Chapter 3 I Want You

Yvonne blinked. So that was why Shane had been in a rush to leave, not even wanting to talk about the divorce with her. He had been eager to go and spend time with Jayde.

A familiar ache seized Yvonne's heart, spreading numbness through her chest.

Yvonne had scrolled through numerous posts of Jayde parading Shane's affections on social media before.

Each post had torn at her heart, yet something had kept drawing her back to look at the posts.

Now, finally, she resolved to end this cycle of torment.

Her fingers moved swiftly as she deleted both Shane and Jayde from her WhatsApp contacts.

After her shower, Yvonne just finished getting dressed when her phone rang.

Shane's name blazed across the screen.

Wasn't Shane supposed to be spending time with Jayde now? Why was he calling her?

Yvonne hesitated for a moment but eventually picked up the call. "Shane?"

"Did you delete Jayde on WhatsApp?" Shane asked.

"Yes. What's wrong with it?" Yvonne replied.

"You have the nerve to ask that?" Venom dripped from Shane's words. "Jayde wanted to congratulate you on your release but then discovered you had deleted her. She thought you still resented her. She broke down remembering when you had pushed her down the stairs. Yvonne, when will you stop causing trouble?"

His sharp words pierced Yvonne's heart, but she maintained her composure. "Shane, deleting her was my freedom," she said.

"You are still talking about your freedom?" Shane's voice grew colder. "Jayde is a patient, Yvonne! She is already stuck in a wheelchair because of you. She is now emotionally fragile. The least you could do is show some compassion!"

Yvonne's lips curled into a bitter smile as she closed her eyes, forcing her tears back. "If she's as fragile as you say, then it's all the more reason for me to keep my distance-in case I'm held responsible again for her suffering."

"Yvonne, don't-"

Yvonne didn't let Shane finish. The call ended with a sharp click, and she wasted no time blocking his number.

After that, she made herself a simple plate of spaghetti and ate quietly, her thoughts heavy. Then, umbrella in hand, she headed to the cemetery.

The rain fell in a quiet drizzle, soaking the earth. Yvonne stood before Maggie's tombstone for what felt like an eternity, the weight of her emotions pressing down on her chest.

When she returned to Serenity Villa, it was already evening. Just as she entered, she saw Shane sitting on the living room sofa.

Yvonne froze for a moment, caught off guard by his presence. Normally, when Shane was with Jayde, he wouldn't come home until late at night, after Jayde was asleep.

Not wanting to delve into Shane's unusual behavior, Yvonne ignored him and headed upstairs.

"Stop right there." Shane's voice cut through the quiet like a knife.

Yvonne halted but didn't turn around.

Shane rose from the sofa and walked to stand before Yvonne, his gaze locking onto hers. "You've grown bold, haven't you? Hanging up on me and even blocking my number?"

Yvonne said nothing, her body tense as she tried to walk past him. But Shane grabbed her wrist, his grip firm. "I'm talking to you. What's the matter-did prison leave you deaf?"

The words stung Yvonne hard, but she met his gaze, her voice trembling with restrained emotion. "Yes, Shane, I've been to prison. My life is already in ruins because of it. Isn't that punishment enough for you?"

Shane's brows furrowed as his eyes searched her face. He noticed the puffiness around her eyes, the faint redness. "Have you been crying? Did you go to visit your grandmother's grave?"

Yvonne tried hard to hold back her tears. "I wasn't there for her when she was buried. Do I need your permission to visit her now?"

Shane's expression darkened when he heard that. "Yvonne, the reason I pushed for you to return to prison that day was because I didn't want you to dwell in your grief. It was for your own good."

"For my own good?" Yvonne let out a hollow laugh, her bitterness spilling over. "Are you even listening to yourself? You can't even lie convincingly anymore, Shane."

With a sharp tug, she pulled her wrist free. Her voice was steady now, cold and final. "I'm fed up with you, Shane. Let's just end this. Let's get a divorce."

***

Yvonne went to the master bedroom's walk-in closet, dragging out an old suitcase to pack her belongings.

She wanted to leave behind everything the Brooks family had given her after the wedding, which left little to take.

"Yvonne, stop with your antics!" Shane's exasperated voice cut through the silence. "It was just a year in prison. I made sure you weren't mistreated there. What more do you want?"

Yvonne's hands stilled over her clothes as she turned her head to face him. "You certainly ensured I was treated differently. Every meal there was packed with spinach and liver to replenish my blood, keeping me ready for the next blood transfusion for Jayde."

Shane's brow furrowed. "So this circles back to Jayde again. The transfusions saved her life. You work in medicine-you should have some compassion. And I've compensated you generously."

"Compassion?" A hollow laugh escaped Yvonne's lips. "Show me one doctor who has bled themselves dry for a patient."

She gestured toward the wall of luxury handbags-a collection worth hundreds of millions, coveted by countless women.

"Is this your idea of compensation? One bag per transfusion. I always get the ones Jayde rejected."

Each bag was Jayde's selection, and Shane paid for it.

Jayde would claim the ones she preferred, leaving Yvonne with the ostentatious pieces-expensive but impractical for daily use.

Yvonne had never requested bags, yet both Shane and Jayde believed exchanging blood for luxury bags was a good deal for her.

"I won't take a single bag," Yvonne said with a slight smile. "Keep your compensation. I never agreed to donate my blood."

Shane massaged his temples.

Throughout their marriage, Yvonne had remained compliant-occasionally sulking but never defiant, never speaking to him like this.

Shane gripped Yvonne's shoulders, softening his tone. "I know you're upset after staying in prison for so long. Let's not fight, okay? I asked Zoey to prepare your favorite dishes. Let's go and have a meal together."

Yvonne shrugged off his hands, grabbed her suitcase, and moved toward the door.

The next second, in one fluid motion, Shane swept Yvonne into his arms.

Before Yvonne could resist, she was placed on the soft bed by Shane.

He trapped her hands above her head, his scent surrounding her as he whispered in her ear, "Yvonne, stop being angry, alright? Tonight, I will make love to you until you're satisfied."

Yvonne's heart thundered in her chest.

Previously, when anger took hold of her, she would always melt under Shane's bedroom tactics, quick to forgive.

Shane had found amusement in this pattern, drawing her to bed whenever she showed displeasure.

His sexual dominance had always overwhelmed her, pushing her limits until she broke into tears, begging for mercy and agreeing to his every demand.

Shane's breathing deepened as he claimed Yvonne's lips, his fingers working at her blouse buttons.

Yvonne suddenly snapped back to reality, struggling to break free. "No... I don't want this..."

"You don't want this?" Shane raised his head, desire flashing in his eyes as he studied her beneath him. "You're saying no now, but soon, you'll be clinging to me, begging for more..."

Heat flooded Yvonne's cheeks when she heard that.

Shane's lips curved as he trailed kisses down her neck. "This past year without you was torture... I worked late almost every night just to hold back my desires..."

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, silence cloaked the night, broken only by the steady drumming of rain. Inside the room, the air was thick with passion.

Three years of marriage had taught Shane every nuance of Yvonne's body. His every touch was precisely calculated to break her restraint.

Yvonne shuddered, her body taut as she grasped at her crumbling resolve. Though she struggled against him, Shane seemed determined to draw her into the moment, refusing to release her.

Shane muttered, "Yvonne, I want you..."