33

33

I blamed my nerves entirely.

I tried, but I could not go through with it. Atticus left for work as usual, and I was ready to prepare the lunch I had in mind, but Danielle’s comment about my plan being too domesticated and how women of our class didn’t do things like this had me rethinking my plan.

I didn’t blame Danielle at all because she had encouraged me to do it, but I had been too scared to do it. As much as I wanted to do it, I didn’t want it to reflect badly on me or my husband. It didn’t have to be bad in a bad way, but I would not have those snobby women call me average class for cooking for my husband.

It was also my fault because I had gone looking at a website about what upper-class families thought about cooking lunch for their husbands, and several comments said it was an average family thing to do, which was pretty stupid if you ask me.

I knew people would wonder why I didn’t know what to do or why I was browsing these things. I would just tell them that I didn’t have a mother to teach me all these things. Even though Duke and Dad were amazing, there were some topics we never discussed.

I had never been in a serious relationship before, so I didn’t know how to do something like this. Even as I sat at the back of the car, being escorted by more bodyguards than I really needed, I was second-guessing my choices and wondering if I should just tell Justin to turn the car around.

I was gullible and immature, and I could finally tell myself that. A mature person would not fight against her husband’s mistresses or hatch out a plan to make her husband fall in love with her like some high school girl. I felt ashamed of myself, but I could not stop because I had already begun.

“How long until we get there? I didn’t know it was this far from this house,”  I spoke to Justin, who was sitting in his usual position, up front.

“It’s not. It’s because it’s your first time. That’s why it seems so far” I didn’t believe him, but I didn’t say it out loud.

We pulled into a large, or rather massive, building that looked like the amount used to construct it would be enough to build an entire country. Its intricate design and structure were enough to make it a tourist attraction centre.

“How much went into this building? It’s so fucking massive”  It was. It should be at least 23 floors if I guessed right.

“I don’t know, but it’s totally worth it, right?” He was grinning like a proud fool, and I guess one could proudly say they work for AXE industries.

“Definitely.”  They exited the car, and Justin opened the door for me first.

I felt like a very important person being escorted as the numerous guards flooded my side as we walked through the lobby past the receptionist and to what was tagged “private elevator”.

As we passed through the lobby, I could see the curious stares and recognition in some of the workers as they gathered in little groups to maybe gossip about who I was.

“Wow, she’s more stunning in real life”

“Is that the CEO’s wife?”

“So the CEO is really married, huh?”

More questions that I didn’t bother to pay attention to filtered past my ears, and I even rolled my eyes as some rudely pointed at me.

Justin and I got to the elevator and he pressed the top floor. Floor number 25. Jesus Christ. Why did he need so much space anyway?

“Everything is in here. At least the headquarters of each sub-company,”  Justin answered as if my question had been written all over my face.

“I don’t understand”

“You know AXE is a conglomerate. So we have construction, insurance, entertainment, transportation and others. They each have at least two floors each here for headquarters.”

“But what about the other buildings all over the city that have the company names on them?”

“Service buildings and factories”

I would have asked more questions, but the elevator dinged, signalling our arrival on Atticus’s floor.

His floor was really private, just like what I had expected. The elevator opened up to a kind of spacious lobby with couches that looked really comfortable to sit on. At the end of the lobby was an oversized desk with an extremely pretty lady sitting behind it.

Unlike the lobby, it was swarming with bodyguards. I guess it came with the position. The lady sitting behind the desk stood up as soon as she saw us, but it was the nervous expression on her face that had me guessing something unpleasant.

This was all too familiar. She walked briskly towards us and met us halfway.

“Sorry, you cannot see Mr. Hayland at the moment. He is extremely busy”  My eyebrow hitched at the audacity of this woman. I knew she was just doing her job, but this was out of it.

“Do you know who she is? How dare you tell her she can’t come in?”  Justin barked at her, and she flinched back in fear. I could see the veins in his jaw as a result of the anger.

“It’s fine, Justin.” I rested my hand on his shoulder, and he moved aside so I could stand in front of the lady

“Don’t mind Justin, he can be a little extra …”  I paused since I didn’t know her name, and she got the hint  “Ruby,” she answered.

“Yes, Ruby, but I would like to see my husband regardless of the company he is with”  Her eyes widened in shock.

I’ve been in this situation too many times not to know when I was being kept from seeing my husband’s mistress. Even I was surprised by how calm I was.

“Husband?”  She was horrified. At what was what I didn’t know.

“That’s okay, honey. Go back to your desk. I’ll be out in a few or not” I told Justin and he gave me a curt nod before gesturing to the door at the far end of the hall with a big ass sign that read CEO.

When I got to the front of the office, I could hear giggling. I took a deep breath before pushing the double doors open and stepping into the office.

There was no time to admire or look around. Instead, my eyes were on my husband, who was sitting behind the large desk, and the lady sitting at the edge of the table with her head thrown back, laughing at whatever only she found funny.

“Get out,”  I told her when it seemed her laughter made them unable to notice my presence.

Atticus’ eyes met mine the moment I opened the door, and he seemed a little bit surprised that I was here. The lady, however, jumped in shock at my voice.

“Who are you to tell me to get out?”  Her eyes narrowed into slits as she regained her composure but made no effort to step away from the table.

“Nathan, please take her out,” I called out, and just like I suspected, Nathan entered the office and guided the girl out.

I guess her shock made her unable to speak because she just kept sputtering nonsense on the way out, or at least tried to.

I took a seat across from him and placed my bag gently in the other before turning to the man on the other end of the desk, who had not moved an inch.

“Hey, hubby. It would be nice to keep your whores out of the house, office or anywhere I would be”  I said with a sneer but he didn’t look affected one bit.

“What are you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were coming”

“Do I need permission to come here?” I snapped immediately.

“Of course not, but a warning would have been nice” He finally took his eyes off the computer and focused on me.

“I came to take you out to lunch. Stand up, let go. I’m starving.” I grabbed my purse and stepped out of the office. I wasn’t sure he would follow after what I did, but when I heard his chair shift back, I danced in my head. I was going to ace this.