Chapter Ninety Five

Chapter Ninety Five
Arian
The door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman who smiled at Gabriel and ushered us into the house, closing the door behind us. She led us to the dining room where we met Lucille and his lawyer already waiting.

“Sorry for keeping you guys waiting,” he apologized as he pulled out a chair for me to sit before taking his own seat as well.

“Did you have to bring her?” Lucille demanded, her eyes sliding toward me with a flicker of disdain.

“Yes.” He nodded once.

“Before I serve you this document, Mrs. Cruz… I want your honest opinion on this matter,” Gabriel’s lawyer said. “I already spoke to your husband about this and he’s assured me that there’s absolutely no way this marriage between the two of you could work out. Is it the same for you?”

“Of course not,” she said. “I love my husband. I’d do anything to make our marriage work.”

“But he told me that you’d been sleeping with other men since the two of you got married… and you blackmailed him so he wouldn’t file for a divorce years ago. You tried to kill yourself. Is that true?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “He refused to sleep with me. I had needs and I couldn’t wait for him to fulfill them.”

“I see.” The lawyer muttered, expression unreadable. “If you sign this document, a date for the hearing will be fixed by the court and you’ll have to be there. That’s where this document you’re going to sign comes in. It says you’re willing to cooperate and the divorce is consensual.”

“Yeah, whatever.” She huffed.

The lawyer took out the document from his bag, opened the file and pushed it in front of her, then handed her his pen. She grabbed it and hastily scribbled her signature on the line meant for her.

“That is all?” She didn’t look too happy about it.

“Yes.” The lawyer shut the file and returned it to his bag. “You’ll be informed about the hearing date. Please make sure you don’t travel anywhere because that’ll give the judge every reason to dissolve your marriage faster than you can say jack.”

“Would I be able to defend myself at least?” she asked.

“The judge would definitely want to hear your own side of the story, but if your husband’s reasons for dissolving your marriage are more convincing… I’m sorry to say that it might not go in your favor.”

“Very well.” She took a deep breath. “May the best man win.”

“This isn’t a competition, Lu,” Gabriel spat in disgust. “It is about my freedom.” He rose to his feet. “You’ll be free to sleep with all the men in this country if you so wish.” He took my hand and pulled me up. “We’ll meet in court.”

He led me out of the house.

“That went well,” I breathed, though my heart was still hammering. She’d looked so calm, so sure. I’d seen enough of women like her to know she wasn’t finished yet.

“I didn’t give her a choice,” he said. “Thank you very much, Fabian.” They shook hands.

“It was nothing.” Fabian shook his head with a smile. “I’ll file this in court and let you know when the hearing date would be. Try not to go on a business trip, yeah?”

“I won’t.”

We watched the lawyer walk to his car, get in, start it and drive out of the compound. We were just heading to his when Lucille’s voice stopped us before we could get into the car. She called Gabriel’s name, not mine.

“If I win the court case… you’ll have to get rid of whatever feelings you think you have for her and marry me again,” she told him.

I looked at Gabriel, whose expression was blank as he stared at his wife until a surprised laugh burst out of his mouth. I turned back to see Lucille’s face. She didn’t react much—maybe she was used to this kind of reaction from him.

“You are so funny, Lu,” Gabriel said. “Do you know that not only did I flush my wedding ring down the toilet that same day but I burned all our wedding photos? There isn’t a single one of them left.”

“I hav one.” She beamed. “I salvaged one.”

“Good for you,” he drawled. “Come on, my love, we have a date to go on.” He planted a big kiss on my temple before unlocking the car and opening the passenger door for me. “Arrivederci.” He threw her a mock salute as he rounded the hood and got into the car, shutting us in.

“I wouldn’t ever want to be in her shoes right now,” I said. Not trapped in a marriage built on blackmail and infidelity. Not clinging to someone who clearly no longer wanted you.

“You won’t ever be in her shoes,” he said.

“Why?”

