Chapter 3

She dropped what she was holding on the floor and stared in shock at the naked body of her husband and a strange woman on their matrimonial bed.

She flung the door open and walked inside. Before she could control herself, she grabbed the woman by the hair and slapped her across the face.

“So, you're the one who wants to destroy my marriage.”

The woman screamed and gripped her face and stumbled backwards from the effect of the slap. Xavier put on a bathrobe and held Emily's hand before she could slap the woman a second time.

“Enough,” Xavier yelled and covered his mistress with a blanket.

Emily stared at him. “You're protecting her?”

“That is enough, Emily. You're embarrassing yourself.” Xavier yelled.

Emily pointed at the woman who was shivering from underneath the blanket. “Who is she?”

“Her name is Vivian.”

Emily laughed through the tears and felt a hollow ache in her chest. “I can't believe you've been doing this.”

“You were going to find out sooner or later.” Xavier said without remorse.

Vivian gently rested her hand on her stomach, her lips curling into a smug smile.

“You don't know?” She looked at Emily with feigned sympathy. “I'm pregnant with Xavier's child.”

Emily froze. She felt like the room was spinning around her and she wanted to convince herself that she didn't hear well. She opened her mouth to say something but found herself stuttering.

Xavier smirked at her like he knew exactly what he was doing. There was no iota of remorse on his face.

“This is why we are getting divorced?” Emily stuttered as she finally found her voice.

Xavier shrugged. “Isn't it obvious? She is obviously giving me something that you cannot.” He pulled Vivian closer to him and kissed her forehead.

Emily felt anger course through her veins. She wanted to pull both of them apart. The sight of them together was sickening.

Vivian whispered something to Xavier and then walked towards the bathroom.

“Careful Vivian. You know you're pregnant.”

“What is all the commotion here? I heard the noise from downstairs.” Emily looked at the door and Stella Sterling, her mother-in-law, stood there. She rolled her eyes at Emily when she saw her.

“Why are you here? Aren't you meant to be gone by now?” Stella questioned.

“That's the same thing I've been trying to tell her, mama, but she's being stubborn about signing the papers.”

Stella looked Emily up and down with disgust. “I told Xavier years ago that marrying you was a mistake.”

Emily sighed. She looked at the divorce papers and the pregnancy report which were lying side to side by the door. She walked over there and picked them up. She had a choice to make. Was she going to reveal the pregnancy to Xavier and allow a man who ridiculed her to father her child? Vivian was still in the picture and she was pregnant. She shook her head. This was one red flag that she couldn't just ignore.

Her fingers tightened around the folded report. This morning, it had been the happiest secret of her life. Now, it had become the only thing she had left to protect.

“What's wrong with you? Why are you just staring at us? Sign the papers, you barren witch and let's get going.” Stella yelled at her.

Vivian had returned from the bathroom. She wore a robe, the same beige color like the one Xavier wore. She stood by his side and he had his hand around her waist.

Emily held the pregnancy report. She looked at it and then looked at Xavier. She sighed and slowly put it aside into her bag. Not anymore. He doesn't deserve it from her. She made up her mind that she wasn't going to tell him. He doesn't deserve to know. She decided to choose her unborn child over a marriage that was already ending.

“The bitch is getting on our nerves. Xavier tells her to sign the divorce.” Stella yelled once again.

“Emily, I don't care if you don't sign it, but I'm going to marry Vivian regardless and she is going to move into this mansion.”

Vivian smiled as she heard Xavier's words. Emily scoffed. Then she held the divorce agreement and looked at it.

“Do I really get half of your assets and the house by the country road?”

“Yes. I know you need the money, take it.”

Stella's eyes widened. “How could you give her all that? It is too much.”

Xavier ignored his mother. “Take what you need and leave.”

Emily sighed again. She asked. “Did you ever love me?”

“No.” Xavier responded quickly.

“Give me a pen. You want a divorce, you're getting a divorce.”

Excitement rushed through Xavier. He thought that Emily was going to give him a tough time. He thought she wasn't going to sign the divorce agreement. She hesitated a bit as she held the pen against the paper. A frown etched on Xavier's forehead. ‘What could it be with this woman, now?’ he sighed to himself.

“Let me get one thing straight. You aren't going to have anything to do with me if we meet again.”

Xavier sighed. “Just sign the damn papers, Emily. I don't care about you.”

Emily put her signature at the bottom and at the other places it was needed. She handed the paper to Xavier. He smiled when he saw it. Emily didn't wait for another word from them. She turned towards the door and walked away.

As she was about leaving, Xavier's voice halted her. “Wait!”

Emily turned around.

“Thank you for making this easy.” Xavier said.

Emily felt puzzled. What was there to thank her for? She simply nodded without saying anything and walked away. The pregnancy report sat in her bag. She was going to give her child a better father. Xavier was a scumbag and a mama's boy for all she knew.

As she walked downstairs, she bumped into someone along the way. It was her nanny. She had nursed her since childhood and even after Emily got married, Aunt Kathy still decided to follow her into the marriage and continued serving her.

“Young Madam, why are you in such a haste? Is there any issue?”

“Aunt Kathy, can you do me a favour?”

“Of course, my dear,” Kathy said with a smile.

“I want you to pack all my belongings from the master's bedroom into a suitcase. You can leave out some things that aren't relevant.”

Kathy wore a concerned look on her face. “Are you traveling? And why do you want to pack all your belongings to travel?”

Emily's eyes began to sting as she saw Kathy's worried look. She blinked back the tears but they still fell regardless. She had acted strong in the bedroom and couldn't hold it in any longer.

“Emily, please you're scaring me. Talk to me.”

Emily sniffed. “I'm leaving this mansion. My marriage is over.”

“What!” Kathy exclaimed.