Chapter 3

Susan was tipsy, her voice laced with booze.

"Sorry, but honestly, I'm still having a good time. I don't want to get married," she slurred.

The guy, totally pissed, snatched up a wine bottle and looked ready to smash it at her.

Susan was my sister, after all. I didn't even think. I rushed in to drag her away.

But Cedric moved in faster. He chopped at the guy's wrist, and the bottle slipped from the guy's grip, smashing in front of me.

A sharp pain shot through my ankle, and I let out a muffled groan.

But Cedric didn't spare me a glance. His eyes were locked on Susan's dress, now stained with wine.

He took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders, his voice gentle as he asked,

"Did that freak you out?" he asked her.

Right then, it felt like the glass shards hadn't cut my ankle. They seemed to have stabbed straight into my heart.

Susan was totally wasted, her head lolling onto his shoulder as she mumbled, "Let's keep drinking."

Cedric's lips curled into a barely noticeable smile, but it disappeared just as quickly, replaced by his usual icy demeanor. He flung the car keys at me.

"Bring the car around from the parking lot. It's chilly tonight. I'll take her to the lobby and wait for you," he said.

He shoved the keys into my arms, which I was hugging against the cold, making it clear I had no say in the matter.

He only cared about Susan. But what about me? Didn't he care if I was cold too?

Through my tear-blurred vision, I watched as he grabbed Susan's high heels and swept her up into his arms, carrying her inside.

That was when I finally heard the sound of my heart shattering.

Some of my old friends gave me pitying looks, but I forced a bitter smile and flung the keys into my drink.

I tore off the heavy, floor-length dress, yanked out the hairpins digging into my scalp, and wiped away my tears fiercely. Then I left through the back door.

"Mom, it's completely over between me and Cedric. Please send my things from my room to the apartment downtown," I said.

Mom was silent for a long moment before asking, "Are you sure about this? Does Cedric know?"

I sniffled, forcing a bitter laugh. "Could you tell him? It's not like he cares anyway."

The first time I mentioned splitting up, he didn't even notice. He was completely wrapped up in Susan.

The second time, he heard me, but flat-out ignored it.

Three strikes and I was done. If he always had someone else tell me even the smallest things, why should I bother trying to talk to him honestly anymore?

*****

Cedric really didn't care at all.

A week after I moved out, the maid gave me a call early in the morning.

"Mr. Mason says he can't find his gray tie, the one with the faint pattern. Since you always took care of his stuff, he told me to ask you," she said.

I'd been drinking myself numb for a week straight, staying up till dawn every night.

It was only seven in the morning, and I'd barely managed to get two hours of sleep.

My head was still fuzzy, and I mumbled groggily, "It's on the second shelf of the island in the walk-in closet, left side, the…"

"I still can't find it. Maybe you should come back and help him?" the maid interrupted.

My sleep-deprived irritation finally boiled over.

"If you can't find it, tell him to use a different one. And from now on, this is not my problem anymore," I snapped.

Suddenly, the phone was snatched away, and Cedric's voice came through, cold as ice.

"Willa, it's been a week. How long are you going to keep throwing a tantrum?" he said.

I rubbed my sleepy eyes, my voice hoarse.

"I'm not making a fuss. I'm just trying to sleep, so stop bothering me," I muttered.

"You were the one who was harsh to Susan that day, which made her drink too much and almost get herself into trouble. You owe her an apology," Cedric said coldly.

To him, apologizing to Susan sounded more like charity to me.

I fought back tears. "Cedric, after three years of neglect and indifference, where's the apology you owe me?"

"Aside from the emergency that night, I've always made sure you had the dignity and respect of being my wife in public. So what are you so upset about?" Cedric shot back.

But behind closed doors? To him, I was just the maid handling his daily routines, nothing more than a prop.

I fulfilled every duty a wife should, but I never got treated like one.

Cedric let out a sigh, his tone softening a bit.

"Willa, I'm giving you a chance. It's Susan's birthday. Come back and apologize to her, and I'll let your recent departure slide," he said.

"Wow. That's real generous. But I don't need it," I shot back.

With that, I hung up and passed out cold.

*****

That night, Jeremy Grant, a friend of mine who had gotten back in town, invited me out for drinks.

I slipped into a halter top and denim shorts, went for some eye-catching makeup, and headed out to meet him.

The bar was dimly lit, and I'd just brushed off the third guy trying to get my number when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

It was Susan, and right next to her stood Cedric, his face dark as thunder, eyes scanning me from head to toe with a look I couldn't quite figure out.

Cedric never showed up in places like this. It was too messy, too full of random people for someone of his status.

But for Susan, he'd make an exception. For her birthday, he was willing to risk being seen and show up anyway.

Susan stared at me, totally shocked. "How dare you show up here?"

I knocked back my drink, pointed right at Cedric, who was glaring at me, and gave a cheeky smile.

"If he can be here, why can't I?" I fired back.