Him Again

Lucia

"Ma'am would you like some sugar." The maid asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I_"

"No, she doesn't." Christian cut in, glaring at me. "You've put on so much weight already Lucia. You're supposed to start cutting down on sugars and food in general."

Heat climbed up my face at his words.

"I heard being overweight is the major cause of infertility." My mother in law piped up from the other end of the table, shooting me a derisive glance.

I grabbed a glass of water, gulping it down quickly to swallow my bitterness.

"Lucia, dear, did you go to meet doctor Singh?" She continued. "He works wonders for older women who can't get pregnant."

My fingers tightened around the fork, and I suddenly envisioned flying out of my seat and stabbing her. I took a deep breath to tamp down the rage.

I turned to look at my husband, fixing a smile on my face. "I want to go and visit my father today."

He doesn't even spare me a glance. "No."

"What do you mean, no? You know he only has two visiting days a month and I couldn't make it to the last one. Please, Christian, I need to_"

His fists came down on the table, fury etched into the lines of his face. "Enough, Lucia. What you need to do is to be getting ready for the event we have this afternoon."

"But the visit won't take time," I insisted.

"What kind of image do you think it presents hunh? What would everybody think of me if you continued running off to visit the man who scammed me of three billion dollars?" He snarled. "What kind of wife chooses her fraudster father over her husband? Do you just have to embarrass me."

"Christian_"

He doesn't let me speak, his gaze narrowing to slits. "I don't want to hear one more word out of you about that thieving rat. We had a deal, Lucia. Or have you forgotten?"

Bile climbed up my throat at the look on his face.

"Have you? Answer me."

"No. I haven't."

"Then shut the fuck up and eat your food." He snapped. "I'm beginning to think ive gotten the short end of the stick here. After all, I promised to let your father get out of jail after only ten years, even though he was supposed to get a life sentence, and in return, you had to take your place as my perfect wife."

"I'm sorry for bringing my father up." I said.

"I hope that's not what she plans to wear for the opening of the new restaurant." His mother hissed. "That color is awful."

"You heard her, Lucia, go and change. Wear something brighter. It's not a fucking funeral." My husband waved me away, going back to his breakfast.

Rising to my feet with a serene smile, I nodded. "Excuse me then."

As soon as I was out of the room, my smile withered. I hurried up the staircase and to my room, barely making it to the bathroom before the contents of my stomach rise up my throat.

I brushed my mouth and rinsed it out with mouthwash afterward, feeling tears stinging the back of my eyes. There were only fifty days left for my father to come out of prison, which meant, fifty more days of me keeping up this act.

I couldn't wait to be free from Christian. He had forced me into this life, promising glamour and Diamonds, but what I'd gotten was a gilded cage.

Changing my Navy blue dress to a maroon silk one, I reapplied my make up and turned to make my way downstairs. At that moment, something caught my eye in the closet. I moved over to where my husband's coat hung and dipped my hand into the pocket where I spotted a flash of red.

Disgust washed through me as I pulled out the red, lace panties. I knew who it belonged to. My husband's mistress, Juliana. He had done a good job keeping her secret, but I wasn't a fool.

Tossing the underwear into the trash, I made my way downstairs.

"Remember, you have to play by my rules now." I heard my husband saying. "If you dare to go against me, I'll destroy you. You're no longer a fucking kid. If you want a share of the empire, you better be ready to do whatever I say."

I stepped into the room and saw Christian speaking to another man who had his back to me. The man was tall, and had on a tailored suit that moulded across his muscled frame.

"Christian." I said, drawing my husband's attention to me. His gaze swept over me.

"Good." He nodded in approval, making me feel like a child who needed a grown ups help to get dressed. Humiliation swept through me.

At that moment, the visitor turned, blue eyes locking on mine. I felt all the air leave my lungs as familiar gaze swept over me, slower and more appreciatively. While Christian's gaze had made me feel cold, this one set me on fire.

"What are you doing here?" I blurted out in shock. Had my husband set me up? Terror shot up my spine.

"I forgot to mention that Hunter was coming home." My husband said.

Hunter? Did he mean that_ no, it couldn't be. This couldn't be my step son.

I staggered back, but the taller man stepped forward, a smile curving his mouth. "Hello, Lucia."