Chasing His Rejected Wife
Chapter 47 -

I didn't feel like celebrating. I felt quite the opposite. I felt like I had lost someone I cared about, I felt defeated. I held back the tears that threatened to fall as we walked out of Eden's office, my legs shaky and a deep, wrenching pain in my chest. I managed to hold myself together until we were in the Lyft headed back to my place. Until Anna, sensing my mood, slipped an arm around my shoulders in silent commiseration and I broke down, buried my face in her shoulder and let the tears flow.

She said nothing, words were not needed. Her head rested gently atop mine, her other hand found and held mine.

I cried, silent but no less miserable until I felt empty and drained, by which time we had arrived at my place. We passed the body guards Aiden had stationed in the lobby, ignored the ones that had followed us to the law firm in another car and went upstairs.

An idle thought wandered into my mind as I rooted around in my bag for my keys. Those men had to report back to Aiden, didn't they? And since they knew I'd gone to see a lawyer, surely it would get back to Aiden. And he would know why I'd sought legal counsel.

"Can we stay at your place instead?" I asked Anna, my throat raw from crying. Anna gave me a searching look and nodded.

"Sure. Just go grab whatever you'll need, I'll call another Lyft."

I was in the middle of packing what I would need for a few days when my phone began to ring. With trepidation, I fished it out of my bag, dreading to see Aiden's name on the screen. Instead, it was the unlikeliest of persons.

I could feel my eyebrows shoot up in surprise. After a few seconds in which I debated whether to answer it or not, I decided I couldn't put off the inevitable.

"Hello, Mother." I said, keeping my voice carefully neutral.

"What's this nonsense I heard about you and Aiden getting a divorce?" Margaret Holton did not believe in wasting time on niceties or asking after the welfare of her only daughter whom she hadn't spoken to in a year. I stifled a sigh, pinched the base of my nose and prayed for patience.

"It's good to hear from you too." I couldn't help saying sarcastically. Already, I could feel my patience wearing thin, she had that effect on me. She ignored my existence, until something happened that she didn't like.

"Don't take that tone with me." Margaret snapped, irritated. "What the hell were you thinking letting him throw you aside for that bitch? Did you learn nothing from me? Of course you didn't. Always so naive and silly." My jaw clenched as anger, pure and white hot seared through me. Of course, she thought I was stupid and naive. Hadn't she always?

"Aiden did not throw me aside." The words were forced out through clenched teeth. "I chose to leave him. It's my decision."

Her derisive laugh sounded like nails on a chalkboard. "You chose to leave him? Is that what you've deluded yourself into thinking? Foolish girl. That man is just as devious as his father - may his soul rot in hell - and they both had you wrapped around their fingers and feeding you a bunch of lies. He's manipulated you into giving back what I fought so hard to secure for you and you're letting him."

I knew my mother had always bore an inexplicable hatred towards Julian, but to hear her condemn him even in death, was a new low.

"You better open your eyes and fix your marriage." Margaret warned, "Do you know what you're throwing away by divorcing him so readily? Get your head out of the clouds, grow a fucking backbone and take back your man. Don't make me come down there and sort out your mess again."

She hung up before I could say anything and for several seconds, I stood there listening to the dial tone, still in shock. Her words played over and over in my head, none of it making any sense or logic.

What had she secured for me? How was I being manipulated? I slowly set down the phone and sat on the edge of my bed, trying to fit random pieces of a very disjointed puzzle together and failing miserably.

"Jess? Are you done packing? The ride will be here in two minutes." Anna peeked into my room and frowned when she saw me sitting motionless amid scattered clothes and toiletries. She entered the room, surveying the mess, and back to me. "You okay?"

I pulled myself together and forced a self-deprecating smile. "I just talked to my mother."

Anna's face went through various expressions in the space of time it took her to cross the room to sit beside me. When she spoke, her tone was filled with derision. "What did she want this time? It can't be money again, cos last I heard, she'd shacked up with a zillionaire from Hollywood."

I winced at that because it was true. We'd found out at the same time when pictures of her draped over the arm of a famous Oscar-acclaimed director surfaced earlier this year.

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"I guess she saw the news," I said, rubbing at my aching temples. "She had a lot to say, particularly about how I was throwing all her hard work down the drain, whatever that means."

Anna snorted in disbelief. "What? What does she have to do with any of this?"

"I have no idea. All I know is that she seems to think I'm being manipulated into giving something up, but she was very mysterious about it."

Anna was silent as she pondered my words. "Do you think she knew about Julian's stipulation to Aiden?"

I shrugged my shoulders, lost. "I have no idea. But she seems to know a lot about the circumstances surrounding my marriage to Aiden."

"And you know what? I'm starting to believe I'm the only one who doesn't know the truth and I don't like it. Not one bit." I got up and began to pace, needing an outlet for the frustration I felt. "I feel like a pawn in some weird game of chess and I don't even know what the stakes are."

"You could ask Aiden," Anna suggested and when I shot her a look, she shrugged and explained. "What have you got to lose? Just march up to him and demand answers, and threaten not to leave until he starts talking.

I tried to picture myself storming into his office, then realized I'd probably not get very far past Fletcher or any of the other assistants who guarded Aiden's privacy like little bulldogs. The best place to confront him would be at his house - my former house and I didn't think I was ready to go back there just yet.

Anna checked her phone and grimaced. "The car's here. C'mon and finish packing, we'll hash out a plan once we're settled at my place."

******

As promised, Eden had moved swiftly in getting the divorce ball rolling and by Thursday, three days after our first meeting, I was at her office once more, holding the necessary papers in my hands, listening as she explained the finer points of the legal jargon written on the paper.

"I've already dispatched a copy to Mr. Brown's office," She told me and checked her watch. "Barring any unexpected delays, he should be served the papers any minute from now."

My heart skipped a beat and my hands tightened on the papers, crumpling the edges slightly. I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down. Whatever happened from now on, I would deal with as the situation arose, there was little use in fretting over what I couldn't control.

"So what happens now?" I asked, looking up at Eden. Today, she was dressed in a tight knee-length skirt and a white shirt that hugged her curves, hair, nails, and accessories all flawlessly put together. Compared to her, I felt like I'd put in way less effort in my outfit choice - a black and white striped calf-length dress, black ankle boots, minimal make-up, and hair gathered up in a bun at the back of my head, tendrils hanging loose around my face. I glanced at my nails, chipped and worse for the wear, and I curled my fingers out of sight.

"Now, we wait for him to respond," Eden replied, anticipating my next question before I asked, she added. "We'll give him a week or two to see if he signs the divorce, if not, we'll serve him again." "Okay."

Just then, my phone rang and I jumped, my pulse racing. I stared at it, Aiden's name flashing on the screen.

Eden noticed my expression and looked concerned. "Is that your husband calling?"

I nodded, swallowing down the lump building in my throat. "Should I answer it?"

She thought for a moment and nodded. "Yes, but let him know that you have your lawyer present and advise him to get his on the call as well."

I picked up the phone, holding it like it was a deadly snake, and answered the call and put it on speaker.

"Aiden, I'm with my attorney," I said quickly before he could say anything. "You're on speaker and she's listening in."

There was a deep silence on the other end. I exchanged glances with Eden, and she made a 'go on' motion with her hand.

"She's advised that you get your attorney to join us," I added and heard him sigh.

"That won't be necessary, Jess." He said and I couldn't help noticing how tired he sounded. "I don't intend to fight you on this, do whatever you feel is best for you."