Left My Mafia Husband, Fell In love With His Rival

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Left My Mafia Husband, Fell In love With His Rival

NovelShort Completed
StrongHeroineRevengePregnantHealingSecond Chance

The day Elena decided to leave Vincent was their fifth marriage anniversary. As she listened to the furious slapping of skin against skin, his deep voice that would've, at one point, lit up her entire day coming out in groans, she knew he had no love for her in his heart anymore. How else could he be sleeping with an unknown woman when she was stuck in the hospital fighting for their unborn child's life? Cold tears streamed down her face in response to the suffocating pain she was feeling, her teeth chattering and goosebumps trailing down her arm. The flimsy hospital gown she had on did little to shield her from the cold weather, as she protectively cradled her little bump. The last two years had been a rocky one. Battling for her husband's attention with his so-called best friend was already tiring. She couldn't add this to the pile. So with bloodshot eyes, Elena turned to walk away quietly, dialling the number she'd been hesitating to for days: "I know you want to bring Vincent down. Do you want to join hands with me?"

Chapters (7)

第1章

The day Elena decided to leave Vincent was their fifth marriage anniversary. As she listened to the furious slapping of skin against skin, his deep voice that would've, at one point, lit up her entire day coming out in groans, she knew he had no love for her in his heart anymore. How else could he be sleeping with an unknown woman when she was stuck in the hospital fighting for their unborn child's life? Cold tears streamed down her face in response to the suffocating pain she was feeling, her teeth chattering and goosebumps trailing down her arm. The flimsy hospital gown she had on did little to shield her from the cold weather, as she protectively cradled her little bump. The last two years had been a rocky one. Battling for her husband's attention with his so-called best friend was already tiring. She couldn't add this to the pile. So with bloodshot eyes, Elena turned to walk away quietly, dialling the number she'd been hesitating to for days: "I know you want to bring Vincent down. Do you want to join hands with me?" **** The moment she got back to the hospital, Elena immediately asked to be discharged. "Mrs. Lopez. I advise you to stay one more day." The nurse pressed for a second time as she packed her bags but Elena refused. No amount of treatment could take away the pain she was feeling. Her feet were numb from the cold as she hadn't bothered to pull on her boots earlier, and she felt the pain from the blisters that had formed beneath them. Still, it wasn't as painful as the ache in her chest. Five years. Why would Vincent throw five years down the drain? "I'd like to go home now." She replied in a small shaky voice. And with a deep sigh, the nurse checked her out. Within a few minutes, she was out of the hospital and on her way home with her two guards who by then had returned from their short break. Waiting for the car to pull up, for a minute, she considered calling her husband to let him know that she'd been discharged but thought less about it. It wasn't like he'd care anyway. When he wasn't busy with his best friend, Claire, he was with another woman. She'd been stuck at the hospital for a week due to a severe infection, fighting for her life... also to save their unborn child, yet he didn't bother to visit once, claiming to be out of town for business. A familiar ache, one Elena had become accustomed to for months, flared up within her. It would be a lie to say she hadn't seen it coming; their marriage was barely hanging by a thread. The car screeched to a stop as one of the guards announced. "Mrs. Lopez, we've arrived." Moving to step out of the car, her eyes caught sight of a black lacy underwear peeking from beneath the driver's seat. Elena's heart dropped as they widened in realisation. How long had this been going on? Who exactly was this mistress? With a heavy heart, she carefully picked it up, tucking it into her bag as she got out. As soon as she walked into their home, she instantly knew that Vincent had been lying when he said he was out of town. He had a habit of leaving his coats