CHAPTER {5} You're Still My Wife, Hermione

{ADAM}

“Name your price, Cassie. I’ve got important places to be,” I say, standing in front of the mirror, fixing my cufflinks. 

My reflection stares back at me, calm on the outside, but my chest feels too tight. 

I'm finalizing our divorce today but Hermione's crying face has been haunting me since yesterday.

“What if I say that I want you instead…Adam?” Cassie says, her voice sounds like she's teasing, but I hope she doesn't mean what she just said.

I watch her through the mirror as she slowly drags the white duvet off her body, slides off the bed, and catwalks toward me. Her breasts are out like she doesn't give a heck.

I turn to face her before she gets too close. “The fuck do you mean?” I ask. 

“You divorced your wife, right? You’re single now…” she whispers, grabbing my black coat.

I take a slow, deep breath, trying to steady myself. “Are you flirting with me?”

“No, I’m just…remembering high school days,” she says, tilting her head, smirking.

“The sex? It was insane. I miss,” she squeals, like a fourteen year old begging for something.

I turn back to the mirror, brushing my hair with my fingers. “Those days were just sex, Cassie.”

“And…I didn’t bring you here to fuck. I made that damn clear, didn’t I?”

“Adam?” Her tone grows serious, and she grabs my arm, pressing it lightly against her tits.

“Tell me you don’t miss this,” she says with that sultry smirk again.

I look at her for a long moment. I can’t stop the memory of the last woman I held her boobs, Hermione. The way she would moan to just my touch.

I can't get her out of my head, even when another woman is naked in front of me.

I had buried myself in work when she left for prison. Telling myself I didn’t miss her. Telling myself I was never in love with her. That marrying her and loving her was all a well planned facade.

But the truth is… I haven’t been able to look at another woman the way I look at her.

“Adam, just once, sweetie.”

Before she can finish, my hand grabs her neck tight, my thumb lifting her chin and she smiles wide. Bitch seems to enjoy it.

“I called you here, Cassie, to play girlfriend because we had a thing in high school. You’re another woman that’s seen me naked. I wasn’t interested in inviting a stranger into my privacy.”

“And you said yes to it, right?” 

“I pay you good money. You pretend we’re in love. That was the plan.”

“And…You overplayed your part. Showing up outside to call my wi—” I stop myself before I can finish the word ‘wife’.

Cassie laughs, the mocking type of laugh I hate seeing. “Your wife?” She scoffs.

“You’re funny. And yes, she did smell like prison sweat. You know that.”

“Acts over, Cassie. Now get your fucking clothes on and leave,” I say, releasing her with a push that’s subtle.

I find my checkbook and write her 500,000 dollars. 

Before I can finish, she dresses up and steps closer in her heels, her purple satin gown hugging her body perfectly.

“Take this,” I say, handing her the check. Her eyes widen as she takes it.

“You know what?” she says, leaning in close. “The rude Adam turns me the fuck on. Call me if you need to put on another show. Muah!” she whispers and blows kisses.

I stand there watching her leave with the annoying wink on her face, regretting ever getting her involved in my life again.

I roll my eyes as soon as she's gone and collapse onto the black velvet couch, pulling my phone out of my pocket. 

My chest still aches, and I can’t shake Hermione’s face out of my goddamn mind.

I scroll to my gallery and find her video. I had secretly asked Six to record her for me.

I watch her, slowly crouching to the floor to pick the divorce papers and sign, her face red and swollen with tears.

The sight of it rips me apart.

I did this to her. I caused her this pain.

My jaw clenches so hard I feel it cracking. My Hermione.

When I saw her in those prison rags, all I ever wanted was to hold her tight and press kisses all over her, make her forget every bit of the ugly memory she’s got from that damn prison.

I watch her raise her face to look at me, damn! 

Her soulful brown eyes… the way they gaze at me.

Getting married to her was part of the plan with Elton, to ruin Silas Bennett's family and everything that belongs to him.

But when she came into my life, I thought I had it under control. I thought…I was following my mission, getting her to fall in love with me, just so I could wreck her life beyond repair.

But…she took me first.

Her passionate brown eyes, the way they always make me think we’re soulmates. The way she gave herself to me. The way she screams my fucking name through her soft lips, like it’s her favorite thing to say on planet earth.

The sex with her, being inside her, tastes like heaven. Her intelligence. How she talks about her passion. 

Everything about Hermione slowly unraveled me. I wasn’t prepared for her type of sweetness, especially when her dad’s a fucking rot.

I tried my best to hold onto my mission, but damn, I fell too hard, that realization hit harder when she's already landed in prison.

Every fucking moment I spent with her, I keep realizing I can’t get enough.

But…each moment still feels like a betrayal to my own family.

Dad, Mom, my sweet kid sister Berry. They all burned in that brutal fire, started by Silas.

