Josie shoved him away. “Leave!” she demanded, her eyes flashing with anger. But she had no say in their relationship. “Leave?” he sneered. His hands were inches away from her chest.
Her pajamas fell open with a slight tug on the knot of her belt. She was pushed onto the bed, her hands pinned above her head by the man’s strong grip. His lips were like fire on her neck, leaving two red marks in their wake.
It wasn’t a kiss but a vicious bite. Josie’s face twisted in disgust as she raised her arms to slap Dexter, but he easily pinned her down. “Have you gone insane?” she yelled. In the dim light, she noticed that he wasn’t wearing their wedding ring.
Dexter loosened his grip and followed her darting eyes. “You must like Arnold Carter,” he said, his voice deep and menacing.
Josie felt a surge of anxiety pin her into place as she froze. The man’s voice dripped with venom as he continued, “Have I mistreated you?” Without a moment’s hesitation, he ripped off her pajamas and roughly fell on top of her. The next day.
It was raining outside. The view from the balcony was obscured by a thick mist that covered the mountains in the distance, and the sound of raindrops beating on the leaves was deafening. The weather forecast predicted that the thunderstorm would last for another week.
Josie lay in bed, covered by a rumpled blanket that exposed her bare shoulders. She stared at the wall in a daze, lost in thought. After a few moments, she sighed and got up, slowly making her way to the bathroom.
A slight movement made her whole body ache as if her bones had been shaken apart and roughly put back together. Her forehead furrowed into a deep scowl as she felt the pain.
He went three rounds with her while she was awake, but she was eventually knocked out. When she woke up the next time, she could only feel her body aching all over. The man was gone, and a bitter emptiness coiled around her heart.
The rainy weather made the room feel suffocating, so she went downstairs for her meal. When the maids saw her, they all averted their eyes, sighing as they pitied her.
Josie felt like she was gasping for air. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. Her phone buzzed, and she answered the call.
“I finally reached you!” her colleague’s voice, rang through the phone. “What happened, Josie? Why were you fired?” She opened her eyes with a start. Josie felt a chill run down her spine. “What are you talking about?” she asked, her voice shaking. “I wasn’t fired.”
“I just saw the notice on the office bulletin board,” her colleague uttered. “It says you were let go.”
Josie’s stomach churned as she glanced around the room. Her eyes landed on the car keys on the table. They must be Dexter’s. She snatched them up and darted into the garage. “Explain slowly,” she called out as she turned. the engine on. “I’m on my way to the office.”
She felt like fate had dealt her a cruel hand. The sky seemed to be falling in on her. “The stock market took a turn within an hour of opening, and the whole market is in chaos.”
Josie’s hands started to tremble on the steering wheel. She scrolled through her contacts, contemplating whether she should make the call. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Arnold.
“Are you okay?” Arnold asked worriedly. Josie forced a tight-lipped smile as she shook her head. “I don’t think so.” The Carter Group was also caught up in the mess, but Arnold seemed unruffled. He continued in a calm voice, “Your man is intriguing. As expected from Dexter.”
He had caught on quickly. Josie’s smile faltered. Her body still ached, and she felt exhausted. Her stomach churned, and she ran to the bathroom to vomit. Tears welled up in her eyes.