hanging on the rack whenever he returned every day, so the rack was filled with coats. On the dining table were two recently used glasses and an empty bottle of wine. Didn't he say work might take longer than planned? She'd blindly believed him, knowing how spontaneous his job was. He wasn't just anyone but the leader of the mafia in their region. It was all a lie. How could she have been so foolish? Not bothering to wait for him to get back, she headed for their room, washing away the grime smell of disinfectant from the hospital before lying on her bed to sleep. Yet it didn't come easily. Elena forced down the lump in her throat as her heart raced, thumping loudly against her chest. How could Vincent treat her this way? She was with him when he was just an ordinary gang leader, and now that he had risen to the top, she was nothing? Her pregnancy was unplanned and gotten during one of his drunken trolls but she had thought a child could mend their growing rift. How wrong was she... Exhaling loudly, she closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to pull her in when her phone beeped. It was a post Claire had tagged her in. A picture of Vincent grinning so brightly as she placed a kiss on his cheeks with the words 'Find a man who'd love you right.' She let out a bitter laugh. How ironic. He'd also left his mistress to spend time with Claire. How could a man shuffle between three women? Irritated, she dumped the phone on her bedside table, staring into space until sleep took her. By the time morning came, it was a call from Vincent that woke her up, and out of habit, she hurriedly received it. "Hello?" "Elena." His deep voice filtered from the phone. "Are you feeling better? I'll try and make it back today. You're still at the hospital, right?" A scoff escaped Elena's lips, unable to believe that he was still keeping up the act. All she said in reply was a detached "No." Then ended the call to prepare for work. As an artist, she had a big exhibition coming up and was behind schedule. It was the only thing that could take her mind off everything anyway so she planned to work herself to the bones. But even at work, she found it hard to concentrate. The post had spread like wildfire, and it was all her colleagues spoke about. Vincent was only a popular rich businessman in the eyes of everyone and they believed Elena was lucky to be his wife. So they were all curious about his relationship with the woman in the picture. Elena's chest tightened at the unwanted attention. She wanted to be left alone to wallow in her self-pity, but it seemed impossible. On the other end, Vincent kept bombarding her with calls out of guilt and switched to texts when she ignored them, 'You sounded so cold on the phone earlier; are you alright?' 'Elena, what is going on?' 'Are you sulking?' He sent text after text and she was going to turn off her phone when the last one caught her eye. 'I sent you a surprise package.' A surprise package? The last time he surprised her was a year ago and that was a luxury bag for forgetting her birthday. She was wondering exactly what he would have sent this time, when a delivery man walked into the gallery and straight up to her. "Mr. Lopez asked that I deliver this to you, ma'am." It was a food tray. One she craved two weeks ago yet it only made her feel more sad as she stared at the peanut-flavoured tray. Elena's lips trembled, she could feel her heart sinking further. Her phone beeped again. 'Did you receive my gift? You can stop being angry now.' The grief she'd been trying to contain, flooded her mind. Had he ever paid attention to her? How many more years did they have to spend together for Vincent to remember that she was deathly allergic to peanuts? Claire was the one who loved peanuts. 'Are you sure this is for me? And not for your wonderful best friend?' She typed back, her response dripping sarcasm and proceeded to throw the tray in the trash until her gaze caught a small white note sticking out the side. Her curiosity piqued. She flipped it open only to feel gut-wrenching pain at the words that met her eyes. 'I miss having you above me, Claire. ' What? The identity behind the soft moans that complimented her husband's groans last night… Elena inhaled sharply, her breath getting caught in her throat at the realization. Claire was the mistress.

