Married Without Love

Chapter 8

Hailey

We left his parents mansion and Nathan begin the drive home. He was angry but so was I. The atmosphere in the car was tense and suffocating so I roll down the window to let some cool breeze in. After a long, awkward silence, Nathan spoke.

"You can't speak to my mother like that"

"Like what?" I asked innocently.

"You know like what! You insulted and offended her in her own home, she was so hurt!" He yelled at me, his hands gripping the stirring wheel so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"I didn't say anything she didn't ask for" I myself was surprised by how calm my voice sounded. "I never started it. You said that I insulted your mother, but did you not hear the way she was talking to me? Her insults against me and my parents?"

"She is allowed to say whatever, she is your mother in law."

"And I am her daughter in law!" I yelled for the first time. "And no she is NOT allowed to say anything she likes, I won't stand for it. I'm not asking for her love and attention or yours, all I'm asking for is to be respected. As a person, for who I am."

He opened his mouth to say something but I wasn't done yet.

"And you know Nathan, the least you could have done was stand up for me, I am your wife for crying out loud. You could have told her not to say anything, could have stopped her, could have done any little thing to show support, but no, you just sat there enjoying yourself."

"Why would I say anything?" He asked me. "Whatever she said was right after all."

What? Did he really think that? I was left speechless by his comment. A dreadful silence filled the car. I couldn't believe this man.

"Stop the car" I said in a calm voice.

"What?"

"I said, stop. The. Car." An icy edge filled my tone.

Nathan looked at me, then pulled up at the side of the road. It was isolated and there was no-one around. I unbuckled my seat belt, grabbed my clutch and opened the car door, to get out.

"What are you doing? Where are you going?" Nathan asked, a confused look on his face.

"Anywhere far from you"

"Come now, you've got to be kidding me! This is the middle of nowhere, how are you going to get home?"

"None of your concern" I answered him coldly. "And why should you be bothered any way?"

I got out of the car and slammed the door shut. I took out my phone to call my chauffeur. Nathan tried calling out to me, but then got tired and drove away. I can't believe what I've gotten myself into. He has completely abused my idea of a husband. But it's fine. I'll survive without him. Don't need a husband to be strong and support myself.

After I texted my driver my location, I stood there by the roadside. There was not a soul on the road and the place was pretty much isolated. I was not feeling safe standing there alone. What if something happened? My bastard of a husband didn't even bother to wait with me. Such a gentleman. But then I asked him to leave. But still! If he had even an ounce of concern, he would wait to see me safe.

A few cars passed my way and once or twice a few stopped asking if I needed a lift. I politely declined. After waiting for sometime, my driver, Mr Lewis arrived and I got in the car.

"Where to ma'am?" He asked me.

"To my penthouse, please"

I didn't want to see Nathan right now. It's clear that he doesn't afford me the simple respect as his wife. Then I don't want to live with him either. We can live separately, only see each other if the occasion demands it. I'm not shameless that I'll stick around in a place where there is no respect for me.

Nathan.

Almost an hour has passed and Hailey still hasn't reached home. Should I call her. No, she left on her own, I'm not supposed to bother about her. But then, it was a lonely area. What if something happened to her? My grandparents and dad won't leave me. Not to mention her family. She wouldn't even get a cab over there. Maybe she called the driver? I phoned Mr Taylor, my chauffeur, to see if she called him to pick her up, but his answer was negative. Did she have her own chauffeur? I didn't even know that.
........

Now it's been 3 hours and she still hasn't arrived. What's her damn problem. What did I even do to her? Where could she have gone? Maybe to a friend's place. Who were her friends? I didn't know a thing about her. God, this woman is going to be the death of him.

Well, why am I worried about her. If anything happens, it's her own fault. I didn't ask her to leave the car. Thinking so, I went to sleep.

.........................

I got ready for work in the morning and went down to eat breakfast. I sat down while Marie begin serving me breakfast. While I was eating, Marie came to me and asked,

"Mr Rodriguez, do you know when Mrs Rodriguez will be back?"

I stopped eating. "What? Did she not return last night?"

"No sir, ma'am didn't come home last night."

What the hell! Where was this woman? Did something happen to her? No I'm just overthinking.

"No Marie, I'm not aware." I told her.

Should I call Hailey, see if she's safe, ask where she is? No my ego won't let me do that. Why should I run after her, when I never wanted her in the first place. I'll wait until tomorrow, she'll be back before long.

....................

I returned home at 9:00 in the night after a hectic day at the office. I was going to freshen up have dinner and leave for Hannah's house or what I'd call my true home. My home is where my true love is. The thought of returning home to her waiting for me was so heart warming, I always wanted that. To have a family with Hannah my true wife. I can't wait till I'm out of this awful marriage and make Hannah my wife before God and men. But for now I'll have to wait for a couple of years. I hate Hailey with a passion for coming inbetween us. I still remember the fight we had on her account.

I was going upstairs when I saw a man coming out of Hailey's office. Was she home? Who was he, her lover? How dare she parade her lovers in my home. I walked towards her office to confront her only to be stopped by the guy.

"Mr. Rodriguez, I was hoping to meet you."

"Who are you and what are you doing here? Were you here to have some time with my wife, Hailey?" Impatience took over me and accusation filled my voice.

He gave me a weird look. "My name is Joshua Parker. I'm your wife's PA. She sent me here to collect some important files and bring it to where she is living, since she doesn't want to come here."

"What? Where is she living? And what do you mean by she doesn't want to come here?"

"I don't know about her reasons, but she told me she is staying at her penthouse from now onwards. She told me to give you this"

Saying so, he handed me an envelope and left. I opened the envelope to find the credit cards I had given my wife. She never used them. Not that she needed to, she came from a billionaire family and was a famous lawyer herself. But still, he had given her these cards that were joined to his bank account. Her sending them back and leaving his house was her rejecting him. Guess she meant what she said about not depending on her husband afterall. But this rejection was a bruise to his manly ego. That she doesn't want him and can easily leave him, irks him, no matter if she was his unwanted wife. He had to do something about it.