Chapter 5

My fingers smoothed over the papers of the document Nathan had slid to me.

I couldn't help the small laugh that escaped my lips as I flipped through it.

“Is this some kind of joke?”

“No”

I stared at Nathan's handsome face to catch any glimpse of humour. Perhaps a small smirk to show he was just messing around.

He was dead serious.

“This is a marriage contract” I slid the document away from me.

“Yes”

“I'm married”

“You're about to get a divorce…aren't you?”

I tensed up slightly but played it cool.

“How did you know that?”

“I did my research”

Deflated and defeated, I picked up my Gucci bag and smoothed my still damp sundress down.

“This was a complete waste of time.”

For curtsey sake, I turned to Caleb Coleman and offered a weak smile.

“Thank you for your time. I'll be taking my leave now.”

I could feel Nathan's hot gaze fixed on me as I walked away. And I held my head high despite the crushing weight of reality and the impending doom I could feel wrapping it's claws around me.

By the time I got to my car my vision was blurry and warm teardrops rolled down my cheeks.

I let them fall quietly, not uttering a sob, but not holding back either.

I breathed through it.

The devastating feeling of defeat settled in my depths, numbing me.

I felt weak.

Useless.

Like a dried up leaf the wind could blow away.

I wished the wind would blow me away.

Far away from the whole mess I was in.

____________________

“Madeline Grey where the hell are you?!”

I swung my head away from my phone. The loud voice felt like a bucket of ice cold water.

A very rude awakening.

I rolled out of bed.

“Good morning mom”

“Don't you dare use that calm tone. Where are you and what the fuck is going on?”

“I'm safe—”

“Safe?! Safe isn't a place! I'm at your house and you're not in sight”

“I slept out”

“Oh, so the rumors aren't enough? Who are you with this time? Maybe a new CEO? Or is it still the same one?”

“Mom, it's six in the morning. Can you not do this?”

A cackle came through. Slow and wicked.

“Just when I think you've shown me the worst, you bring up a new way to embarrass me. I don't care who you're with right now, I give you ten minutes to be back in this house”

“That can't happen”

“Madeline. Don't make me search for you. You know what I'm capable of. Ethan doesn't even know where you are. He's worried sick—”

A loud scoff left me.

“Ethan couldn't care less about me”

“He loves you! You're just too selfish to see that! Stop being a brat and get your sorry ass back here”

I switched off my phone and tossed it on the small bed in my studio apartment.

I'd chosen this apartment in Koreatown. The perfect urban neighborhood in the bustling city of Los Angeles.

The cozy interior felt like my personal den, and I'd fallen in love with the small balcony overlooking the streetlights.

I'd sit there for hours, watching the streets bustle with people and inhaling the scent of the taco stands below.

It's not fancy.

It's perfect.

A little piece of peace in the middle of a city that never sleeps.

I'd gotten it two years ago, when things with Ethan started going downhill.

I'd come here to tune out the whole world.

It was my safe space, no one knew about it. Not even Camille.

And it was going to stay that way.

It took me a while to get prepared and head out.

Things weren't the best at the moment but I wasn't going to put my life on hold because of an online scandal.

The chic, glass-fronted exterior of my five storey building gleamed under the skylight.

‘Carter Luxe' displayed in bold gold letters towards the top of the building.

Seeing my property always brought a surge of pride and contentment. Id worked my ass of to build it, and here it was.

I immediately knew something was wrong when I stepped into my building. My usually cheerful receptionist offered a weak smile. The workers pretended to be busy.

What the hell was going on?

“Madeline”

My heart sunk at the sound of the voice.

I slowly turned.

“Mom”

Near a fitting room, Margaret Carter– my mother, sat glaring at me.

Her black hair was up in a painfully tight but perfect bun.

All my life, I'd never seen my mother dress shabby, so her gleaming gold jewelry and red silk blend suit I'd designed myself didn't surprise me.

She always dressed like she was going for Los Angeles’s biggest runway pageantry.

“You have some nerve child” she slowly stood.

I let out an inward sigh. If I'd known I was coming to war, I wouldn't have skipped breakfast.

“Let's talk in my office mom”

“We are talking here and now—”

“Please”

I shut the door behind us after my mom stormed into the office.

“What the hell were you thinking Madeline?”

I had barely sat down when the ranting started.

“Cheating on your perfect husband? How much did the other guy pay you?!”

Anger flashed through me.

“Mom!”

“Shut your mouth! You're all over the internet! I gave you a life, a nice husband, freedom to do whatever you want! But you decide to whore yourself out for the world to see!”

“You didn't give me what I want, you gave me what you want! And freedom? I don't even know what that is! I do everything you ask but it's never enough!”

“You pathetic child. Is that why you spread your legs for that billionaire?! To get back at me?! Is this your form of rebellion?!”

“Mom don't say that! I didn't do it! I don't know what people are saying and posting but I didn't do anything like that!”

“Oh please! What do you take me for?! The evidence is clear as day.”

“Why can't you just believe me this one time?!”

I was fighting the tears but failing. I didn't want to cry before her. I didn't want to give her the satisfaction.

“Pack up and go back home. Apologize to Ethan. Beg him! He'll forgive you. And if he doesn't then it means you didn't beg enough.”

“What?” A single tear finally escaped.

“I'll be back in a few days. You both better be on good terms by then”

She stepped close, leaning over my desk to look me in the eye.

“Or else I'll come for this cute little business of yours and I'll burn it to the ground with everything and everyone inside”

My mom's voice rang through my mind like a broken record as I drove quietly back home.

I knew what she was capable of, the extent she'd go to prove her point.

She was always full of threats but this was the first time she'd openly threatened my business.

I dabbed my moist face with a tissue. Lately I'd been doing a lot of crying in my car.

I chuckled sadly at the thought and clenched my palm on the steering wheel.

A week ago, I could've sworn my life couldn't get worse. How wrong I was.