第2章

Later that evening, Vincent returned as promised, showing up unexpectedly at Elena's office, yet she didn't need an informant to alert her of his presence. She could already hear the regular squeal of her coworkers as they fangirled over her good-looking husband. It was the first time he was coming to pick her up, in months instantly knew it was because of the text. Vincent stood with his legs crossed against his sleek black car, surrounded by his usual entourage of guards. The handsome sight of the man, which usually caused a flutter of butterflies in her belly, only made Elena feel burdened. No matter how she tried, she couldn't look at him the same way. How could he do that with the one person that had always been the source of their problems? Ever since Claire returned from her study abroad two years ago, their marriage had fallen into jeopardy. 'Meet my childhood friend Elena. We've just reconnected.' Her husband had introduced but it took less than a week for her to see that their relationship meant more. Forcing on a well-practised smile, she approached him. "Hey... how do you know to come here?" Vincent shrugged, leaning in to give her a small kiss, which Elena stylishly avoided. There was no need to accept it when she knew it was for paparazzi. If he felt offended by the action, he didn't let it show as he pulled open the door. "I want to take you out for dinner to apologise for the mix-up. That's all. He didn't even try to explain himself. Why should there be a mix up at all? Do you know I got the note too? Elena wanted to say but decided against it. His actions left her stomach in knots; she felt disgusted but she knew that was not the place to hash things out, so she quietly got into the car. By the time they reached, it was a familiar fancy sushi restaurant—the one they had their first-anniversary celebration. Elena felt a flutter of hope. Was he trying to make up for missing their anniversary yesterday? But as soon as they were escorted in, it all crashed. Her eyes met a sly fair figure sitting prettily in a beautiful red dress as she welcomed them with a smile. "Hi, Elena and Vincent bestie." The woman winked. The sound of the pet name that Elena normally would overlook made her skin crawl. She couldn't hide her discomfort and glared at the woman. "What is Claire doing here?" Was it not enough that they were sneaking behind her back? Such a brazen act! "She doesn't want to have dinner alone, so I invited her." As always when it came to Claire, her husband downplayed the seriousness of the scenario and walked in. "Why don't you sit?" "No!" She refused. "I thought you said you wanted to apologise. Shouldn't it be about what I want?" Vincent's jaw ticked, a telltale of his upcoming irritation. "It's just a dinner Elena. Why are you being selfish?" Selfish? She couldn't believe his words. He was the selfish one for bringing his mistress here in disguise. "Just a dinner? You really do not remember, do you?" She inquired and he frowned, confused at the underlying meaning behind her words. However, Elena was already used to being disappointed, so when he came up short, the hurt felt natural. In a bid to clear up the air, Claire piped up "Vincent abandoned all work to be here for you. Don't be insensitive, Elena." "Yes. You're too uptight." Her husband seconded the motion. Elena couldn't stop the dry laugh that flew out from her lips. How shameless of them? They were going to make her into 'the fool'. If this was the game they really wanted to play; so be it! "You're right." She took a seat as the servers brought in their dishes, "I think the baby is starving anyway." Deciding to take advantage of the situation as she hadn't had anything to eat all day, Elena stuffed herself in silence, pressing down the whirlwind of emotions that kept threatening to burst out at every laugh and giggle that came out of the two. "Oh, Vincent. I feel stuffed." Claire loudly called after a while. "Why don't you place them on Elena's plate instead?" Looking up for the first time since she began to have her meal, Elena saw that Vincent had been dressing the fish for his best friend. His ears flushed a bright red as he realised that his pregnant wife should've been his priority. Another blow to the heart. "Don't worry about me." She waved them off. "After all, this dinner is also to apologise to Claire." Vincent let out a frustrated sigh; like she was being unnecessarily difficult again. "What is it this time, Elena?" She gave him a naive-looking smile. "I got Claire's basket just as she got mine; am I wrong?" He spluttered, unsure of how to reply to that; however, Claire did as she pulled on a smug smile. "Oh, don't worry. I usually get it in all the flavours. The delivery man made a mistake thinking both orders were for me as before." Elena's face paled, staring at her husband who was doing his possible best to avoid her gaze. It took him two weeks to get her a basket she had been craving, but he had been getting it for Claire? Did he even see her as his wife anymore? She had always seen through Claire's fake innocent actions... her obvious spite to show off that she had all Vincent's attention. The previous Elena would battle her with words and fight for her marriage, but she felt exhausted. All the fighting she'd been doing for years, had amounted to nothing. Her mind was dead set. If they wanted to be together, they were free to do so. Done with her food, she placed a small white gift bag on the table, grateful that she had decided to take it along to work. Elena pushed it towards her husband. "It's for you; take it." Vincent eyed the bag suspiciously. "What's the occasion?" "Our fifth anniversary was yesterday." She said like it didn't mean anything, watching as his hand twitched for a second. He really forgot... Nodding towards it, she encouraged. "This is from me. Go on, open it." Tentatively picking it up, Vincent looked into the bag, his eyes widening in recognition as they met the black lacy underwear. The moment his gaze returned to Elena's questioning ones, he knew he had been caught.

