EIGHT MONTHS LATER
"Eva!!! There's too much salt in the food!" Vince yelled, and I hurried out of the kitchen, a plate of soup in my hands.
"I'm sorry, I can make something else…"
"You didn't taste it before you brought this horrible mess before me?!" He snapped while I tried to fix the situation.
"I'll take it away, I made something else…"
"What's that?" He eyed the steaming bowl.
"Chicken soup, I added some vegetables…."
"Get that shit away from me", Vince turned his face away in disgust.
"You should try it, it's…."
Before I could finish talking, he slapped the bowl of soup off the table with fury. The plate fell on the floor and shattered into pieces.
I was nursing the burns on my skin from the soup that spilled on me before it splattered all over the floor while Vince stared at me with no emotion.
"Get out of my face and clean yourself up!" He spat and rolled his wheelchair away from the table.
This was the misery I found myself in for the past eight months after getting married to Vince.
I am now Mrs Eva Sterling, but at what cost? This was not the man I spent my teenage years fantasizing over.
As soon as Vince was discharged from the hospital, he fired all the house helpers and the chefs, leaving only the security.
Vince barely spent time outside his room and he made sure to use every single hour of the day to torment me and make me pay for ruining his life.
My day was already bad enough, but it got worse when the news of Michelle's engagement came on the news.
I heard the television shatter into pieces before he wheeled himself back into his room.
Michelle had accepted the proposal of the man we saw her kiss the day Vince's life took a different turn.
"Eva!!!" I heard his screams a while later, and I scampered away from the table I had just finished cleaning.
Vince was in his office and my breath caught in my throat when I saw the pile of papers scattered across the floor and table.
"Sort out these papers by dates. You have thirty minutes, I need dinner in an hour", he said, and before I could think of saying anything, he wheeled himself away.
I broke down on the floor and wept, but it didn't last for long before I hurriedly set to work, wondering when this ordeal would end.
Evening came and as I hurried to make dinner for my grumpy husband, he met me in the hallway.
"I want you to clean out the bedroom, clear out Michelle's things", Vince said, strolling past me without sparing me a glance.
"Okay, where do I send them….?"
"Burn them" he said, and my brows scrunched in confusion.
"What?"
"You heard me" he said, and turned away into the living room, leaving me in utter disbelief.
At this point, I concluded that Vince needed therapy.
During dinner, I couldn't eat as usual. The past eight months have taken the joy of sharing a meal away from me.
I missed Kord, but Vince wanted no visitors, especially Kord, since he was my partner in crime.
"I have an event tomorrow, I want a buffet, I've written a list of the dishes I'll need at the table" Vince suddenly said and flung a paper towards me.
I dropped my spoon, my attention all on the list now.
"Alright, how many chefs…"
"Chefs?" he scoffed. " Who said anything about chefs? You're doing it alone" he said, and my head whipped up from the paper.
"What?"
"Why? Are you complaining? Aren't you my wife?" He grunted, pushed his plate away, and picked up a glass of water.
"Yes"
"Besides, I like your cooking" he said, but that did nothing to alleviate the chaotic situation I was in.
I was silent.
Silent and Sad.
"Cheer up, you just have to wake up hours early and prepare. And no scowling!" he said and started to roll his wheelchair away.
"I want you with a smile as you cook. You have no right to be sad". He continued "Imagine how sad I feel in this chair." Vince muttered loud enough for me to hear.
He ridiculed me throughout his event the next day, ordering me to stay in the shadows as usual, and strolling off to bed with a pleased smile while I did the dishes alone till I slept off in the kitchen.
I took him for strolls early in the morning while he watered the garden and during the evenings every day to receive air while I sat and fed the ducks by the pond.
He made being married a living hell for me.
Vince found ways to spill things and complain about everything I did, most times making me redo them from the beginning.
I'd lost weight from lack of sleep, being overworked and barely eating, so it didn't come as a surprise when I felt lightheaded and felt my body hit the ground before I faded into oblivion.
When I woke up, it was with a startle to see Vince sitting next to my bed, his expression unreadable as usual.
"You passed out in the laundry room. When I saw you, I thought you were dead" he informed me, and I sighed.
"I wish I was" I muttered, and when I realized what I had said, I looked up to see Vince staring at me blankly.
"I'm sorry" I hurried out of bed. "I need to go check on…."
"Stay!" He ordered.
I froze on the edge of the bed, my feet barely touching the floor.
"The doctor…. The doctor said your fainting was due to stress."
Really?
My heart thumped loudly. Did that make Vince happy?
Was he about to double my workload?
"It's better if you don't do anything for now. I'll interview some house helpers tomorrow, "he said after a moment of silence.
What?!
"Oh" I only said.
"That doesn't mean you are allowed to be lazy, you still have to take care of me. So your focus, attention and time have to be directed at no one else but me at all times" he said, and I nodded softly.
"Okay"
"Good. Join me downstairs for dinner. Would you rather prefer eating in bed?" he asked.
"No, I'll come. I'm fine now" I said, and reached for my footwear in a hurry.
"Excellent" he said grumpily and opened the door.
"Fetch the keys, we're going on a stroll first," he added.
"A stroll in a car?" I asked, but Vince gave me a condescending look.
"We'll be using the McLaren 750s"
"Okay" I nodded
"Can you drive?" He raised a questioning brow.
"Yes"
"Good"
******
"Vince? I.. I made you breakfast", I pushed the door to his bedroom open, waiting for him to welcome me in.
