Dear Ex-husband I Am Now Your Boss

Elena's POV

"All done?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Make sure no one finds out. Keep this between us and your fellow maids. If anyone finds out and ruins this surprise, you'll find yourself six feet below the ground," I gave a friendly warning.

"Perfectly understood, ma'am." She lowered her head and walked away, leaving me in the highly illuminated, extravagant room with several beautiful wallpapers hanging on the walls.

Gently taking down one of the wallpapers, I couldn't help smiling at the two familiar faces and then at the date the picture was taken. It was indeed the most important day of my life.

Standing next to me in the wallpaper was Xander, with a smile curled around his lips and his palms calmly resting on my tummy. Everyone close to him claimed he'd never been so happy until he met me.

My gaze lingered on the wallpaper before I hugged it tightly, closing my eyes with a sigh as Xander's words echoed in my head.

"I've never seen a woman as devoted as you are," he'd said to me, with a vase of flowers sitting on the majestic table. "I vowed to take my chance as soon as it came, and I'll deeply regret it if I choose to ignore the beauty of your face and how it melts my heart."

I opened my eyes, placed the wallpaper back in its spot, and calmly walked towards the large mirror attached to the wall.

It's been eight months since we crossed paths. It's been exactly eight months since his charming voice soothed my ears inside the elevator and somehow pulled me into his life.

He'd pulled a strand of my hair and praised how pink my lips were until he tasted them himself and decided that the lower lip belonged to him as well.

"My family needs me to make a quick decision," Xander's words flashed through my mind. "With you by my side, everything has been made easier. You're going to carry my heir. He'll take over my empire as soon as I step down. You'll be his mother, and together we'll claim the glory of a golden child."

How passionate that night was.

As my palms gently rubbed my protruding belly, I gave myself a quiet reminder.

"It's only about a month to go, and everyone in this town will finally have to shut up and accept the fact that I, Elena, have ascended into glory."

Talk about Xander's busy schedule and how he rarely had time for me, though he provided everything I wanted?

As soon as he carried his child in his hands, kissed the lips of the woman who made it happen, and remembered how it all began, his schedule would change on its own. The unemployed people standing meters away gossiping about how Xander's absence must be affecting me would be hired to fill the role he left behind.

Today was not only exactly eight months since Xander took me into his life, today was also his glorious day.

"I will come home to you and spend the rest of my week in your room," he said to me over the phone some hours ago. "I will rub my fingers over our incoming child and kiss the lips of the woman who made this happen."

I'd instructed the maids to prepare a birthday dinner for Xander and me. Xander must be in his private jet and only minutes away from this glorious apartment he bought for me as soon as I gave him the good news.

As I turned away from the mirror, the doorbell rang.

I retraced my steps and moved towards the door, opening it immediately. I didn't have to fear an attack. Xander's men had everything under control.

Anyone who truly wanted to survive in this town knew that respecting Xander was highly important. Owning an empire filled with hundreds of workers was no ordinary achievement.

"I got a new message from Master Xander," the guard lowered his head and said.

"Please come in."

The door closed gently behind him as we moved towards the bed. He cleared his throat and continued.

"His flight got delayed, and he won't be able to arrive within the hour," he said as I held his gaze firmly. "He promised to be here in exactly three hours, around 3 p.m. He asked me to inform you."

"Dismissed."

"Sure, ma'am."

He lowered his head and walked away. As soon as the door shut behind him, troubling thoughts swirled through my mind.

Why would Xander, the only man I'd ever truly loved and given my body and soul to, choose to speak to me through a guard? What happened to private texts? What happened to a video call, a voice call, or even a voicemail?

I picked up my phone to check the messages I'd sent him at dawn. They had been delivered and were now marked as read, but no response had come from him directly.

Well, he'd always been the professional type, trying to ensure everyone did their job and earned their salary. He was the kind of man who always praised hard work and diligence. He praised how persistently I'd searched for a job until I finally secured one.

