Chapter 1: The Twisted Beginning

Caroline's Pov

I looked at the mirror one more time and smiled at how I had managed to put on makeup that covered the bags under my eyes due to nights of sleeplessness and worry about him and his whereabouts. 

Deciding to put on a nude lipstick, I admired how perfect I looked but I hoped he would feel the same when he sees me tonight.

“I'm coming home tonight. I have something to tell you,” I read his message aloud again for the umpteenth time and sighed in relief.

 At least I get to see him again after he went Awol for over two weeks without calling, texting or even returning my calls and texts.

Checking myself one last time in the mirror, I admired my red gown which he bought for me or should I say, his secretary bought for me for our last anniversary, anyways, it's the thought that matters.

 My nude and simple flats were what I needed to relax since we would be having dinner at home.

“Shit! It's almost time!” I said to myself and dashed towards the dinning room to be sure everything was set.

 It was our third year anniversary and I wanted everything to be perfect. I need it to be.

Time ticked and minutes turned into hours but Wesley was still not here. I was slowly beginning to lose hope but I decided to trust that he would be here. 

This was how it has been since the day we got married. He had never spared me a glance but I stayed because I hoped he would see me one day or show me an ounce of care and… and I'm still hoping. 

My instincts told me to leave but I had nowhere to go. I was merely an adopted child of the Fenris family who decided to give me up to Wesley just to build a partnership, however, I knew it was all a lie, it was their way of finally throwing me out.

Wesley was the spoilt reject son of his gambling father who gambled all their wealth away, resulting in losses in their family business, one that Wesley was trying to rebuild but was striving at that.

 However, during bad days, he would come home and at any given mistake, he would hit me and on good days which was rare, he would sit on the couch, watch TV and simply ignore me. 

But I stayed because I had nothing to my name, nothing of my own and nowhere to go to. All I had was my hope that one day, Wesley would see and love me.

I unlocked my phone, wanting to text him again as it was almost 11 PM but decided against it, scared that it would push him away further. Then I heard their laughter coming from the passageway.

‘He's here… but with who?’ I thought.

There was a feminine voice which sounded so familiar that accompanied him as they laughed fondly until they entered the living room where I stood, looking at them as Wesley's face changed into a scowl and eventually morphed into his usual cold expression.

 Then there was Ana, my adoptive sister who glared at me.

“Welcome babe. I… I didn't know you were coming with Ana,” I started as she walked past me and into the living room. “I would have made more dinner.”

“What's with the decorations, Caroline. Are you celebrating something?” Ana asked, eyeing the living room I had decorated with balloons, rose petals and ornaments.

“Well, today is our…” I started but she cut me off rudely with a wave of her hand, saying, 

“It doesn't matter. I and Wesley baby will be needing it for our celebrations, so, you did well, sister.”

Wesley baby? What was that?

Just as I opened my mouth to question why she would call my husband with such a word of endearment, Wesley went into her opened arms and hugged her, then he moved a bit away from her, placing a long kiss on her lips, shocking me.

“What… what's going on?” I didn't know how to react to what I just saw. I was stunned and my chest immediately began to ache. 

My heart beat started palpitating as I blinked severally, hoping I didn't see well. “What… why…”

“Baby, can you do me the honor of telling her? We don't want the stupid garbage to faint in shock here now, do we?” Came Ana’s sweet but mocking voice. 

I wasn't shocked at the words she called me, she has always been so hateful, rude and cruel towards me, in fact all my supposed family members were but I never imagined she'll be doing this, again.

Wesley walked straight to me, picked up the envelope he had earlier dropped on the center table and threw it at me, saying, “Sign this.”

“What… what is this?” I asked as I managed to catch the envelope with my shaky hands. He waved his hands at me, urging me to read it.

My hands become sweaty and my body was rapidly getting hot as I anticipated what the content of the envelope might be.

 I didn't know what was to come but I feared for my future. I feared what Wesley had in store for me. 

I fumbled with the paper as my hands were shaking until I managed to successfully remove the paper and what I read made me freeze, my eyes instantly watering as I stared at the words boldly written, “DIVORCE.” 

“Ba… babe… what…” my voice cracked, making me sound hoarse. I stopped myself to clear my throat when Ana started to cackle. 

“Oh… my world. You should see your face right now, Car,” she laughed again and added. “Did you think Wesley would actually spend the rest of his life with a low life, nothing like you? Ah! You wish!”

“Ana… don't talk to me like that… this… is my home and I will not have you come here and insult me like that. Who are you to say such hurtful words… to… to me?” I couldn't hide the tears that flowed down my eyes as I said those words which seemingly fueled Ana’s anger.

