Chapter 7

VERA’S POV

Anthony stared at me expectantly;

“One,” I started, “Send me a copy of the divorce papers, already signed by you. I don't need your poor assets.

He swallowed hard but didn't say a word.

“Two,” I continued, “You will do whatever I ask you to do. Starting now.”

“What?” he was taken aback,

“You heard me right,” I said, stepping slowly away from him, “And the first thing you'll do is take off your jacket and clean my shoes with it. In front of everyone.”

His eyes widened in horror. “Vera…”

I glared at him, “What did you just call me?”

“I mean, Jewel. But you're being ridiculous,” he stepped closer, shaking his head, “I have a dignity to uphold, I can't do that in front of all these people.” 

“No?” I tilted my head. “My father and my brothers will be thrilled to know that my pathetic husband is here.”

I turned away and walked into the crowd.

“Three. Two. One.” I counted quietly.

Right on cue, Anthony grabbed my hand, from behind.

I turned to him with an innocent look, “Is anything the problem Mr Voss?”

People were already staring at us at this point.

He laughed nervously and let go of my hand, “No, princess. There's just something on your shoe.”

Rhys suddenly came to stand beside me, he looked at us with confusion and curiosity, “Is everything okay, Princess,”

“I guess so,” I looked at him innocently, “I was just about to come meet all of you and tell you something,” I said, looking directly at Anthony.

He swallowed and quickly removed his suit jacket and went on his knees.

Rhys was taken aback, “What the hell?”

“Oh my God, what are you doing Mr Voss, I pretended to be shocked too.”

The whole room turned to us in confusion. The paparazzi were already taking pictures of what was going on and people were also recording with their phones.

“If you allow me, princess,” Anthony placed his jacket on my shoes and was about to clean it;

I quickly stepped back, “Mr Voss, that's gross and embarrassing, why would you do such a thing because you want to get a deal with my brother.”

I saw as his face turned red with embarrassment.

The crowds began to murmur amongst themselves and I maintained my innocent face, but Anthony was about to explode.

Rhys shook his head in disdain, “Pathetic.” he held my hand and pulled me away, while Anthony remained kneeling.

It was really a satisfying scene to behold. I can’t wait to see the headlines tomorrow about Anthony’s embarrassment.

Hours later, the party was over and everyone had retreated to their room.

My phone buzzed with a message;

Anthony: Here. Divorce papers signed. A scanned document was attached to it.

He sent other messages; long and pathetic paragraphs of apologies, excuses and emotional begging.

I skimmed them, and typed back a response.

“Who knew you could be so obedient?”

I hit send.

************

ANTHONY’S POV

Everything inside me felt ripped apart when I got home today. I was badly humiliated and I still swallowed my pride to send Vera those apology messages.

But this was what she had to say?

“Who knew you could be so obedient?”

This was her revenge on me, for picking clair over her.

I slammed my fist against the wall. “Damn it. Where the fuck is even Clair?”

I realized I hadn't seen Clair since I got back.

I checked the time and it was past midnight; she should be home by now.

I dialed her contact but it rang on without an answer.

“Pick up,” I muttered as her phone rang again, then straight to voicemail.

Fear crawled under my skin. “Something must’ve happened… she wouldn’t just disappear without a word.”

My hands shook as I grabbed my keys.

Good thing I’d installed a tracker in her car for safety. I tapped the app.

“What is she doing at a bar?” I furrowed my eyebrows at the location on my phone screen.

I drove swiftly to the bar, as the streets were all cleared and quiet.

The music echoed in my ears as I walked into the bar after I saw Clair's car outside.

My eyes scanned the room but Clair was nowhere to be found. I got to a private lounge and I froze at the entrance.

I couldn't believe what I saw. My heart pounded more loudly than the music.

Clair was sitting on the table in front of a man, her hands tangled in his hair and their mouths on each other,  kissing so intensely like they were going to swallow each other.

When they pulled apart I was shocked to see who the man was. It was none other than one of the Hudson's twins

Russell Hudson. The hockey star.

He dragged her closer to seat on his lap and whispered loudly, “Come on, sweetheart… my favorite whore knows how to make me feel good.”

My stomach twisted. Favourite whore?

To my surprise, Clair laughed. She fucking laughed like she enjoys being called that.

Then her gaze flicked toward the entrance and landed on me.

But she just ignored me and turned back to Russell and kissed him deeper.