"Leave it", he nudged towards the table.
"Okay" my voice came out in a whisper as I set the food tray down and tried my very best to ignore his shirtless upper body.
His body was ripped and well-sculpted. I could barely peel my eyes away from him, and the way his triceps rippled when he moved made my slutty and betraying mouth water.
Vince was staring at a scar on his body, but he soon sighed and turned to me.
"Are those peas?" He eyed the plate and I became nervous, knowing what was coming next.
"Yes…"
"I don't eat peas" he cut in, and I swallowed hard.
"Oh, alright. I'm sorry, I'll take them away and prepare something new.
I picked up the food tray and hastily rushed away, but I paused by the door and turned to see Vince staring at me. My panic heightened. "Do you have anything in mind? I had no idea you didn't like peas. I'm so sorry."
"What are you sorry for Eva?" He asked, keen eyes still staring at me.
I thought about the many mistakes I had made regarding him about to start a fresh bout of apology "The peas…. Your breakfast…." I blurted out, but Vince interrupted me.
"What exactly are you sorry for?" He asked again and I sighed.
"Ruining your engagement to your… one true love" my head bowed in shame, causing you emotional distress and causing your accident. At least that's the one I can remember", I said in a very small voice, hoping he heard me.
"You know you don't have to keep apologizing, she never loved me. And you are not the reason I'm in this wheelchair", Vince said, and my head whipped up to look at him in alarm. "I was just stupid and careless."
Relief washed over me, and it felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off my shoulders.
"My legs will never be okay, maybe my heart will heal. But my eyes are fine, and so is my sense of reasoning. You did nothing wrong, so I'll have a discussion with my lawyer and tell him to dissolve this marriage. I'll let you off with fifty million dollars to make up for the damages I caused you. "I'll let your family know later today" he said, and my breath caught in my throat.
"No… "
"It is settled Eva. Sit down and have breakfast with me" he said, and my eyes widened.
This change was sudden and unexpected.
"A bottle of wine and some painkillers will do too," he said as I went back into the room.
"But you're not supposed to…"
"Bring a glass for yourself also" he said, and for the first time in months I cracked a smile.
My life with Vince suddenly changed for the better.
Our conversations changed first, and then our days did, and soon we were sharing jokes.
And then the bliss came when he hired chefs and extra house helpers, and soon he started assisting me when I cooked.
When my birthday came, he gifted me diamonds and a lot of sparkly jewelry which left my jaw open for some solid minutes.
I had awkwardly said "I've never gotten gifts before, this is the first time someone remembered my birthday" and Vince blessed me with a smile for the first time in what felt like decades.
Soon he got me tickets to see my favorite band perform during a concert and I had a special seat reserved for me. Vince even dared to attend.
The next surprise was when he brought me breakfast in bed and kissed me.
It felt like I floated on air with him for the next few months, till it was Christmas Eve.
After I'd tucked him in bed and made to leave, he held my hand and pulled me back.
"Lie with me" he had said, and ran his fingers through my hair before he pulled me in for a hot kiss.
That night, I gave myself to him for the first time and I loved it.
"I missed you", Vince mumbled in his sleep while my head lay on his chest.
My sleep was filled with bliss.
I thought life could not get any better until havoc struck.
A month later Kingsley held me by the throat in the hallway while Kaitlyn grabbed my hand and slipped my ring off my finger.
Vince had started receiving visitors again, and he invited them over for dinner.
Kord was not present since he was on vacation with his lover, so I was left to awkwardly face my terrifying older siblings.
"You're not worthy of this" she said with a big smile as she caressed the pink diamond after stealing it from me, but Kingsley choke on my throat tightened.
"Listen to me, you dumb child, we just hit the jackpot with this marriage, and I hear that rich fuck is about to let you off the hook with a divorce. But we as your family think you've not paid for your crimes yet, so you better make sure he doesn't divorce you, or else…" My sister stepped in and pushed Kingsley's hand away from my throat.
I gasped for air to fill my lungs and was reduced to a fit of coughs.
"Do whatever you can to stay married to him, Eva, we need the money he has". Kaitlyn patted me on the cheek harshly and straightened to arrange her fur coat. "Now make sure you put on a bright smile before you join us for dinner again", she said and turned at the same time as Kingsley.
"How much do you think it'll worth?" I heard Kingsley ask Kaitlyn.
"A million or two" she replied.
"Perfect"
After bawling my eyes in the bathroom that night, I called my best friend and brother.
I could feel his fury over the phone as I told him my ordeal with our siblings.
"Kingsley and Kaitlyn? How dare you let them do that to you?! You know what, I'm booking the next flight to New York. We need to put those bullies in their place…"
"Kord, I think I'm having a divorce" I interrupted him and heard his gut-wrenching gasp.
"What? What's wrong? Why?" His questions rushed out.
"I don't know… Vince has changed a lot, he's been…. He said he had forgiven me, and now he wants a divorce. I don't know how soon. And Kaitlyn…"
"Uh huh, go on" he urged me.
"Kaitlyn stole my ring" I said, my voice cracking with tears.
"What? That is totally unacceptable. Have you told Vince?" Kord ranted.
"No, I'm… I'm scared", I said.
"If you don't tell him I will…"
"Kord, will I sound crazy if I say I'm in love?"
"Yes! That man hates you! He's still not over what happened with Michelle. Are you mad?" He hollered, and I could not stop myself from confessing the other thing that made me sad.
"I think I'm pregnant"