For a brief moment I consider not answering but it might be important. "Hello?"
"Have you spoken to Mr. Dwyer yet?" a chilling voice asks.It takes me a minute to even recognize the voice. "Mrs King? Is that you?" Yes, my dear mother-in-law insists on formalities and won’t let me call her anything other than Mrs. King despite all these years of me being her daughter-in-law."Well of course it’s me! Don’t you recognize the number?! Now answer the question! Did Dwyer drop off the paperwork? Did James talk to you yet? When are you moving out of the house? Dont take anything that doesn't belong to you! Remember you signed a prenup!" Mary demands.Why on earth would I save the number for the wicked witch of the west? James’ mother, Madeline ‘Mary’ King, and the bane of everyone’s existence, only cares for image and reputation. When James and I first married, I truly tried to please her, to be a good daughter-in-law to her, but she much preferred my sister as a wife to her own son and she had no qualms about letting me know how much of a poor substitute I was compared to Carrie. Eventually, for my own mental health I just gave up trying to find my place within that side of the King family."What on earth are you talking about?""James is divorcing you, right? Carrie's returned home. I just ran into your mother at Harrington’s. She told me she’d just had brunch with Carrie and but they had to cut the brunch short as Carrie had to meet up with James. Now things can finally return to how they were supposed to be!”“I haven’t talked to James. As far as I know, he’s still in Tokyo.” I lied, remembering that stupid television. “And I haven’t talked to my sister in over 5 years, so I wouldn’t know what she’s doing. Divorce is not something I would want to talk about to my mother in law, especially discussing something as private as that with anyone else than my husband! Don’t call me again, Mary!”“How dare y-“ I disconnect the call, delete my text to James and start typing anew. Anger coursing through my body. Effing bitch.“According to your mother, we’re divorcing now? Well then, would have been nice with a little heads up instead of the circus show on the news. But have Dwyer send the papers to Maggie and I’ll sign them soon. However, I would appreciate if you could keep it in your pants when you’re near Carrie until I’ve signed the papers. I still have an image to uphold after this and I don’t need the reputation of being the jilted wife screwed over by her husband and sister.” And hit send…and immediately regret it.Dammit!James doesn’t respond well to “attitude”.I type out a new text “I’m sorry for the tone in the previous text. I just had a not so pleasant conversation with your mother. While our relationship may change hence forth, I want to express my desire to maintain a cordial and respectful relationship with you moving forward. This is a paper marriage, however I’d like to think that we have become friendly towards each other in the end, maybe even friends. I am glad I could help you gain your inheritance and for you to become to mogul you were always destined to be. Should I move out of the house, so you and Carrie can stay here in private or will you go to the penthouse apartment? Regards, Josie O’ Malley” and send it.I text my friend and lawyer Maggie that she should be prepared for a delivery from Dwyer and that divorce is most likely in the cards for me. Luckily, I know Maggie has my back and is one of the few people who truly is not scared of Dwyer and his ruthless reputation, so she’s not afraid of going head to head with him. She’s not afraid of him as she’s also a freaking Rottweiler when it comes to her job. Her reputation even rivals Dwyers and they’re both insanely expensive lawyers due to how freaking good they are at winning at court. Thank God I stopped that bully in third grade, who tried to take Maggie’s lunch money from her. She’s stuck with me ever since and won’t charge me anything other than martinis and brownies.I stare out the window into my lovely garden that’s in full bloom today. How ironic. The day my world explode is the day my love garden I’ve been waiting for, goes into full bloom. An English garden I made myself. If Carrie is coming here to live with James, I’m blowing the freaking garden up so she won’t get to enjoy my beautiful work! I might even blow up the house…hmm…better not. Dwyer would probably make me pay for a whole new house even though my lovely hubby has more money than God. He’s petty like that.I sigh…and get up to clear the table and out the leftover brunch away. I’m almost done when the doorbell rings. After a couple of minutes, one of the maids storms through the kitchen door. “Madam!”I frown at her “what wrong, Lisa? Who is at the door?” She looks distressed.“Movers, Madam.”“Movers?”“Movers. The elder Mrs. King has sent a moving company and now several movers are standing in the foyer with boxes. Boxes so you can move out right way, Madam?”That bitch doesn’t waste anytime, does she…That evil, conniving bi…..you know what. Usually this kind of behavior would have required me to “kill it with kindness” and just ignore her actions. That’s what my husband had instructed me to do when the bitch finally broke me with her mean words and evil ways in the beginning of our marriage. But if I’m getting divorced anyways….“Lisa! Can you please take a few of the boxes and get me the one in charge?” I instruct the distressed maid.“Right away Ma’am!”A couple of heavy set men stop a couple feet away from me and I turn around to face them and say “I’m sorry, Gentlemen. This has turned out to be a wasted trip for you guys. I was told that it was Madeline King who commissioned this move? Sadly, My mother-in-law has dementia and isn’t quite all the there anymore if you know what I mean. No one is moving.” Sympathy instantly shows on both of their faces and the older of men says “Oh. Well that’s alright. My missus’ sister has Alzheimers. Nasty disease. You never know what they’re
