Our Vows Don't Mean A Thing

Marriages are happily ever afters, right? They symbolize love and the beginning of a new life. But that is not what my experience foretold.

My marriage is an endless list of pain and compromises, all of which I never agreed to. What is so wrong with a woman working anyway? This was the 21st century for crying out loud! But giving up my job for his inflated ego to grow was not all I gave up.

Standing, preparing dinner like a good little woman and in complete isolation, I can remember it all. Brad was one of those boys that every girl swooned over; not me, I hated him. We grew up together even though he was seven years my senior. Our mothers were best friends and when my mother was diagnosed with Cancer she adopted the brilliant plan to have her best friend take me in....oh that's not the best part! I was to be Brad's wife, oh lucky me.

My mother died when I was five so I knew nothing of this at the time until around my seventeenth birthday I read the letter she left explaining it all. Her final goodbye to me being that I should marry her best friend's son.

Brad was beautiful, becoming successful, and probably had the sexual experience and drive to leave a country of women well heated, so of course, I said hell NO.

That was my answer, but at the back of my mind, I always knew that it would all resurface I just hoped that he would disagree. A couple of years past and I got my teaching degree. My headache of choice; Chemistry. Which is kind of ironic since my love life lacked just that. Anyhow Brad was very successful; at that time he owned multiple companies and was fast becoming a tycoon. And yes; I still hated the smug bastard.

Then his mother brought it up; marriage. And the asshole agreed. I never wanted to kill someone as much as I did at that moment. Long story short, I agreed but only because I was guilt-tripped with the memory of my mother and by the love her best friend bestowed upon me after my own mother's death.

So here I am, Angela Regal, wife to Brad Regal. As I mentioned before I had to give up my career, it was one of his terms....and let me tell you there were many.

I stayed home for a couple of months but then I grew bored sitting on my ass so I decided to put my husband's money to good use; charity. I was involved in several and it occupied my time.

I almost finished dinner just as he walked in, "Hey." his voice monotone. "Hi" I muttered back. I was setting the table.

He ran upstairs for a quick shower and it gave me time to complete my preparations, we have been married for four months now, but we knew each other as long as we could remember. There has been nothing romantic, so chances are, I was going to die a bitter virgin!

"Dinner's ready." I yelled and he responded with a bored, "I'll be right down."

It was just the two of us in this huge house and he wasn't in it most of the time. Brad made his way downstairs and sat at the table with me. He raised the fork up to his mouth and chewed.

"It's delicious as always." He complimented but it was not the relationship where I would blush and he would make a cute remark about it; no what happened was, "Thank you." I replied.

"What did you do today?" He asked me his eyes not even looking at me.

"I went out with the girls for lunch," I replied.

"Oh." he replied, clearly uninterested.

"Rose told me that you went over the other night." I spat out casually. He dropped his fork and looked at me. "Is that all she said." his voice turned rough and I wanted to punch him, but I was known for being subtle.

"It's all I care to know." This answer satisfied him and he continued to eat. He looked at me again and at my untouched food.

"You should eat, it's amazing." He pointed at my plate with his fork.

I leaned forward in the chair and place my elbows on the table. "I want a divorce." I spoke calmly. This time he paused eating again and shot me his deadliest stare.

"That's out of the question." He replied and the anger took its toll. How dare he say that? He didn't even like me!

"Out of the question? Sleeping with my friend is out of the question!" My voice rose. He stared at me, "Rose and I were together in high school, and I have slept with her multiple times before."

"Great! Give me a way out of this hell and you two can be together!" I shouted, I am not some woman he could keep locked up just to stroke his ego.

"This marriage is not ending." His voice was calm, "If you don't want me to see her again I won't"

"The hell with seeing her! I couldn't care less about your mistresses!" His eyes darkened and I knew I hit a nerve, "Oh yeah, I know of the other women."

"And how is it your business what I do with my time." His voice rose, "Haven't I given up enough to marry you?" his voice was acid, but I was not hurt, because I cared not for this man whore.

"You gave up nothing! You have your job and your life and your mistresses. All I have is this big empty house and a life of hell! So don't you dare insinuate you did this for me! I want out!" I screamed.

Don't be alarmed, this was a regular night for us, so don't go calling the police to investigate. "This marriage is not ending and that is final." He forced calmness.

"Bu-"

"It's final." He roared, I shot daggers and bullets and whatever my mind could conjure up, I pushed back in my chair and it moved with a screech. I rose hastily and muttered, "Maybe I should just have sex with one of your friends." I was about to exit the room when he caught my hand.

"Don't you dare!" His jaw was clenched tight.

"It seems to work for you." I countered. He didn't scare me and I think that's why he hated me, he was accustomed to people doing what he said, I know, I know; I married him and gave up the things in my life because he told me too, but in all defense that was only due to pleasing his mother. I will not stand for his crap!

"Angela." His voice a clear warning.

I squinted my eyes to look at him, "Don't like the idea of being humiliated huh? You are so disgusting. I can do whatever I desire in my time, so unless you are going to be a complete waste and beat me into listening to you, let go of my arm." I spoke through clenched teeth; I swore they were all going to crack!