A Second Chance With My Ex

Sheila's POV:

"Baby," I yelled, closing the doors as I entered the house. Allen was sitting on the chair, his face grim.

"Baby. Guess what I'm about to tell you."

"It's good news, try guessing," I added but he was still quiet.

"You seem to be in a bad mood, but this would cheer you up!" I chirped excitedly.

"I'm just coming from the hospital and the doctor said that..." I wasn't able to finish my statement when Allen interrupted me.

"Sheila." Allen cut me off, his voice cold.

"Mhm?" I stopped speaking, wondering why he called me like that.

"If you won't go straight to the point, then I'll tell you mine. I have bad news for you."

"What?" I wondered what was coming next.

"We're getting divorced." Allen continued, avoiding my gaze. For a second I thought it was a prank.

"What? Divorce, what are you saying? Are you trying to act out a TV drama? You're so funny." I laughed at his words and was about to sit near him when he pushed himself off the chair and gestured toward the papers on the table. The big bold words written on the top of the paper almost gave me a heart attack.

"What's this? Why are you giving me divorce papers? What did I do wrong?" I asked, shaking. On the table were divorce papers, already signed by my beloved husband. His beautiful handwriting which I had so loved was on divorce papers that I was a recipient of.

"Don't you get it? I'm divorcing you, so you better sign those papers before I get back home." Allen said harshly, his narrowed eyes narrowing even further.

I stumbled, my legs giving out as I fell to the ground.

"But why? Why are you divorcing me? Shouldn't you at least tell me what I did wrong?" I queried, my eyes locking into his. A smirk rose on his lips, his eyes turned hateful.

"Because I never loved you." His answer was merely one sentence, but my heart shattered into different pieces.

"What?" My eyes were wide with shock, "You never... loved me? So... what have we been doing together all this while?"

My lips trembled, "You must be joking, if you didn't love me, then how come you got married to me? You were the one who proposed your love for me? You begged me to be with you, remember?!"

Allen let out a scary laugh that made me jerk in fear, "I remember nothing, Sheila. Do you know what I like the most about you? You are so naive, you believed everything I said and swallowed it hook line, and sinker. You never questioned my words, even though I wasn't a very good actor. You ignored all the red flags just because you were stupidly in love with me. Thankfully, it all worked out well and I was able to get married to you."

He was smiling from the beginning until he finished what he said but suddenly, the smile turned into a frown and he came towards me and gripped my shoulders tightly, shaking me.

"But I never expected that you would throw away your family name just for me! You destroyed all my plans! I thought I could use you since your family was rich, but after you got married to me, your family never gave me anything! They didn't even allow me to go near your family house!"

Allen slammed his hands on the table, anger oozed out of his entire body.

Meanwhile, my head was blank, I couldn't think of anything other than the words he just said. I was naive... Did he marry me just because of my family's wealth? My lips twitched.

"So... Let me get this straight... You got married to me because of my family's wealth, not because you loved me? How did I not see any of the signs? I was carried away by your promises, I thought I had found myself a soul mate, someone who loved me for me. I now see how wrong I was." I looked at Allen in horror.

"You finally understand? I guess you are not as naive as I thought you were. Now that you finally understand, how about you sign those divorce papers and let's get this over with? I'm done pretending." Allen put down the pen that was in his pocket on the table, the cap was already open.

"A... Allen," I stammered, tears streaming down my eyes, "D... Don't, please... Allen, you know how much I love you. You know I would die for you, I let go of my family name just for you, you can't do this to me. You can't!" I cried, crawling on the ground to hold the hem of his trousers pants, I smiled bitterly as I looked up at him.

"Allen, look here," I said. I wanted to tell you something when I first came in. I visited the hospital earlier, and the doctor said I was pregnant. I'm pregnant with your baby, Allen. After we tried so many times, I'm finally pregnant, you can't divorce me. If it's because I wasn't able to birth a child for you that makes you want to divorce, we don't have to do that anymore. I'll forget about what you said earlier concerning my family's wealth, let's make our marriage work, please. Look at the scan, isn't he so cute?"

My hands trembled as I brought out the pictures of the scan and handed them to him. He took them from meand stared at the pictures.

I hoped that the news about my pregnancy would make him rethink.

"You're going to be a father, Allen. Isn't that..."

"Be quiet. Sheila, do you think I'm stupid?"

I watched as Allen tore up the pictures right before me.

"You have always been such a slut, why did you think I would believe that the child you are carrying is mine? Look here, Sheila. I'm going out now, and before I come back, you had better have signed those papers, and you must have packed your things out of this house. Don't let me come back here and find you still here."

