Chapter 24 Married Under Duress
"Who do you think exposed your marriage?" Cindy asked while they were waiting for their meal to be served.
"I don't know," she had been cracking her brain to solve the puzzle.
Who on earth had done that and what's their motive behind it.
"Do you think Ethan had done that?" Cindy asked.
She was about to answer her, but the server came with their meals. Moriah zipped her mouth, she looked stern as her lips formed a narrow straight line. The server's hands quavered while serving their meal.
Moriah realized her expression had intimidated the server. In order to dispel the uneasiness of the server Moriah said ' thanks' and the server felt relieved.
"Tell me what you think," Cindy tugged Moriah's arm as soon as the server left.
She was dying of curiosity and eagerness to hear what Moriah thought.
"Generally, people hate a cheating spouse. So he would want this marriage kept secret so he could do whatever he wants and be with his lover without being criticized as cheating husband," Cindy nodded.
In order to keep Hazel by his side and bring her with him wherever he goes, Ethan has to keep their marriage unknown to the public. So he can't be the culprit.
"Did Shaun do it?" a crease formed between Cindy's eyebrows as she frowned.
"Definitely not," Moriah was hundred percent sure that Shaun would not do that because he told her last night to her to have the divorce proceedings while her marriage with Ethan is still not publicly known.
Moriah felt a knot in her stomach when the realization hit her that she can't divorce Ethan quietly. She can't stand people's scrutiny and speculations. When people are fed with lies and are misguided, they would arrive at a wrong conclusion. She didn't want to be subject to public opinion. Scrutinized and criticized. She just wants a peaceful life.
"Why?"
"He wanted me to divorce Ethan quietly, so we could get back together." was her reply to her friend's query.
"If only Ethan had not married you that day, you wouldn't be in this situation. You would still be free to marry the person you want to be with for the rest of your life," Cindy said while looking at the food in front of her.
She's really hungry now, but couldn't start to eat because Moriah seemed to need someone to talk to.
"I was wondering why did Ethan marry you? You told me that you have hated each other's guts since you were in high school," she narrowed her eyes while thinking of the plausible reason.
"Perhaps, Ethan had been harboring a grudge against Shaun... " she paused for a while before she went on, "And now he's using me to hurt Shaun and to get even with him. Moreover, he loathes me too. Making my life miserable gives him satisfaction. "That's the most reasonable answer she could arrive at.
"Hitting two birds with one stone," she forced a chuckle and that hurt her throat.
She smiled bitterly at her misfortune. Ever since that day, her life was topsy-turvy, it's in a complete mess. Ethan didn't marry her, out of love nor did she. She married him under duress.
"Let's eat, I'm really hungry now, hungry as a blue whale," Cindy said and started to dig into her food.
"As ever," Moriah was glad to have Cindy in her life, she's her sunlight in her cold and miserable days.
While they were walking back to the hospital, Cindy latched onto Moriah's arm and said, "I missed the day when we're still sharing an apartment. Can you stay overnight?"
After she and her boyfriend parted ways, she's broken and lonely. So did Moriah. They need each other to lick each other's wounds.
"Okay," Moriah agreed, Cindy giggled out of her excitement.
Squealing like a girl, some nurses and doctors eyed Cindy with a disapproving look.
Moriah halted in her tracks and said, "By the way, Zachary called and asked me about the makeover and -" she wasn't able to finish what she was supposed to say as Cindy talked.
"Do you mean, that arrogant jerk?"
"Mm," Moriah nodded, saying, "Let me finish, alright?"
"Okay," Cindy said in a childish tone and looking at her like a lost puppy, ways usually used by children who had been reprimanded by parents.
Moriah chuckled at her friend's childish ways, she finds her sweet.
"I told him that we will have the makeover at 4 o'clock this afternoon."
"Sure," Cindy said.
At exactly 3 pm, Moriah and Cindy headed to the beauty salon for their makeover.
"What's that arrogant jerk doing here?" Cindy whispered to Moriah when she spotted Zachary sitting on the couch like a king.
"Hey, he's doing us a favor. Stop calling him like that," Moriah rebuked her.
"You're here," Zachary said to Moriah with his signature boyish grin.
Moriah met him several times and she had seen that boyish grin he always wears on his face. His playful grin and upfront way of speaking somewhat gave the impression that he was an arrogant man, but, if anything, the opposite is true.
"Why are you here? Did you bring one of your many lovers to have a makeover too?" There was a teasing note in Moriah's voice.
Zachary grinned before answering her. "No, I just want to make sure that they will do an excellent job. I must bribe my business partner's wife," he winked.
"Really!?" Moriah chuckled. "I may be his wife, but I don't have that position in his heart for me to speak to him on your behalf. You've approached the wrong person."
Everything she said was like an acid being poured into her heart. Eating her heart slowly in an excruciating pain.
The makeover was completed in three hours. Moriah and Cindy were equally surprised when they were given brand new sets of clothes and shoes.
"Payments had been settled by Sir Zachary," the salon's manager told when Moriah gave her card to pay.
"Zachary, you don't have to do this," Moriah told Zachary, who was still there waiting for them.
"Accept this as my apology for being rude to you and your friend here," Zachary grinned while he rubbed the back of his head.
"Apologies accepted," Moriah said.
Zachary chuckled and looked at Cindy and waited to hear from her that he was forgiven. However, Cindy turned her back to him.
Moriah and Zachary looked at each and grinned.
"Anyway, we're having dinner. Join us, if you like," Moriah said as she picked up her bag.
"I won't refuse that," Zachary said.
During their meal, Moriah silently watched Zachary and Cindy's bantering. They bickered as soon as they sat and until the food was served.
When they were almost finished dining, Moriah felt her phone vibrating. Her eyes narrowed, looking at her phone screen. It's an unknown number. She rejected the call and put her phone back in her bag. Nevertheless, her phone vibrated again and she denied the call for the second time. At the umpteenth time, Moriah answered the call. "Why are you rejecting my calls?" Moriah heard a man's cold and angry voice from the other end of the line.
"Who are you?" exasperation seeped through her voice.
"What time are you coming home?" he snapped at Moriah.
Moriah suddenly realized that the man she was speaking to was none other than her husband.
"I'm staying overnight at Cindy's place," she answered without a trace of warmth in her voice.