Chapter 9 #2
I softened slightly, understanding the weight of that promise, but I couldn’t back down. “And you have, but it’s time to cut the cord. What happens if you go on a business trip and leave me alone with her? She’ll try it again.”
Colson shook his head, his voice firm. “I don’t believe that.”
My frustration boiled over. “How many dinner parties does she have to ruin?”
He sighed, a look of resignation in his eyes. “None. She won’t ruin anymore,” he promised.
I took a deep breath, feeling a small victory but knowing it wasn’t enough. “At least move her into the guest house. It’s beautiful, and it’s barely used.”
Colson studied me for a moment, weighing the options, before nodding slowly. “I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow.”
It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but it was a step in the right direction. As I rested my forehead against his, I couldn’t help but think of the key I’d hidden away. The lies and secrets were piling up…I had a lot of work to do.
I moved off him and rolled to my own side of the bed while he stayed on his.
Colson shut the light and we went to sleep but sleep didn’t come long after I heard his even breathing.
And sometime after, I heard our bedroom door creak open.
In the dim light, I saw a silhouette. I wasn’t sure who it was, but I was pretty sure it was Simone.
She stood there and my body tensed, coiling up tight in case she decided to attack. Who knew what she had with her – a knife, a gun or some other weapon. She could hurt me before Colson stopped her. He was blind when it came to her, and I didn’t know why.
I ticked off three minutes before the door closed again and I was able to breathe. Colson never woke, and I decided to see how the discussion about moving went before I brought it up. It would reinforce my belief that she had it out for me and the cameras in the hall would be my evidence.
Two days later, I couldn’t take it anymore.
Simone's little stunt the night before had pushed me to my breaking point. Empty bottles, cigarette butts, and the remnants of a wild night had littered the living room. It was obvious she was trying to get under my skin, and I wasn’t going to let her win this time. I marched straight to Colson's office.
I didn’t bother knocking. The door clicked shut behind me as I strode in, my heels echoing off the polished marble floor. Colson looked up from his desk, his eyes narrowing in irritation.
“I’m busy,” he said, his tone colder than usual.
“I don’t care,” I replied, standing my ground. I had become all too familiar with his mood swings, and today, I wasn’t backing down.
Colson leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he watched me with that calculating gaze of his. “Good,” he said slowly. “Because I have something to discuss with you too. I don’t appreciate you disrespecting our home.”
I blinked, taken aback. “Excuse me?”
“You had friends over, drank my liquor, and let them smoke in the house. You know how much I hate cigarettes.”
I stared at him in disbelief, then let out a bitter laugh. “Friends? Colson, I don’t have friends—unless you count the social climbers who pretend to like me for donations. But if you want the truth, check the camera feeds. You’ll see who was really here last night.”
His expression darkened, and his jaw tightened. “I did check the feeds. They were off until a few minutes before I got home.”
“Of course they were,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “It was your precious daughter, not me. I wouldn’t disrespect our home like that, especially not when I have work to do.”
Colson’s face hardened, and he rose from his chair. “Simone wouldn’t do that. She knows better.”
I couldn’t help but smirk. “But I don’t, right?”
He took a step closer, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ve been disobedient before, Josephine. You’re sometimes worse than a toddler with your tantrums.”
My blood boiled, and I shot back, “Then why don’t you choke me until I pass out again? You’re good at that, aren’t you?”
Before I could react, Colson was on me, shoving me down onto the couch with such force I barely had time to process it. His knees pinned my arms down, and the weight of his body left me powerless beneath him. The look in his eyes sent a chill down my spine—dark, unfeeling, and terrifying.
“Sometimes,” he hissed, “the abuse is warranted. You’ve grown bold, and I don’t like it. What happened to my gentle, shy kitten?”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “She became an Ashworth,” I whispered, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
For a moment, something shifted in his eyes, and just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. Colson climbed off me, adjusting his tie as if nothing had happened. Then he pulled me to my feet and into a tight embrace, his lips brushing against my ear.
“You bring out the worst in me,” he murmured.
I closed my eyes, pressing my face into his chest, my breath shaky. “The worst doesn’t need an invitation, Colson. It finds its own way out.”
He released me and returned to his desk, his back to me. “Why did you come here?” he asked, his voice emotionless.
“Simone,” I said, straightening my clothes, trying to regain my composure.
He sighed, rubbing his temples as if the mention of her name exhausted him. “This again?”
“Yes, this again,” I said, my voice firm. “She had that party, and she’s clearly taking advantage of you. Have you spoken to her?”
Colson didn’t look at me. “I have not.”
“Then do it,” I demanded, my frustration boiling over. “Or I’ll remove myself from the situation. I don’t feel safe living in the same house as your daughter.”
“You won’t be going anywhere,” he said flatly, finally meeting my gaze with a steely resolve. “You’re my wife, and you’ll live in the same home I do.”
I stared at him, the weight of his words settling over me like a shroud. He wasn’t going to let me leave, no matter what Simone did. But I wasn’t going to stay quiet either.
Later that evening, I found myself pacing the length of our bedroom, my mind racing. The confrontation with Colson had left a bitter taste in my mouth, but it also stirred something deeper—something I couldn’t ignore. I needed to get away, even if just for a few hours. I needed to breathe.
