Chapter 33
SOLEI
I was trying to focus on the case–a simple possession charge, which should be easy–but my mind kept drifting to my deteriorating marriage.
I shifted position, rolling my neck to ease the tension, and saw his phone lighting up on the nightstand.
I stretched over a little to see that someone named Ashawna was FaceTimeing him.
My stomach dropped as I stared at the phone while it rang. Something in my gut told me to answer it. I reached over slowly, my hand shaking, and picked up his phone.
I swiped to accept the call, and the screen filled with a pretty chocolate woman’s face. She was young with long dark hair, full lips painted red… and completely naked. I could see everything–her breasts, her finger between her thighs, her head thrown back as she moaned.
“Daddy,” she breathed, her eyes closed. “Where you at? You said you was comin’ through. Mmm… we miss you so much.”
Her hand moved faster, and she bit her lip, moaning louder. Then, her eyes opened, and she froze when she saw it was me instead of Money. For a moment, we just stared at each other. Then she scrambled to cover herself, her eyes wide with panic.
“Oh shit… I’m…”
I ended the call, trying to steady my hand as I set the phone back down on the bed.
My body went numb, a distant chill spreading through my chest. For a moment, I just sat there, staring at nothing as I tried to process what I was feeling–shock, confusion, fear.
Then, still reeling, I turned to look at Money, still sleeping peacefully like he didn’t have a care in the world.
I reached over and slapped him across the face.
His eyes flew open, confused and disoriented.
“What the…?” I hit him again and again. Open-handed slaps cracked across his face, chest, and shoulders.
My pulse thundered, shock and anger tangled in my chest. “Solei! What the fuck?!” He tried to grab my wrists, but I was hitting him too fast, too wild.
“You fucking liar!” I was screaming now, all the rage and pain and betrayal pouring out of me. “You fucking piece of shit!”
“Baby, stop!”
“Don’t call me that!” I punched him in the chest, hard enough to hurt. “Don’t you ever fucking call me that again!”
He caught my wrists finally, flipping over to pin me against the mattress. “Have you lost your fuckin’ mind?”
“Have you?! Get the hell off me!”
“Not until you tell me what the fuck is goin’ on!”
“Your phone!” I was crying now, hot tears streaming down my face. “One of your little bitches called you on FaceTime! Legs wide open!"
His face went blank, then he had the audacity to lie. “I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about…”
“Don’t.” My voice was deadly quiet. “Don’t you dare lie to me right now.”
“Baby, I think you had a bad dream…”
“I answered your phone, Montana.” I stared up at him, and I saw the moment he realized he was caught. “I saw her. I saw everything.”
His jaw tightened. “She must’ve had the wrong number.”
“Bullshit. She was naked and playing with her pussy. Moaning.”
“Soul, she’s nobody.”
“Liar!” I bucked against him, trying to throw him off. “You’re a fucking liar!”
“Baby, listen to me.”
“No!” I sobbed, tears and hysteria overtaking any control I had. “I’m done listening! I’m done believing you! I’m done!” He pressed his mouth to mine, desperate and forceful, like sex could mend everything. I turned my head away, repulsed. “Get the hell off of me!”
“Baby, please.”
“I said don’t fucking touch me!” I kneed him hard in the balls.
He let out a strangled cry and rolled off me, curling into himself, gasping for air. “Fuck! Soul…”
I scrambled off the bed, my body trembling uncontrollably. Before I could move further, footsteps thundered down the hall, and the bedroom door burst open.
“Ma?” Junior stood in the doorway in his basketball shorts and a t-shirt, his eyes wide with fear. “What’s goin’ on? I heard screamin’.”
“Go back to bed, Junior.” Money’s voice was strained, struggling to get up and compose himself.
“Ma, are you good?” Junior ignored him, looking at me. “Are you okay?” I couldn’t answer. I was crying too hard, my whole body shaking with sobs.
“Junior.” Money’s voice was harder as he leaned on the bed. “I said go back to bed."
“But Ma…”
“Now.”
Junior looked between us, his face crumpling. He was eight years old, and he’d just heard his parents screaming at each other in the middle of the night. “It’s okay, baby,” I managed to choke out. “Just… just go back to sleep. Everything’s fine.’
“It doesn’t sound fine.”
“Junior.” Money stood up, and even hurt, even caught, he was still intimidating. “Go back to your room.”
Junior balled up his fists, but he went. The door closed behind him. My chest tightened as I rushed to the master bathroom, slamming the door and locking it. I collapsed against it, sliding down to the floor, the tension in my body breaking as I screamed.
Money was at the door immediately, pounding on it. “Soul, open the fuckin’ door!”
“I fucking hate you!” The words ripped out of me, raw and jagged. “I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!”
“Baby, please, just let me explain.”
“There’s nothing to explain!” I was sobbing so hard I could barely breathe. “You keep doing this shit!” I slammed my fist against the door.
“Open this fuckin’ door, Solei.”
“I’m done, Money.” My voice broke. “I’m leaving. I’m taking the kids, and I’m fucking leaving.”
“Over my dead body. Open this fuckin’ door, and I’m gon’ knock it the fuck down!”
“Fuck you!” I was crying so hard I thought I was going to throw up. “I cannot keep pretending this is normal. I can’t keep defending you. I can’t keep lying to myself that you’re going to change.”
“Baby, please…”
“Just shut up!” I screamed. “You’ll never change! This is who you are! A liar! A cheater! A piece of fucking shit!”
“I love you. Baby, open the door.”
My voice cracked. “Why do you keep hurting me?”
“Just open the door. Let’s talk about this shit.”
“Money, I warned you,” I said firmly. “I’m taking the kids, and I’m leaving.”
The banging on the door started again. “Solei, stop fuckin’ playin’ with me! Open fuckin’ this door!”
“No.” I sniffled, walking over to the his-and-hers sink.
“Solei, I swear to God…”
“What?” I laughed bitterly, staring at myself in the mirror. “What are you going to do? Break down the door? Force me to stay? You can’t make me love you, Money. You can’t make me trust you. Not anymore.”
I heard Money lean against the door, breathing heavy and ragged. “Solei.”
“I’m done, Money.” I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face. A wave of finality washed over me. “I’m finally, completely, done.”
I stood there, barely recognizing myself, and just knew–my marriage was over. I’d given him everything, and he’d thrown it all away for his empire, the game, and women. Acceptance hit as I realized I was finally, truly, completely done.