Chapter 10 Who Does Not Do Human Affairs

Wendy's face, which had finally gotten some color back after all this time, went dead white in an instant. She instinctively wanted to run, but Nora didn't look good either. In that moment, she finally realized — if Marcus could find her here, where else could she possibly go?

"What are you doing here?" Wendy's smile froze, her expression going cold.

"Blocking me and changing your number, Wendy. Real nice move." Marcus pushed his way through the door, grabbed Wendy by the wrist, and dragged her into a bedroom.

"How did you find this place?" Wendy forgot about the sharp pain in her wrist. Her mind was completely taken over by one overwhelming thought: I'm so screwed.

Nora was outside pounding on the door. "Let go of Wendy, you crazy psycho!"

Marcus acted like he didn't hear a word. "You were so careful hiding from me, but your best friend isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. She went shopping at one of my malls. Jordan spotted her and tipped me off."

On the other side of the door, Nora went silent.

Wendy cursed Marcus in her head. What a bastard.

"Come back with me, or I'll trash Nora's shop. You two are so close — you wouldn't want that for her, would you?"

"You wouldn't dare." Wendy tore into him in her head. "Whatever's going on between us, why drag Nora into it?"

"Because she hid you from me and wasted six days of my time before I found you." Marcus said through gritted teeth, his voice cold and sharp.

"Six days?" Wendy's heart skipped a beat. Marcus had been looking for her for six whole days? She didn't want to read too much into it, so she tested him on purpose. "Weren't you busy taking care of Cassie this whole time?"

"Cassie doesn't make a big deal out of nothing or make me worry over her. You think everyone's like you?"

Wendy was quiet for a moment. "Well, if Cassie's fine now, did you come looking for me to finalize the divorce?"

Her driver's license, Social Security card, and marriage certificate were still back at the house — she'd have to go back for those eventually. "Actually, you said last time we'd get it done this week. Don't tell me you came all this way just to hand me the divorce papers?"

Marcus's face darkened like a storm cloud. "In your dreams," he said, his jaw tight.

"You haven't even apologized to Cassie yet. Why would I let you off that easy?"

She knew Marcus would always trust his own eyes. People who'd been in power too long got like that — stubborn and set in their ways.

Wendy felt like her heart was already broken, so oddly enough, his cruel, cutting words didn't hurt as much as they should have.

"Fine, you want an apology? Bring me the signed divorce papers, get the divorce certificate in hand, and I'll personally go find Cassie and make it right."

Marcus looked like he was about to explode. "You're that desperate to go running back to your ex?"

Wendy stood her ground. "Yeah! My ex is ten times the man you are. Why would I stick around for you—"

Her lips were suddenly crushed by his, the kiss rough and relentless — biting, pulling, consuming. Wendy bore the full force of his anger, barely able to breathe.

"Is he a better kisser than me?" Finally, after what felt like forever, Marcus pulled back. Wendy's lips were red and swollen, tingling and numb.

Then she covered her mouth, and a sudden wave of nausea hit her. "Ugh..."

"You're disgusted by me?" Marcus's expression darkened.

Wendy had been dealing with bad morning sickness from the early pregnancy. It had settled down over the past few days, but of all the times for it to hit again, it had to be now.

She pressed her hand over her mouth, shoved Marcus aside, and bolted for the bathroom. Even through the door she could hear Nora's voice.

"Marcus, what did you do to Wendy? If you laid a hand on her without her consent, I swear I'll kill you!"

Wendy pulled the door open to find Marcus and Nora already going at it.

Marcus: "This is my own family business. What does it have to do with you? Keep sticking your nose in and your shop won't survive till tomorrow."

Nora: "You dare! Using your power to bully people like this — I'm going to the police station to report you!"

Marcus let out a cold laugh. "Report me? You wouldn't even make it through the door before they hauled you in."

Wendy's heart tightened. He wasn't wrong. Marcus absolutely had that kind of pull. She couldn't stay in Nora's little hideaway much longer — she'd come here to lay low, and the last thing she wanted was to drag her best friend into this mess.

"I'll go with you. Just leave Nora out of it." Wendy shot Nora a reassuring look, but Nora's eyes were already filling with tears. "Wendy, no — you can't just give in like this!"

"Ha! Nora, say one more word and I'll make sure your little boyfriend loses his job too."

"Marcus, you wouldn't!" Nora could handle losing her shop — she had a loyal client base. But her boyfriend had worked so hard to get into Sullivan Corporation, and that job meant everything to him.

Wendy suddenly felt exhausted. "Okay, Nora. I never really thought I could hide from Marcus forever. I'll head back now. You take care of yourself."

Nora pressed her lips together tightly. If looks could kill, Marcus would have been dead hundreds of times over by now.

"Are you coming or not? Waiting for dark?" Always pushing, always rushing — that was Marcus.

In Nora's eyes, Wendy caught a look that said I'm sorry. Wendy just shook her head at her, quickly packed up her things, and followed Marcus out with her bag on her back.

"I don't know how you pulled it off, but your medical records from the hospital have completely disappeared." The moment they got in the car, Marcus hit her with that bombshell.

"You had me investigated?" Wendy stared at him, stunned.

"My wife lies through her teeth. Of course I was going to check whether she was telling the truth," Marcus said.

"Don't flatter yourself. If I wasn't worried about how to explain it if you went missing, I wouldn't have bothered tracking down the hospital doctors in the first place." He let out a cold laugh.

Wendy's heart jumped unexpectedly — twice. Was she actually hearing a hint of concern in what Marcus just said? She must have been hearing things.

She had to be.

"If you hadn't walked off with Cassie and completely ignored me, I never would have disappeared right under your nose in the first place," Wendy scoffed.

"Wendy! That's a complete reversal of the facts! Cassie fell because you pushed her. Me taking care of her was cleaning up your mess — do you understand that?"

Of course. It was always like this. Marcus had never once believed her. Whatever Cassie said, that was gospel truth to him.

Wendy immediately pulled back the small flicker of warmth she'd felt. It had no place here.

"Think whatever you want. I don't care anymore."

Marcus watched her stubbornly turn her head away. He reached over with one hand and gripped the back of her neck, forcing her to face him. Wendy was no match for his strength — she had no choice but to give in. She glared at him with red-rimmed eyes, while he pressed her, refusing to let up until she told him the truth.

"Was it your ex? Did he pull some strings and get your medical records transferred?"

Wendy's face was blank.

She let out a short, humorless laugh and dropped her gaze, not wanting to look at him.

"Think whatever you like."

Marcus almost laughed despite his anger. He was about to force her to back down when his phone rang. It was Vivian.