The Ties That Kept Us Apart

Chapter 3

I stared at the messed up image of Henry displayed on my secretary’s computer screen. My body blanched at the horrible sight of seeing him after what he did to Luke on the day of our wedding. My limbs started to shake and my breathing got heavier and harder. His gray eyes pierced through while he stared at me through the computer.

I couldn’t stop staring at him. He was a bloody mess and I was not sure if it was his blood or somebody else’s. I wouldn’t even dare to think about the latter. His smile was devious, almost sadistic and it sent shivers up and down my spine. Cold sweat was beginning to form on my forehead and I can see that my secretary was staring at me. I could feel the blood draining from my face.

“Ma’am, are you okay?“ I didn’t even bother to answer her. I just kept my eyes locked on the frozen image of Henry on the screen. Stacey stood up from her seat abruptly and put her two hands on my shoulders to steady me, since my knees felt like lead in a matter of minutes, “I’ll go get you some water.”

When Stacey left my side, I hit the space bar to play the paused video. Henry moved from what looked like a messy bedroom to a living room. The room wasn’t all that bad compared to the previous room. In fact it was very fancy. Cream and gold colored couches were in the space just in front of a huge fireplace. There was also a glass coffee table with a bouquet of dried roses. Beside it was silver laptop and there was a video playing in it.

“How are you Sydney? I suppose you’re having a nice time with your husband. Or not since he’s still recovering. Am I right? Well anyway, I recorded this video for one reason alone. And the reason, is to get you back into my life.” His smirk was unnerving.  I wanted to shout in rage.

“Here’s the thing. Remember when you and I were uhm… fucking? Well I knew that Luke would be a problem when he started to meddle in your life. So I made a security aid just in case you chose him.” I saw him sit down cross-legged on the floor in front of the camera and solely focused the camera on him. His gray eyes shining with mirth

“And you did, unfortunately. I never imagined that I would be using this. Don’t worry what you’re about to see is just for your eyes and mine. Not unless you don’t follow my instructions.” Henry twisted the camera towards the laptop screen where there was a frozen image of a barelegged woman, her face hidden away from the camera. And then, I felt like throwing up after seeing the images moving on the screen. It was a video of a couple having sex.

My body started shaking more and my knees collapsed. I felt myself fall down on the chair that Stacey vacated and tears welled up in my eyes blurring my sight. Henry pressed play and the camera refocused and that when my heart almost stopped. On the screen, I saw myself in the throes of passion. My body was all flushed and convulsing from what was Henry was doing. I remembered that day. It was the day when Henry first got under my skin. When I thought that he was a respectable man.

I could hear my voice and how turned on I was. My stomach churned and I could feel the contents of my stomach rising back up my esophagus. I was about to throw up when Stacey came up behind me. She put a hand on my shoulder once more after she placed the glass of ice-cold water on her desk.

“Oh my God…” After hearing the shock in her voice, I stood up from her chair and sprinted towards the comfort room. I was going to hurl at any moment. Before I got to the comfort room that when I heard Stacey turn off her computer screen and pausing the video. Her heels clicked on the black granite floor of my office while she hurriedly followed me inside.

Before she could even get to me, I was already kneeling in front of the toilet inside one of the cubicles. I heaved repeatedly as I could no longer hold it in. Stacey knelt down behind me, while she gently rubbed my back to calm me down.