第3章

In a split second, the guilty look on Vincent's face changed into a hard one. "Now I can drop the pretense." Elena was taken aback. "The pretence?" "Yes." He replied with cold indifference "I don't feel comfortable around you anymore. You've changed Elena. Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you should be fat." Elena looked down at herself. Fat? Her bump was barely showing. From her last visit to the hospital, even the doctor complained of her losing too much weight and that it wasn't healthy for the baby. Her eyes darted to Claire who had excitement flashing across her eyes. Had he gotten so used to having his hands around her that he'd forgotten she was always like this? "Is that something you should be saying to me?" She asked in disbelief. "I'm being honest." Vincent sniffed. "Would you rather I lie to your face? I have decided—until you deliver the child, Claire will attend all functions with me. Be grateful she agreed to take your place." Each word he spewed was like a dagger to her heart. "I never asked her to do so!" "Elena!" "Was that why you slept with her? I saw you last night Vincent. I know you didn't travel." Vincent looked away, as though it wasn't a big deal. "You would've saved yourself the hurt if you didn't stalk me! Whatever you're imagining did not happen." Elena could hardly believe her ears, Was he going to deny it till the end? After she'd presented the evidence? "Vi— "What do you expect me to say?" He snapped, going back to his usual cold self. "Yes. I slept with Claire once and it won't happen again. It was in the heat of the moment." In the heat of the what? "But I'm your wife." Vincent ignored her, rising to his feet as his phone began to ring, "I need to pick up this call." Immediately, the door closed behind him; Claire let out a mocking laugh, dropping her innocent facade completely. "I guess we can openly show our love now. I'm tired of hiding." Elena clenched her trembling fist, refusing to show the home wrecker how hurt she was. "What love?” She berated. “You've only brought distress into our lives since the moment you came. Why do you want to ruin my home?" The only thing she got in reply was a sinister laugh as Claire taunted, "How can I ruin what is already ruined? **** Elena didn't speak anymore. Even when Vincent returned and suggested they drop Claire off before going home, she only hummed in agreement. It wasn't like he was going to listen if she opposed it. On the drive home, the silence was deafening, and Vincent kept glancing her way, yet she didn't acknowledge him. Her actions made him feel uncomfortable, that he blurted, "Are you still mad at me?" Mad? What was the use of being mad when she was leaving anyway? Elena lightly laughed, giving him a cold reply, "What's there to be mad about? You said it won't happen again." Vincent grumbled as the uncomfortable silence continued. After a few minutes, he threw a turquoise jewellery box into her lap. "Well, I got this for you. You can call it the anniversary gift you want. " Elena opened the box to see the most beautiful dainty gold bracelet and her eyes flashed in recognition as she remembered seeing the exact design but in diamond on Claire's wrist a moment ago. She had come second again. This was his method of apologizing. Whenever he did something wrong, he'd spoil her with expensive gifts. He wanted her to play along again? So be it. Feigning fascination, Elena plastered a weak smile on her face, "I love it. Thank you." But Vincent could sense the obvious dryness of her empty words. "What is wrong with you? Why are you being so cold?" He asked but Elena remained quiet. How could she act like nothing was wrong? Her husband had not just openly confessed to cheating with his so-called best friend and asked her to deal with it but also made her feel worthless in comparison to her. Who would be fine knowing they had wasted five years of their life with a man who was this cruel? Thankfully, the car came to a halt as they arrived at their home, and Elena got out without saying a word. It wasn't like she had anything to say in reply, the previous times she'd voiced out her complaints, it resulted in fights where he threw words like 'You're being unreasonable.' 'Claire is just a friend.' 'You're the one who's insecure.' A pang still shot through her anytime she remembered his hurtful words from the last and final fight they had: 'Why do you keep suspecting me of being with Claire? I wouldn't be with you any more if I wanted her. You're just complaining because you're greedy and do not want my attention on someone else. Don't I spoil you enough?" It'd taken weeks for the tears not to flow at the recollection of those disheartening words. The fight had ended with him stumbling into her room drunk. Elena had finally thought it was the end of all their fights. Now she knew it was only the beginning. Only a fool would believe his words about it happening once. The underwear in the car explained that much. Vincent harshly gripped her wrist as she was about to walk into their home. "Aren't you going to say anything?" Elena's sad eyes met his as she forced a faint smile. "I'm tired. Let's talk another time." "Fine! Do what you want! He snarled, storming into their home. Elena watched him walk away in anger... her entire world crumbling as she knew there wouldn't be another time.