And with that, Allen walked out of the house, leaving me a sobbing mess on the ground, my cries echoing through the house. After a while, I stood up, walked dazedly to the papers, picked them up, and tore them apart in anger.

Then I ran out, hoping to see where Allen went, hoping that maybe he was still waiting outside for me. But he wasn't. Allen was gone.

Without a destination in mind, I ran and ran and ran until I got to the bridge where we first met. Where Allen had professed his love for me, where he had proposed. Before I knew it, tears streamed down my eyes again, I was unable to stop.

My screams echoed in the air, my knees buckled under the pressure.

As I sobbed, I heard a voice from behind me, "Miss Sheila?"

I turned around and saw two policemen. I didn't even have the decency to clean my eyes and my snotty nose.

"Your ex-husband said we might find you here since you weren't at home. I am Inspector James and this is my colleague Ryan. You are under arrest for the suspected embezzlement of a sum of Seven Million Dollars from D&S company." James said as he put a handcuff around my wrist.

"What?" I was in shock, "I am a suspect for what?"

Shelia's POV:

"You have to remain silent, whatever you say will be used against you in court. It'll be better for you to come with us quietly." Officer James moved forward, cuffing my hands and dragging me forward.

"Stop. Stop it! I never did anything." I struggled against the officer's hold.

"Stop! Call my husband, call..." I trailed off, my mind went to something that he had said when he first saw me.

"My husband told you where I am?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"How did he know I was here?"

"But... how did he... Was he the one who also said that I stole that money from D&S company?!" I shrieked, from the look in the police officer's eyes, I knew that it was him.

"That bastard! I never did anything, I don't even work in that company, so how can I embezzle that amount from the company? You two should go to him and tell him to tell you the identity of the person who stole the money because it's not me!"

"Miss Sheila, you're making a scene." Officer James pulled me roughly into the vehicle that was parked by the roadside.

I struggled to remove my hands from his but he was much bigger and stronger than I was. I was no match for him no matter how much I tried. I was eventually pushed into the police vehicle, with onlookers murmuring among themselves.

As the driver drove us to the police station, I was in a daze.

"How could this happen?" I muttered under my breath, still in disbelief.

"This isn't right." I began to panic, I couldn't go to the police station, it would put a dent in my records. I started to struggle again, however, we had already gotten to the station.

The other officer who was now in charge of me yanked me out of the vehicle, making me wince in pain.

"Walk faster. We don't have all day to dawdle and wait for you. Since you're so sure that you didn't do anything, you don't have to be scared right? Although we have witnesses who claim to have a record of you stealing the money, if their so called evidence is false, you will be released." The officer said in a cold voice.

My lips twitched, "How can there be evidence of something I never even thought of doing? I'm innocent!" I screamed as they walked me into the building. When we got inside, my eyes widened when I saw Allen sitting on a chair, a woman on his right, they linked their arms together.

"R... Rina?" I stammered. I recognized her.

"You... You said you went abroad. You told me that you weren't coming back, how come you're here now." I asked, shock and surprise filling my features.

"And what are you doing here with Allen?" Their position could easily make someone misunderstand their relationship. Rina was my best friend for a long time. We went to intern in the same company when I was dating Allen and she went abroad, she told me that she was going there to expand her business.

"What else will I be doing here? Especially with your husband... Oh, ex-husband, I forgot you two are divorced already." Rina snuggled into Allen's embrace and the latter smiled fondly at her, lovingly ruffling her hair.

"But why are you here with..." My eyes widened as I finally understood, "You're with Allen? The boyfriend you told me you had, was Allen? Allen, you wanted to divorce me because of her?!" I screeched.

"So?" Rina stood up from the chair and smiled at me, "Didn't Allen tell you? We were together even before the both of you got married. He married you solely because I let him, but now I'm back for him. Me and... Our child." Rina touched her belly, a motherly smile on her lips.

"Oh. You're pregnant." My voice was a whisper, the weight of the revelation crushing me. Tears welled up in my eyes but I couldn't let them fall. I was in a situation too critical to start worrying about who was pregnant and whatnot.

"You're framing me for embezzlement?" I glared at Allen who put on a look of shock.

"Framing you? What do you mean by framing you? Sheila, I'm done with putting up with your lies and thievery. It's time to say the truth, maybe if you come clean, the owner of D&S will spare you. Your sentence might not be as large as it would normally be, just say the truth." Allen's voice was empathetic, he sounded sad.