I'd always been able to work as a data analyst, but opportunities never came. I didn't give up. I didn't relent. And on the last day of the month, when I received my very first salary, we crossed paths inside the elevator.

He gave me that warm smile, and I immediately recognized his face. Although his bodyguards rolled their eyes, perhaps believing I was just another countryside girl trying to escape poverty through an established man, I didn't hesitate to hand Xander my phone when he asked to put his number in it.

Any sane woman would cling to that golden opportunity, especially considering how loyal and committed he seemed in relationships. He would call me endlessly, ask for pictures of how much my belly had grown, and even teasingly remind me how that happened.

Until today.

As the sound of the ticking clock continued, I drifted off to sleep. It didn't take long before I opened my eyes again and clung to the lingering happiness of today's event.

How could I be gloomy on the day the most powerful man in town, my precious husband, was celebrating his birthday?

I stared at the wall clock and froze on the spot as I realized it was already 4 p.m.

Holy moly.

I rushed out of bed and quickly found the maids in their dormitory. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead as they answered my unasked question.

"He has not arrived," one of them said. "No one has been able to reach him either."

"Today belongs to him. He vowed to keep his promise and spend the week with me. The day is almost gone," I quietly grumbled as I pulled my phone from my pocket.

"We're sorry, ma'am, but we don't-"

"Quiet," I warned, hissing at their pretentious faces. They must be happy that his absence was affecting me. How could they not be, when he chose to impregnate a woman he met in an elevator rather than them, who had been working with him for years?

His line was reachable, but he didn't answer despite the ten different calls I made. I gave a quiet nod as I walked back to my room, anger slowly building in my chest.

"Xander, is this what we agreed on?" I texted, fuming. "Are you going to embarrass me in front of everyone again today? Is this what you promised me? I'm pregnant with your child, for fuck's sake! I know you've been busy, but give me a damn response!"

"Ten minutes to get a response from you, or my decision may ruin your day."

I angrily hit send before tossing my phone accurately onto the desk.

My gaze didn't leave the wall clock as I counted the seconds passing by. At the seventh minute, my phone beeped with a notification.

Poor Xander. How scared he must be to receive such a text from his beloved.

I reached for my phone and quickly opened the message.

Of course, it came from him.

He sent a video.

A video?

I switched to a Wi-Fi connection for a faster download, waiting to see him stepping off his private jet with his friends. He loved to show off, y'know?

Goddammit.

Holy fuck, what the heck?

What the hell did I just watch?

Who in this motherfucking world was that?

How could he be in a club, dancing the day away with that daughter of Jezebel shaking herself in front of him?

No, I must be watching the wrong video.

I clicked on it again, and the sound of club music filled my room as Xander grabbed the woman by the waist, raised her short party dress, and spanked her.

I quickly glanced at the faces in the wallpaper across the room and then back at my phone.

I knew this woman.

He'd told me about her before.

Wasn't this Phoebe, his first love, the woman he claimed to have left in the past?

What was her ass doing in front of his goddamned face?

Elena's POV

Tears blurred my vision as I held my phone tightly, anger and hatred urging me to smash it against the floor. Why the heck would he choose to ruin such a beautiful day?

How could he give in to such a nasty distraction? Was his heir suddenly less important to him?

A bloodcurdling noise suddenly filled the air, and my tears dried up immediately. I got up from my seat and rushed towards the door, feeling the baby jiggling happily inside my womb. I let out a soft groan as I grabbed the doorknob, heaved a deep sigh, and then forced the door open.

"Master Zane has arrived!" the maids happily screamed. "His private jet has just landed. He is back!"

Sounds of rejoicing filled the entire place as I stood outside my room with a painful smile plastered across my lips. It had been four hours since he sent that video to me through social media. Four hours of illegal club enjoyment.

"Make way for your master, for crying out loud. Get the fuck out of the way!"

