6

Chelsea

“Wait, do you think I found someone else?”

I asked him. It made absolutely no sense that he would think that. Our marriage might not have had any intimacy, but I would never get with anyone else while married.

I don’t know why he would think so little of me.

“I don’t think, Chelsea. I know what you have been up to, and I know why you suddenly want to divorce me. I won’t let that happen. You can’t leave if I don’t sign the papers, and I won’t sign.”

He said, and right in front of me, he ripped up the papers even though I screamed at him not to do it.

“Why would you do that? I have to go back and get a new copy! How could you do that?”

I cried. I hated that his action made me cry.

“Go tell that man that he can’t have you! I won’t let that happen. You are my wife, and you shall remain my wife for as long as I deem it fit.”

The crazy man told me.

“I am not seeing anyone. You don’t know the reason I want a divorce, and I refuse to tell you! I just want out of this sham marriage! You should want it too!”

I yelled at him.

“I don’t want it! I do not want to divorce yet, and I am not going to until our two-year contract expires. Whatever you plan to do can wait. Nine months. Unless you have reasons why waiting for nine extra months would be disastrous.”

He looked at me in a way that made me feel exposed. What was he insinuating?

“You have to sign the divorce, Nathan! I can’t wait for nine months! I don’t have nine months! It has to be now. I beg you to let me go.”

I pleaded with him. I had no choice but to plead.

“Why? Are you scared that if you don’t get the divorce soon, you will be exposed for the fraud that you are? For the promiscuous woman that you are? I thought I knew you, Chelsea! I thought you were different!”

I couldn’t get over the fact that he called me a promiscuous woman.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, Nathan! I just want a divorce! I want my life back. I don’t want to be married to you anymore, and I have the money, so just let me go! Let me fucking go!”

The more I spoke, the louder and more desperate I sounded.

“Not going to happen. You are stuck with me, and I am going to make sure that you are fully exposed.”

What was he even talking about?

“What the fuck are you talking about? I am not promiscuous, and I certainly didn’t commit any kind of fraud. I just want out of this fucked up marriage that we have, and you are making it seem as if I did something wrong.”

I fired at him. He laughed. Even his laughter sounded angry.

“I know what you did, Chelsea, and you will regret it. You will regret ever taking my trust for granted.”

He started walking away, but turned around and looked at me in a way that made me self-conscious.

“I see that you have even taken off your wedding set.”

My eyes went to my empty fingers.

“What’s that supposed to mean? I am at home, and I am filing for a divorce! There’s no need for me to continue wearing the ring! You can take yours off, too!”

I fired at him. I don’t know why he is always wearing the ring anyway. He makes it seem as if he is committed to the marriage.

If anyone is a fraud, then it should be him because he is the one who came up with the contract and listed out the terms, and yet, he is the one who isn’t willing to follow the terms of the contract.

“I know that this marriage doesn’t mean anything to you, but it meant something to me.”

I blinked in shock at his words, but then I realized what he meant by that.

Of course, the marriage meant something to him because he got promoted once we got married, and I see why he doesn’t want to divorce me.

“I know why you don’t want to divorce me, even though I have the money ready! I know you need to keep up the sham if you want to be given the new position that you have been eyeing.”

I accused him, and for the first time, he looked shocked.

“What are you talking about?”

Why is he acting so shocked?

“Don’t think I don’t know that you need to keep this sham of a marriage to get that chairman position that you want so badly! Isn’t that why you don’t want to sign? Don’t make me the bad guy here for wanting out! If anyone is a fraud between the two of us, it’s you! You are the only one benefiting from the marriage!”

I yelled at him. He isn’t the only one who could throw accusations, and in my case, I wasn’t making things up.

“Do you really believe that I need to stay married to become chairman?”

He asked with a mocking laugh.

“Then why don’t you want to divorce me? You don’t even need me, so let me go! It’s not like I am your real wife!”

I reminded him. I wasn’t even supposed to be married to him.

“You are my real wife, Chelsea. You are the woman I married, and you are not going anywhere. Even if you are carrying that man’s child, I still won’t let you go! You will have the baby here and be disgraced for having an affair.”

Wow. Not only was he accusing me of seeing someone else, but he was also saying I am pregnant.

“You are crazy! I am not pregnant!”

I yelled at him.

“Oh yeah? If you are not pregnant, then why did you go to the hospital recently, and why have you decided to file for a divorce?”

He questioned me.

“I am not pregnant. I don’t have to tell you why I went to the hospital, and how do you even know that? Have you been stalking me?”

I couldn’t believe he had been secretly watching my every move. That’s the only way he would know that I was at the hospital.

“Stalking? You are my wife, Chelsea! I have a right to know about every move you make! I know you are having that bastard’s baby, and I know that bastard gave you the money you are trying to use to divorce me, and I won’t let it happen!”

What bastard? My eyes widened when I realized who he was referring to.

Matt.

“You are crazy, Nathan, and I refuse to have a conversation with you! I am going to send new signed papers! Sign it, or I will sue you!”

I yelled at him and walked past him. It was tiring to continue standing.

“Stop right there!”

He called out, but I ignored him until I got to the living room and sat down.

“I am tired! I need to sit down.”

I told him. Ever since I got the confirmation from the doctor, I felt even more fatigued, even without doing anything.

“Why are you tired? What have you been up to?”

God! I should have just gone to my room.

“Nathan, I am really very tired, and I need to rest. I will have the new papers sent to you; please, I beg you to sign. I really need this marriage to end. I want my life back.”

I couldn’t even shout anymore.

“Are you okay? You look very pale.”

Why was he acting as if he suddenly cared about me? We have been married for over a year, and he has never once cared about my well-being.

If this was his way to make me stay in the marriage, then he must be out of his mind.

I stood up.

“I just need to rest, please. Do well to sign the papers, Nathan. You don’t want to keep this marriage.”

I warned him and walked past him again. Thankfully, he didn’t try to stop me.

I got on my bed as soon as I got back to my room, and it took some time for me to feel better.

Once I felt a lot better, I reached out for my phone to call my lawyer to prepare the new papers, but I couldn’t find my phone.

That’s when I remembered I took it with me to the living room.

I got out of bed and made my way to the living room. Nathan was long gone, and I couldn’t find my phone.

I looked everywhere for my phone, and still I couldn’t find it, and that’s when it crossed my mind that Nathan could have taken it.