My knees nearly buckled. “Clair…?”

Russell glanced at me with a smirk. “You lost, man?”

Clair’s voice cut through me like a blade. “Who are you?”

I felt something inside me break so hard I actually staggered. The room spun around me and my ears echoed loudly.

That was the moment I realised that I had made a terrible mistake and ruined my own life.

I didn't know how or when, but I found myself walking out of the bar, numb and dead inside.

*********

Back home, I collapsed on the couch, staring at the ceiling as the truth swallowed me whole.

Clair wasn't just a mistress to me. We were legally married in secret. I was just waiting for the right time to divorce Vera before we came out with it.

And we've been sleeping together for a while. She was even carrying my child.

How could Clair do this to me? I loved her so much. But the woman I saw today wasn't her.

The woman I vowed to protect, the sweet, gentle woman who would always lean to me for protection. That wasn't her.

The word “My favourite whore” echoed mercilessly in my skull, ripping through every memory we shared.

My hands shook violently. I went to the bar section of my living room to grab a bottle of alcohol.

The urge to drown everything in alcohol clawed at me, but I just dropped the bottle.

I wasn't myself anymore.

In desperation, I called Vera, and she answered, surprisingly.

“Anthony?” she said in a cold and detached tone.

“Vera…” My voice broke. “I was being deceived by Clair the whole time. I just saw her with Russell Hudson and he called her his favourite whore. She kissed him in front of me and pretended like she didn't know me.”

I swallowed hard to steady my voice.

“Vera… please… I don’t know what to do. I don’t know who she is. I don’t understand anything anymore. I think I’m losing my mind.”

She chuckled bitterly.

“Anthony,” she said sweetly, “this is your karma for what you did to me and I promise you that you haven't seen it all.”

She laughed and ended the call abruptly.

I stared at the phone in my hand until the screen blurred. “I deserve this,” I whispered. “God, I deserve every bit of this.”

I fought the urge to drink again. Fought it until exhaustion dragged me into a tortured sleep.

**************

I woke to the door slamming open.

I jolted upright. “What the hell…”

Clair stood there, dressed in a seductive and confident manner with file in hand.

Her eyes were blazing with no sign of remorse

She stepped in, closing the door behind her. “You look terrible.”

I rose sharply, and stormed towards her with my fist clenched, “Clair. How dare you? How could you betray me like this?”

She didn't flinch, she just rolled her eyes. “Stop being a dramatic baby. Anthony, I’m pregnant, remember? Hitting me would make you a murderer by morning.”

My fist trembled at my side. “Don’t twist this. What I saw…”

“What you saw,” she interrupted coldly, “is normal.”

“Normal?” My voice cracked. “You let another man fuck you and call you a whore! How long has this been going on?” My chest tightened.

She smirked. “That's none of your business.”

I felt sick. “You’re my wife. We are married Clair."

She shrugged. “Secret wife. Nobody knows that except us. So, spare me the emotional speech.” She shoved the file on against my chest

“Read it.”

“What the fuck is this?” I collected it and opened it.

My world tilted as I saw the headlines. Divorce agreement.

“You want to get a divorce?” I whispered in disbelief.

That wasn't the worst part. I kept reading.

“Seventy percent of my assets?” I shouted “Are you insane?”

“Of course, I'm not insane,” she corrected. “I'm pregnant with your child. And you were married to another woman while married to me.”

I stared at her with horror. “Are you blackmailing me right now?”

Her lips curled, “Think of it as compensation for carrying your child and for keeping quiet.”

My heart skipped and I narrowed my eyes on her. “Quiet about what?”

She leaned in, her perfume filled my nostrils. They used to be comforting but now, they were suffocating.

“About what you did to Vera,” she whispered. “Your dear in-laws would love to know the truth, wouldn’t they?”

My throat went dry. “Clair… you wouldn’t.”

She turned, already walking away. “Sign it, Anthony. Or prepare to lose more than your money.”

“Clair! Clair! Stop right there, Clair!”

She didn't even glance back. She walked out and slammed the door behind her.

The walls closed in on me and I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.

My life is ruined. Everything I trusted and believed in; it was all a lie. I was being manipulated.

And I betrayed Vera; the only person who genuinely loved and cared about me. All because of Clair.

Rage filled my entire system. I grabbed the nearest glass and hurled it against the wall.

It exploded into a thousand jagged pieces.

“Fuck!” I roared.