"I'm gonna bite you... I'll slap your cheeks. Come on, get lost. You're standing in his way!"

I heard the angry voices of his personal bodyguards, who must have been having a difficult time clearing people out of his path so he could move through. I couldn't pinpoint why the maids were so happy, but I guessed they didn't want to lose their jobs. They had to show excitement at his arrival, even though he lowered their salaries last month simply because it pleased him.

As soon as Zane appeared in the corridor, my mood shifted. It felt as though I hadn't seen him in ten years. It had only been eight months. His handsome face, coupled with those dangling gold bracelets and necklace, pulled me in instantly.

"Zane!" I heard a distressed woman call his name out of the blue. "Why would you leave me behind?"

"I'm so sorry. Gosh. I was in a hurry." Zane turned around as the woman caught up to him. He pulled her into a quick hug and rubbed his palm over her head.

The smile on my face vanished instantly as I stared at the horrifying scene before me. I retreated to my room and sat on the bed, keeping the door open for him.

How could he visit me with his ex standing beside him and holding his hand as though she belonged there?

The birthday cake was already on my desk, surrounded by several balloons carrying his name. I kept my gaze fixed on the doorway until I heard his voice at the entrance.

Then he walked in.

He slipped his hands into his pockets, looked me in the eye, and gave a quick shake of his head. Within seconds, the woman from the video stepped in as well.

She was wearing the same clothes she'd worn at the club, and that sneaky smile that had appeared on her face when he spanked her returned the moment she saw me.

"It's been a long time," Zane finally said. He heaved a deep breath as he pulled Phoebe closer to himself. She gave a quiet moan and rested her head on his shoulder. "How have you been, Elena?"

Elena?

How dare he call me Elena?

What happened to the sweet pet names that used to make his pregnant wife excited and giddy at his arrival?

"What do I say?" I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. "You... alright, I've been as good as I can be. And...?"

I rolled my eyes towards Phoebe, who wasn't even looking at me.

"Oh." He raised a brow and lifted her chin before guiding her towards the bed. "Meet Phoebe Monroe. She had to come with me because of an emergency and some business matters."

"Emergency?" My voice gradually faded, but he looked away and walked back towards the door. He received a gift from someone outside and returned.

"Here is the birthday cake," he said, handing it to me. "You may need to eat it before it goes bad."

My gaze moved across the cake in his hands before returning to Phoebe.

"Isn't this the same woman from the past? Zane, isn't this your ex?"

"And then what?"

He dropped the cake onto the floor, his gaze hardening on my face.

"I will not tolerate hostility towards Phoebe Monroe. She is new here, and you think it's a bad idea to say hello to her?"

"What?" I chortled, closing my eyes with a sigh. "Why would I do that? Did she say hello to me when she walked in?"

"When was the last time you went on a trip?" he asked, cupping my jaw as his dark gaze bored into mine. "Give me a precise answer. Does it ever happen unless I decide it does?"

"I'm back. If you need a reminder, I'll give you one." His voice turned cold as I lowered my gaze. "I own this place, and you do what I want you to do. Do you understand?"

"Elena, do you understand me?"

He gave my cheek a series of slow taps until I opened my eyes and answered.

"I get it," I forced out. "What I don't get is why you think it's proper to bring a whore into our private room after eight months of ghosting me."

"What motherfucking statement did you just utter?" He turned towards me with an angry stare. "Are you accusing me of bringing a woman here after I clearly told you she's here because of an emergency?"

"I don't get why you're so hostile towards Phoebe. I really can't wrap my head around why you hate her so much."

"Hate her?" I shot back. "How can I hate someone I don't know?"

He looked at me and laughed quietly.

"You don't know her? Then how do you know she's my ex? I won't tolerate this level of hatred from someone like you."

"A minute, Phoebe."

Fuming, he stepped outside.

Phoebe rolled her eyes at me and headed towards my kitchenette to grab a cup of water.

