Chapter 9 ~ Humiliated
Chapter 9 Humiliated
Alex
"I love you."
Three words.
I've heard them countless times before-soft, warm, and filled with sincerity. Mum
and Dad say it to each other. Mum and
Granny say it to me all the time.
But hearing them come out of Leah's mouth the other night?
It made my skin crawl.
It sounded foreign, misplaced like it didn't belong
between us. It didn't settle in my chest the way it was
supposed to. Instead, it made something tighten, something itch beneath my skin.
I pulled away. Not obviously.
Just enough to create distance, enough that I could breathe without feeling suffocated by the weight of words I wasn't ready to hear. And that's when I noticed her.
Athena
Running.
Her black long hair whipped behind her, her pace quick. The way she left- like she was running from something-made my jaw
clench.
I had wondered for the past three days but since I had been busy with work I barely saw her. But seeing and hearing those remarks told me one thing.
My wife was jealous and I liked it.
Which is bullshit because I shouldn't like anything that has to do with her.
Athena Dawson.
The name alone makes my blood boil these days. I
roll my shoulders, trying to shake off the frustration, but it lingers, simmering beneath my skin.
Her attitude. Her rebellion. The way she suddenly changed overnight.
She's testing my patience, and it's driving me insane.
We had a deal.
Three years.
Just three years
of marriage before we could go our separate ways. That was the agreement. I needed her, she needed me-
it was
1/4
mutual.
now? She's making it
the right one for
She's patient. She
morning was proof of
chest tightened
was the one who stayed and made sure I stabilized.
one who calmed me down, it's
told a single
like shit for having married another woman but I did it for her.
give
confused feelings must be because she had been away for
in. That's why I like her. She understands
will change the
had the audacity to walk in, looking
cheating, like I had betrayed
even touched
Maybe I should have.
a hand through
need to divorce
marriage, this mess-it's getting to me. It's making me
things I shouldn't. It's making
can't afford
my door makes
aback by a
you?" I ask, standing
clothes are
face. Her shoulders shake, her hands clenching into
sniffles.
she's about to
a step
Fuck
I don't know why.
Maybe It's instinct.
the second I
flashing across her face before she
2/4
Leah hiccups. "Athena-she
"What?"
