Too Late for Regret, Mr. Vale

Ahtisa’s Pov

“Look at this mess! Still can't clean a table properly?" Elena, my mother in law, voice echoed. “Then what are you good for?"

I quickly bent down and started picking up the broken plates with my bare hands.

My throat tightened. “I'm sorry, mother"

The word came out of my mouth before I could stop it. All my life, I'd been sorry, whether I was in the right or wrong: I'm sorry for not responding to your text. I'm sorry for not heating your water. I'm sorry for living.

“Sorry?" Elena scoffed, folding her arms. “Sorry doesn't change the fact that my son married a woman who brings nothing to his life"

Nothing?

A small laugh came out of my mouth. I wanted to argue that Adrian, my husband would not be in his position if it weren't for me but I said nothing because what could a wife do for her husband?

My hands trembled as I cleaned the table. Elena continued to track my every movement.

“What exactly do you do all day?" The old woman whispered. “You don't work. You don't manage anything…”

I paused. "I… "

Elena raised her hand and it landed on my face. My breath came out uneven.

I reminded myself to breathe.

“How dare you talk back to me? You this worthless piece of shit!"

My eyes burned. Tears threatened to spill down my face but I held it back. I refused to break down in front of her. It wouldn't get me anywhere.

She grabbed my chin and turned me toward her. “At least, if you want to have a voice, give my son an heir"

I swallowed hard. How would I give him an heir if he refused to touch me? When my touch revulsed him?

But no, I was always the problem.

I kept cleaning because that was the only thing I could do. Endure. It was all going to be over soon. One more week and Adrian promised we'd go back home.

Elena had been pressuring Adrian to bring me to his house because she wanted to “teach" me the proper ways. And every time I refused to go, it had only earned Adrian's anger.

"Look at Mrs. Carter's daughter in law,” the old woman went on, her tone rising. "Didn't she just get married and look, she's already pregnant. But you? Five years and nothing to show for it”

I finished wiping the table and straightened slowly, plastering a fake smile on my face. “I will prepare dinner now."

Her eyes roamed my body, stopping at my stomach. " At least try to do something right for once”

The moment I closed the kitchen door, I released the tears. I let myself feel for a moment before I wiped my eyes.

My fingers brushed softly against the edge of the counter.

Forty billion. The number still sat at the back of my mind, haunting me.

My father was dead and everything he had built, everything he had once begged me to take over, now belonged to me.

I closed my eyes. Adrian didn't know about it yet. I didn't know if I should tell him or not.

I shook my head.

He would think I was being proud. Of course, he would ask me how I got the money?

He had no idea I was the heiress to my father's company but I had walked away from it… from wealth, expectations, from a future that had already been planned for me.

I had chosen to be a police officer, like my mom, and my father had cast me out of his home.

How stupid of me.

Now, I was reduced to nothing more than a shadow. A wife in name but really, I was more like a burden.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was Elara. My best friend.

Why would she be calling me?

“Elara?"

“Hey, Ahtisa," her voice sounded breathless. “Where are you?"

“I'm at Adrian's. What's wrong?"

Silence.

“You need to come here," she said quickly. “Right now!"

I raised my eyebrow. “What's wrong?"

“I just saw Adrian"

I stilled. Adrian was surely at work. I mean, that was what he told me this morning.

Elara worked at Grand Crest Hotel and his office wasn't close to the hotel.

“He didn't come alone, Ahtisa.” She said, "he came in with a new girl. I… I don't know. I just… I thought I should tell you”

My hands tightened around my dress. "Are you sure?”

"I wouldn't call you if I wasn't… please, just come"

For a moment, I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. I just stared blankly at the pots. I hoped she was wrong. I hoped it was not what my mind was conjuring.

It couldn't be.

I tucked the phone back into my pockets and untied my apron. I tried not to panic.

But it was hard not to.

Elena looked up when I stepped out of the kitchen. “And where are you going?"

“Out." I said like that was enough for an answer.

“But dinner isn't ready yet… You are…” Elena continued to talk but I was already out of the room.

****

The ride to the hotel felt longer than it should have or maybe the time just slowed.

If someone looked at me now, they wouldn't know I was breaking.

They wouldn't see a woman whose husband might be betraying her.

They would see nothing.

My chest felt tight.

I stepped out of the car and headed toward the hotel. Room 109, that was the number Elara had given me.

“Adrian, you better not be in the room," I whispered as I stood in front of the room.

My hand paused around the doorknob. My heart was beating fast in my chest.

Still, my hand lifted and pushed the door open. It wasn't locked.

Their voices hit me first.

“Oh my God… Isabella… Fuck”

"Faster. Harder!”

I froze.

On the bed, wrapped in between the sheets were the two people I had given my life to.