Chapter 6 Do You Still Love Your Husband

A pink sports car drove into the Blakewood mansion, Christina was on her way out when she saw Layla step out of the car.

Gone was the frail, humble secretary Layla used to be, now she looked like the heiress she was, dressed in high end expensive brands, even the expensive perfume she wore wafted into the air.

When she saw Christina, the innocence she would usually show in front of others was non existent on her beautiful face.

"What brings you here Tina? Are you here to try to get my parents to feel sorry for you? I'm sure they kicked you out again, when will you get it registered into that dumb head of yours that they don't want you anymore. You were just my replacement and now that I'm here..."

She walked up to Christina till she stood right in front of her, face to face, "I have taken back every single thing that was rightfully mine. And look at you now, you're even lower than I used to be, now that Dad has de-activated all your cards, you're nothing without the Blakewood family's money. You'll live like a helpless poor rat, just like I did for twenty three years!"

As she spoke, every word out of Layla's mouth was bitter, filled with a resentment she seemed to have kept inside for a long time.

Christina's eyes were far from calm, the minute Layla's words fell, she raised her hand and slapped her across the face. The sound was loud enough to be heard by some servants nearby and the impact strong enough to swing Layla's face to the side and cause her lips to bleed.

Layla's eyes had already turned red when she turned her face to glare at Christina, she raised her hand to hit her back but her hand stopped mid-air.

Layla tried to snatch her hand off Christina's clutch, she was fuming with rage that she so badly wanted to hit Christina back but no matter how hard she tried, the hand grabbing her didn't loosen at all.

"You pathetic loser! You dare to slap me and think you can get away with it? I am the daughter of the powerful Blakewood family...how dare you..." Layla screeched.

"How dare you!" Christina shot back tightening her grip on Layla's fragile hand, "Were you so desperate for wealth, were you so eager to climb the ladder into the elite circle that you seduced a married man? Not just that, in order to get rid of me from his life you took drugs that will abort your own child and came over to provoke me just so you could blame it on me?"

Layla's infuriated expression immediately fell and her face paled. "What...how did you...?"

She glanced around and when she noticed all the maids around had already left, she sighed in relief at the fact that no one was over hearing their conversation. When she turned her gaze to Christina the momentary fear disappeared.

"You found out. I guess you're smarter than you seem."

Christina's grip on her wrist loosened and she snatched her hand away.

"So what if you know about this little secret of mine, what can you do about it? In fact that was a very lucky move on my part, if I hadn't done that I would never have come to know that the Blakewoods are actually my real family. Killing off that child was the luckiest thing I've ever done in my life. Yes I wanted to get rid of you so James could finally marry me, but lucky for me, that incident led to me meeting my biological brother and I became a wealthy heiress overnight, don't you think I'm very lucky?" She chuckled happily.

Christina couldn't help but look at her with an incredibly baffled look in her eyes.

How can someone be this heartless, killing their own child just to trap a man.

"You can't expose me Tina, no one would ever believe you." She leaned closer with an evil look in her eyes, "Just accept it, you are a sore loser...go live a poor life and know what it feels like to seduce men just to get a small taste of luxury. Hahaha!" Laughing, Layla walked into the Blakewood home like a queen.

'Layla, if I don't get back at you for this, I might as well accept the title you've given me. You will definitely pay for everything you've done.'

*****

A text buzzed into her phone, it was only a few words but they made Christina frown with curiosity.

- Meet me in my office. -

Was all the text said. The contact displayed the name Lorian Axton.

Though she had no idea why he would call her over to meet with him, she went over to his company nevertheless.

The building was gigantic, sitting at the tallest height in Swan city with a perfectly futuristic architecture that made it stand out uniquely.

Christina was directed to the President's office immediately she entered.

Lorian looked completely different dressed in a business suit, with a pair of glasses that sat on his face as he worked on his computer.

