Chapter 17
FELIX
The fresh air didn’t help my irate mood.
Three nights in a jail cell with no shower and peasant food would do that to you.
My anniversary night had begun in utter bliss—until those assholes stole me away to wallow and fester in that cesspit of degenerates.
My mind and body were screaming out for sleep, but there was no way I was going to let my guard down.
I was told that those lazy motherfuckers in court didn’t like to work over the weekend, so I had to wait until Monday for the judge to decide bail, despite there being an innocent man rotting in their basement.
For what charges, you might ask? Embezzlement—from my own company. How fucking idiotic.
No matter what I said, yelled or promised, it still didn’t stop them from taking my fingerprints and locking up my belongings. They even had the audacity to question me like I was some uneducated brute who couldn’t rub two brain cells together.
Of course, I kept quiet, requesting to see a lawyer. Sure, it was strategic, but I couldn’t get in touch with Stella or anyone from the company.
I knew she would be worried, working overtime to fight for me. That’s why I haven’t heard from her, right?
So why isn’t she answering my calls now that I am released?
I hailed a cab and aimed for Stella Financial Management, knowing my wife would be at the office on a Monday afternoon. There was no way she would let the company lag under those false and baseless accusations.
On the ride over, I tried logging into my emails, internet banking and work database. All access was denied, as if everything had just disappeared.
That was when I knew something had gone terribly wrong, which caused a subtle panic to sink into the edge of my awareness.
When I arrived outside the main entrance, I went to pay, and my card bounced. I huffed in frustration, chucking a $50 note at the driver before I bolted through the front door and up the elevator.
Find Stella. Find Stella.
I stormed through the corridors like a bellowing hurricane. The mindless sycophants avoided my gaze, while some deserted altogether.
No one wanted to be in the path of my ire.
“Where’s Stella?” I barked to one of the faceless plebs, who confirmed my wife was in an important board meeting.
I beelined for the main conference room, armed and ready. Little did I know, I was woefully unprepared for the opposition.
As I entered the sparse rectangular room, conversation immediately ceased as all board members swept their attention towards me.
Stella was sitting at the head of the conference table, looking fresh and polished—the utmost professional. Tailored pantsuit, hard, unrelenting mask, stiletto heels that were sharp enough to cut me to the core.
“Ah, he’s arrived. Clear the room,” she said in an unbothered tone, leaning back in her chair like she owned the place.
What the fuck? No kiss hello or how are you? She barely spared me a glance.
That was when my surroundings started to trickle in.
The board members followed her command, shuffling past without any acknowledgement or concern for my well-being.
Except for Howard, who was the last remaining. “Call out if you need me, Stella,” he said before knocking into my shoulder on the way out, shaking me out of my comatose state.
What alternate reality have I stepped into here?
When the door closed behind me, I was left alone with my wife. But instead of feeling long-awaited relief, the atmosphere spiked with wired friction.
Stella waved a hand to the chair on her right. “Take a seat, Felix. There’s much to discuss.”
“You’re in my seat.”
“It suits me better, no?” The question was teasing, but there was a certain underlying factor to it—almost threatening.
I approached hesitantly, and when I finally lowered in the offered spot, Stella placed a briefcase on the table between us, fiddling with the lock mechanism.
“I’ve been in custody.”
“I know.”
“I’m out on bail.”
“I know.”
“Have you been looking into my case?” I asked, barely above a whisper. I didn’t know why I was so quiet, as if I didn’t want to disturb the charged tension in case I caused the whole room to explode.
When her keypad device clicked open, Stella’s gaze finally met mine—straight on, unencumbered and severe.
That look made me pause. There was something brewing underneath, something sinister that I couldn’t quite pinpoint. What the fuck happened while I was away?
“Now, Felix.” She clucked. “You know I don’t specialise in criminal law. But, based on some evidence I’ve managed to gather, there are three main points on the agenda that must be addressed.”
Phew. She’d had me shitting myself for a second there. My girl was just working her ass off to look out for me. It was no wonder she didn’t have time for pleasantries.
Stella collected a manila folder from her briefcase and slid it in front of me.
My spine snapped straight. “Alright, sweetheart, let’s get this shit done. Hit me. What’s number one on the list?” I asked, opening to the front page of the document.
The title took me a solid minute to process as my brain revolted against the stark black letters.
DIVORCE.