4

Chapter 4

Vincent Cross

~•~

Missing Audrey’s birthday was one of the hardest decisions I’d made in my life, and at one point in my life, I had to testify against a mafia boss in a RICO case.

But after what she had done to me, I couldn’t bring myself to attend her birthday party.

I hated that I had to resort to hurting her, but she was simply paying the consequences of her actions. The worst part was that she was acting clueless, like she had no idea what she had done to warrant this treatment.

I clenched my jaw as I walked back into my office.

“Vincent, you only asked me out because you wanted to make your wife jealous,” Cierra said as I sat down on my desk. “But I didn’t think it was that serious to the point where you asked your receptionist not to let her into your office.”

I drew in a shaky breath.

“And you’ve refused to tell me what she did to you…” she continued. “What is happening in your marriage?”

My chest tightened as the memories came flooding back into my mind. But I shut my eyes tightly and shoved them away.

I didn’t want to remember.

I didn’t want to relive that hurt again.

“Cierra.” I began, clearing my throat. “You just have one role to play here, and you promised me that you weren’t going to ask me any questions when I contacted you.”

Cierra was the last girlfriend I had before I met Audrey a few months after we broke up. We hadn’t been in contact but we were still cordial with each other.

That night I found out what my wife had done to me, and I was so miserable. I didn’t want to turn to alcohol, so I reached out to the only other person I knew would be able to calm me down.

I refused to talk to her about the details of my problems, but I just told her that I would feel a whole lot better if she decided to go out with me on Audrey’s birthday.

Initially, Cierra attempted to talk me out of it, but when she saw that I was willing to do it with or without her, she finally agreed.

“Vincent, if you don’t tell me what’s happening, I don’t think I can continue going out with you,” she mumbled. “If something is wrong, you have to be a man and communicate with Audrey.”

My face twisted.

Why was she supporting Audrey? I thought she would even be happy that my marriage was crumbling because of the history we had.

I stood up and folded my arms. “You’re not fun anymore. And if you don’t want to go out with me anymore, it’s your choice and I can’t tell you what to do.”

Cierra’s eyes widened. “Really?”

I had already achieved what I wanted; making sure Audrey felt hurt on her special day the same way I did.

“Yes.”

Cierra didn’t say anything else; she left my office angrily. A few moments later, I also left because I couldn’t focus on anything after what had happened.

When I got back to the house, I let out a sharp exhale. I hadn’t spent the night at the house just because I wasn’t ready to explain to her why I had abandoned her on her birthday.

Little did I know that she would show up at my office the following morning.

I walked into the living room and loosened my tie, only to stop when I saw the stacks of presents beside the center table.

So many people had given her presents, but I totally ignored her. For a moment, guilt crept into my chest.

But then, I remembered why I was doing this and the feeling disappeared.

Audrey deserved it.

I had spent the past few days trying to make sense of what I had discovered. I had questioned everything I thought I knew about my wife, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.

How could she do something like that to me?

How could she look me in the eyes every single day and pretend nothing had happened?

I clenched my fists.

I wasn’t going to let her get away with it.

When I got back to the bedroom, I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out my phone. I talked to my lawyer for a while before dropping my phone back on the table.

I freshened up and got dressed.

After that, I packed a suitcase with some essential things I would need for a few days.

I went downstairs to the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat. But shortly after, I heard the front door creaking open.

The next thing I knew, Audrey appeared in the kitchen. I was taken aback because she was meant to be at work. I had no idea she was going to come back early.

I let out a sigh. “What are you doing here?”

Audrey fixed her narrowed gaze on me. “Are you really asking me what I am doing at my own house?”

I leaned both hands against the kitchen counter. “You are meant to be at work.”

She scoffed. “And you were meant to be at my party last night. But you didn’t show up,” she shot back, her voice dripping with bitterness. “You weren’t meant to parade around with your ex-girlfriend while you have a family, but you did that anyway.”

I shifted my gaze from her. I couldn’t handle seeing the hurt in her eyes.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I murmured. “I’m going out and I don’t have time for this conversation.”

Audrey closed the kitchen door. “No one is leaving here until we talk,” she said firmly. “Something is happening and you need to tell me what it is right now.”

I swallowed hard. “Audrey, please. Don’t make this more difficult than it already is.”

Her expression crumpled. “What the hell are you talking about?”

The main doorbell rang before I could respond.

She looked at me briefly before wiping her face with the back of her hand. “Are you expecting someone?”

“Yes. My lawyer.”

“Your lawyer?”

I watched the color drain from her face, knowing my next move would change our lives forever.