My body shook in rage, "You fucking bastard! I did everything for you and this is how you repay me?! By framing me for something that I don't know about?!"

I clenched my fists, "You've been planning this with her for a long time, haven't you?" I asked, my eyes fixed on Allen.

"Sheila! Stop with your lies! Officer James, just put her in custody, she hates staying in dirty places, she'll eventually cave in and confirm the truth of what I just said. Sheila, it will be in your best interest to stop all the lies. I've submitted all the evidence of you embezzling that amount of money to your account." Allen said, standing up and also helping Rina up.

I glanced at both of them, the pain I felt was immeasurable. I couldn't believe this.

"I'll be leaving now, Sheila. But I just want you to know that despite everything you've done, I'll always be here for you. Me and Rina." Allen picked up his coat and placed it around Rina's small frame.

As they walked out of the station, Rina turned her head around to glance at me, triumph in her eyes. I stumbled back, my head was spinning. Everything I had turned out to be a lie.

I was thrown into a cell by the officer, they would bring me out for questioning later. By the time they came back, Officer James opened the cell, and an unknown expression was on his face.

"Is it time for questioning yet?" I queried but he didn't answer, however, I continued speaking, not letting his silence stop me.

"It doesn't matter how much you question me, I never did what I was accused of," I explained, but the officer still didn't say anything. As I was about to speak even further, he interrupted me.

"You have been released." He said to me, and my eyes widened in shock.

"Someone paid for bail and sent us evidence that you had nothing to do with the embezzlement issue, you're free to go now." Officer James stepped away, letting me come out of the dirty cell.

"B... but..." I stammered, "W... who could have..."

I had no idea who could have done this. However, I didn't need to be told to leave the station before the person changed their mind. As I stepped out of the station, my eyes immediately caught a black car that wasbeing parked outside.

I looked away, feeling it was none of my business. But a man came out of the car, he looked like a bodyguard and he started walking towards me. I stepped back, ready to run but before I could do anything, he caught me and forcefully dragged me into the parked car.

"Let me go! Where are you taking me to? We are in front of a police station! Let me go!" I struggled against his hold but my frail body was no match for a trained bodyguard.

I was pushed into the car forcefully, but I began to bang on the windows, screaming for help.

"You should stop that or you'll hurt your hands." A deep voice said from behind me, I instantly turned around.

I saw a man with black hair swept to the side, a powerful aura, long legs, and a face sculpted to perfection. The twin red moles under his eyes only added to his charm. His cologne wafted into my nose, making me painfully aware of how stinky I was at that moment. I had to admit, he was incredibly handsome.

But this wasn't the time to fangirl over a handsome man, I just had my heart broken!

"Who are you? And what do you want with me?!" I asked, my voice cold. The man merely smirked, his lips curving at the sides.

"Don't tell me you don't remember me, Sheila?" The man questioned, but I was confused. Was I supposed to know him?

He chuckled, his deep voice filled my ears to the brim, "It's such a pity. I hoped you wouldn't forget me."

Now I was curious, "Really, who the heck are you?" I queried again and my eyes widened when the man removed his glasses.

"I... it's you!" I yelled in shock. How could it be him?!

Shelia's Pov

"How... Xander, you..." My mind was reeling. It was him! My ex-boyfriend whom I had broken up with because of Allen, the one whose heart I had broken.

We had broken up years ago, and now, he's changed so much that I could hardly recognize him again.

"Yes, it's me in the flesh," Xander murmured, reaching out to touch my face and clean the dust that had gathered on one side.

"But how... How did you know I was here? Why did you come to bail me out?" I questioned, even though I was shocked, I was still in my right senses.

"Let's just say I've been watching you for a long time, Sheila. But it's shocking to see what you have become just for a man who disregards you and cheats on you. I expected more from you, Shelia." His voice was cold and clipped, he was still blaming me for what happened years ago.

"You don't need to remind me about what happened, and no need to be salty about it. So why did you save me? What do you want?" I crossed my arms, my eyes narrowing. Even though he had saved me, I knew what sort of man he was, he didn't do it for free. There must be some sort of catch to it.

"I'll tell you later, Shelia." He smirked, and his fingers played with some strands of my hair. I could see an emotion in his eyes but I couldn't place a finger on it and what it meant.

"But for now, you should think about what you're going to do. The man you loved framed you for something you didn't do and worse, he cheated on you with your best friend of so many years. Not to speak of..." He glanced down at my stomach which I subconsciously covered up.

"So, what's your plan?" Xander tilted his head to the left, waiting for my answer.

