CHAPTER 5

chapter 5

Justina's POV

Whenever I think that he might just have a modicum of shame left, he proves me wrong.

I had enough evidence to blow up his life; all it would take was one call to his parents, and he was as good as toast. But I held onto my tongue, kept my cool and my distance.

But even that was not enough.

There were days when I didn't leave early enough or came back too soon, and I was forced to watch his acts of affection with another woman.

The same man I thought I would have my kids with.

I was lucky on the days when it was just him burying his tongue in her throat; other days, I was not as lucky, and they made rabbits look tame.

Those days were harder than others. I would feel my world crumbling all the more and ask just what I had done to deserve this.

Father's health was not showing any sign of improving either; he was responding well enough to treatment, but not enough that I could risk including this marriage without affecting him.

But I wanted out, I don't know how much longer I can take this.

I was walking with a spare ration of patience and yet he dared to walk up to me while I was having my morning coffee and tell me that I was not doing enough to accommodate his mistress.

I cuddled my cup of steaming coffee close to my chest with a smile that forced me to respond.

“What do you want me to do? Call your mother and ask how to handle the other woman?”

His face lost color.

“Justine, that's low of you.” He told me with his strained voice that I didn't feel a pinch of guilt.

“What's wrong? At least you and your father have more in common now I guess it's true what they say that Apple does not fall far from the tree,”

He stomped towards me, then held his hand high in the air. The smirk on my face immediately disappeared. He seemed to come to his senses and stopped, then he brought his hand down to his side.

“Me and that man and nothing alike. I love Lucia and I have always been loyal to her except now..”

He grabbed the back of my neck and tried to press his lips against mine. I turned my face and it landed on my neck and left crawling shivers there.

“Let me go!” I screamed, and in my struggle, the cup of coffee shattered, the shards going everywhere, and the steamy liquid splattering along with it.

“Ah!” I winced at the sudden splash of heat. He backed away, taking the pain more easily than I did. He looked between me and the mess that had been made on the floor, his face going slightly red.

“I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me just now.”

I hissed, walking with one good leg over to the sink, copying the water I got from it and splashing it on my leg without caring how it stained the floor even more.

“just someone to clean this up…” I hissed, This means I'll have to leave today without having my morning coffee.

Mark stood awkwardly for a while before finally having enough sense to leave. I thought I was alone now and finally going to enjoy my morning as the sting in my leg alleviated.

That was when Lucia showed up.

She was in a silk pink night gown, her neck, shoulders, and arms exposed, with delicate skin, easily revealing love marks imprinted on her. She saw me and made flimsy, half-hearted efforts to cover them, but she knew I was probably awake by this time.

She wanted me to see them.

“What happened here?” She asked her voice unnaturally high-pitched for a woman her age.

“None of your business,” I was blunt and direct which I recall Mark said she didn't like.

Her lips curled into a pout.

“I don't want to sound mean.. but don't you think you're a little too cruel to me when I'm the one who should be upset?”

These people just never fail to surprise me do they?

“You're the one who should be upset?” I said, looking down at my ruined coffee spilled out on the floor, wasted completely, several minutes of delicate effort that will just be swept up with a mop.

“Yes,” she stood firmly on her ground, “you already have a good family, they are wealthy and love you too. Unlike me, Mark is all I have, but it's you wearing my ring, living my life as Mrs Gray. I haven't complained once, and yet you still turn your nose up at me and treat me like I'm trash. Just tell me how that's fair!”

I took a step back to admire the mental gymnastics it took her to make me the villain in this.

I wanted to heal her face.

To scream at how to think that she was a victim in all this.

But I thought about it and took it that she was not worth it, I was about to leave the kitchen avoiding stray shards

“Actually, you know what, I do feel bad for you a little bit,” she said after I had walked past her, “I'd also be hurt too if I was nothing but a stand-in.”

And just like that all of my control evaporated. I turned around so quickly and slapped her, hard but not hard enough to make her trip. She did that on her own in a performative manner falling where my coffee had dropped.

My anger subsided for a moment as her blood began to mix with the coffee, several shards piercing her flesh, she cried out at the top of her voice and Mark appeared at the speed of light.

He didn't need any explanation. All she had to do was throw a look in my direction, and he came over to me, striking me so hard across my face that I lost consciousness and everything went black.