Chapter 20 Two Marriages #2
“Your ex-wife and her new fucking husband did this to me! Aren’t you going to do anything about it?!”
James’s eyes finally flicked to Gabriel, a hint of attention piercing the fog of his drunken stupor.
“My wife? What… new husband?”
Gabriel’s face twisted with rage. He punched James across the face, snapping roughly, “Wake the hell up, James! You’re not her husband anymore!
She’s got a new damn husband. It’s Alexander Graves.
Can you believe it?!” he scoffed. “The Empire Group’s heir!
She divorced you and married him. That rich fucking bastard! ”
James blinked, the weight of Gabriel’s words hitting him like a punch. His head spun, his anger and confusion mingling, as he tried to process the reality.
Kylie, who had been smug and drinking moments ago, froze. Her glass paused mid-air as she stared at Gabriel in shock.
“No… that’s not possible,” she whispered. “That day… I saw her… she was with that—what’s his name? The secretary… Allen?”
Gabriel’s fury snapped tighter. “She isn’t married to that assistant! She’s married to his boss, you dumb bitch. Alexander fucking Graves!”
James was so shocked he couldn’t even blink.
Then he suddenly lunged forward and shoved Gabriel hard in the chest.
“You’ve lost your fucking mind.”
The words barely left his mouth, slurred and rough, but the fury behind them was unmistakable. Even drunk, James’s disbelief burned hot.
“How can she marry someone like that?” he repeated hoarsely. “She is my wife. Even if she’s divorced, why the hell would someone like Alexander want her?”
His chest rose and fell violently.
“She has nothing to offer him,” James snarled. “Only I’m capable of making her happy.”
Before Gabriel could respond, Neil stormed forward, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him back.
“Sit the fuck down. What the hell are you doing?”
Gabriel gritted. “I’m telling you the truth. She was at the Empire Group’s party—with Alexander. They made a public appearance! There are videos of them on the news channels!”
“Fuck off.”
James violently shoved Neil away as well. He stumbled back, nearly losing his balance.
James stood there, swaying slightly, his body trembling—half from alcohol, half from shock. His eyes were wide, bloodshot, his mind refusing to process what he’d just heard.
Empire Group.
A name no one like him could even dream of touching.
How could Mia marry someone that rich? That powerful?
“No… it’s impossible,” James muttered, his voice breaking. “She’s living in that shabby apartment—I was going to bring her back home once she calmed down. She can’t… she can’t be married to someone like him! It’s impossible!”
His voice rose into a shout. “I’ll bring her back.”
***
James’s heart hammered uncontrollably as the car came to a stop in front of a towering glass building glowing against the night sky.
James stumbled out and immediately went to the driver’s side, yanking the door open.
He leaned forward, looking at William with wild eyes.
“Did you find her home address? Where is she living right now? She might not be at the office… how could she be at the office at night?” His words slurred, barely forming a coherent thought.
William answered nervously, “Mr. Graves, this is the only address we have for her whereabouts for now.”
James went quiet for a moment.
Then he said, in a shaking voice, “I’ll wait.”
He grabbed William by the collar and dragged him out of the car. “Get out. Go home.”
“Sir—”
“I want to talk to her alone. Get out. Go home.”
William hesitated. “Miss Sinclair… I really think I should stay. I can wait here with you.”
James shoved him again.
“I said go away. I don’t want to scare my wife.”
The words came out raw, possessive, delusional.
“I’ll meet her alone. Leave.”
William had no choice. He stepped back as the car door slammed shut in his face, leaving him standing helplessly on the road.
James waited outside the building of Empire Realty group the entire night.
The darkness crawled by painfully slow, every second stretching until it felt like years were passing instead of minutes. His body stayed rigid inside the car, breath stuck in his throat, eyes locked on the entrance.
But Mia never came.
Night bled into dawn. Morning light crept across the glass building, and employees began to arrive one by one. James didn’t move. His eyes burned, his hands clenched tightly against the steering wheel. Employees began pouring into the building.
James remained rigid in his car, breath lodged painfully in his throat.
Then—
He saw her.
Her familiar silhouette stepped out of a luxury car.
James’s heart slammed violently against his ribs. He pushed open his car door at once—but froze the very next second.