My mind raced with a thousand thoughts. Allen's betrayal, the humiliation, the arrest, and now, standing here with my past staring at me in the face. I felt a wave of hopelessness wash over me and at the same time, anger.

I looked down at my belly, rubbing my hands on it lightly. I was contemplating going to the hospital to abort it but... I didn't want to. It hasn't been very long yet but for some reason, I felt attached to it. But I was confused, I had nowhere to go.

I wasn't even sure that my parents would want to take me back, after all, I had disregarded their words when they warned me about the kind of person that Allen was, but I still had to try.

"Take me back to Strauss's Mansion," I said to Xander who raised an eyebrow.

"And what do I get in return? I'm a businessman, Sheila, I don't do things out of the goodness of my heart."

I sighed, realizing that I was at his mercy now, "Fine. I'll do whatever you want me to do, just don't make it weird whatsoever." I said, but I knew I was going to either be shocked by his request, or I would regret it.

"Good enough." Xander nodded his head and motioned for the driver to go to the Strauss's manor. As we drove there, I started fiddling around with my fingers. I was so nervous that I felt like throwing up. I had no idea what my parents would say or what they would think.

We arrived a few hours later, and upon seeing me, the workers in the house were shocked. However, they quickly ushered us inside, and I was told to wait for my family to arrive.

Not long after, my mom, Elizabeth Strauss, the most famous businesswoman in the country; my dad, Michael Strauss, the wealthiest businessman; and my brother, Jeremy Strauss, the most renowned actor, stood before me. Their stern faces sent shivers down my spine as I braced myself for the words of disappointment that were sure to follow.

"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked, her voice was stern and cold.

"I..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Where did I even want to begin from? That I was pregnant? That Allen dumped me? Or that I was framed?

Maybe it really was a mistake to come here. But a few seconds passed and they didn't say anything else. I raised my head, expecting to meet their angry gazes or that they would even ask the workers to throw me out but the only thing I saw in their eyes was love. They didn't hate me.

"Mom. Dad. Brother." Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at them, I felt a glimmer of hope, "I'm sorry for everything. I made so many mistakes, and I didn't listen to you. I don't even know where to start."

Elizabeth stepped forward, her expression softening as she took my hands in hers, "Shelia, we've been worried sick about you. All we ever wanted was for you to be happy and safe. You're our one and only daughter, and we love you so much that we couldn't even bear to let you go."

Micheal nodded in agreement, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, "We were hurt when you left, but that doesn't mean we stopped caring about you. You're always welcome here, no matter what."

Jeremy gave me a small, encouraging smile, "You're family, Shelia. We stick together, no matter what happens."

I broke down, relief washing over me in waves. I had been so afraid of their rejection but instead, they had welcomed me back with open arms.

"Thank you, thank you so much." I continued to cry in their arms until my eyes were swollen. Hours later, I had calmed down, I had been dressed like the rich daughter that I was and my parents were making plans to reintroduce me to the society.

"We'll give out invitations to everyone so they'll see that our daughter is back! Your birthday is coming up in less than one week, we should do the banquet then. I'll send invitations over to those two bastards so they'll see just who they're messing with." Jeremy clenched his fists tightly, and veins popped out of his forehead.

"No. Don't send them invites." I stopped them from speaking.

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, "Don't tell me that..."

"No, I'm done with him. You know, I just have a plan. If Allen finds out that I'm back with you guys he might do the unthinkable to get me back or try and control me. Hecould even use his child as an excuse to get close to me. I can't take that chance." I paused for a moment, taking in the looks on their faces.

"I won't stop you from holding the banquet, but it must be behind closed doors. I can also use this opportunity to start something of my own and forge connections," I finished.

"Well, you can do whatever you want as long as you don't go back to that bastard, we'll be behind you in every way," Micheal assured me.

"Thanks." I glanced at Xander who had been quiet, he was still shamelessly sitting on the couch.

"I think Xander is ready to go so I'll escort him downstairs." I stood up and walked towards Xander, dragging him up from the couch and pushing him downstairs. I didn't notice the shocked looks on my parents' faces when I did that.

As we walked to his car, Xander finally spoke up, "I've decided what I want from you." Xander's eyes bore into mine, a glint of something unreadable flickering in them.

"I have a proposition for you, Sheila. One that benefits both of us."

I frowned, suspicion creeping in at his tone of voice, "And what might that be?"

"A relationship. Purely contractual to be precise," He stated bluntly, not a hint of hesitation in his voice.

I blinked, taken aback, "A contract relationship? Are you crazy?"