When she was with James, finding other men attractive had completely been gone from her mind however Lorian had always stood out to her, she never saw him again after her wedding with James, but even after two years he still looked like the hottest man to walk the surface of earth.

With those glasses he looked like an irresistibly hot professor one wouldn't want to mess with, Christina was definitely shocked that he was still single at this point.

When he raised his head to appraise her, a faint smile lifted his sensual mouth. Christina found herself dazed for a moment before she recovevered and cleared her throat to ask.

"Why did you ask me to come?"

He stood up and approached her. "You were the one who asked for my help, shouldn't you come to me to form a plan?"

Lorian was evidently a very dangerous man, not just by his reputation but by the dangerous energy he oozed everytime he came close to her.

There was always this buzzing feeling, like the faintest spark of electricity whenever his eyes met hers, perhaps it was because of how deeply he looked at her like a man staring at a meal he would like to taste, or it could be the intimidating way he towered over her, either way Christina wanted to keep things strict between them.

He would only stand next to her whenever she wanted to make James jealous, but that was only a later step to her plan, not until she fulfilled the first step. Hence she didn't need to be around him.

"I already have my own plans, I know exactly what to do." She replied turning her face to the side to breathe in something other than the heady masculine cologne she could perceive from him but he pinched her chin making her face him again.

"Are you afraid of me Mrs Clinton?" He asked.

"No, why would I be?"

"Good. Second question..." He paused to search her eyes before he asked, "Do you still love your husband?"

That question made her heart seem to stop beating for a few seconds.

Did she still love James?

Memories flashed into her mind, none of them good.

One was of a stormy night, she was kneeling on the floor in their bedroom screaming in pain as his belt continuously landed harshly onto her back.

"Are you loyal to me Tina? Why do you keep disobeying me?" James' voice had thundered in rage.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... please..." Her voice was hoarse and broken, the pain from his beating had been sharp and unbearable. He was like a strict teacher disciplining their student, the only difference was the fact that his beating didn't only cause physical pain but a grating pain in her heart.

"If you really loved me, you wouldn't keep disobeying me." He yanked her hair back making her tears streaked face look into his, "Do you really love me as your husband?"

Christina hurriedly nodded knowing James could become monstrous in his current state if she didn't do as he said or give him an answer that would please him.

He grinned twistedly, "You love me right, then say it!"

She was crying painfully, unable to voice the words of love he demanded to hear, his rage seemed to have doubled as he brought the belt down again causing her more pain.

"Say it!"

"I love you!" She'd cried over the pain from the belt causing another deep red bruise on her back.

He brought the belt down harshly again, "Swear you'll never disobey me again!"

"I'll never...ah! I'll never disobey you again." Her words were broken sobs of agony as she spoke them, she laid weak and helpless on the floor, her tears flowing unstoppably. Only then did he stop.

Christina asked herself, 'Did I hate him back then? Even as he hurt me like that...did I still love him?'

The answer to that was a bit vague in her mind. Because everytime he hurt her like that he would leave her to suffer for a while then come back to her and hold her in his arms then apologize, he had caused her those wounds and he would treat them himself.

He would act like a beast and then an angel afterwards and swear he loved her.

She couldn't hate him then, not when he was the only person in the world showing her love even though it came with pain.

But now...all she felt in her heart was emptiness and bitterness, she couldn't answer Lorian's question at all.

Lorian noticed her expression looking lost then changed to that of painful reminiscence. A flash of displeasure narrowed his dark eyes.

"It seems you can't answer my question." Lorian suddenly said as he traced his thumb over her chin slowly leaning in closer to her.

"If I asked James this question, what do you think his answer would be?"

Christina still didn't reply and an evil smirk showed on Lorian's face.

"Let's ask him."

Immediately his words fell, the door to his office swung open and James walked in unaware of the scene he would meet inside.

He stopped in his tracks, eyes wide as he took in the closeness between Christina and Lorian, James' face immediately turned black.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

'No, not yet. James shouldn't suspect I have something going on with Lorian just yet.'