第4章

After spending most of the night in his study on a call with Claire, Vincent finally came to bed. He walked into the room quietly with slumped shoulders, still holding onto the tension from before like Elena hadn't heard him laughing over the phone some seconds ago. For a while, he stood over her sleeping form, until he abruptly turned towards the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him. Elena exhaled deeply. In their early years, he would have asked that she join him. Those were days when their marriage was still burning with rigorous love. Now, it felt far-fetched. The memory only made her desperate to leave. So before she slept that night, she sent a confirmation text to the now-familiar number. 'We should proceed as soon as possible. I am ready whenever you are.' Morning came, and as they sat for breakfast, Vincent barely acknowledged her, acting like she didn't exist as he typed incessantly on his phone. It was another ploy of his. One he resorted to if his manipulation and excessive gifting didn't work. He'd deliberately act upset, giving shirt clipped answers until she apologies. During their years of marriage, Elena couldn't count the number of times she'd apologised for something that wasn't her fault. Things would be different this time. Clearing her throat, she began, "My exhibition is tonight. Would you be there?" Vincent waved his hands dismissively, not taking his eyes off the phone. "Exhibition for what?" His question stung. She had informed him about it thrice in the past weeks. Still, Elena didn't argue and instead, took a deep, calming breath. "Have you forgotten? I will be displaying my new work collection at the gallery this evening." He shrugged, still not regarding her, "I have work." "Can't it wait? This is important to me." It wasn't like she wanted him there, but as an orphan who had no friends, he was the only one available to support her. But Vincent exploded in her face. "It's just an exhibition, isn't it? Must I be there? Why are you acting so spoiled?" Opening his wallet, he threw a couple thousand notes on the table. "I do not need to be there. Use the money to get yourself some flowers." Elena didn't think after all he'd done, his words or actions could still pierce her heart. Did he think it was all about the money? Vincent knew how important her art was to her. She had spent months preparing for this, but he just brushed it off like it was nothing. "I do not need your money." She weakly protested yet he didn't spare her a glance. Excusing himself to go use the restroom. She couldn't help herself and took a peek at his phone, wondering what it was that made him so occupied. As she read through the chat, the easy flow and blatant flirting, she didn't need to check the contact to know it was Claire's. Her heart clenched the lower she went, and was just about to drop the phone when the next text came in. 'Thanks for agreeing to come with me tonight, Vincent. What would I do without you?' Elena stared blankly at the words. She anticipated the usual heaviness and throbbing ache, but it was only for a fleeting moment. Then an unknown emptiness took over. Her heart raced, a feeling of detachment enveloped her. At least now she knew why he wouldn't be available tonight. Without waiting for his return, she left for work, determined to make use of the opportunity of his absence. The first thing Elena did as she arrived was to send out a special invitation. Vincent wouldn't be there tonight, so it was the only place she could set everything up without the prying eyes of too many guards. As the day was swept up in preparation for the exhibition, Elena felt nervous as she waited. The exhibition came as a successful one, making her proud. A lot of pieces were sold, and comments about how good her works were floated around, but they didn't satisfy the void in her heart. 'You're living a life that anyone would die for, Mrs Lopez. The wife of a respected businessman and a talented artist, how do you feel?' A reporter had asked, and Elena smiled sweetly as the lie easily flowed from her lips. 'It feels awesome.' No one knew of the struggles she was facing. They all envied a charade. All except for one person. "If your marriage is so joyful, why do you want to bring your husband down?" A cold voice inquired as the last of the guests left. The moment Elena's eyes met the tall huge figure standing behind her, they widened. Her special guest had come. A man she would never have found the courage to approach until a few days ago. "Mr. Alejandro. You came." The man frowned. "I wanted to see the brave woman who wants to join hands with her husband's rival." Alejandro eyed her suspiciously, wondering if it was determination or plain stupidity. The entire country knew of his long-time feud with Vincent Lopez and how much they hated one another, but she wanted to join hands with him. "I didn't expect you to honour my invitation, but I had no other options. We need to discuss the plan." Elena said honestly. "The plan?" He chuckled darkly. "Being here doesn't mean I would work with you. Why would I want to join hands with an ally of my enemy?" "I am no longer an ally. I want to leave Vincent, and there's no way he'd let me go easily. You have to help me." She pleaded. He smirked at her words, "Why do you think I can help you?" "You're the most feared man in the country; your mafia doubles Vincent's. If anyone can, it is you. I promise to help you in return. Just get me out of that home." Alejandro scrutinised her for a few seconds; her boldness was commendable and he concluded that Vincent must have done something terrible for her to be this desperate, but it wasn't his business. His eyes glanced at her tiny bump, a quiet thought suddenly occurring to him. Perhaps, she could be of help to him. He had been searching for a way to avoid his grandmother's match making. Elena's pregnancy would play a large role in convincing her. So with a dark look, he announced. "I'll help you—if you be my fake fiancé for two months."

