Chapter One: The Scandal ; Vaughn's project

Dione’s POV

I never thought the reason my husband left me for another woman would be because I committed fifteen years of my life and sold my family assets to help his dream.

“Drink up now! Dione.” Aldric’s lips moved against my ear.

Clinking sounds of glass wares mixed with depleting applause surged in the dimly lit hall.

The acrid smell of vodka, seared my nostrils as I brought the glass closer to my mouth.

“I can't drink alcohol,” my words tumbled out.

His hand reached for my lap under the table and he squeezed softly, “ This is not the time to joke around, Dione. I just signed my biggest deal tonight and as my wife you are supposed to drink to it before the board to celebrate. So drink up now,” He gritted into my ears.

He cleared his throat, buying himself the attention of everyone, then started, “ I want to raise a toast to my beautiful wife, Dione Sterling. Without her I wouldn't be here today,” He said and turned to me, “I love you, Dione.”

He pressed his lips against my face and kissed me so passionately before the board members and then smiled.

For a moment, I felt my heart tumble in excitement. And no, that wasn't my first kiss.

But something felt special about this one. And that's because he called me his wife…publicly, for the first time.

Glasses clanked against themselves as they toasted to Aldric's sweet words and clapped.

I finally raised the glass to my lips. The camera flashed forward, its light stabbing through my eyelids like a knife.

My eyes burned and watered. And I blamed it on the burning liquid that rivered down my throat.

The moment I tried to force a smile, my face dulled in distress.

Pain exploded in my side.

That pain. That frequent pain.

I clutched on my side very tight. So tight my knuckles drained of blood.

My vision blurred and my head swirled.

I wasn't supposed to drink that alcohol.

I could hear Aldric say something, but his voice fell flat on my eardrum.

I knew he was too excited and all his attention was on the Vaughn investment deal I had just helped him land.

Though, he doesn't know that it was me.

My knees buckled and the pain seemed to diffuse to every part of my body.

I felt something tight build up in my throat.

I found my legs quickly and headed for the bathroom. My head swirled dangerously that I might collapse.

My knees hit the ground when I get to the restroom. I coughed and spat into the sink.

Blood.

I gripped on my side. It felt like I had been stabbed with a dagger—it always felt so, every time.

My throat clogged again and a deeper cough escaped my mouth.

I gurgled out blood and spat into the white ceramic sink that held my weight from falling.

Having taken alcohol I was sure the pain had sworn to drag me to death.

“ I will be fine,” I said to myself, remembering the reason behind the sickness.

A sacrifice I did for love and I don't regret doing for Aldric.

After my parents car accident, I ended up in an orphanage.

It was Aldric who protected me from bullying.

He promised me he'd love me forever. So, I secretly used the entire Sterling family fortune to support his start up and I even…gave him my kidney three years ago.

The sole cause of my sickness.

I believed he loved me. That he'd marry me and protect me for life.

Not until he started hitting success. Then, he changed.

“Dione, again?!” Aldric's voice thundered behind me.

I flinched.

“You really think you can get away with pretending to be sick always?” He asked, his voice void of concern.

With all my strength, I pushed myself up till I'm standing before him.

His imposing frame leaned against the wooden entrance and arms crossed over his rising chest.

“Aldric,” I called calmly, “ I gave you my kidney, three years ago, do you remember? It nearly destroyed my body, and you promised me that when the company went public, you'd take care of me forever,” I recalled, memories forming a fog in my head.

“Oh, just stop it, okay?” He snapped, his face twisted in deep irritation. “Look at this, Dione. I cringe thinking about how well I treated you and worst trusted you.”

I sighed slowly, pretending I didn't hear him. Those words? I was used to them already. “Aldric, now that Vaughn’s billion-dollar investment has been achieved, do you think our marriage–”

“Enough! Okay,” he cut in, his finger shook as he raised it to point at me, “ I don't care how you'd feel about this but I would rather remained married to anyone else but you, Dione.”

My heart iced.

I bit my chin to numb the ache inside my rib cage.

"What do you mean?" I asked, and as much as I tried to hide the chaos in my being, my voice trembled, giving me off. " Why...why did you call me your wife out there if you knew you never wanted me? What happened to the promises you made, Aldric?"

Something flickered in his eyes. Anger maybe. Or guilt. I don't know.

But he masked it up as soon as it appeared.

"It's you who's wrong, Dione. You know why? Because you manipulated me into marrying you with your lies, okay? Pretending to love me just to…to cash me out on my property, right?”

He scoffed and pinched his nose, eyes glancing over his wristwatch over again, while I stood there crying.

It aches more because Aldric was my only family after my parents left me.

And even with all of my sacrifices, he still spits me out like a salty dish.

Finally he lifted up his face. A smug spread across like glossy make-ups.

" Guess what? Alexander Vaughn, my biggest investor is out there, and he wants to see me in person, so while you are here...doing this, I have an important event going on tonight," He said, raising his hands slightly over his head and eye-scanning me.

He made to leave and then stopped, turning to dress his hair, his voice solid, " And you don't need to cry about the marriage dissolving, I'm not divorcing you. So you can still keep that ring, and be my picture-wife okay?," he spat out, adjusted his suit, balanced his wristwatch for the last time and left.

Confusion stole me for a second.

His words hit me like a physical slap.

Was this really the man I had married?

Abandoning me when it all starts to bloom, like I hadn't shredded myself of my whole life's heritage to give him his name.

He coerced me to abandon my heiress world and live low, and I did because I didn't want him to feel oppressed by my world or feel below me.

Aldric, if you hadn't protected me at the orphanage for three days when I lost my parents, you wouldn't even get the chance to treat me like you do.

I've decided I'll give you three chances. Three chances to hurt me back the same times you protected me when I had nobody.

And when those three are used up, we are even and I'd be no more indebted to you.

Then I will leave, and I will take everything that's rightfully mine with me.

I seeped in enough strength and cleaned myself up.

I hid my face from the crowds as I walked towards the parking lot, my eyes fixed on my feet, and a hand wrapped to my side where it ached like a knife plunged into a sore.

My body was weak from the pain.

The thoughts of anyone seeing the dark saggy skin under my eyes, after I had washed my makeup off at the restroom, churned in my stomach.

And there he was, Aldric.

He seemed a bit too excited with the way he laughed. His black hair faintly disheveled at the number of curt bows I had noticed him do.

"Thank you, Mr Alexander, we look forward to making you proud of this decision.” Confidence mixed with excitement laced his voice as he shook hands with the black-haired man on black suit and bowed, so that his face touched his hands.

"Can we go home?" I asked softly, when the man had left. And as soon as my words came, his eyes returned to the dark hollow it was in the restroom minutes ago. " I'm in pain, I need to use my medications."

"Call a cab, I have some place important to be," He huffed, not sparing me a glance and finding his way into the car.

"I..i, Aldric, it's not safe, I really need to get home," I pleaded, opening the car and settling in as my legs began to tremble.

"Get out!" He yelled.

My pulse iced.

Inquisitive gazes flashed towards our direction. Feets stopped moving, clustering into groups to watch the scene unfold.

My heart raced in fear.

Was he going to humiliate me publicly, again? And have my face all over the internet. And just as the last time, make the company's name go viral?

Was this one of his cocky strategies?

My voice was sobby, "Aldric? please we could talk things out at home," I pleaded, feeling the air in my lungs turn warm.

His face stayed knitted in a deep scowl.

His frame hardened, and eyes fixed on my face, glinting with that deep hatred I never knew he had for me.

My eyes caught a smirk on his face that soon vanished like a tiny spark.

"Get out!" He muttered, his voice low and dangerous.