Alexander stepped out after her.
James watched, frozen, as Alexander reached for Mia, one hand sliding to the back of her head, pulling her closer. He bent down and kissed her deeply.
James’s entire body locked up.
His chest tightened so hard he could barely breathe.
Alexander pulled back slightly, then brushed a kiss across her cheek. Mia laughed softly, a sound James hadn’t heard in years. Alexander’s arm rested possessively around her waist.
Jealousy exploded inside James so violently it made his vision blur.
“Alright,” Alexander said to her warmly. “I’m heading to my meeting. Call me if you miss me.”
He caressed her face, kissed her again—slow, intimate—then turned and walked back to the car. Moments later, the car drove away.
Mia turned and headed toward the building.
That was when James snapped.
He rushed forward and blocked her path.
Before she could react, his hand clamped around her wrist. His other hand shot up to cover her mouth, silencing her gasp as he dragged her toward the back of the building.
“Mmph—!”
He shoved her against the wall, trapping her between his arms. His hands slammed against the concrete on either side of her head as he leaned down, breath hot and reeking of alcohol.
“Ever since you left our house,” he snarled, “you didn’t come home even once. You’ve been living with Alexander fucking Graves, haven’t you? Sleeping in his mansion. Warming his fucking bed?!”
Mia stared at him in shock and disgust. She shoved him hard in the chest, her palm scraping his nose as she twisted away.
“Are you drunk?” she snapped, repulsed. “What is wrong with you? Stop this nonsense!”
James stepped closer instead.
His eyes burned—wild, jealous, furious.
“How can you kiss another man?” he demanded, voice shaking.“We were married… and you never once kissed me. How could you give that to someone else?”
He grabbed the back of her head and forced his mouth against hers.
Mia reacted instantly.
She shoved him away and bit down hard on his lip.
James staggered back with a sharp gasp, blood blooming, rage flashing brighter in his eyes.
“You’re so disgusted by me,” he spat, breath uneven. “You wouldn’t even let me touch you?”
Enraged, he lunged again, trying to kiss her. He forced his mouth on hers, rough and desperate.
Mia shoved him back harder this time—and slapped him across the face.
Her palm connected sharply with his face.
The sound cracked through the quiet morning.
She stumbled slightly from the force of her movement. James, already unstable, lost his footing for a moment before steadying himself.
Then he grabbed her again.
This time his voice dropped—calm on the surface, but unhinged underneath.
“Mia,” he said softly, dangerously, “it’s fine. Even if you slept with another man, I won’t hold it against you.”
Her blood ran cold.
“But you will only belong to me.”
Mia turned to flee.
But James moved faster.
Before she could take more than two steps, he stormed after her, scooped her up brutally, and threw her over his shoulder.
“James—let me go!” she screamed, pounding against his back.
He ignored her completely, striding toward the car. He yanked the car door open and shoved her inside, slamming it shut before getting into the driver’s seat. Tires screeched as he drove off.
The car sped off.
When it finally stopped, Mia looked up and her heart dropped.
They were in front of the courthouse.
James got out, walked around, and unlocked her door.
“James, have you lost your mind?” she shouted, trying to pull away.
He grabbed her wrist and yanked her out of the car, dragging her toward the entrance.
“I don’t want to go in!” she screamed, wrenching her hand free.
But when she refused to move, James bent down, hoisted her over his shoulder again, and stormed inside the courthouse.
He didn’t slow down until he reached the marriage registration counter.
Mia struggled violently, trying to run—but James wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her there.
“Miss,” She turned desperately to the woman behind the counter, “I don’t want to get married. Look at him—he’s crazy. He’s forcing me!”
“Shut it,” James snapped.
He pulled a thick bundle of cash from his pocket and dropped it on the counter.
“Sorry about my wife’s tantrum,” he said coldly. “We want to get married right now..”
The woman glanced at the money, then at them, smiling indulgently.
“Oh, I understand. Couples fight all the time. It’s very common,” she waved a dismissive hand. “I’ll prepare the forms. I’ll need both your names and ID cards.”
James immediately handed over his ID.
“Right,” Mia said eagerly. “I don’t even have my ID on me! Marriage is cancelled!”
