Chapter 2

I was stunned after hearing my own words but at the same time it wasn't a lie.

No woman as a wife would accept it that her husband didn't touch her but satisfied himself using pictures. It was a shame for a woman who shared a bed with a man and still wasn't being touched by once when the man was her own husband. Unfortunately, I was that woman.

After learning about Joshua's love for Rosie and getting back home, the first thing I did after taking medicine was going into his study room and opening the locked drawer where he had kept that picture. When my eyes darted at the photo, it wasn't me like he claimed when I once caught him pleasuring himself looking at the picture, instead it was Rosie, smiling and looking bright with her fair complexion and blonde wavy hair.

I held the picture in my hand and fell to my knees in humiliation.

"I don't want you to get hurt for my desire, hence I use your picture and fulfill my desire like that," his words echoed in my ears. My eyes wandering at every piece in the room, as if they were all laughing at me for my foolishness and stupidity to believe his words. Tears rolled down, he shouldn't have made me a laughingstock, right now I was avoiding my own stare, feeling shame after the truth had been exposed.

Phoebe didn't waste anytime to bring those documents to me, and I grazed my finger on his name while skimming through them.

Joshua was the best friend of my brother Larry Morris, and because I was used to tagging along with my elder brother, I knew all his friends, but Joshua was the most polite, gentle and soft temper among all of them. As a child I always wondered if marrying him would be wonderful, it turned out as it was the most regrettable decision of my life.

"Ma'am!" I was lost in the past for a while when our maid pulled me out of it with her concern filled voice, wrinkles on her face deepen when she caught my attention.

"What is it Aunt Molly?" I always respected her because of her age; despite her being a servant.

"The frame of your family picture that you kept at the side table of your bed is ruined by Jeremy," she was hesitating, feeling fear while speaking. I sighed. I left the room open as usual to attend Phoebe and he entered without my permission. I wasn't willing to waste my energy on teaching him basic manners, but I froze when my eyes caught the picture that I had treasured, as it was the only family picture left after my parents died in an accident.

It was torn from corners, losing its original look. I snatched the picture from her hand and climbed up stairs. Rosie was leaving my room, holding hand of her son.

"What were you doing in my room?" I had no empathy with her; my words got cold without any effort.

"It is my home now" instead of her, the four year old kid answered me and my brows lifted at his response, from where did he get this confidence.

"Uncle Joshua had promised me that he would take care of me and mom just like my daddy did for us" I should have known, my eyes flickered to Rosie who was standing nonchalant having no intention of scolding her son or stopping him, therefore, I took the charge of it.

"Do you know, the kids who ruin other people's things, their toys don't like them and when the kid sleeps at night they pick him up and throw him out of the house to feed them to monsters" just like a normal child, he started crying and his mother shot dagger at me.

"You don't have to go that far to scare a child." I shrugged my shoulders.

"I wouldn't have to do that only if you have taught your child well" I entered room leaving them behind.

Later that night I stood in front of the window, when I heard Joshua's car horn, but it wasn't only me who heard. Jeremy and his mother even came out to greet him and were warmly enveloped in his arms. My heart sank at the sight, they were acting like a complete family already I gulped and averted my gaze from window.

In a short while he entered the room giving me disapproving look, no hi no hello, just an annoyed and irritating stare.

"You scared Jeremy" without any fear, I affirmed, pointing to the picture resting on a side table, which before few hours was fitted in a beautiful frame enhancing the looks of my table.

"It's the only one I had left with and he torn it"

"I apologize on behalf of Jeremy. It's my fault, I should have asked you first about what happened" he came forward, softening his tone. He extended his hand to ruffle my hair, but I stepped back. He had sensed my displeasure and was quick to offer a compensation.

"You'll give anything I'll ask?" he nodded, willing to compensate me. I laughed bitterly under my breath and turned to pick the documents from bed.

"I want these." He took papers from my hand and flipped through the top one, it was property deed and without asking any question or looking further into details, he bent down on the table to sign under his name, did same with other document too and did not bother to look at what it was.

I took paper from his hand, he seemed relaxed after compensating me. Money was never an issue for Hughes.

"You're such an understanding girl, I am amazed how well Larry has raised you." he engulfed me in his arm while muttering those words in my ear. I was disgusted by his act and wanted to push him away when Rosie's voice froze him and he swiftly removed his hands around me and stepped back to make a distance, I was shocked for a second when it hit me that he was too much careful to assure his love that he hadn't touched his wife for once because his heart belonged to her.

I wanted to leave the room feeling suffocated when she called him again.

"Jeremy wants you to sleep with him, he is very stubborn these days and feeling lonely," my gaze was switching between her and Joshua, it was kind of hilarious.

"Sure, I'll be there shortly." He then turned to me to confirm if I was okay with it. For a second, I was confused that why it mattered and why he would bother to ask me at first point when I had no say in it.

Once he left the room, I picked up the second document.

Divorce papers and his signature on the last page.