Chapter 4 A Hard decision.

Serena's POV

My office chair was the most comfort I’d felt in three days. I was leaned back so far I was practically horizontal, my boots propped up on the desk.

To anyone popping their head in, I looked like the boss, taking a well-deserved five.. relaxed and in control.

My brain, though? My brain was a million miles away, playing the greatest hits of my absolute shitshow of a life.

Three days.. that’s how long I’d been sporting this lovely new accessory on my face.. a real statement piece. A bouquet of purple and yellow bruising that wrapped around my eye like some messed-up watercolor painting. Courtesy of my soon-to-be-ex-husband’s right hook. All because of that walking skid mark Vanessa.

I’d been an idiot.. A hopeful stupid idiot. I thought maybe just maybe, I could talk to Adrian. You know, use my words like a big girl but no. Every day with that witch Vanessa whispering in his ear, he grew a new set of fangs.

Just yesterday, I’d dragged my bruised ass home from work, hoping for a quiet cry in the shower and what did I find? Them going at it on the living room couch.. my couch.

How long was I supposed to take this? Seriously. There’s only so much one person can swallow before they start to choke.

Knock. Knock.

The sound jolted me out of my internal shit-talking session.

Shit!

I scrambled so fast I almost tipped the chair over. My hand shot to the top drawer, snatching my oversized sunglasses and slapping them on my face. Instant disguise. Now I just looked like a diva who thought her office was too bright.

“Come in!” I said, trying to sound like I hadn’t just been contemplating arson.

The door opened and Janice, my secretary, poked her head in, all smiles.

“Mrs. Caldwell? You have a visitor.”

I relaxed.

“Who is it? I didn’t have anything on the...”

But the door pushed open wider and he strolled right in.

Damian Ortiz in the flesh and in my office. He flashed a grin directly at Janice.

“Thank you so much, love. I promise not to take up too much of her precious time.”

Janice practically melted into a puddle of giggles and blushes.

“Oh, it’s no problem at all, Mr. Ortiz! No problem!” She scurried out, closing the door behind her, probably to go hyperventilate at her desk.

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest.

“What the hell do you want? And how did you even find me?”

He didn’t wait for an invitation. He just took a seat in the chair opposite my desk, looking ridiculously handsome and out of place.

“It took some doing, I’ll admit. You’re not exactly listed in the phone book under ‘Beautiful, Witty Women I Accidentally Slept With.’ A shame, really.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere. Try again.”

His smile faded a little as his eyes landed on me. He was looking past the shades and I knew it. His gaze zeroed in on the edge of the bruise I couldn’t quite hide, the one that peeked out by my temple and his playful mood evaporated.

“He did that to you,” he said.

It wasn’t a question. His voice was low, quiet and for the first time, it held no charm. Just a cold hard edge.

I instinctively turned my head away.

“What’s it to you?”

“It pisses me off,” he said and he sounded genuinely angry. “No one should put their hands on you. No one. Let me deal with him.”

I let out a harsh laugh.

“Oh, right. And how would you do that, Damian? Buy him out? Have him mysteriously disappear on one of your private islands? Why the fuck do you care?”

“I care,” he said, his eyes locked on mine. “I told you before amd my offer stands.. more than ever. You pretend to be mine. We show that pathetic excuse for a man exactly what he lost publicly and humiliatingly. It’s the best revenge imaginable.”

I shook my head, standing up and starting to shove files into my bag.

“No. Nope. Not happening. I am not faking feelings for some billionaire playboy who probably collects women like trading cards. I told you, I’m not a trophy. I’m not playing pretend girlfriend for a guy who has no respect for women!”

“This isn’t about that,” he argued, standing as well. “This is about you. About your safety.”

I glanced at the clock.

“Wow, look at that. It’s closing time. The most magical time of the day.” I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked around the desk, heading for the door. “It’s been a real trip, Damian but I can’t wait to never, ever have this conversation again.”

I didn’t look back. I just walked out, leaving him standing in my office. I could feel his eyes on me but I didn’t care. His world of fake relationships and manipulative games was the last thing I needed.

The drive home was filled with me yelling at bad drivers and rehearsing what I was going to say in my head. I was done. So fucking done.

I pulled into the driveway, my hands clenched on the wheel. I took a deep breath, preparing for the usual barrage of insults and tension as I pushed the front door open.

Moaning.. loud dramatic gross moaning and grunting. That was what I heard. It was like walking into a cheap porno.

My stomach twisted. I didn’t want to look but my eyes betrayed me, flicking toward the kitchen.

There they were. Adrian with his back to me, and Vanessa on the kitchen counter with her legs wrapped around him. On my counter.. where I make fucking coffee.

I jerked my head away, my face burning with rage and utter disgust. I stood frozen in the hallway, listening to the final gross sounds of them finishing.

A minute later, Adrian stomped into the living room, tying a robe around himself. Vanessa followed, wearing one of my nice robes.

“Ugh, do we have to do this every time I get home?” I complained.

Adrian growled.

“It’s my fucking house! I can do whatever the fuck I want, whenever I want! You got a problem with that?”

That was my cue.. my moment.

“Actually,” I said, my voice surprisingly steady and they both turned to look at me. “I do have a problem with it.”

I walked forward, unzipping my bag. I pulled out the envelope I’d been carrying around for two days, just waiting for the right moment. I slapped it down on the coffee table.

“I filed for divorce,” I said, looking straight at Adrian. “You need to sign them.”

He stared at the papers like they were a snake about to bite him then he smirked. He picked up the envelope, tore it open and pulled the documents out. He pretended to read a page then he snorted.

“You’re out of your mind,” he said. He didn’t sign them. Instead, he crumpled the pages in his fist and then threw them right at my face. The papers scattered, fluttering to the floor around me.

Before I could react, he was on me. His hand shot out, clamping around my throat and he shoved me back hard against the wall.

“You listen to me, you ungrateful bitch,” he snarled, his face inches from mine.

His eyes were black with a rage I didn’t even recognize. This wasn’t the man I married. This was something else.. something murderous.

“You are playing with your life here, little shit. I can fuck you up in ways you can’t even imagine. You have nothing.. this is my house. You sign what I tell you to sign, you do what I tell you to do. Are we clear?”

I couldn’t speak. I just stared into those cold dead eyes and finally understood. There was no reasoning with this.. there was no talking.. he was gone!

He must have seen the surrender in my eyes because he finally released me, shoving me away from him as a final punishment. I gasped for air, my hand flying to my throbbing neck.

Without a word, I turned and practically ran up the stairs. I locked my bedroom door behind me and slid down to the floor with tears of fury finally breaking free.

He was right.. I had nothing.. no leverage and no way to fight him.

But then I remembered.. reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out my wallet. My fingers trembled as I searched through the old receipts and loyalty cards and there it was.

I stared at the number on the cad and then I looked at my reflection in the dark window.. at the bruised eye and I touched the tender skin on my throat where Adrian’s fingers had been.

I picked up my phone.

Screw it! Whatever it took to deal with Adrian and his queen fuck bitch!

My thumb hovered over the dial button. I took a deep, shaky breath.. and I pressed call…