mirror before stepping out of the car. “What else could he do, Ria? He ruined my reputation, stole my inheritance and dumped me. What's there to lose?”

With that, I gripped my purse tighter and stepped out of my car. The glistening night view of the hotel he rented out caught my eye. He never offered me any romantic gestures. No gifts. 

No affections.

I was just realizing how much he could've done if he really loved me. If he wanted to, he would. All my life, I've made excuses for him. Traffic. Overtime work. Business trips. You name it.

He was always absent. My birthdays. His birthdays. Our anniversary.

My vision soon became hazy with tears. I wiped it out immediately so it wouldn't ruin my make-up. I made my way to the entrance of the hall he rented out and as expected, I was stopped by two security guards.

“Invite?”

I opened my purse and flashed it at them. It took them a while before they cleared the path for me to go in. The soft tubes of a live band filled my ears.

I glanced around, astonished. The hall dripped of the sheen and curls of jewelry. The hum in the air was polite. At least not until the people noticed my presence.

They all glanced at each other. Shocked.

“Wasn't she his wife whose at a mental hospital?”

“How did she get out?”

“I don’t know how I feel about that dress. It's way too short on her.”

I heard the comments. I didn't give it a thought. I didn't care anymore. Carson had already ruined my reputation. And besides, I loved the dress I had on. I wasn't going to feel insecure because some lousy billionaire housewife said so.

They were hypocrites. Every single one of them. 

I recognized each and every one of their faces. They came to the party I threw on David's birthday, acknowledging my efforts and saying good things about me only to switch up the instant Carson spread rumours about me.

A wave of rage settled in my chest. I struggled to take my eyes off them to look for him. Carson. There wasn't a sign of him anywhere. Not even his lover, Giselle.

All I saw was his mother, Mrs Morrelli.

She was on the stage, giving some self gracing speech when I strutted towards the stage. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight of me. Her jaw dropped.

“H-how did you get here?”

I raised a brow. “Are you shocked mother-in-law at how I managed to get out of the hospital to fake a report telling everyone I was mentally unstable and was to be detained?”

Life drained from her eyes.

The crowd in the hall started raving and clamoring. Mumblings rose. I watched my mother-in-law’s face flame. This was more than enough to keep her busy.

You see something for someone as attention hungry as my mother-in-law, not having the spotlight on her was the biggest punishment. I bet the mere thought of it irks her.

Without wasting time, I climbed the few steps to the stage and turned to the live band. “Can you stop the music?”

The music stopped almost immediately. I walked towards my half frozen mother-in-law and just as I got close enough, I snagged the mic from her hands

Just as I did that, I saw Carson rush in, eyes wide with rush. Giselle followed him shortly.

“Ladies and gentlemen, why don't we all welcome my scumbag husband, Carson and should I say his mistress, Giselle. The lady he kept in the shadows while leading me on in a loveless marriage. I hope you both rot right in the pits of hell.”

It didn't take long before Carson stepped in. He seemed pissed. And embarrassed.

Good.

That was what I wanted.

“How the hell are you here? I bet you escaped from the hospital.”

The fear in his voice was evident. He tried to hide it but I already heard it.

“How the hell am I here? Why don't we start by how you paid the hospital which is run by your friend and accomplice to diagnose my mental instability, when I was indeed normal, just to get public validation for your cheating?”

The crowd gasped.

Everyone turned their gazes at Carson and his friend, Jeff, who owned the hospital. “And Jeffrey, next time, I will be suing. I'll make sure I drip your company of everything it has.”

“How dare you?”

Giselle snapped. She walked towards the stage, eyes brimming with rage. “I guess you failed to tell everyone how you cheated on Carson, made him feel insecure because you were richer than him.”

I choked on a breath. “That’s a really pathetic lie, Giselle. If I didn't love him, I never would've married him. I loved him. He betrayed my trust by having an affair with you despite all I did to keep him. And let's not talk about how he's preparing divorce papers just a few days after I gave him my inheritance as heiress of the Malcolm group.”

The crowd gasped.

Everyone was beginning to bring out their phones and cameras. Cameras pointed at me. I glanced right at them then to Carson.

He stared at me with disgust. “Yes you did give me the inheritance, Giselle but did you ever love me? You betrayed my love, trust by cheating on me. Yes, I said it. Here's an image of you.”

He asked the technicians to cast his phone's screen with the display screen on the stage. Everyone gasped. I heard voices. 

“It's her.”

“She really cheated on him.”

 “What a cunt.”

My heart raced. I didn't think twice before turning around to face the screen. I couldn't help but let out a gasp. That picture was photoshopped. That wasn't me.

Was this his back up if his plan to tell the public I was mentally unstable didn't work.

“That picture was clearly edited. I don't even know the man in the picture.”

“Enough of the excuses, Madison. We've had enough of it. Security!”

My mother-in-law’s voice filled my ears. The heavy mumbling in the air rose. I opened my lips to speak but words failed me. My fingers quivered at my sides as cold waves trudged down my spine.

I had to do something.

I couldn't let them silence me.

“Security!” 

Carson's voice beamed as he knotted his hands in hers. My eyes stung with tears. I glared up at his ocean blue eyes. They were always cold. They burned with a fire fueled by rage and disgust.

“After all I've sacrificed, Car—”

Just then, I felt it— hands. Strong ones. 

I tried to yank myself out of the hold of the two heavily built men gripping my arms. Who was I kidding? That wouldn't work.

Laughter filled the air as they dragged me out of the room. My face flamed. My skin burned. I hit the floor hard, and when I glanced back up, the dark clouds above seemed to mock me. Carson had won— for now.