CHAPTER ONE: a broken heart, a sealed deal

Jake's pov

Jake pushed past the crowd of reporters and onlookers to his car.

Collapsing into the driver's seat, he locked the car but didn't drive off immediately.

His head buried into the steering wheel, as his hands wrapped around it.

“Why are you doing this Ray…” he muttered, his voice strained by the weight in his chest.

His wet cheeks pressed on the steering wheel, and his lips quivered.

A notification popped up on his phone from his tracker… he sniffled, reaching for it.

Jake stared at the lit-up screen for a minute before moving his hands over his face to wipe the tears there.

“I know what I must do” his Volkswagen engine roared to a fiery start.

As his car came to a halt at a Hallmark location in Valley Field Tech Ltd.

Jake's legs suddenly became too heavy to walk into a company that once felt like home, his eyes rested lazily on the 4 story edifice standing before him.

With a neon sign, boldly engraved with "Elite Valley Tech Ltd.”

A vivid image of him and Ray in their Old studio apartment office setup, flashed.

He groaned, hating the bitter taste of the pain in his heart.

Most of the staff looked like they had been struck by lightning when they saw Jake walk in.

“He looks depressed,” someone whispered.

“That's what you get when you cheat on someone like Ray” someone else replied.

Jake clenched his fist by his side, his steps hastened.

“Ignorant fools” he cursed, stretching the length of his strides.

“Ray we have to talk…now” Jake almost knocked down the door as he barged in.

Ray's secretary came running after, clutching onto the door frame as she panted. “I tried to stop him sir”

“Can we continue this meeting somewhere else, I will text you the address” Ray spoke directly to the man seated with him, ignoring the two unwanted guests.

The man, a client, dressed in a brown tailored suit, nodded.

And stood, Ray stood alongside and shook his hands.

He made to leave but stopped right next to Jake, a wicked smirk flashed on his face and disappeared almost immediately.

He continued out.

Ray sat back as soon as the client left.

“Shut the door behind you Lucy” his voice turned cold.

Lucy the secretary scrambled out of the office, leaving the couple.

“Who was that?” Jake motioned to the door.

“A prospective client” Ray responded, his voice still cold, as he scanned the papers on his table.

Jake,lost it, he strode to the table, letting his hand bang on it.

“For weeks I have texted, called, and repeated the same thing over and over again”

Ray raised his eyes to meet Jake's; swollen from the dark circles around them.

His face softened, and he blinked slowly.

“You cheated Jake” he paused, “I can never forgive that and that's why the divorce must go on”

Jake hurried around the table to Ray,” I swear, I didn't do anything with him, he was a new friend and he wanted me to help him with something, I asked him to come over to the house, I slept off, no, he put something in my drink or food, he didn't touch me I swear” he rushed through the words like they burnt the tips of his tongue.

Ray shook his head, shifted his face from Jake, “You are not even making sense”

Jake’s voice dropped “Believe me, please” he clasped his hands together.

“How can I ?” Ray chuckled drily.

“Babe please” Jake pleaded.

His phone rang.

Jake ignored.

“Answer it and put it on speaker” Ray ordered.

Jake shook his head, sniffling.

“Now” he thundered.

Jake obeyed.

“Hey baby, when are you coming home?” the voice from the other end of the phone asked.