she slapped me, Alex. She hit
over with her car."
racing. That doesn't sound like
reckless, stupid even, but to hit Leah? To run
voice breaking. "You've been neglecting
then,
that makes my guilt punch me in the fucking guts. This is
me?" Her voice sounds
know how much I should revenge you. She won't hurt
slips out of my mouth.
tissue from my table and hand
her fingers
back
is wrong with
press my button and ask Ryan
lost
So
Here to remind her since her memory seems to be giving her
Athena laughs.
came crying to you?" She
something bitter, something
so much that
T1I1m3Pcm8RALTLp4va+GNSRA9tqZ4BqzLdQuP3BO+iCutjDsHPl1QEESL1dZij6fjkxrJdYU4zJcd0v3+tZsUqHAHQ0nh74Sr/NoGFdhGw4BxjHTb+eOA2cOvvPJuPuieDEKVpnESCVMdreFwv39c8UTrg5yNd5OiFgwtYpaEF+FppMWyHZdLAOjK/Kt8CW6zBQw43ULnp9nwKQyKE7RINA/kuYtzP8lHVxANUiNguvMho/qzF9SM6vw+z1pdiSXRMLRp+/WP/74XskKgZrmejJeEJ47yg0vb876k/lgE1bw3Spk5ZLKplIW8hMygTZMNL80tLyo7LI4xkqTnfjvuOWZGamEjNTKsQYBN7L/+FFnIfL29B5gAlfcPUpmqyQiaWNYjqWDneujyLqFz/513KAIWw3A6LXte/tyIchf8izNi20zTjjAtXqPbXzFMxghidi6EFecTdTlc58oh2GDH2EQihHHRFY2kM6jI4pvLeYfoRJWiurcE+Dz8WCsuEsJxtf+OChTEi6UvwKEVqHpn/1YWCuZ3xyyKKwEmGn+6FlGdL+YRO/WtlBkMhI9knte8OcHK5tORPgRWTVNOPtMHtsBSyJpnNUkw1EUEPZjjzoxds4M++qF5U5SfCzkvCv0O1QIIAljYUMtEcGwhNvTNYa1HVLYJyF9004vE/LLAPX/0hl7h/a/N2sL/vVBJVrl8bxOuR6xXVqyu13p/SuLhlI++yOJN06SyVmRCzTPFpiFL37u2Fp1BWfJkovR68j56+7S0m2bL0lz2fyMDbv0Z8vA/K7UoaQGRGfw9KtgthD4ZsikX/VHvqw7xzxkJBSy9g4OG1rTs+gpUScOg7RlKBESzMuqEN7sZRKHX2QFAlSlGwZyTHLUv+FDlEcf9jdBCtzp2S1ttaYRqlOcGiN2lhkoS8Zam1XyKRdoB66a4DCiuD1R5fG9NMn9r7md/fodsrkvaWE2wMCD1Wz2sgRJC/xkhBBOgDM9+wcdU0L9A5/7GHVFuQn5p/+5gFUyCO+BCM1WAUeEkmnsF8+RqcecM9s0nCegbHmrjICjA9YNhggwdhH4SBJ+ecDgKFBX29bym816w/CGtvHRSwomENr30sznTXYjcDbZIy8P407cCx1SCjEBtByxlauzRXBo1xIzl3j1uqmNjL/7/+iN4L3wzt2yPaPigtIeF/t54HOcbag/GmKgNbJw7JAJAhH1aS1w7PFWGaLMnfIzE7/Qzy6JGeUBCYtwRBFIScnpqPk4Yf1+oLhp7esiaiAPMJMxxl4mVLwnrP3wfUZZSIAMZJarrYE3InYWjK58SiKZPjso11yYlWPowUR2k3rCvWobfj20RITJ5lHxfgNLXWPW8dSfTjXsmETTBlOjI9oM0Dzs5LgxzItmq3a6LdP/BpvTNeCUMCfxwChdFOVEazJrStVwg/FnWTLisAlytQqXGt7rbmKDuFQzcE6jOi8mVA2tEzBWnEYf1FIrNdEowelBsURtD5NATfRxuOTcjXWKEs9RESvZ5CIKOz6jN2GbtAto93vi/i9GyHnpoaBpfFx632MpAjJECjozeBGxZneD8kqBJr40iCDMo8Zl7kIrFrKG0NnGp8TBsqWUi+Sa/EfE4Ri5ETNf6Mn8+KW0mrY5/ImlQ8i39PMLcPFRgvDLPSlcRNv55rBR376rY8Qi51gu3frS8x4EqmkTY1u+/teOK6/lMTFFh1Xm580phx+H1db4KPpgzyGAzIsi+pFhgl3TLjixRO4jBaQN1I1/m7kigyNMcx2Ck9fYttgLCBuSnA5OmL9QzXWpMCq5h0bCe5AlD68HVTnRom3pxoUsvEU/gWr95Lb7Kagy+GIP696/IFjhvDqN2ceWSaMvQobohit