Chapter 06

SARAH'S POV

“Hey, Mrs. Sarah,” Desmond’s voice rang out from behind as I placed the papers on the center table next to me. I turned to see him approaching, and his expression was one of pity, causing me to avert my gaze.

“Hey,” I replied, knowing all too well that his sympathetic stare was more than I could handle in that moment. All I wanted was to be left alone, to let the tears flow freely.

“Sir Richard has asked me to assist you with your belongings,” Desmond continued, his voice compassionate.

I swallowed the remaining saliva that had pooled in my throat as I quickly turned my gaze away, hoping to avoid Desmond’s sympathetic look. Tears now streamed down my cheeks, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable.

“Oh yeah,” I said, forcing my voice to sound steady as I stood up and began walking towards my room. Desmond followed close behind. When we reached my door, I turned the doorknob, the metal cold beneath my fingers.

"Wait here," I commanded, my voice a little unsteady.

I opened the door halfway and stepped inside the room, closing the door behind me as I leaned against it. The tears flowed more freely now, my chest heaving with each sob. I couldn't hold back anymore. The thought of starting over without Richard was overwhelming, but I knew I had to be strong.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand, composing myself. After a moment, I opened the door again, ready to face the world, or at least Desmond. “Alright, let’s start with the books,” I said, trying to sound as normal as possible.

Desmond nodded, understanding my need for composure.

The task of packing and moving my belongings with Desmond’s assistance took less than a handful of minutes. Before I knew it, we were carrying the boxes to my car.

“Thanks,” I managed to say, forcing a small smile. Desmond returned the gesture with a warm smile of his own, turning to leave.

Just as I was about to get into the car, I heard a voice behind me. “Don’t you dare use my car,” Susan’s voice screeched. I glanced at her, then at Richard, then back at the car, my face contorting into a scowl.

“Your car?” I echoed, my voice icy. “The car that was bought with my husband’s money is suddenly yours?” I took a step forward, standing toe-to-toe with Susan. “You heard me right?, Get your filthy things out of that car!” Susan barked. Richard shifted uncomfortably, glancing from me to Susan and back again. “Sarah, you know this is part of the agreement. Everything stays with us.”

I threw him a withering look, my hands balled into fists. “So I get nothing? No car, no home, and no husband?

“You could use part of the money you got from the divorce to get a new car or a house instead.”Richard uttered.

In annoyance, I turned to leave but felt a hard grip on my hands and it made me turn around immediately. My heart skipped for a moment and I felt a sharp pain on my stomach as I stared right up at Richard. His face was just so perfect and his eyes were ascharming as ever. No wonder why girls drooled for him years back while we were still schooling.

“Are you deaf?.” He questioned and I gulped in another saliva while my gaze were still fixed on his. 

“Just use a cab instead!.” He added.

While I tried to speak, Richard cut me off, shoving me to the ground with a sudden force that took my breath away. I let out a cry of pain as I fell, the rough pavement scraping my knees. “This car is strictly for my wife and you’re no longer entitled to it anymore,” he growled, his face contorted with anger.

Overwhelmed by the shock and pain of it all, I lowered my head, hot tears streaming down my cheeks as I tried to process the betrayal and the indignity of being cast aside so cruelly.

Susan, ever the smug snake, smiled at me, as she grabbed the keys from my hands “Maybe if you were a better wife, Richard wouldn’t have come to me in the first place.” That said, she rushed to Richard and held his hands tightly. “Come honey let leave this bitch to herself and go continue our little celebration.” 

As I watched, Richard scooped Susan up into his arms with tenderness and care. A jagged pain sliced through my heart as I stood, a crumpled mess on the cold pavement. I couldn't bear to watch any longer as they disappeared into the house, the door closing behind them like a final nail in my coffin.

Sniffing back my tears, I straightened up and gathered my belongings to Richard had thrown on the floor, my hands shaking as I lifted them from the ground. 

With a final, deep breath, I looked over my shoulders to catch one last glimpse at the mansion before I began to walk away, each step heavier than the last.

The taxi was a welcome sight as I stood by the side of the road, waves of uncertainty and loss washing over me. “Lulex hotel,” I said, my voice sounding thin and weak in my ears. The driver nodded, and I climbed into the backseat, while my shoulders hunched with exhaustion.

As the car moved smoothly, I rested my forehead against the cool window, letting the breeze caress my face. The past two years flashed before my eyes, a blur of longing, loneliness, and betrayal.

The realization that Richard had been cheating hit me like a punch to the gut all over again. For so long, I had tried to ignore the signs, to convince myself that our marriage was strong enough to survive his absences and attitude. But now, faced with the truth, I felt like a fool.

My thoughts turned to mum, and the inevitable conversation we would have about my failed marriage. I knew her disappointment would be as heavy as my own. How could I explain to her that my husband had chosen someone else over me?