As she emerged from the kitchenette, anger seeped into my bones.

"Who gave you the right to go in there?"

"Hm?"

"What the fuck were you doing in there? Does this place belong to you?"

"Xavier Zane, maybe?"

"I'm not sure you're in your right senses."

"Why do you hate me so much?" Phoebe suddenly burst into tears. "I didn't steal your things. I didn't defraud anyone. Why do you despise me? What did I do wrong?"

Her sobs grew louder as my heart began to pound in my chest.

Tears streamed down her face as she shattered the cup on the floor and dropped to her knees among the broken glass.

"Get up," I ordered, my voice shaking with fear. "Get up. You know I didn't do this to you."

She continued sobbing, and the moment her cries became louder, Xavier entered the room again.

"Holy fuck!" He rushed towards her and helped her away from the broken shards. "Phoebe! What happened?"

His furious glare landed on me as I shook my head desperately.

I couldn't even speak.

"Look at your face. Isn't that blood? My fucking goodness!"

Zane shouted for help. The emergency team arrived quickly and took Phoebe away while he remained behind in the room, quietly bending down to gather the shards.

"I didn't do anything." My voice broke as tears streamed down my face. "I didn't. I swear. I was on my own. She did this to herself. I-"

"Shut your fucking mouth," he ordered as he continued picking up the broken pieces.

Anxiety crept into my chest as exhaustion settled over me. I considered running away from the room, but suddenly it felt like a terrible idea.

As soon as he was done collecting most of the shards, he rose to his feet and held them up.

"Is this how far you'll go? Is this the best you can do to ruin my day and prove how much you hate Phoebe, who never offended you?"

"I didn't do it."

"I said, shut the hell up!" he yelled. His voice filled the room. "What right does a vagabond like you have to talk back to me?"

"But I can't keep quiet and let that manipulative bitch accuse me of something I didn't do!" I shot back.

He stormed towards me and delivered a stinging slap across my face.

"You must have gone crazy. Really crazy. It's all my fault." His angry gaze remained fixed on me. "It's all my fault for allowing you to stand in this precious room and do this to someone like Phoebe."

"You hate her but won't admit it. You've always hated her."

"I don't even know her!"

"You're really crazy!"

The shards in his hands dropped one after another as he grabbed my shirt and kicked me to the floor.

"You're never obedient. Always ready to defend yourself, even when you're wrong!"

As I hit the floor, a sharp pain exploded through my abdomen.

I rolled weakly across the ground as my hands moved protectively to my swollen belly. My gaze filled with horror when I noticed the bloodstained shards nearby.

My terrified eyes lifted to his face as he walked out of the room, uttering his final words without a trace of remorse.

"You think I care? Go fuck yourself. Maybe you'll get pregnant again."

Elena's POV

"Is anyone in here? Can someone turn on the lights, please?" I called out for help as I tried to get up from the bed I found myself on, but my hands were already tied to it.

"Where am I? Who brought me here? Come on, someone, please?"

The lights came on suddenly, and Xander's figure appeared beside me. Fear seeped into my bones as I gasped at his creepy act.

"What's this?" I asked, anger suddenly replacing the fear in my heart. "What the fuck are you doing to me?"

He gave a quiet laugh and turned his head away, refusing to say a word despite the number of questions I asked.

"Why the heck are my hands chained to the bed? Am I a criminal or a psychiatric patient?" I yelled at him, and then a doctor stepped into the room, quickly gaining my attention.

He moved closer to me and clasped his hands together, his expression filled with pity.

"I'm sorry, Miss Elena. We couldn't save your child."

"What?!"

My gaze dropped to my tummy, and it was as flat as ever.

What the fuck happened to my precious baby that I was supposed to deliver in a month?

"How? What happened? How did..." Tears filled my eyes as the doctor's face blurred. "This couldn't have happened. Say something, you fucker."