“I’ll handle it,” James growled.
He pulled out his phone and turned the screen toward the clerk. “I have a photo of her ID. Can you print it and process the registration?”
Mia stared at him in disbelief.
“Oh my God,” she cried. “You’ve completely lost your mind!”
As they argued, the woman suddenly frowned at her computer screen. She typed again, then looked up.
“I’m sorry,” she said carefully. “I can’t process this marriage registration.”
James froze.
“Why?” he demanded.
Mia scoffed. “See? Even God’s waving a red flag at this wedding.”
She turned to the woman at once, a bright smile breaking across her face. “No worries, sister. Thanks for trying. Let’s call it a day—no marriage today.”
The woman glanced awkwardly between them, then pointed at Mia. “She’s already married to another man.”
Mia blinked—then her lips curved upward before she could stop herself.
“Oh. Right. How could I forget?” Her shoulders relaxed, relief slipping through her as she turned to James, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. “I’m already married—to my current husband. I can’t have two marriages, right?”
James stared at her as if the ground had dropped away beneath his feet.
“When?” he whispered. “When did you register it?”
“Just a few weeks after I left your house,” Mia replied.
The color drained from James’s face.
He had assumed—hoped—that even if she had married someone else, she wouldn’t have registered it yet. After all, he himself had delayed their registration for three months.
His body went rigid.
“Why…” His voice cracked, barely holding together. “Why did you do it? “Was it revenge? Because I didn’t take care of you when we were married? Or because of the kidnapping that day?”
His hands trembled. His face had gone frighteningly pale.
Mia stared at him, startled.
‘Did he really fall in love with me? I’ve never seen him like this,’ she thought. ‘Like someone abandoned by the entire world.’
But even then—
She felt nothing.
“Answer me, Mia.”
Mia stared straight into his eyes.
Her fingers clenched at her sides as she spoke.
“The day I walked out of your house was the day I decided I would never live with you again. That decision had nothing to do with anyone else.”
She paused, then continued coldly, “I’m married now. Please don’t bother me again.”
James’s face went deathly white.
Before he could say anything, Mia picked up his phone from the counter. Her fingers moved quickly as she deleted the photo of her ID from it. She placed the phone back down and frowned at him sharply.
“Don’t steal my ID again!” she snapped.
She then turned and started to storm out of there.
That was when James’s hand flew to his chest.
Suddenly, pain exploded in his chest. His hand flew to his heart as he staggered back, tears bursting uncontrollably from his eyes. He covered his face, his body shaking violently as he leaned against the counter—then slowly slid down to the floor.
Mia halted mid-step.
She turned back—and saw him on the ground, clutching his chest, shaking, crying like a man whose world had just ended.
For a brief second, pain flickered through her eyes.
This was the man she had once wanted to spend her entire life with. The man she had dreamed of building a future with.
But that life was no longer possible.
Just then, heavy footsteps echoed behind her.
Mia stiffened.
A tall figure marched toward them, his presence cold and lethal.
“Alexander?”
She gasped, shock flashing across her face.
Alexander’s eyes were dark with fury as he reached her and gripped her arms firmly.
“Are you alright?” he demanded, anger and tension radiating off him.
She nodded quickly, barely managing a response as his gaze swept over her body, checking her face, her arms, every inch of her.
On the ground, James could barely hear anything. The voices around him sounded distant, muffled. Darkness clouded his vision as he lifted his eyes weakly.
He saw Alexander standing protectively in front of Mia.
Then Alexander’s furious gaze shifted to him.
The rage in his eyes intensified as he took a step forward.
But Mia grabbed Alexander’s arm tightly.
“Alexander, I’m fine,” she said urgently. “Stop. Please. You don’t need to make this worse.”
She tightened her grip around him. “Let’s go home,” she whispered.
Alexander clearly didn’t want to leave—but he didn’t pull away from her either.
James lay there, weak and shaking, his eyes locked on them.
James watched them through blurred vision—the way she clung to Alexander, the way she held him without hesitation.
So it was all true.
She had really married Alexander—willingly.
The realization crushed him harder than anything before. Mia was farther out of his reach than she had ever been.
The darkness finally swallowed him whole.
James collapsed unconscious.