第5章

"I'll call you in three days." Were Alejandro's last words as he exited the gallery. Elena couldn't recall the last time she went home feeling so joyous. She didn't know why he wanted a fake fiancé nor did she care. Wasn't it just for two months? A small price she would willingly pay for her freedom. There was no ounce of guilt in her heart as she said 'yes' to his terms. Upon getting home, Vincent was waiting with a teary-eyed Claire by his side. Elena didn't want anything to ruin her excitement, so she was going to walk past them to her room until his accusing words stopped her. "Why are you so heartless? You can't even ask what's wrong." Elena slowly turned around, she could still hear the spite from earlier in his voice. Why would she ask when she didn't care? Nevertheless, she pulled her lips into a firm line and gave him exactly what he wanted. "What is wrong?" Vincent hugged Claire tighter. "Claire's pregnant with my child." Oh... Elena waited for the searing pain to come. And waited. Then waited some more. Yet it didn't. She felt absolutely nothing about the news. No joy. No sorrow. No anger. No pain. Her eyes met her husband's hard ones as he anticipated her flare-up, but a wide grin graced her face. "Congratulations. I wish you both a successful delivery." Vincent's jaw slackened. Was that all she was truly going to say? He had told her that it only happened once, yet she didn't point that out. It was then he realised that his wife was slipping away. An idea struck Elena's mind. "You know what? To make it easier for you, why don't I move out of our room? She even suggested, adding to his shock. "Claire can move in; from experience, the baby likes to be close to its father." Claire perked up at her words. She didn't understand why Elena wasn't feeling jealous, and although it angered her, she liked the idea. "Would you do that for me?" Elena glanced at the woman, keeping her voice steady to give nothing away. "Why not? After all, you're Vincent's dear friend. He always wants the best for you." And then she walked into the room to move her things right out. On her way home, she had brainstormed different excuses to move out of Vincent's room. If she was going to leave in three days, she needed to sort out her things. Who knew such wonderful news would be awaiting her? Later that night, when Elena heard a knock on her door, she instantly knew who it was. "Elena. Let's talk." Vincent demanded. She turned over to see his furrowed brows as he constantly ran his hand through his hair. An action that characterised his agitated state. "The pregnancy happened unexpectedly." He blurted out "I know," Elena calmly replied. "You would never do that to me or our child on purpose." His brow shot up, "You do?" "Yes. You don't love Claire. Sleeping with her should've been a one-time thing, but it went further. It's my fault for not being attractive and being fat." Her words gave him the courage to boost his manipulative ego, and he sat beside her, holding her hands in his. "Don't be so harsh on yourself, baby." Baby? Elena wanted to cry out in laughter. He must feel cornered to use a pet name he hadn't used in months. "No." She continued. "I know it's my fault, so I understand. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you both, tell me." It was obvious that he came with an intention so she threw the bait, waiting for him to pick it up. "Thank you, baby. Claire has been through a lot today, and I think she needs a break. Why don't we all go on a vacation?" Elena bit her lips to hide her smile. She'd been begging him for months to go on one, going as far as procuring a ticket and paying for the hotel with her hard-earned money, yet he kept refusing due to work reasons. Now that Claire suggested it, he wants to? She wanted to confront him; instead, she asked, "That would be nice. Where would we be going?" Vincent placed a tender hand on her cheek, "Paris." Momentarily dazed at his reply, Elena gaped at him. He must've thought this through to pick the exact location she settled on before. After knowing how special Paris was to them, he still chose it? Could he go any lower? Vincent silently waited for her reaction. He was sure she wouldn't be happy with this, so when she gave him a small nod in agreement, he nearly doubled over. "Okay. We should all go. The more, the merrier." Was she truly fine with it or was it pretense? As the words came out of her lips, Elena knew that everything she felt for her husband was long dead. It was a validation she never knew she needed. Now, she could walk away without looking back. "Would that be all?" Vincent moved closer, the desire that had become so rare, evident in his hooded eyes. He laced his fingers with hers, each touch feeling like a needle pricking at her skin, and Elena already knew where it was going before it even started. Her mind churned, looking for a quick escape and just before his lips touched hers, another knock resounded at the door. "Vincent, are you in there? The baby doesn't want me to sleep by myself." Instantly, Vincent's hands were off her faster than she could blink. At the sound of Claire's voice, he was stalking towards the exit, throwing a brief "Let's talk about it tomorrow." over his shoulder. A bitter smile tugged at Elena's lips. Was this what it meant to know where you belonged?

