Dear Ex, Your Brother Is A Better Man

Nora sat in front of her vanity mirror, staring at her reflection. She crimped her lips as her palm roamed her face, feeling the ugly scars caused by an accident she had about three years ago.

She glanced at the wall clock and gasped, "Oh, Lucas will soon be home; I need to get his dinner ready before he gets back from work."

She glanced around the room; everywhere was in a mess. Her clothes were scattered all over the room; she had been a bit under the weather and had been unable to perform her usual routine of cooking, cleaning, washing up, and arranging the entire house.

Since she got married to Lucas, she had been more of a maid than a wife. Lucas sees her as a destitute who meant nothing to him. He only used her as an instrument of sexual pleasure.

Her marriage to Lucas has brought her nothing but pain and misery. Though the marriage was not built on love, she still wished and hoped that Lucas would love her someday.

Nora quickly picked up the scattered clothes on the polished marble floor and arranged them neatly into the luxurious wardrobe. She changed the bedspread and cleaned up the entire room before rushing to the kitchen to prepare his meal. Lucas had ordered her to prepare cheesy beef pasta sauce with fish tacos before he left for work in the morning. As she prepared the meal, her mind went back to three years ago, when she met Lucas.

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Three years ago, Nora worked as a waiter in a bar. Her meager salary was used to cater for herself and her irresponsible father, who always ran into debt due to gambling. She was about to close for work that fateful night when Lucas barged into the bar, trembling in fright, his heart racing at an alarming speed.

Nora sensed his fear, and her heart skipped a beat, but she maintained her composure. "Sir, we are closed for the day. What can I do for you?" she asked politely.

Lucas' eyes darted around the bar in fear. "Please help me, hide me somewhere; some men are after my life." He said in between gasps, trying to catch his breath.

"Ok... just come with me," Nora said without hesitation as she grabbed his hands quickly and took him to the restroom, pushing him inside. "Just stay here and don't come out; I'll handle it." She shut the door of the restroom and went back to the bar.

Some thugs barged into the bar, holding some weapons. They looked scary in their massive figures and deep red eyes.

"Where is he? We saw him run into this bar," one of the men asked in a stern, rigid voice.

"Who?" Nora asked, feigning ignorance. "Nobody came here; I am the only one here, and I'm about to close for the day," she said in a stern voice, masking her nervousness with a frown.

"Liar!!" he fired back at her. "You are hiding him somewhere; search everywhere for him," he ordered his men.

The men searched the entire bar, turning the chairs and tables upside down.

"Boss, he is not here," one of the men said.

The boss frowned, "that's not possible. Have you checked the backyard or the restroom? I'm sure he is within these premises." He said with an air of certainty in his voice.

One of the men walked towards the restroom and was about to open the door when Nora stopped him. "Wait, I have told you that I'm the only one here. You have turned the bar upside down, and you are not yet satisfied. What more do you want?" Chloe said defensively, stylishly stopping the man from entering the restroom.

The boss landed a heavy slap on her face, making her fall back on one of the chairs involuntarily. She rubbed her cheeks profusely, and her cheeks turned red.

"How dare you question my men? Who the hell do you think you are?" he remarked in a mean voice, staring at her with complete hostility.

He pulled her from the chair and pushed her forcefully to hit the glass door. The glass door shattered, its splinters scattered all over her face.

"Let's go," he beckoned to the men, and they fled the scene.

Lucas rushed out of the restroom as soon as they left. He met Nora lying helplessly on the ground. Her face was bleeding profusely as she gasped for breath.

Lucas rushed her to the hospital and got her treated. Unfortunately, the accident had left a permanent scar that disfigured her face. Lucas felt pity for her that her face got disfigured because she was trying to save him. He took her into his house and took care of her till she fully recovered.

At that time, he was about to sign a multimillion-dollar deal, but he needed to be married for the business merger to happen. His girlfriend was studying abroad, and Nora was the only available option.

He decided to marry her instead, but their marriage was kept a secret in the eyes of the public.

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Nora had finished preparing the meal and dished it on the dining table as she awaited Lucas' arrival. Her body was sweaty as a result of the heat that emanated from the kitchen. She decided to go take a shower to feel cool and refreshed again.

She stepped into the bathroom and soaked herself in the cool jacuzzi, washing away the heat and stress of the day. Suddenly she heard a knock at the door; she got up abruptly, wrapping her towel around her chest.

She got out of the bathroom and rushed to the door, unlocking it and pushing it open. Her eyes met Lucas; his imposing figure stood before her, his face marred with pure disgust.

"Why did you keep me waiting for so long?" he asked in his usual cold voice, pushing her aside and stepping into the living room.

"I...I...was having a bath, and I didn't hear you knock the first time," she stuttered, feeling her heart beat wildly in her chest.

He grabbed her chin and lifted her face aggressively, meeting her with a steady gaze.

Her trepidation increased when she felt his hand on her chin. "Your...your food is ready?" she blurted out, fear and awkwardness engulfing her.

He moved his face close to hers, sniffing in the sweet scent of her shower gel. "I will eat later; right now I want to devour you," he whispered softly into her ears. "Strip!" he ordered.