Bribing The Billionaire's Revenge

　　Liesl looked at her phone for what felt like the hundredth time and frowned at the time on the display. It was odd her mother had not responded to her text messages at all for an entire day. It was weirder still her husband of five years had not responded either. They were both attentive and loving towards her and so she found their silence odd. Moreover, her husband Merlin was late. If he was late, he always called or messaged her. This felt off somehow, and her stomach flipped nervously, yet again.

　　She got up from the sofa where she’d been trying to kill her nerves with Netflix on her laptop when she heard the door open. She walked to the edge of the study and looked to see Merlin walking in with a somber expression.

　　“Hey babe, you’re late and didn’t answer my messages. Is everything okay?”

　　“No,” he shook his head. “Can you come to my office with me?” He motioned for her to follow to what she often dubbed his inner sanctum.

　　Considering the fact he’d made love to her for hours the night before, his cold demeanor right now as he led the way, not even pausing to kiss her hello had her thoroughly confused. He motioned for her to take a seat in the chair opposite his desk and she made wide eyes.

　　“Merl, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

　　“We’re getting divorced,” he said bluntly.

　　She laughed. There was no way he was serious considering in the eight years they had been together, five of them married, he’d never once raised his voice and they’d never had a real argument. Their biggest fight ever had been the one time he forgot to put the toilet seat down and she’d fallen into the toilet in the middle of the night. Even then he’d apologized so profusely after she’d stopped freaking out, they’d ended up having incredible make-up sex in the shower where she’d gone to clean up. She stopped laughing and stared at him. “I’m sorry, what?”

　　“Divorced. I just need your signature on these papers,” he slid a stack across the desk. “You are welcome to talk to a lawyer of course. The prenup we signed will stand. You get the house, and you can keep your car and you’ll get a monthly allowance for five years.”

　　“I don’t understand.”

　　He held another document in his hand, “this is a paternity test.”

　　“What does this have to do with me?” She was frowning as she looked at the way his fingers trembled, just slightly. “What is going on?” She herself was starting to shake now.

　　“I had an indiscretion at your sister’s wedding in Turks and Caicos six weeks ago.”

　　“You cheated on me?” she was going to vomit. “At my sister’s wedding?”

　　“Yes.”

　　She got up from her seat and wrapped her arms around her middle. “This isn’t happening.”

　　“I fucked up and had too much to drink and I didn’t wear a condom. She is pregnant. I had a rush done on the paternity. It has come back as mine.”

　　“You told me you didn’t want children for another three years!” She turned to face him angrily.

　　“I did say this, and I stand by what I said. It’s unfortunately a done deal. I made an error in judgement, but I can’t let another man raise my child. We are getting divorced, and I will be marrying the mother of my child.”

　　“How can you sit here so coldly and tell me this?”

　　“Do you think this is easy for me?”