My Selfish Wife

Richard's POV

"Something is definitely off about her."

I shut the heavy oak door of Mr Hawthorne study behind me. The muscles on my face ached from fake constant smiling. I raised my hand to rub my aching face.

I had no idea why my dear wife had to always put me through constant pressure. Rose had been acting all wrong these days, was it because of the drugs I gave her? It couldn't be the doctor had told me it would always make her weak and dizzy but this was totally the reverse.

I poured a glass of my late father in-law vintage scotch, my hand steady.

"Useless," I hissed, my eyes fixed on the head of security who stood trembling by the door. "You let my darling wife out of this house without a driver? You let her out in a private cab!" I roared.

"Sir, Madom Rose...insisted she wanted to go alone," the guard stammered.

I took two dangerous steps closer to my guard, and waved him out with a heavy slap across his face. "Why did Hawthorne never teach his child manners?!" I yelled, my voice echoing in the study as I smashed my glass cup on the marble floor shattering it into pieces.

"Urghh fuck! When did you learn how to be sneaky huh?" I pulled up the tracking software on my phone. The screen was blank. Signal lost. The GPS on Rose's phone had been killed.

I smiled, bitting my lower lip. "What are you playing at, Rose?" I muttered. I felt a flicker of uncertainty a sensation I hated. Rose had always been a jelly woman. First she disgraced me at the funeral, then at the living room and now she was making a mockery of me in front of my guard.

Because of her I had broken her dad's favourite glass and slapped the innocent guard on his face. She had always been so selfish, but she hid it. Why was she acting up now? I asked myself.

A moment later, the door opened, and the room was suddenly filled with the scent of heavy, floral perfume. Katherine slid inside, dressed in a floral gown, followed by a woman whose very presence made the air turn cold. That was my mother, Eleanor. She sat in the velvet armchair, calmly smoothing her skirt.

"I heard the little bird has left her nest?" Katherine purred, leaning against the desk. " I tried calling her several times, but it all went voicemail. Our sweet timid Rose is becoming quite the rebel."

"She's at the Hamilton Club," I snapped, slamming my fist on the desk. My face tight of anger. I had just received a text from my source. "The taxi bureau confirmed her location to me. She went to see Derek..Hamilton."

Katherine gasped, her eyes flashing with a mix of envy. "You mean the .....Derek Hamilton? That Psycho, if she's talking to him then...."

"She isn't only talking to him," my mum interrupted, her voice thin and sharp like a razor. She glared at me with a mixture of pure pity and annoyance. "Look at you, Richie. You are red with anger. You are losing weight. You are worked up over some girl who doesn't even know her place. Since you brought Rose into your life, all she ever did was stress you out, I mean after everything you had done for her."

I turned to my mother. She was honestly right. "I've always been a good man, Mum. I have been kind. I have been merciful! I was kind enough to kill only her arrogant father, letting her keep her life. I gave her the chance to still breathe to this day. She owes me her entire life for that!"

My mum nodded, "Exactly, dear. You have been too soft on her. When a mare starts to bolt, you don't give it more rope..you use the whip. You need to teach her lessons. Discipline her, Richard. Not with words this time, but with your fist. You are a man. You are my son. Remind her who the boss really is.

"I am sure she is cheating on me with Derek," my voice dropped to a low growl. "One thing I hate is unfaithful women. Women were never born to be unfaithful to their husbands. To think she was the one who literally begged me for this marriage. Now she wants to dump me? Over my dead body.

"Then do what your mum said," Katherine whispered, sliding a small, amber vial across the mahogany desk. "Remind her who the boss is, by using your fist. Her dad is gone. She has no one now to fight for her. This is your moment."

I picked up the vial, a smile spreading across my face. I looked at the my reflection in the window, straightening my tie. God really took his time to create me. I said to myself silently. My kind heart was carefully selected by God himself.

"You are right," I murmured. "I will show her who the boss really is when she gets back."

Suddenly, I heard the loud sound of tires crunching on the gravel. I walked up to the window and saw my lovely wife stepping out of the taxi.

I headed for the desk, picking up two cups and pouring steaming tea into them, my fingers steady. I handed the cups over to Katherine. She knew exactly what I had planned, a smirk curving at her lips as she took them from me.

I walked into the lounge, waiting to welcome my darling wife. Katherine and my mum followed me, waiting like a firing squad. Rose walked in, holding her shopping bags.

"Wow you brought evidence, Rose? My voice was dangerously low. "How was your meeting at the Hamilton Club? Does Derek taste better than me?"

Before she could breathe, I was across the room. My hand clamped around her jaw, digging into her skin, pulling her up onto her toes.

"Stop it," she gasped, her hands fluttering against my iron grip.

"You dare leave this house, kill the tracker, and go to your lover?" I snarled, manic rage burning in my eyes.

Rose forced a tear to roll down her cheek. "Ric, please. You are hurting me."

I stared at her for a long, agonizing moment, then pushed her away. I walked to Katherine, grabbing Rose by the wrist.

I took one cup and handed it over to Rose.

"Drink," I ordered, my voice deadly quiet. "It will help you calm down. We have a lot to talk about, darling."

I watched her hand tremble as she took the cup, knowing exactly what was inside it.

"Don't just stand there trembling, Rose. Drink it," my mum barked.