Chapter 3
At 2 a.m., Joy was jolted awake by a knock at her door.
“Who could be knocking at this hour?” she wondered, grabbing her trusty baseball bat as she tiptoed to the door, peering through the peephole.-
Her heart skipped a beat.
In a flash, she swung the door open, revealing Selena’s disheveled figure. Joy’s eyes widened in shock. “Did you get mugged? Or am I dreaming?”
s, her hair wild, her clothes disheveled, and the hem of her pants hinting at dried blood. She looked like a ghost,
Selena looked like a mess,
ready to haunt the night.
With a carefree toss of her hair and a cheeky grin that revealed dimples, Selena said, “Hey, I need a place to crash!”
Half an hour later, Selena emerged from the bathroom, Joy handed her a glass of hot chocolate as she herself took a sip of red wine. She glanced at Selena’s puffy eyes. “Had another fight with Everett?”
Selena clutched the hot chocolate, but a chill ran down her spine.8
As Selena recounted the night’s drama with an air of indifference, Joy’s temper flared. “What? Everett did something that awful? How could he pull a stunt like that on his wife?”
Selena forced a smile, leaving her answer unsaid.
Joy studied Selena again, understanding why she looked so worn out. Ever since marrying into the Bennett family, Selena had bent over backward to please them and uphold Everett’s reputation, always appearing as the graceful Mrs. Bennett.
She never let anyone see her fall apart.
“Damn jerk,” Joy fumed. “If you hadn’t saved him back then, he’d be six feet under by now. And now he only cares about his side piece?” “As for Margot, she’s even worse. She knows full well he’s married, yet clings to him like a leech. I’ve never seen such audacity!” Selena’s mind drifted back to her first encounter with Everett. Everyone thought they met after their engagement, but it was actually much earlier. After losing her parents, she spent time at her grandma’s in the countryside, feeling down.
Everett was there, too, recovering from heart issues. By chance, she saved his life. He promised to never forget her.!!
So when Josh proposed the marriage, she thought… It was Everett’s wish too.
But three years of marriage had been a harsh wake–up call
When Selena’s mind was brought back to the present, Joy’s fiery rant made her smile despite herself.
The Bennett and Kesler families were tight–knit. Joy’s mother Ann was Josh’s goddaughter, making Joy kind of Everett’s sister
Selena had vented to Joy about Everett and Margot countless times. Joy usually held back, but not tonight.
“Selena, have you lost
you lau
your mind because of anger? How are you laughing?”
Selena shook her head. After a pause, she sighed, “I’m not mad anymore.“|
Sitting on the steps, the cold night wind whipping around her face, her infatuation drifted away too.
Joy fell silent. She downed her wine, licked her lips, then asked, “So… you’re really going to divorce Everett?“}
“You’re just going to let that shameless wornan Margot win? Are you really okay with that?”
Selena chuckled softly, murmuring, “To everyone else, I’m probably the third wheel.”
But then she shrugged, “I’ve been the fool for three years. Everyone’s waiting to see me get booted. Might as well beat them to it.”
“If Margot wants my leftovers, she can have them. There are plenty of men out there!”
Early morning, Everett entered, bringing a chill with him.”
Ava rushed over to take his coat and asked, “Sir, what should I prepare for breakfast?”
After a week away and a ten–hour flight, Everett had a slight headache and no appetite. “Nothing, thanks.”
He changed his shoes, glanced at the empty dining room, and asked, “Where’s Selena? Still asleep?”
Ave looked uneasy. “She’s not home.“Z
Evew furrowed briefly, then smoothed out. “She left early?”
“No… She hasn’t been home for a week.”
A chill spread across Everett’s handsome face.
Meanwhile, Selena had spent the week in a haze.
In three years of marriage, she’d bent over backward to fit Everett’s mold. To match his schedule, she forced herself to adopt early nights and momings so that they could have breakfast together.
པདྷྭ ཧ རༀ ཚ
She barely indulged in spicy dishes in three years because he couldn’t handle spicy food. So she avoided it, even though she loved it
He read only non–fiction books and spent his leisure time at art galleries, watching operas or sports. He was disciplined, like a programmed robot
But she was a simple soul, unmoved by such highbrow tastes. She stayed up late watching shows, novels in hand, with fried chicken and beer as her companions. Sometimes, she’d shop or dance with friends and always up for fun.
After another late night, Selena barely closed her eyes when her phone rang incessantly.
She hung up; it rang again.
Irritated, she answered, “Who is this?”
Couldn’t a girl get some sleep?
“Where are you? The man’s voice was icy, as if chilled by the Antarctic, causing her to freeze even through the phone.
