TRAPPED AS THE CEO'S ex-wife

Lena's POV

“You useless woman!”

The force of Xander's kick slammed into my stomach, sending a sharp wave of pain through my entire body. The air left my lungs instantly, and I collapsed to the cold marble floor, clutching my abdomen as I struggled to breathe. The room spun.

My vision blurred with tears.

“How dare you?” he shouted again, his voice echoing across the luxurious bedroom that once felt like heaven to me.

Another blow landed.

And another.

Each hit felt heavier than the last, like my body was slowly shutting down, surrendering to the pain. I curled into myself, trying to protect what little strength I had left.

I could not fight back. Even if I wanted to, I had no energy. My body was already at the edge of passing out.

“I gave you everything,” Xander continued, his voice filled with cold fury, “and yet you dare accuse me?”

His polished shoes struck my ribs, and I cried out, my voice trembling and broken. My screams filled the mansion, but deep down, I knew no one would come.

No one ever did.

And honestly, if I were in their place, I would not interfere either. Xander was not a man you crossed.

"Please… I’m sorry," I sobbed, my voice trembling as I struggled to sit up. "I won’t mention it again."

He crouched before me, gripping my cheeks so tightly his fingers dug into my skin. His eyes were cold, completely empty of warmth.

"And now," he said slowly, a cruel smile spreading across his lips, "because of what you’ve done… I will no longer be giving you money for your upkeeps or anything else. I'll make sure you starve today"

The words hit harder than any blow.

For a moment, the pain in my body disappeared, replaced by pure terror.

Immediately, I scrambled forward and fell to my knees before him. My fingers clutched the fabric of his trousers desperately as tears poured uncontrollably from my eyes.

"I said I’m sorry," I cried. "Please, Reynolds… I won’t do it again. I swear. I’ll never mention that your having affair with Isabel again."

The moment her name left my lips, his expression darkened.

His hand tangled violently in my hair, and he yanked me backward. A scream escaped my throat as he threw me to the ground. My body hit the floor painfully, and I tasted blood as my lip split.

He dragged me up again by my hair, forcing me to look at him.

"Of course you won’t," he said softly, his voice terrifyingly calm.

Then he released me like I was nothing more than trash.

I collapsed onto the floor, my body trembling.

Xander straightened his suit calmly, as if he had merely finished a business meeting. He turned and began walking toward the door.

Hope flickered weakly inside me.

Maybe he would reconsider. Maybe he would say something about my mother’s treatment. Maybe—

He stopped at the doorway and glanced back at me.

His smile was cold.

"And you can forget about me financing your new business," he said casually. "That’s your punishment for being a horrible wife.”

The sound of the door slamming echoed through the apartment like a gunshot.

His words still hung in the air long after he walked out.

I slowly shut my eyes, my chest tightening as pain spread through my body like fire beneath my skin. My cheek throbbed where his hand had landed minutes ago. My arm burned from where he had grabbed me, his fingers digging in like claws. Even breathing hurt.

But the physical pain was nothing compared to the hollow ache inside my chest.

I curled slightly on the cold marble floor, pressing my palm against my mouth to stop the sob threatening to escape. My body begged for rest, but my mind screamed louder.

I limped across the room, every step sending sharp pains through my body. My hand pressed against the middle of my thighs, and I felt the warm, sticky wetness that made my stomach drop. Blood.

My heart shattered. A miscarriage.

Tears blurred my vision as I sank to the floor, my body trembling. I cried like I’d never cried before, my sobs echoing against the empty walls.

“I hate you, Xander!” I screamed, my voice cracking. “I hate you!”

I clutched my stomach, feeling the awful emptiness where life should have been. “Why are you doing this to me?” I yelled, even though no one answered. No one could hear me.

I pressed my hands against the blood, my fingers trembling, wishing the pain would disappear. “Every day… every single day… you cheat on me with your secretary,” I whispered through ragged sobs. “What’s so special about her that I don’t have?!”

The tears kept falling, soaking the floor, my clothes, my hands. My chest heaved, my breath ragged and shallow. I felt hollow, broken, like the world had been ripped away from me and left me in darkness.

And then… slowly, faintly, I felt it. A warmth, a light—a presence I couldn’t explain. It wasn’t harsh or blinding, but soft, gentle, like the sky itself was holding me.

I felt my body relaxing, my tears slowing. The pain was still there, but it softened, replaced by a strange calm I hadn’t felt in months.

The light grew brighter, surrounding me, filling the emptiness inside. It wrapped around me like an embrace, whispering something I couldn’t hear, but somehow understood.

And then… I opened my eyes.