James King, the most powerful man in Montonia, stood frozen as if he was held at gunpoint by my question. I just stared at him. Damn....Why did he have to look so damn good? I could just stare at him all day. I could even feel my heartbeat increase....again. "Excuse me?" He finally managed I look around us and although we appeared to be alone, James was pap. favorite and they'd learned to hide to avoid lawsuits, he'd happily through their way if he saw them stalking him for a picture "Lets go to your office, so we wont be overheard." "Why can't we talk right hear?" He argued back. "We can. But I can't guarentee there won't be any pics or that we won't be overheard, and you know it" I countered. James looked like he wanted to argue my point but I think he realized that it would make him a bit of a hypocrite, as he's always saying that anything important should always be talked about away from prying eyes and active ears. We headed towards his office in silence. He opened the doo
James was starring at me. With those piercing and stormy eyes of his that had frightened world leaders with a single look, made women wanting to drop to their knees in public og frozen CEOs in their place. "What?" I asked him. "At no point did I say that I wanted a divorce NOR accept an annullment." He stated firmly. "That may be, however I will not accept being a wife to a husband with a mistress. Even in a contract marriage." I told him in no uncertain terms. "Josefine, I told you that if Carrie ever came back you should prepare youself. I told you plans may change. Not that they will change. And yes, I do have feelings for her, but I haven't processed those feelings yet. I think we have a decent marriage. We get along. The public like us together as husband and wife. You are well liked, not just in high society circles but by all. I know you and take care of yo-" "I DON'T CARE!" I scream at him! Fucking Bastard! I'm so angry with him that my entire body was shaking with adren
“Yeah…we’re not getting divorced. No way in hell.” Now I know he mumbled something. I just didn't register the words at the time. I was too busy enjoying the taste of his mouth. He tasted of a combination of liquorice, mint and strangely delicious cucumber - a weird combination. But it worked for him. Damn, did it work. His hand sled futher down my body, feeling every inch of me and it grabbed my ass cheek in a firm grip. YES! I've been dreaming about his hands exploring my body for more than a freaking decade!More. I want more! His tongue had just bitten down on my lower lip, giving me just a smidge of pain. Huh...who knew? Pain could be a turn-on...cause....I wanted more of that. MUCH more of that!As he gently bit down, his landline phone in his office began ringing. Yes, James had a landline. Why? No clue. Whenever I asked him or his staff why James appeared to be stuck in the past with a landline in his home office, everyone just answered the same thing; “it’s important he
Adam, my driver and unofficial bodyguard at times, easily recognized my need for a quiet moment and just asked where to and nothing more. Usually, we chitchat back and forth about his beautiful Italian wife, his four way-too-beautiful daughters and his Italian Nonna's food and my efforts to immitate that woman's brilliant cooking and failing again and again. Adam's grandmother owned the best Italian joint in town and I had met her several times. A Queen of pasta if there ever was one. Needless to say, I could always keep the conversation going with Adam...However, today he took one look at me and let me have my peace. I couldn't stop my thoughts running wild. Damn, I could still taste James in my mouth. Why did he have to confuse me with that body of his? Why did he have to look like Adonis and why the hell did I have to be extremely attracted to that? Why couldn't he just have kissed me like that on our freaking wedding night?! Oh yeah...The ghost of Carrie still haunted us. I needed
“Wait....you’re meeting my sister and your former lover at the city’s most romantic restaurant and you DON’T think it’s a big deal?!?!?!” I almost yelled at him."Well...When you say it like that it sounds bad and wrong." he said."For F...'s sake! It IS fucking wrong, James! You do not meet your wife's sister at the city's most romantic restautant for an innocent business meeting or even for an 'lets-catch-up-and-have-dinner-and-drinks' thing. How can you not see that? Why do I have to explain such an obvious thing to you?!" I yelled. "Tone it down, Josefine! Don't yell at me. Carrie picked the restaurant at random, Im sure. The restaurant didn't exist when she still lived here. She just needs business advice and Im happy to give it to her if it can help her readjust to being back in the city more quickly." James argued. "Oh she'd love the attention from the press. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd been the one to call them in the first place. Carrie has never done anything not calcu
"Your sister is here to join us! Isn't it wonderful that she's finally home?!" My mother beames at my sister as though she just invented the wheel right in front of us. I stop and quietly ask my mother. "What is she doing here?" I really should have expected it. This is something my mother would do. A disguised set-up is right up her alley. I really don't know why it surprised me to see Carrie here. I really should have expected it. Carrie places the small fan onto the table, stands up and looks at me and say "Josefine. Long time, no see little sister. You look...haggard. I suppose Father Time has been rather cruel to you." Nice. Years apart with absolutely no contact of any sort and thats her first comment to me. "Mother, I have to say. Im disappointed in you. Hello to you too, Carrie. Now I know you two brought me here for a reason and its not 'brunch', so...why am I here? Whats wrong with an email?" Carrie smirks at me as though she finds me funny while my mother looks.
I should have just gone straight home, turned up the AC og sleep the day away. But I was still in an angry and bitchy mood and very hungry now that I missed out on the amazing looking brunch, so I stopped at Pascals and got their delicious steak salad, a chocolate chip coockie and a lemonade to-go, and then went directly to the warehouse to eat my food and have my meeings. I hadn't been lying to my mother when I said I had other meetings todays. But this mornings interaction bothered me more then I thought it would have. I mean... I know this move would come eventually. With my mother's ambitions for her first born, it was bound to happen sooner rather than later. My mother has always been very clear as to who was and still is the favorite child and made no lies about that. There was an heir and and couple of spares and my big brother and I was the spares. And I've always known Carrie hated my guts. This "intervention" of theirs was exactly something they would do. But I truly do