第6章

As soon as Vincent stepped out of her new room, Elena reached out to Alejandro. "The thing we planned, you can go ahead." For the first time in months, she slept without any worry. **** It wasn't until two days later that Vincent decided on the date for the vacation. It was a typical Thursday morning when he announced, as Elena walked into the kitchen to him massaging Claire's feet. "I'll be free this weekend. Why don't we leave first thing tomorrow morning?" Her heart skipped a beat. Tomorrow was the day she would be going over to his rival. Struggling to give away anything, an awry smile graced Elena's face. "Must we leave tomorrow?" Vincent eyed her with a bored look, "I'm only free this weekend. And so is Claire. You have to make time." He stated, leaving no room for arguments, then turned to his best friend turned mistress. "That's fine with you, baby?" Claire was the new 'baby'? How magnificent! As much as she tried to hide it, Elena could see the contented smile on Claire's face. She was getting bolder by the day. "Maybe we should listen to Elena.” She pouted. The plane's full, so I won't be able to get a ticket anyway." Vincent dismissed the theory like it was a bluff, "That won't be a problem. Elena got two tickets for both of us. You can use hers." Elena shook her head slowly, disbelief crossing her face. How come she never noticed she was this worthless? Vincent gauged her reaction, "Don't overthink like you always do. I paid the change of date fee yesterday, and there were no extra seats on the plane. It is for your good. Didn't you say you felt choked yesterday?" He said curtly, quoting the exact words she said when she refused to have dinner with them last night. Then opened his wallet and pushed a small envelope towards her. It was a 10-hour train ticket for Paris. "I got you this. You'll be able to actively breathe in enough fresh air while taking in the view. Do you object to it?" Object to it? How could she? He just made her work a lot easier. "Of course not." She kept up the act, "Claire can have my ticket. I'll meet you both there. Can I go in now?" Seeing that he had gotten what he wanted, Vincent didn't spare her another glance, waving her way. His nonchalance didn't get to Elena. The first thing she did when she got into her room was to pull out three boxes. One for all the expensive gifts he'd gotten her. One for her wedding gown, ring, and every other thing that made her Mrs Lopez, and the last one for the things she'd be taking with her—her things. Sorting out the boxes wasn't as hard as she expected it to be. Elena relived every memory she had shared with her husband for the past five years, yet her joy level remained high. All that remained was to update Alejandro so she picked up her phone, "Leaving tomorrow. Are you ready? Is the plan to fake my death all set?" She questioned making sure everything was intact. "Yes. Be at the airport by 10 am tomorrow." He grunted before disconnecting the call. Alejandro's coldness didn't make her feel bad. Coming from a man she expected nothing of, it felt better than coming from her husband. Early the next morning, Elena acted like all was fine. Bringing out her bags and preparing a car that would take her around the train station. Vincent glanced at his watch. "It's 8 am, so I'll see you at the hotel by 8 pm. If you're late, I won't foot your travel expenses!" He boomed and Claire stifled a cough. "Better still, get lost and never return." Elena's eyes trailed behind their car waiting till it blended with the scenery. “I'll grant your wish this time.” She said to herself. Immediately, she placed a call to the hotel she had booked. "Is that a La France place? I'd like to cancel my reservation for the luxury couple suite." The receiver paused, "Are you sure, ma'am? Since it's abrupt, you won't get a refund." "Don't worry." She smiled. "I won't be needing it." There was no way she would let her money go to waste on those two. Vincent might not know because he never really paid attention to her career but she wasn't broke and was doing very well for an artist. And with that, she ended the call; handing over a long list of the things she'd like her bodyguard to move out. The things she had bought with her own money. She was going to erase every trace of herself from Vincent's life. "I'm expecting some new furniture,” She lied to quench his suspicions, “... so the removal company will be here soon. Make sure all these are taken out. There are two boxes in my room labelled Claire and Charity. See to it that they're sent accordingly." The confused guard could only stare. Wasn't his boss's wife going on a trip? Why was she clearing up her stuff? Nevertheless, he began to do as she instructed. At exactly 9 o'clock, Elena walked out of the gilded cage she had spent five years in, pulling her suitcases behind her, not to the train station, but to the airport. "All 10 am passengers for Paris; the plane would be taking off in thirty minutes. I repeat, all 10 am passengers for Paris; the plane would be taking off in thirty minutes." The speaker boomed as she headed for the first-class suite with an easy grin on her face. She would definitely be going to Paris. Not just with Vincent and Claire. Or for the same reason either. And hopefully, when she returned, Mrs Lopez would be dead to the world.