I grabbed my coat and purse, glancing at the clock. It was nearly midnight. Colson was still in his office, probably brooding over some business deal or nursing a drink. I didn’t care. I had to leave before I suffocated under the weight of this house and everything it represented.
As I reached the front door, a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks. “Sneaking out?”
I turned to see Simone lounging against the banister, a smug smile playing on her lips. She looked as if she’d been waiting for this moment, her eyes gleaming with hate.
“What do you want, Simone?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
She shrugged, pushing off the banister and sauntering toward me. “Just curious. It’s not like you to leave without telling Daddy.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Daddy? You’re a fucking adult,” I hissed.
She laughed, a cold, sharp sound that echoed in the foyer. “Touchy, touchy. What’s wrong, Josephine? Did Daddy scold you for being a naughty little wife?”
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “You’re drunk. Go back to bed.”
Simone’s smile widened, and she stepped closer, her breath reeking of alcohol. “You know, for someone who married into this family, you act like you belong here. But you don’t. You’re just a pretty face Daddy picked up because he was bored.”
“Get out of my way,” I said through gritted teeth, my patience wearing thin.
But Simone didn’t move. Instead, she leaned in, her voice a venomous whisper. “You think you’re so special, don’t you? But we all know the truth. You’re just another one of Daddy’s toys. And when he’s done with you, you’ll be tossed aside like the rest.”
I stared at her, my heart pounding in my chest. I wanted to lash out, to slap that smug expression off her face, but I knew better. That’s what she wanted—to provoke me, to make me lose control.
Instead, I took a deep breath and forced a smile. “At least I’m not a spoiled little girl who can’t even clean up after herself. You’re pathetic, Simone. And one day, Colson will realize that too.”
Her eyes flashed with anger, and for a moment, I thought she might strike me. But then she laughed again, the sound hollow and bitter. “We’ll see about that.”
I stepped around her and opened the door, the cool night air hitting my face like a slap.
I didn’t look back as I walked out, slamming the door behind me.
I needed to get away, to clear my head before I did something I’d regret.
I walked the long drive down to the bottom.
I was sure Colson would check the cameras eventually and see I had left.
The streets were quiet, the only sounds the distant hum of traffic and the occasional bark of a dog. I walked aimlessly, letting the cool air calm my nerves. But no matter how far I walked, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being trapped, of being suffocated by the life I had chosen.
I found myself at the entrance of a small park I used to visit when I was younger, the path dimly lit by street lamps.
I hesitated for a moment, then decided to enter, drawn by the solitude it offered.
The park was empty, the trees casting long shadows on the ground.
I sat on a bench, staring up at the sky, trying to find some semblance of peace.
But peace was elusive, slipping through my fingers like sand. My thoughts kept circling back to Colson, to Simone, to the mess I was entangled in. I had become someone I didn’t recognize—a woman surrounded by people who wanted to see me fall.
I didn’t know how long I sat there, lost in thought, when I heard footsteps approaching. I tensed, my hand instinctively reaching for my phone. But when I looked up, I saw a familiar figure standing a few feet away.
“Joey.”
Vaughn’s voice was soft, almost hesitant, as if he wasn’t sure he should be here. He looked different in the dim light—softer, less guarded. For a moment, I just stared at him, too surprised to speak.
“What are you doing here?” I finally managed to ask.
“I could ask you the same thing,” he replied, moving closer. “It’s late.”
I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “I needed to clear my head.”
He nodded, his gaze never leaving mine. “Me too.”
Silence hung between us, heavy with unspoken words. I knew I should leave, but something kept me rooted to the spot, something in the way Vaughn was looking at me.
“Josephine,” he said quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper. “You don’t have to stay with him. You know that, right?”
I looked away, the weight of his words pressing down on me. “It’s not that simple. We’ve been over this.”
“It is,” he insisted, his hand reaching out to touch mine. “You deserve better than this. Better than him.”
His touch was warm, comforting, and I found myself leaning into it, craving the warmth, the kindness I so rarely received. But then I remembered who I was, where I was, and I pulled back, shaking my head.
“I can’t,” I said, my voice breaking. “I’m trapped, Vaughn. I’m trapped in this life, in this marriage. There’s no way out.”
“There is,” he said firmly, his eyes locking onto mine. “You just have to take it.”
I met his gaze, seeing the determination in his eyes, the belief that I could be free. For a moment, I let myself imagine it—freedom, a life without Colson, without the weight of his control. But leaving my family to fend for themselves was not an option. There were no options other than to stay.
I shook my head, pulling away from Vaughn. “It’s too late,” I whispered, tears stinging my eyes. “It’s too late for me.”
“Joey, are you going to tell me the truth? What does he have on you? Why can’t you leave?”
I moved my gaze from his. “I just can’t.”
How could I tell him that I sold my soul to the devil to protect my family, to give them a future that was torn from them by his family? Who does that and how would it sound?
Vaughn didn’t move, his hand still outstretched, his eyes pleading with me to take it. But I couldn’t. I turned away, walking back the way I had come. As I left the park, I felt Vaughn’s eyes on me, a silent reminder of what could have been, of the life I could have had if things were different.
But they weren’t. And as much as I wanted to believe otherwise, I knew there was no escape.