"May I know whom I'm speaking to?" A velvety, confused voice greeted me as I called his mother.
"It is Caitlyn here, Mrs. Bradford." I spoke softly. There was a sweet silence between us. I could imagine her shock that she was getting a call from me.
"Oh quit the formalities darling. Call me Catherine," She said in a dismissive tone.
"Uh.. How are you all?" I asked in a tight and tremulous voice. I didn't know why I was feeling nervous even?!
Maybe beacuse of the fact that yesterday did not go good for both of us. And the way I behaved, it was, least to say, quite bad.
"We are all fine, sweety. How about you and Theodore?" She said in her beautiful voice, honey-dripped voice making me guilt trapped.
"I'm fine too," I muttered softly, getting comfortable with her. "I don't know about your son."
She was a nice woman. But her son, I couldn't even believe he was her son for real. How come so much difference in their behaviour?! Did she give him birth after eating a buttergourd? I rolled my eyes at the thought.
There was a silence on the line, as if she was hesitating to say something. I knew, she had no words to explain me for what her son has done. It was unforgettable.
"He is rude, child but he is not cruel. I don't even know what to say but I just want you to try out this marriage. Everything happens for a reason and I believe Jesus wanted you two to be one. We cannot do anything in what god has decided for us. There must be a solid reason behind this marriage also. Just give it a try, Caitlyn." She reasoned in a pained voice, as if it was almost killing her to even think about us getting divorced.
I know, we have not even talk humanly till now for even once. And divorce? It was completely a new topic. I could not even think about it before I get the papers.
"I will see to it," I assured in a tight voice, avoiding the topic.
"I know, it must be hard for you. I am not trying to justify Theo's actions but I just want good for you both." She spoke in a soft and small voice.
I just hummed in agreement with her before changing the topic cleverly.
"You should come visit us on dinner or breakfast someday," I invited in cheerful tone but there was some hollowness in my voice which I could not remove, even if I wanted to.
I'm also a human and I'm also hurt. It is not important to show always that you are hurt. Sometimes you are hurt, but, you have to be strong and brave to face the world.
I'm equally hurt as Ashton.
"We will, honey. We will. But not this week." she said.
"It is no problem. I would love to spend some time with you all. You should come and live with us for atleast some days so that we all can get to know each other." I said in suggestive tone.
And she agreed.
I hung up on her after wishing her nice day. And she too.
Well, now, I can move further with my plan. I just have to know about him. His strength and his weakness. His family. What he loves, what he adores, what he cares about! All.
I want to know how can I make him weak. And for this, I would have to use his family. Not a hard work, I guess. Maybe.
A notification popped on my screen showing a message from Jake. I opened and read and I grinned automatically.
Everything is done with the Japanese investors. Work will start from next week on the site. But they need some time to set their accounts records.
I'm going home. I have some urgent work. Cassandra needs me.
Bye.
I laughed as I read last two messages. More like he wants Cassandra. I laughed again at 'Cassandra needs me'.
I checked my wrist watch to see that it was mid day. I just had to sign some files before going back to that devil hole.
I signed some files which were left and checked my mails. Many were of invitations to ball and functions. Others were related to meetings and accounts.
I called on reception and asked the receptionist to come and take the accounts mail and give to the HR of account department.
Everyone is dealing with accounts these days, I thought jokingly.
I straightened the curves on my dress and stood up. Someone knocked and entered after I gave the permission.
"Rose, please take these mails and give it to HR of A.D." I said to my receptionist.
She smiled and went away. I too, left the the office after locking my cabin.
♤■■■♤
I parked my car near the entrance of his house and threw the keys smoothly to the guard, which he catched with no efforts.
I entered and saw, like always, there was no one in the house. I saw as the grey, white and silver colour of the walls, stairs, and furniture greeted me.
Same as usual.
I miss my penthouse. My home. My life. My love.
I miss my parents.
I miss my brother.
I miss my fiance— ex - fiance now. Drake.
Tears brimmed my eyes as I thought about him.
I missed my old life.
I missed the time I spent with Samantha and Melissa.
I miss Melissa so much. She left us to live her life. She was my best friend from high school and my brother's wife. She left him five years ago. He was searching for her these so many years. It feels like eternity. Atlast he found her.
She is his queen.
I have so many wishes.
I wanted to meet them all who are dear to me.
But here I was. Stuck in a meaningless and forced relationship and all alone; and that too with a devil who leaves no option to make my blood boil.
I hate this life. I'm frustrated.
I entered his room. And removed my clothes in one go and entered bathroom.
I relaxed as soon as I stood under the warm droplets of water, under the shower.
It relaxed my mind from all the tensions I had. I wanted to live freely, with no care in the world.
I let the water escade down my hairs and shoulders. I turned off the shower when my mind started to calm a bit.
I picked the towel and wiped water off myself.
I clutched the robe tightly in my hand while moving to the wardrobe attached to the bathroom. I wore the black robe.
A 'click' voice grabbed my attention to the door.
My eyes widened as I saw Mr. Bradford on the step of the door.