Each time I think about my family, I realize just how much I need to ruin him and take away everything he ever loved. 

But…Hermione.

She doesn’t deserve any of this mess I dragged her into. She doesn’t deserve this fucked up cruelty. And that’s why this divorce needs to happen.

“I’m sorry, Baby,” I say, brushing my finger on the screen across her cheeks without even realizing it.

“This marriage was never meant to last in the first place," I say finally.

Then I scroll through my contacts and find Elton’s number. I text him the video and dial his number right after.

“What’s up, El.”

“What is it, Adam? I’m busy.” Fucker’s always too busy to talk to his own brother.

“Just letting you know I divorced my wife. You got the video, right?”

“What?! That’s not what we planned!”

“I’m fucking aware of our plans, El, I just…” I stutter, my fingers gripping my forehead.

“You what?” he asks impatiently.

My jaw tightens hard. I shut my eyes, take a deep breath, then let it out.

“She doesn't deserve all that.”

“The fuck are you saying, Adam?”

Silence follows. I don’t even know a damn word to say at this moment.

“You remember Berry?” He continues, “How you couldn’t even recognize her after that fire? That’s the level of cruelty his fucking whore of a daughter deserves.”

“She’s not a whore, you shithead!” I bark.

“Don’t start a banter with me, Adam. We’re not kids anymore.”

“Wait a minute… you fell in love?”

I take a deep breath to calm my nerves, not responding to his question.

He laughs from the other end of the phone. “You fell in love with Silas’s daughter? You’ve clearly gone wild.”

“Fuck! We leave her out of this, do you understand me, El?”

“That’s not going—”

I smash the end call button before he finishes his speech.

If he dares lay a single finger on Hermione, I’m yanking them off. I don’t even care if he’s my brother.

My phone screen glows again and it’s him. Of course.

I ignore it and spray on my cologne. But he calls five times in less than a minute.

“What is it, El?” I snap when I finally pick up.

“Who the fuck is the lady in that video?”

The question leaves my thoughts spinning for some seconds.

“That’s my ex-wife, are you dumb?”

“Oh my fucking God, Adam!” he yells.

“You told me you married Silas’s daughter? That’s not his daughter!”

A slick chill runs through my body from that statement.

I take a minute to swallow hard, letting it settle.

“What the fuck do you mean? Hermione’s his first daughter.”

“You married an adopted, push-aside girl. Not his real blood.”

“Push-aside girl? The hell?” I ask, my chest picking up its own race as the realization slowly dawns on me.

“Hermione is not his real blood!”

“So… why didn’t you tell me this, Elton?” I growl, my voice already shaking with rage.

“I didn't fucking know! I wasn’t supposed to show up at your wedding, remember? You weren’t supposed to let her know you’ve got any relations.”

“So there's no fucking way I could have known you didn't get the right girl.”

“I bet she didn’t tell you she was adopted, but as far as I know, Silas Bennett only has one daughter, and the girl in that video is not her.”

“Wait a minute…” I mutter, piecing it all together.

Everything I’d ever questioned about Hermione starts clicking all at once. How she never bothered to bring her family over. How her dad never attended her wedding, claiming he traveled.

“HOLY SHIT!”

“Adam,” Elton calls from the phone, “You better pray I don’t handle her mys—”

I hang up before he can finish his horseshit.

“Shit! What should I do?” I mutter, pacing around. Sweat slowly soaking my shirt despite the air conditioner.

“How on God's fucking earth did I not know about this?”

Then my head shoots up. I need to try her line, it should be on by now.

I scroll through my phone, a wave of guilt suddenly crashes heavy on me and I pause.

I don't think she'll ever talk to me again. The embarrassment I made her go through.

“Damn!”

I shut my eyes, jaw clenching, but I dial her number anyway.

My foot taps impatiently, waiting for it to ring.

“Baby…please just take your call.”

“You can’t reach this line.” My chest drops when I hear the voice.

 I dial again but it's the same darn voice.

“She’s already blocked me? Good. I deserve worse than that.”

I need to get to her family. She must have gone back there. 

They don’t know who I really am. Not yet. That gives me one chance to drag her back into my life where she belongs.

If she isn’t Silas’s blood…then nothing’s stopping me anymore. Nothing.

“Six?” I call out.

He opens the door and peeks through. “Sir?”

“Get my other car ready. I’m driving to Sand Town.”

“But… sir… the business trip?”

“Get my fucking car ready, Six!” I bark, instantly regretting it. “I'm driving there myself.”

I grab the right car keys and my coat.

Then I spot the divorce papers I left on the flower vase. I pick them up and look. My side to sign is still blank.

I spot her signature, smudged with tears. My heart caves in looking at it.

“You’re still my wife, Hermione.” I mutter.

“I don't care if you drive your kitchen knife through my chest the second you see me, but I’m gonna get you back.”