3k86tMtcR9XfPeJ/xLGRQiiqGz6GJLI7nRv2J7ow8oO9Ekhu4p8yTTCf+6cVCcdpSg6Ap8YoMUd453WPigN1zihoifUrvB24yXhfPKcrYuGGzqmzmyf9hMqqBVuUJflo2wOblvI/gykjXAdXxMHT82h6qI0NmDZodgqDGIo9zIbopVmMuEkKOMN3np+KkIXqkYALkZRMo5T02gUyzhFQYl5X9BQ2uXhImjNtc8Qt65hyaZk0T6yGHm8OsrlVMDG4W/+rCHtH7N0DqJrAcrzmfe5MR9o3aCvvRdfz60PqXmW2iMp5PH2bY/GfDPT1MnGYYgMk1NX1p2ix3G02Txd5TfAmNF7lF1tPW1QkGYGrY6LKSGjD5oKZEy8eA7dNWtotONkxVMprdP5yEzZDaTcGMK41FBl+RSHRW2ODkpya8QhtxQiXNIhvDjSSMkVaSYsdHRRhupHJLORFrFa7oGy1tPLcnHYjbwmH82uRAQkMEVjrTYeS9jWXyVZgEEp6+GFkh8/S0yn4Jkj4Eia9qIzg5ncXTc8Gq99QXsfIQ2tK8loYM6FOBMhrWritjJrRHV5py6bm6bg/6Gd7wD2wnfksd1fb9R2mDgkV1swthaltIV75FW78Kh7MsZhRh/6u4iWO0pgDjmRG1Fc/9o13/R9PJJCmD6//TOnWvUHvDbaEdtIL+nYFoudUeyN6feDTlM+hD649aEC4CEMkOVqNEPLDZZyZ2Y/oSohvpwMaOQ6FomZW5VZK1W52oV4NJxejMkbfw7mM4R1BxV/CFR2GhEXVgluoiO5GtlYuFja+xueV30RYQ/NMu/BlulcEgA99s8Zcl7ZhvDBcuKtEacTriksh2GyjKeIemelOmZZRHWrc2qh+Vvmwu5Uz5mLvfKxTWVeKPRU+NlWKqBMiYNkoUXkE1GArSqug3ZiXqM5G+c3cP5I5sCM1ET5AfHlV5ulmJ9fTzZQO/SfZdromQp2R3I0gRkDTB/i8wV+csC68zeSzdJAF+u53tZ0b1og13WToW/Asndmorb64dCHw9u7wAMpITFicyQaLzGEEctD9drmRhZ0PhY1ZWAGPrBOOp1WdxB0z2BykgFVtKhu0Gh5iYPU/scRi/yM4iQ/VxIOilWrLEZHblBF9njylTPLSaiwHOCx2ai+Q4yfUlyN2Ub20RM0sz8qdQpau0yVD2HXjeeVYqGZSn73B1TbAtwLMQnYjoDcuj/gwbgRKAMYn8uaU9BAmxa0AWc7YG6ahnaIHmGPb/bc0/ucxy96uU4F0svYEI0v0Kl4mazeD/TjXj+1mW5gPGLcGj48iq1XAxHX31nAGM37wXzLJMPZrPxHyTDeCQFxRoYNOt7A4c0ZDNw1XM/82NfXkBgKLLyHeVCGv6EwSy5+1wuiDTKUHLg8PLccgzv7KVJWTAqlE4d7nH/NNFIXzl/cqsOAmG2YbzO4goQ2a+5zDhqWEZJH31jXQdFneL9kLUDNgZpe012zXErj+xzaRbI41j+rzYZ/eet+tIA9M4yQR4FzCQhPH6LmqaOUiFlu2QmGzAhIFB3Jt6MliafHdZfc/6PtxF1LUFxlg63lFomEububhmxi6Mh7yvo764lFw0eYy1bMo6/71//+/50DokYLrEIVqcZTxMmw4vT6xwyR8cFLReHUlr9D+Kku5WPJJY9W5gi7YqxgX2XBo05b3WuMsxk2aTfWXZxh7cpsOn5biIQyDL/CyPM6lxAg9FrklvElqL2dz/4CCamEqqS2CWFPg6C9nG7CUe4LX/+aFUPaf+8IBjJSsi9pOXdk/UL1UHzkIrEP010sgG5BaL3qO6sWK+CgDpCLlzwXp4wCqYbYQvz6nXfydLDUJL46P7NsBPdDQ1mNPQXAdkrSfaAtItbDYazsR9zg8F4wNOSsKOc4XCfTuYsYdgjAmMJqn2HwJMsV8GJqg3JrKiRySKuGRVebResnvuZ2iYwx3ZosN5Pd1i77rpqSsvvUGoBb4c3m+nPFc9woO/bqeDAVGwYbGFyZi0abtKODrVQmClrP4c8umCdseG7aMA5RswhFQvShGiJlxjWHm77wb65mcopDAzrZzEETENCCfHqfJSpYnfDLgKc8Qj/KwOv+2BYd7BKdryySYYixS2deS+njJV1sOmKZXI0hyqVC799zK6brOvLMXplh69BaXHBpi6/Zz0vSUZ7Co7B08FW4qGVv3fEK6Xd0Tj+we47h1ct22hKNyOUl1HIXQYUBqzvRqkRCA+Fs8cDN6Hrz87oP677GdGEShGfNtSBGIaR5pZ2B4DH5wiXirLqxF8TOR1ZhMqWfbQtaSLwYbp3qgG5tZwJi7HVHzALFu1yjdieWn2u3P5HT9DOlwFCh/rB7obk3hmeRM6KEh+aKRqNCaHr5pMW2m
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!