第7章

Meanwhile, as Vincent and Claire arrived in Paris, they didn't expect to be held back at the hotel's lobby. "I am sorry, sir and ma'am, but the room you seem to be asking for was cancelled a few hours ago." Vincent paused. Cancelled? How could that be? He was sure Elena had a room reserved for them. "Cancelled by who?" He demanded with knitted brows. "By your wife sir. I'm guessing she's the one by your side?" The attendant questioned, throwing a confused look at Claire, who had been clinging onto his arm since they walked in. Feeling uncomfortable, Vincent skilfully avoided the question, "You know what?" He decided. "Just get us another room. And fast!" The receptionist bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry again sir. We do not have a spare room at the moment as all our rooms are currently being occupied." "What?" He immediately whipped out his phone to call Elena whose plane had just landed. As soon as she saw Vincent's name flash on her screen, Elena instantly knew why he was calling. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips as she received the call, "Hel—" "Elena. Why am I hearing that our hotel reservation is cancelled?" He barked without a chill. Wasn't it common courtesy to ask about the well-being of his pregnant wife first? Elena tutted as she flagged down a cab. "Our hotel? You mean the hotel I booked?" "It doesn't matter. Didn't you book it with my money? We both know you can't survive without the allowance I give you every month." Elena couldn't hold back her snort. She knew a day like this would come and had prepared well for it. Vincent was a proud and condescending man. He would never let go of every opportunity to boast of himself. "You're wrong!" She retorted. "I booked it with my hard-earned money. I have never used the card you gave me. You must have forgotten that I wasn't poor when we met Vincent. You were the one struggling. Not me." Her words caused him to arch his brows in disbelief as he wondered if it was really his wife speaking to him. She was right. He met her shortly after her parents had died, but they left behind a huge inheritance for her. Unlike him, who was still an upcoming gang leader at that time. Where was the quiet, submissive woman who had been living with him for five years? "Whatever. I want you to book a new hotel for me and Claire, now. Why are you so inconsiderate? Don't you think she'll be stressed from the journey?" Elena harrumphed, "If you want to book a hotel for your mistress, do so yourself. Do not bother me." And without waiting for him to give a reply, she ended the call. It wasn't up to a minute when her phone beeped with a text from him. 'I'm letting this go because you're pregnant. You're probably acting jealous because I brought Claire along. Just get to the hotel as soon as you arrive.' Ah! She scoffed. When has her pregnancy ever stopped him from doing whatever he wanted? Such a hypocrite! Turning off her phone, she took out the SIM and broke it into two, exchanging it for the new one Alejandro had given her a few days ago. If he wanted to wait, he could do so. But he would have to wait forever— Because there was no way she'd be returning to that hell！