"Well, we tried our best," the doctor continued. "But fate had a different story for you. You reportedly fell onto shards of broken glass and harmed your unborn child."

Fragments of memories from last night began returning as the doctor lowered his head apologetically.

"I'm sorry once again. I have to be on my way now."

I lay back on the bed as I continued trying to free my hands and legs from the chains, but the metal only clanged against itself. Xander kept his back turned towards me, his lips uttering no words.

"Didn't you just hear that we lost our child? How can you be so heartless and remain quiet? Take off these chains. I need to get the hell out of here. Now!"

"Lower your voice." He turned to me with a sharp stare, placing a finger against his lips. "You're not talking to your subordinates. Watch your tone."

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"You heard me right." He didn't have a single tear in his eyes. "I came here to explain the next phase of your life. I won't tolerate you raising your voice at me. Anyway, that's all you can do."

I held his gaze firmly as he spoke, my heart beating rapidly while my mind waited for clarification.

"Remember how obsessed you've always been with me?" he asked, shaking his head. "You've always wanted to be my precious wife and give birth to my golden child, right? Wasn't it that same obsession that led you to poison Phoebe in the past?"

"No. Don't go there, Xander. Don't ruin this day with false accusations again."

"Oh, sorry. I'm not sorry. Your day is already ruined." He smiled faintly. "Records show that you poisoned Phoebe so she'd die and pave the way for me to notice you. Unfortunately, that backfired, and an innocent woman died in her place."

"Stop calling me a murderer!"

"Shouldn't we call ourselves what we really are?" he asked with another faint smile. "I won't ask why you did it because I already know. Now the case has been reopened, your beloved unborn child, whom you always called Darius, is gone, probably caught between heaven and earth. How useless can you be, Elena?"

"Xander!" I yelled. "Stop. Stop this already. I'm hurting."

"You should be." He stood up, his tone filled with anger. "This is only the beginning, Elena. You're screwed. You think you can kill someone and get away with it?"

"I didn't poison anyone. When did this happen? When did you ever see me do something like that? What are you even talking about?"

"Of course. Playing the victim as usual. It's always worked, but it won't work anymore." He laughed quietly at my confusion. "You are nothing but a murderer, Elena."

"Fuck you."

"I'd rather fuck Phoebe, thank you."

I scoffed, my gaze fixed on him as he moved towards the desk and picked up a file. He pulled out several documents and handed them to me. Then he gave me a pen.

"We're getting divorced," he revealed.

My glare met his face.

"I'm shocked to see you're surprised. You shouldn't be. I can't risk losing my reputation by staying married to a murderer who has nothing to offer me."

"Sign the papers now. The police will be here to pick you up soon."

He forced the pen into my hand.

"Xander?" I called quietly. "Xander, is this really happening?"

"Don't worry. When the police arrive, you'll find out." He shrugged. "Just sign the papers and let's get this over with. I'm done with this relationship that gave you the right to assault important people."

He pointed to the signature line.

"Now. Sign it, Elena."

A restraining order? Divorce papers?

Was that why he chained my hands and legs so I wouldn't run away?

Could the doctor not protest? Did he not see the chains?

"Sign this fucking shit." He grabbed my hand and gave me a dangerous stare. "I'll make sure you spend the rest of your life in prison if you choose to remain stupid."

"Xander, I can't..." My tears fell onto the documents. "I can't believe this is happening to me. I'm innocent. I didn't... Xander, please rethink this."

The blaring horn of a police vehicle filled the air.

Xander rushed to the window to look outside before returning to me. An excited smile crept onto his lips.

"You're going to prison anyway. The time has come. Sign it or not, you no longer have access to me."

I shut my eyes and released a shaky sigh. My trembling hand found the signature line, and I signed my name.

He unlocked the chains just as the police arrived, advising me to keep quiet and not resist arrest.

"Off to prison she goes. Woohoo."

Xander's words echoed in my head as the police dragged me out of the hospital room.

How did I not see this coming?