I squealed as his gaze landed upon me. My hands automatically went to tighten the straps of my robe. I tied them securely and sighed in relief.
My cheeks and ears were burning from embarrassment. My neck was turning red and small purple patches were still there from earlier.
I nervously grazed my fingers into my wet silky hairs and tried to straighten them a bit. He was just standing there, drinking my body features with his perverted gaze.
"What are you gazing at so keenly?" I asked annoyed.
For god's sake, he was watching my body. Thank to god, that I wore my robe on time otherwise god knows what would have happened!
"My wife's body." He said smugly with a smirk, annoying me and angering me to the core.
"Leave, I want to change" I said calmly.
In turn, he entered completely and shut the door with his foot.
"So change." He said as he moved to his side of wardrobe. He started removing his blazer and tie.
He removed his belt and was about to open his shirt's button when I shouted embarrassedly "Stop."
He raised his well sculptured eyebrow at me and frowned, clipping his lower lip between his teeth. He had a smug look. For the first time, in this week, I have seen him playful and carefree a bit. A bit.
"Let me go out and then you can change." I said as I averted my gaze to the door.
He stood there, stiff. He said nothing.
I hastily picked up the first dress I saw in the wardrobe and made a small run for the door. My hand latched on the knot to just turn it, when he put his on the door from behind me. I sighed annoyedly.
I turned to see that he was too close to me. Too close. My breathe hitched in my throat as I thought about our close proximity.
"I see, you are trying to play smart with me. Don't act like an actor when you are not even sure that you act good or not." he said as put his right hand in my wet hairs and tapped his thumb on my side forehead.
My mind was not working. All was in haze till my mind registered what he just said. My plan. I looked blankly into his narrowed eyes. He was reading my face. He was drinking my eyes.
It was just so much to take at one time. I pondered over how to escape this situation.
I fisted my hands at my sides and brought my right knee up perfectly to just kick him where sun doesn't shine but he was fast enough to stop my action.
He put his leg between my knees to stop my move in time and came more near to my face.
His hot breathe was fanning over my face. He fisted my hairs in his hand which was still in my wet hairs.
My chest arched back on its accord to lessen the pain on my scalp.
"That was a bad move, wife. We don't want us to be childless, now do we? You should atleast care about your future children." he chuckled as he hissed.
"Leave me. Fuck you and your jewels." These words escaped my mouth before I knew it.
"Desperate, are we?" he taunted.
"Fuck you. Leave me this instant." I yelled as he put more pressure on my hairs.
"We will fuck but not so soon. Later, wife." he chuckled as if it was so amusing to him.
He left my hairs and my hands went to massage my scalp.
I glared at him, narrowing my eyes to slit but he stood there, unfazed. My chest heaved as I breathed heavily.
He stepped more closer to me and that too even if it was possible. I bit my lips to prevent myself from lashing out at him.
I loved my hairs.
"Never ever and I mean it. Never ever try to act oversmart with me. You would only taste the bitterness of a fall. Nothing else." he hissed in anger.
It was a complete ninty degree change in his mood. I became a little afraid. What if he has bipolar syndrome? What would I do then? I thought grimly.
I shook my head to remove such thoughts from my creative mind.
He stepped back and turned and went away to take shower. He turned as he reached the door of the bathroom connected to wardrobe.
He tilted his head a little and said in his highly amused voice, "Stay if you want to see me strip. You are more than welcome."
Once again I blushed hard and opened the door hastily and ran away from there.
♤■■■♤
We were having dinner as usual. He asked me to serve him. I served him. I don't know why, when I know I had easily denied him.
I should have denied him, but I did not.
My minds does not work when I am with him sometime. My mind blaze in anger or goes blank whenever I am with him.
Thankfully, he did not ask me to eat with him in the same plate as his. Otherwise, I would have for sure blasted on him.
My mind wandered over what my parents might be doing. How was Ashton? Is Melissa back or not? I sighed as I realised I was cutting down most important people in my life because of him.
"What are you thinking?" His voice cut my thoughts off.
I looked at him, suddenly furious, over how he blackmailed me, over how he ruined my life, over how he easily behaved like he did nothing wrong.
"How can you behave like you did nothing wrong with me? How can you act so smoothly? I cannot forget who you are and what you did." I yelled at him angrily in disbelief.
"Good. You should never forget who I am. Your husband. Continue with you dinner. Don't talk." He said in his taut voice as he picked his glass of juice to take a sip.
I stood up from the chair I wa sitting at in anger. I walked over to him and shouted "Don't tell me what to do or not."
He continued with sipping his juice slowly. He took some more juice, continuing ignoring me.
Juice addict.
Kid.
I rolled my eyes as I marched back to my seat and continued with my dinner.
This night, I am done. No more show for today. I'm done acting in front of him already, I guess.
I continued with my dinner.
♤■■■♤
Some questions for you guys:
1. Do you like the playful Theodore more or the serious one?
2. How was the update? What would you like to rank it from 1 to 10?
Vote and comment, please!