“His fiance!” She exclaimed, shoving her ring finger which held a diamond ring at my face, making me gasp. What's going on? 

“Wh… what's going on?” I muttered to myself but Ana caught it.

“He's marrying me, that's what's going on. You dumbfuck!”

I stared at Ana as the years of her maltreatment towards me raced through my mind. Ana has always been the bane of my existence. 

From childhood, she had always envied me even when she was giving the best treatment ever. She wanted everything that belonged to me even when it was little to nothing, she capitalized on our parent's sudden hatred towards me and ensured I lived as low as the maids in our house.

 It was painful and gruesome but I endured it all, trying really hard to be a good child in hopes that our parents will come around and love me again but here we are.

It was bad enough that she suggested I marry Wesley, despite the fact that I had a relationship of my own- one that she ruined by having a supposed drunken sex with my ex- now, this, here she is trying to steal the only thing I had left for me; my home, my marriage, my husband.

“Caroline.” Wesley's voice stopped me on my track. I had absentmindedly started walking towards Ana with an intent to hit her, slap her or just harm her. “Come with me. Now!” 

I shut our bedroom door and knelt down behind him, tugging his black pants and gaining his attention. “Babe… Wes, please… I'll do anything… I'll even pretend like I didn't see what happened downstairs… Just, just don't divorce me, please…” 

As he glared at me like a filth that I felt like, it dawned on me that I didn't stay in this marriage just because I had nowhere and nothing to rely on but also because deep down, somewhere along the line, I had fallen in love with Wesley.

Kicking my hands off his feet, he said, “If I were you, I wouldn't waste my time doing that.”

“I… What would you have me do, babe? Please… I'll be better, just…”

“I'll have you sign those damn papers!” He combed his hair with his fingers, anger slowly creeping in. 

“This is why I can't fucking be with you! You're worthless! Pathetic! In fact, you're nothing, just nothing! I can't keep being with someone as useless and worthless as a garbage like you! I don't need you anymore! Heck, I never needed you!”

My eyes watered more as those words left his mouth. I felt exactly as he said it. Useless. 

My heart ached to know that this man I've spent years honoring, respecting and literally worshipping saw me as nothing but… useless. Where did I ever go wrong? What did I ever do to deserve this?

“Bab…” I started but he cut me off.

“Fuck! You keep spoiling my mood… I'll be going out to celebrate with my fiance. Sign the damn papers before we get back. Also, better start making arrangements to leave my house. I don't want you leeching off me, stupid idiot.” 

He started approaching the exit but I couldn't let him go, so I held onto his legs, begging and crying profusely. He forcefully freed his leg from my grip and walked off.

I crawled myself into a ball and wept bitterly that my throat felt dry and I felt… empty. I didn't know what to do but all I knew was that I needed a drink; I needed something to quench this pain and anguish I felt in my heart. I needed an escape from reality.

“Someone's in a mood tonight,” I heard a man say beside me after I took my fifth gulp of the strongest alcohol in the bar but I decided to ignore him. “I know the perfect thing to take off that worry in your heart, hot legs,” he added.

“Go… away…” I said, sounding drunk… I was drunk.

“Trust me, hot legs,” he said drawing closer to me and then whispered in my ears; “When I'm done fucking you, you'd never remember why you got here.” 

My eyes widened and I attempted pushing him off me but instead, I lost my balance but he assisted me, wrapping his hands around my waist so I wouldn’t fall.

 I stared into his blue eyes and almost sank into it, then I muttered; “Fuck it.”

“Why not? Let's do it!” I said, sounding confident. I didn't know who he was and I didn't care to know who he was.  

All I knew was that as of today, I'm a free woman and I'm free to do whatever I want even if it meant fucking a random stranger. 

His smirk widened before morphing into a smile that revealed his dimples. He assisted me into a room but immediately he laid me on the bed, I passed out, embracing the welcoming hands of sleep and… solace.

“Get the door!” I exclaimed as the knocking on the door persisted but I didn't get any response and whoever was at the other end of the door kept knocking. Cursing under my breath, I stood up, walking towards the door. “Who is it?”

“Room service,” came a female voice. I furrowed my brow in shock as to why a room service would be here. 

As I attempted to look around and take in my surroundings, the voice came again, “You placed an order and we're here with it ma'am.”

Wondering what was going on and where I was, I opened the door to meet a flood of reporters who instantly started snapping pictures of me, placing me in a state of shock as I only had my bra and undies on, simultaneously pushing me back into the room but that wasn't what shocked me the most.

 I looked at them as they all flooded the room, taking pictures of someone on the bed. That someone was my family’s worst enemy and arch nemesis.

“Caroline!” I heard father thunder, standing at the threshold of the room.

I'm fucked.