Chapter 10: Ragebait

ALEXANDER'S POV

I shook my head furiously as I stared at my phone and wall clock simultaneously.

I told her not to go and she went anyway. That is the part I kept replaying in my head.

“This is totally unacceptable,” I thought out loud as I stood in the hallways, remembering the dress she claimed was a work dress.

“Black dress, glossy lips and hair flowing downwards…..fuck me! That is not a work dress. I know what a work dress looks like and that is not it!!” I mumbled to myself.

I stood there like an idiot, looking at the closed door this time around.

Without further hesitation, I picked up the phone and called Natalie.

“Hello, is…is she with you?” I stuttered even when I knew the response to that question.

“Of course not. She had left the workshop at five. She should be home with you unless----” she paused.

“Unless what?” I cut in.

“Well, she said she had to prove something. That's all I know….”

“Prove what?”

“I don't know, Alexander, but whatever you do, just take it easy,” she advised.

I didn't say a word. I ended the call that minute and bit my hand.

I poured myself a bottle of whiskey and I just kept staring at the bottle. I couldn't drink it.

An hour later, I rang her phone.

Declined.

Rang again. Declined.

I kept trying it repeatedly till she picked or so I thought..

“Hello,” a familiar voice rented the phone speakers. It wasn't Vivian.

“Hello Alexander,” the voice came at me again….and this time around my blood went cold.

I knew that voice. It was Adrian. Adrian Cole.

“Put my wife on the phone,” I said. I tried to keep my voice steady but I couldn't.

“She is….. busy,” he replied like he was enjoying the word.

“She will call you back,” he added, like I had no choice but to listen to him.

“Put her on now..”

Vivian's voice finally came on. “Alexander, I'm here….” She uttered in a low tone.

“Where exactly are you? Are you okay?” I asked even though I hated how worried I sounded.

“I'm okay….We are just talking about-----”

“Why is that man answering your phone, Vivian??” I interrupted before she could finish up her sentence.

I could hear Adrian in the background laughing and talking, “She declined your first call because she chose to stay with me…” I heard him speak.

I got infuriated. It was as though I could go through the phone and break his jaw.

“Vivian, I want you home, now,” I voiced out in a loud tone.

“I'd come home when the meeting is done…”

“Meeting? At 9pm? In another man's house? Come home now, Vivian. Don't make me come get you…”

“Don't try to come. I'm not a child and I can take care of myself,” she uttered and disconnected the call.

I froze. Did she just hung up the call on me for Adrian?

Without further hesitation, I put on my shoes, grabbed my keys and almost head out the door.

Then I stopped.

“What am I doing? How is this going to look like?? Husband chasing wife in another man's house? The press would definitely love this.

I sat back down instantly.

********

Later that night, the door creaked open and I saw her came in with her hair a little messy and her lips dry.

At first, I couldn't look at her. If I did for too long, I just might say soemthing I would regret.

“So are you going to tell me what all of that was about?”

“You went to another man's home for a so called work meeting and that looks alright to you???!” I questioned.

“We had some important things to discuss regarding my failed launch. He is the only help I can turn to now,” she replied coldly.

“And that's explains the calls you declined??” I intended to sound angry but instead I sounded tired.

“I was busy,” she rolled her eyes at me.

“Busy letting him answer your phone?” I questioned with a frown.

“He grabbed it,” she responded.

“And you stayed after that?”

I walked closer. I shouldn't have asked the next question but I did.

“Vivian, did he touch you?”

“What? No!!”

“Did he try?”

“Stop asking all these questions. I am too tired for this,” she responded in a haste like I was trouble.

“You have your Catherine to go to incase you are tired of me,” she said and looked away.

I could bet she didn't mean that statement

“Catherine is not relevant tonight!!” I shouted.

“She is always relevant!!” she fired back.

I was about to object when her phone buzzed. We both looked.

Adrian, again!!

I saw the text bold and clear; Dinner next week, just the two of us.

I smirked….The guts. The audacity. My nose became red and my fist burn with rage.

I picked up the phone before she could. I typed fast. I know I shouldn't have but I did.

“Don't text me again. My husband doesn't like it,” I typed on her phone.

I showed her. She stared like I slapped her.

“You replied a text on my phone???”

“Yes,” I answered with full confidence.

“You can't do that!! It's my phone!! My business!!”

“And you are my wife!!” I shouted. Louder than I meant. “Until divorce is signed, you are my wife and I don't want a man texting you at midnight about dinners or whatever that is!”

Before she could say another word in defense, I turned to her and said quietly, “If you want divorce, Vivian, say it. If you want Adrian, say it. But don't do both.”

I turned, went to the bedroom and shut the door behind me.

I sat on the bed with my head buried in my hands.

Five minutes later, I heard a hard knock on the door. Not the buzzer but actual hard knocks on the door.

At first, I thought it was Vivian exercising her rage after what happened but the voice I heard after the knock made me pause.

“Alexander, are you in there? Open the goddammit door. We need to talk…” it was the voice of Richard Blackwood. My father in the flesh right inside my house and wanting to speak to me.

“Father, what are you doing here?” I said as I popped my head slightly through the door.

“That is the wrong question to ask….”

“Have you seen the news???!!!!”

Uhn???