“I love you,” he replied succinctly. He honked to alert the security guard of his departure then started the car. “That’d never ever change.” He put the car in drive and sped out of the compound.

I stared out the window, my heart fluttering and aching all at once. He says he loves me. But can love survive the ghosts of the past still haunting us?
\~~~~~
Lucille
Gabriel had finally done it. He wanted to get rid of me so he could have his perfect little life with that bitch and my stupid daughter who wouldn’t have known a good mother from a bad one even if it had hit her in the face.

She had forgotten—completely forgotten—that it was because of me, because of my love for her father, that she was alive today. But I would let it slide, I thought, because she was just a little girl.

I was sure Gabriel had been feeding her lies about me, which was the reason why she hadn’t wanted me at the party. One thing Gabriel Cruz didn’t know, I reminded myself, was that as much as I loved him, my love could easily turn to hatred. And I had promised myself, long ago, that I would never let him be happy with any other woman.

If killing him—or her—would ensure the end of their budding relationship, then so be it. I was game.

“Are you really letting him go?” Samantha asked as she settled down on the single wingback chair with a drink in her hand. “It is unlike you.”

“I am making him think he has won, Sam.” I sent her a smirk, my lips curling into a slow, deliberate smile. “He might win the case in court and we might get divorced, but I’d never sit down and watch him be happy with that woman. I am the only one meant for Gabriel Cruz.”

Inside, my stomach churned with a mix of rage and anticipation. Let him think he’s freed himself, I thought. Let him think I am gone. He has no idea what I am capable of when cornered.

“So… what are you going to do?” She looked curious, leaning forward slightly.

“I don’t know yet.” My brows furrowed thoughtfully. “I’d think of something soon.”

I felt a flicker of satisfaction at the way her eyes glinted. Samantha knew me well enough to understand what “something” could mean. I’d spent eight years molding Gabriel Cruz’s life to fit mine, I reminded myself. I wasn’t about to hand that power to another woman.

“Have you been to your parents’ house yet? It has been a week since you returned.”

“My dad doesn’t want to see me again.” I shrugged nonchalantly, even though a tiny sting of shame pricked at me. “I never did like the man, you know? He is so uptight and strict… I am glad to be free of him now.”

“How are you going to survive? Your modeling gigs are few and far between now. It was your husband’s money that was still making you look good.”

“I’d survive using the only thing I knew how to use best; my body.” I smiled, lifting my chin. “I knew some wealthy men who would be willing to pay anything for this.” I gestured to my body. “I am not in my thirties yet and you’d never know that I’ve given birth.”

Inside, though, a small tremor of unease ran through me. How had it come to this? Me—Lucille Kendrick—scrambling for scraps, while Gabriel threw his heart at another woman?

“How the mighty Lucille Kendrick has fallen,” Samantha sent me a mocking smile.

I picked up a throw pillow and hurled it in her direction, but she hit it out of the way with her hand, making it land on the floor.

“You are very lucky I love you,” I warned her, my eyes narrowing.

The doorbell rang, catching us both by surprise, and we waited for the housekeeper to go and open the door—since you’d never catch us doing something so mundane. Helen returned to the sitting room with someone I’d never have expected to see in my house: Gabriella Cruz Wilson.

My heartbeat spiked, though my face remained neutral. What on earth was she doing here?

“To what did I owe the pleasure of this visit, Gabriella?” I asked coolly.

“Could I fix you something to drink, ma’am?” the housekeeper, Helen, inquired.

“I am good. I won’t stay long. Thank you.” Gabi smiled politely.

Helen curtsied and walked out of the sitting room, and I gestured for Gabi to take her seat. I just noticed she was holding a manila envelope in her hand, and I wondered what she had in there. I was still shocked by her presence in my house because we’d never liked each other—not once, before or after I’d married her brother.

If she was here to gloat about how her brother had finally managed to get rid of me… I was going to beat her up. Damn the consequences, I thought. She’d walked into my house on her own, but I’d throw her out on her ass if I had to.