Chapter 2 Goodbye Jake

Ashley wore a dark blue skirt suit, sheer stockings, and purple pump heels. She added to that a Philip Treacy fascinator hat with a face net. Ashley loved the public attention that her luscious body drew. She equally despised the gasps her damaged face induced. And hence, occult fashion wear suited her best.

As she walked out of the suite, a butler, two footmen, and three maids-in-waiting surrounded her, asking for orders. She dismissed them all.

Two Master Suites and twelve bedrooms adorned Malory Towers. But she did not have to go through all of them to leave the building. The billionaire's wife took a private turbo elevator with fingerprint security next to her bedroom door. Only Jake, Ashley, and the Head Butler had access to it. She reached the ground floor within a minute.

Outside, a 1936 Mercedes-Benz had been warmed up for her. Two valets and a chauffeur stood in waiting. One took her bag; another opened the door for her.

"Where to, Mrs. Grayson?" the chauffeur asked merrily.

"To the company headquarters."

"Oh good, shall I call in and inform Mr. Grayson's secretary?"

"Oh no, I want it to be a surprise. I wish to see the look on my hubby's face."

"Very, well, ma'am. We'll be there in a jiffy!"

***

Ashley entered the towering Grayson Entertainment Inc. building alone. She made heads turn as she cat-walked in, swinging her hips the long way to the reception. The suit clung to her like skin, outlining her curves, pokes, and handles. The face net of the designer hat hid her face.

"Wait until you see my face, you jerk-offs," Ashley cursed under her breath, "Or perhaps some among you have a fetish for deformed faces."

The receptionist hailed her. "Hello. Welcome to Grayson Entertainment. Are you here for an audition?"

Ashley stood there and said nothing, staring a hole into the forehead of the receptionist.

"Ma'am?"

The Head Receptionist came running from the back office as he spotted Ashley walk in through the security cameras. He chastised the receptionist. "This is Mrs. Grayson, you idiot!"

"Oh, I am so sorry, ma'am, "the receptionist apologized.

"Forgive her, Mrs. Grayson. She's new. Please come this way," the Chief Receptionist beckoned her. "I will personally escort you to the management floor."

The CEO's office was on the forty-fifth floor. The Chief Receptionist informed Tammy, Jake's private secretary, of Ashley's arrival through the lift intercom. Tammy waited outside his room like a sentinel. She was a tall redhead bombshell.

"Mrs. Grayson, this is a pleasant surprise," she said with a plastic smile. "Mr. Grayson is just about to wrap up an important meeting. He's asked you to wait in the VIP lounge."

Ashley knew that Tammy was one of Jake's playthings. He had fxcked her more times than his wife. Usually, she'd ignore Tammy, but today was different.

"Get out of my way, slut!" Ashley snapped and barged into Jake's office.

The CEO's corner office boasted decadent decor, mineral-plated desks, and stylish swivel chairs. It boasted a luxurious lounge space with a liquor bar. A series of designer desk lamps and elegant bookcases were aesthetically placed. Serene blue statement lighting added a classy ambiance. The entire office was fitted with state-of-the-art technology.

As Ashley entered, she ran into a young woman who was leaving. She recognized the woman as an attractive lead in one of Grayson Entertainment's movie productions. The actress shied away from Ashley, keeping her eyes down while wiping her face with a bundle of tissues.

Jake's chair was facing away, towards the panoramic view of the city. The CEO relaxed on it, unperturbed by his wife's rude intrusion.

"Jake!" Ashley thundered. "Wasn't that woman Tiffany Williams from the show Good Cop Bad Cop? Does getting a blowjob from a studio actress qualify as an 'important meeting?'"

Jake Grayson swiveled around on his chair and left his seat. He was a handsome man in his early thirties. His wavy jet-black hair was swept back with pomade. He walked over to the liquor bar and fixed himself a neat scotch.

"What are you doing here, Ashley?" he posed, gradually strolling towards her.

"Oh, now you remember my name? For a long time, all you've addressed me as 'b*tch and wh*re! Or did you forget, Jake? You raped me! Abused me! Used me as your punching bag for years! And now you remember my name?!"

Jake stopped a few feet away, taken aback by her sudden outburst. Ashley was usually submissive and never objected to his torture apart from crying out in pain.

The billionaire's eyes flickered and focused on her with piercing intensity. Who was this changed woman?

Ashley had not seen Jake sober for a while now. He always came to see her when he was drunk or high. With bloodshot eyes, jittery limbs, and on the verge of passing out, her husband violated her. He was a monster of her nightmares.

In the real world, he looked different. Charming. Composed. Well-spoken. Rakishly good-looking. The man she fell in love with.

Ashley bit her lip nervously. Her punishment would be severe if she had an outburst like this at night. He'd fish out the barbed whips and face gags. However, the morning Jake made no such advance.

"Don't waste my time," he uttered bitterly. "Tell me what you want."

Ashley felt cold and alone. She wanted Jake to understand her, but now it was too late. She had already decided.

"Jake," her voice trembled. "All I wanted was for you to see the truth and forgive me. To love me like you did before THIS happened to me." She cast off her netted hat to show her mangled face. Her husband flinched.

"But all you wanted was to vent your anger on me. At some point, you began enjoying it. Now, I've had enough."

'Don't do it, Ashley,' a voice inside her urged. 'Stay with Jake. He's your one true love. He's suffering, and you're his cure.'

Ashley shook her head. That was classic Stockholm syndrome when the victim sympathized with the abuser.

"A little bit of torture doesn't hurt, Ash," Jake said, taking another sip of his drink. "Don't you like it when I hurt you? You're my special plaything." His eyes shimmered like a bottomless ocean, drawing her in.

The overpowering charm and urges of her submissive voice had misled her. They had made her weak. They had brought three years of violation and suffering. The horrors of the previous night's abuse were still fresh in her mind. Without a doubt, Jake Grayson was a monster hidden among men.

No more.

Ashley walked towards him and slammed a document on the CEO's desk. "These are our divorce papers. I have already signed them."

Jake looked at her coldly. Something had snapped in his submissive wife. She was no longer under his control. For a moment, Ashley saw fear in his eyes.

"My legal team will be in touch with you," Jake replied curtly. "You can leave."

Ashley was not surprised by his composure. He was a magnate among men, the alpha at the top of the pecking order. He could easily make mincemeat of situations like these.

"Goodbye, Jake. I will see you in court."

The billionaire's wife put on her netted hat and left the building.

As her heels tapped across the pavement, Ashley let out a sigh of relief.

'It's finally over! I've taken control of my life!'

A million things ran through her mind. What was she going to do now?

She could return home and help her step-sister, Scarlet, run the family business. Perhaps things were finally going to get better.

When Ashley reached the parking area, her phone beeped. It was a message from Harry Doyle.

Ashley had hired a private detective to find evidence of her innocence. Doyle came highly recommended but so far had yet to produce any results. His monthly fee had ballooned to five thousand dollars already.

Doyle's usual messages were random updates about how he revisited the crime scenes and interviewed witnesses. Nothing conclusive.

However, today's message was different. Ashley's eyes widened as she read it.

[ Come to our usual location ]

[ I've solved the case! I know who killed Tessa Grayson ]