Lena made sure she didn't pick up Darian's calls throughout the days he was away. She thought about different things to do before he got back from his trip, she was angry, really angry at Darian for cheating on her with Thelma.
She was tossing her clothes into her bag when Darian pulled open the door to their bedroom. He had been calling her for two days but she wasn't picking up, he had to leave what he went for to come back home to see if his wife was good. Even though he got reports from the bodyguards and Tina that Lena was fine, he still wanted to see her and be sure, he was certain Lena would never air his calls unless something had happened.
The journey back home was overly long and tiring, he wanted to see his wife so bad to know what was wrong with her.
He dropped his suitcase on the bed and moved closer to her. She was aware of his presence, but she pretended not to notice that he was around her. She kept on tossing her clothes in a bag, she suddenly stopped when she didn't know where to go. She hauled the bag to one side of her closet and walked down to sit on the bed.
"Lena, what's going on?" He asked. "I have been in this room for ten minutes, yet, you don't acknowledge my presence. I was away on a trip, I called several times, but you refused to pick up my calls. What's wrong with you, Wifey?"
Lena briefly shut her eyes.
"Are you mad that I left you alone," he sat close to her, taking her hand, but she jerked away, rolling her eyes at him. "Hey, what's with this weird attitude of yours?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "What have I done this time?"
She didn't say a word to him. She had been crying for the past two days and she promised herself not to cry anymore, but thinking about everything got tears out of her eyes again. She let out sniffles and said, "I want to be alone, Darian."
"Do you think I will let you be?"
"Let me be! I don't care if you will let me be or not. I don't care what the fuck you do! I will move out of your house if you want me to, just go, please." She cried out, she was pained. Seeing Darian's face caused her more pain, she still found it so difficult to believe he cheated on her.
"What are you talking about?" He was lost. His face crinkled and he shook his head. "Why would you want to leave my house? You should talk to me if there is something. How am I to know what I have done wrong if you won't tell me?" He scoffed, getting out of bed. He crammed his fingers in his hair, ruffling it. "Did someone hurt you?" That was the one thing he could think of right then. "What happened to you while I was away? Did anyone from the Dawson family touch you? I swear, I will kill anyone who comes near you." He lowered himself, crouching next to the bedside. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and looked into her eyes with a soft expression. "Please Lena, talk to me. What happened to you?"
"It all makes sense to me now." She wiped tears off her face.
He shrugged in question.
"It makes sense to me the reason you have never told me that you love me." She shook her head, staring at him. Tears brimming at the corner of her eyes, tears that stung her eyes. "You never do, you don't love me and you are doing all you are because you just want to do them to make me think that you care about me, but you don't care about me, my feelings, my, my…" She choked back her tears, pausing to calm her nerves. She was mad and sad.
"What are you talking about, Lena?"
She jumped out of bed, ambling towards the drawer adjoined to the dresser. She pulled open the first compartment, bringing out the envelope Thelma gave to her. She walked back to Darian and handed it over to him.
"What's in here?" He queried.
"See for yourself." She scoffed at him. She leaned on the wall, folding her arms around her chest.
Darian took out the photos in the envelope and his heart dropped when he saw the first one of him straddling Thelma. He looked back to see Lena's eyes on him. "How did you get these photos?"
"Really? That's what matters to you?" Lena clasped her hands together, biting her lips regrettably. "Your mistress brought them to me, Darian."
He checked all the photos and rose to his feet, pacing that room. He didn't know where to start, he had betrayed her trust but it wasn't intentional. The guilt of sleeping with Thelma that night had eaten deep inside of him, and he had fought it so hard, he had tried to forgive himself for hurting Lena. He wanted to tell her himself, he wanted to tell her later on when things were really good between them, maybe in years to come. He didn't want her to find out this way, Thelma has messed with him.
"You have a mistress, Darian."
He looked at her, his shoulders sagging. "Lena, I swear it's not what you think."
"It's not what I think? We fought and you went out to sleep with a woman? You have a relationship with her and you are married to me? And you fucking say it's not what I think?" She inched closer to him.
"I can explain, I promise you that I can explain."
"What reasonable explanation do you want to give for cheating on your wife!" She yelled at him. "Ah," she cried, shaking her head. "I thought we had something good going on, I was just lying to myself. I am a fool to think you'd ever respect me as your wife."
"Of course, I do. I respect you as my wife. Lena, please, listen to me. These pictures are from months ago and…"
"Months ago but you were married to me, weren't you?" She asked, not waiting for an answer. She continued. "Months ago you say? Does that justify the fact that you cheated on me? You slept with another woman while I was married to you, Darian. You broke our marital vows, you never cared about them, to begin with. I am just the girl you married because her father owes you a debt." Tears streamed down her cheeks. She was heartbroken, she had been thinking so much since she saw those pictures and she was doubtful of her marriage to Darian, regretting that she had too much hope in them.
"Thelma is not my mistress, I don't know whatever lie she told you. Lena," she tried to touch her, but she flinched, raising her thumb to stop him from touching her. "I was out of my mind that night, I am sorry for cheating on you, I am sorry for betraying you, I was wrong and I am truly sorry, Lena."
Admitting to what he did made her cry so much, he couldn't come up with a fib, he couldn't tell her the photos were photoshopped or something. The fact that it was true hurt her so much, she looked at Darian. His eyes were on the tiled floor, he was too ashamed to look into her eyes.
"So, what we shared was never true?"
"It was and it is. I am sorry, Lena. I am so sorry, this is so fucked up." He rubbed his fingers on his temples.
Lena covered her mouth with her hands, and she went down to the floor, sobbing.
"Lena,"
"Don't touch me, Darian. Don't," she was trembling, afraid she would hurt Darian if he touched her. "Go away from me, don't talk to me. I don't want to see you, just let me be." She pressed her hands to her ears and screamed out.
Darian looked at her, his eyes sad. "I am sorry, Lena. Please, forgive me. I know this will take time, but I will give you the space you want." He bobbed his head and sighed.
"Fuck you! Fuck you a million times. Leave me the hell alone and go to her."
"There is no one else but you, Lena." With that, he walked out of the bedroom. Heading towards the living room, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialled Thelma's number. He had messed with him big time, she went too far this time.
-
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"Boss, is ma'am Lena alright?" Jay asked him. Darian had been complaining about Lena airing his calls while they were away to visit his mother. The Doctors in charge of treating his mother had told them to wait for a few days more to see if she'd recover from the coma she fell into, days before they visited. But Darian couldn't wait when Lena was not talking to him. He saw the woman who claimed to be his mother but he wasn't able to talk to her.
"Yes, she is." He pressed the phone to his ears when Thelma picked up. "I got your message, Thelma." He fumed with fury. "Nice try, but let's see how far you can play this game with me, bitch."
"Your wife is pretty fragile, she was shedding tears like a toddler." Thelma laughed over the phone. "You should console her. I told you I was not done with you, but now that she has seen all our romantic pictures, I think my mission is done here. Do have a happy broken marriage." She laughed hysterically, ending the call before Darian could talk.
He flopped on the couch, thinking of the things to do to placate his wife and make her believe that he was real about them. He had wounded her badly, he had to heal her wounds.
Though it would take a lot of time and effort, he was willing to put in all his efforts to win Lena back, he couldn't afford to lose her. Not now, not ever.
Faithy💓