Chapter one.
Stephanie quietly stares down at the brown envelope in her hands. Her hands are shaking and she can't stop them. How can she? She just got a message that her husband of ten years is cheating on her.
The man who walked to the altar with her. The man who promised to be with her through the thick and thin's of life.
She got an anonymous call early in the morning. A man told her that her loving husband is a cheat and he has proof. She did ask for it but he had volunteered to send her evidence. She wanted to scream at him, call him a liar. But she was scared it was true. Leonard had spat on their marital vows.
She slowly opens the envelope. She sees two people in an erotic position and the blonde woman looks like she is swimming in pleasure. And of course, it's Leonard. He is holding the woman close to himself and his lips are on hers.
The door opens and she shove the pictures into the envelope.
Aubrey enters holding her teddy bear close. She was wide awake although it was late at night the eight year old looked void of sleep. Behind her is her brother Austin tall like his dad and equally handsome. He, like his sister don't look like he has gotten any sleep.
"I can't sleep, mummy?" Aubrey pouted.
"Me too." Austin added.
She looked to them and pulled them into her hands.
"You can't sleep? What seems to be the problem my sweethearts?" She asked as she planted kisses on their noses.
" The boogie man." The eight year old said.
Stephanie couldn't help but laugh. She soon stopped because the children weren't laughing.
"The boogie man can't hurt you guys." She assured them.
"Why are you so sure. " Austin asked.
"Well because your mummy is a super hero. The boogie man is scared of her." She said with a smile.
"And you guys can stay here with me. My room is boogie man proof. "
The children squeaked in joy as the climb the bed. She climbs the bed too and lays between them. The hold close to her and she hugs them right. They look peaceful as they slowly drift to sleep.
Leonard is holding a bottle of alcohol in his hand. His eyes are bloodshot and he looks really pissed off. How could he be so foolish? To give an employee a hundred million dollars? He should have asked for deal to be signed with the so called cooperation before parting with so much cash. Never the less, he was going to get the culprit.
He looks at his phone and the time is 23 o clock. He has been here all night. His kids should be asleep by now. They shouldn't see him like this. Drunk and foolish.
Stephanie is sitting in the vast sitting room. The sitting room filled with expensive furnitures and art work that showed wealth that her husband could buy.
She can't stop the tears from pouring down. The kids are asleep upstairs and hopefully they are deeply asleep and can't see her. She lets out all her sorrow and anguish. Leonard had done it twice before. But this time, she is fed up.
The door opens and Leonard walks in, First two buttons undone and coat in hand. He stinks badly of alcohol and Stephanie can't help but gag.
If he noticed her, he didn't show it. He walks right to the stairs.
"Where are you coming from this late at night?" She asked trying her best not to burst out in anger.
He turns and stares at her.
"Steph? I didn't see you. Why are you awake?" He asked. He tries his best to hold still and not stagger.
Steph stands up and looks at him. He could see angry flames jumping from her eyes to his face.
"I could have. If you had been a reasonable person." She barked at him.
He is taken aback. Never has she spoke to him in that way.
"Is everything okay, Steph? 'Cos I don't have strength to fight. Please." He sighs and rub his forehead.
She slaps the envelope to his face and he quickly sobers up, a bit. The envelope falls to the ground and she grabs in again and pushes it to his chest.
"What's the meaning of this?" He asked, furious.
"You tell me! You fucking tell me, Leonard. I take all you have shoved into my face but infidelity, I won't take that."
He drops his coat and opens the envelope. He didn't need a second glance, he knew what it is.
"You should know better that trying to pick a fight with me because of this." He picks the his coat back and heads to the stairs.
"We will talk about it tomorrow when you have a less hot head." He said as he walks into the stairs.
His nonchalant behaviour has put her anger over the edge. She suddenly pulls him back and slaps him across the face.
Leonard is shocked. He looks at her with boiling rage and she raises her hand to repeat it but he holds it halfway.
"Don't dare it Stephanie" he warns. " Don't you dare hit me again."
She slaps him with her free hand and that was it. He flings her across the room and she screams as she comes in contact with the hard floor.
He walks to her his eyes red with blinding rage. He hits her repeatedly as she tries to shield herself with her small hands.
At the end of the whole assault, Stephanie is left bleeding from different parts of her body. She holds her face in fear and sobs quietly.
Leonard looks down at his hands, which are red with blood. He looks down at his wife, she is scared and brutalized.
He wants so much to go down and hold her tight and tell her how sorry he is. He wanted to take her up stairs and bath her clean and wear her fresh clothes. He wanted to message and soothe those parts of her body that he had made to hurt.
But he did the opposite. He walked upstairs. His pride has gotten in the way, again.
Stephanie hears the fading stumps of her husband's feet. This was the first time he has hit her since they got to know each other.
Leonard has changed. He has changed too much. With that thought, she bends her head and cries the more.
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