instead. Don’t answer the phone except if it’s someone you know. And if any family members or friends try to reach out,
do not give them the details. Only tell them that it’s a legal case now, and you’re not allowed to share the details with anyone. Do you understand?”
I nodded, but I was still thinking about how absurd all of this was. It had been three days since the news broke, and in such s short time, everything had gone to hell. I couldn’t even walk down to the store across the street anymore. A few media vans were parked right outside my apartment, ready to attack me as soon as I stepped outside. I couldn’t even look out my window without being blinded by dozens of flashing cameras.
And yet somehow, Marcus remained untouched through all this. The only picture the media had gotten of him was yesterday when he was pictured leaving the office. I’d been keeping up with the news, and I was surprised when I saw him looking so normal. He’d gotten a haircut, and I could have sworn that I saw him smile as he hopped into his car, although it was hard to tell as his security personnel were shielding him from the camera.
The sick bastard was definitely enjoying the attention..
1/3
+25 BONUS
–
Chapter Fight
“I should get going,” Clara said. “I have some things I need to take care of.”
I wanted to ask her to stay a little longer, because I’d been lonely over the last few days. Except when she called to check up on me or when David swung by yesterday in the morning to see the apartment, I was left all alone and with no one to talk to. But 1 didn’t want to seem needy or clingy, so I simply stood up and escorted her to the door.
“I’ll come by tomorrow to check on you,” she said. “We still have a lot to discuss, and I need to brief you on the next steps we’re about to embark on.”
She paused at the doorway and turned to look at me, the sympathy in her eyes making me want to cry. But I fought back my tears and forced a smile to my face.
“Liv,” she said, “don’t let this keep you up at night. I understand that it must be so frustrating, and I understand how lonely you must be feeling. But keep your head up, and stay off the internet. It’ll do you a world of good.”
“Thanks, Clara,” I replied. “I’ll try not to check anything.
“Good,” she said. “This will all be over before you know it.
And just like that, she was gone.
I went back to the kitchen after she left, and I sat in silence for a while, just staring at the flickering lights and listening to the distant drone of Manhattan traffic. Downstairs, someone’s dog was barking in a muffled tone, and the reality of where I was suddenly settled down on me like the weight of a mountain. I dug my nails into my palms and stared up at the ceiling. It was all I could do to prevent myself from slamming my fists against the wall and screaming until my lungs burst.
It wasn’t fair. I didn’t throw my marriage away. Marcus did. He was the one who ruined everything. If he hadn’t destroyed everything, none of this would be happening to me. And yet here I was in a crappy old apartment, surrounded by strangers and not even knowing where my life was heading. The bastard was probably lounging around in the games room by now, or having his dick sucked by Emily while he laid on the pool table and wrapped his fingers around her hair.
I didn’t want to think about that. I didn’t even want to imagine the two of them together. So I grabbed my phone and dialled the one person I knew would be there for me no matter what.
“Hello?”
“Hi mom.”
There was a moment of silence after I said her name, and I knew that she was still in shock. I hadn’t called her in weeks, and the last time we spoke came back to me vividly. It was right around the time when I started to notice that Marcus was being shady, and when I told her about it, she tried to gaslight me and convince me that I’d
imagined it. When she suggested that he was being secretive because he had some sort of big surprise in mind for
me, I knew I’d had enough. So I hung up and decided not to call her again. But if there was anyone who I could turn to in my time of need, then surely it should be my own mother, right?
Right?
“Why are you calling me?” she asked, and her words were like a knife straight to my chest.
“I–I wanted to talk to you,” I said. “Please.”
“Oh, so now you want to talk to me?” she asked. “I thought you were too old to listen to your mother.”
“Mom, can we please not do this?” I said. “I just really need to talk to you.
I could hear her scoff, and I knew how pissed off she must have been that I wasn’t going to resume our argument.
2/3
Chapter
+25 BONUS
She wanted to pick a fight, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of that. I just needed to talk to her, to know that I wasn’t alone.
“What did you want to talk about?” she asked.
“Marcus and I are getting a divorce.”
“And?”
The way she said it so quickly made something shift inside. She didn’t even miss a beat, and I knew my own mother well enough to know that something this significant would surely be shocking news to her. But the way she answered without hesitation…..
“Mom-”
“Liv, please let’s not do this right now,” she said. “Marcus already told us what happened. I don’t even know what to tell you anymore. I’m so disgusted by the fact that my own daughter would stoop so low. I can’t believe you would disgrace our family by doing this. Your father was so heartbroken when we got the call. And to think
didn’t even have the guts to call us and tell us yourself
you
“Mom, whatever Marcus told you was a lie,” I said. “He cheated on me, mom. With Emily, of all people. And then he-
“Enough!” she snapped. “He told us you would do this. He told us you’d already cooked up some elaborate lie that you’re going to tell us. But we’re done listening to your bullshit. If this is the life you choose, then so be it. Just don’t call us again. Goodbye.”
And just like that, she hung up.
And I finally understood what it meant to truly be alone.
Chapter Naw
Chapter Nine
