President Lucien's Pampered Wife

Zaria sat on the left side of the bed staring outside the window, there was really nothing to look at except the rows of houses opposite hers. The estate was as silent as a graveyard, it always was; and even more so at night. She had no doubts that any of the houses could be throwing parties but no one would have any idea since all the houses were equipped with soundproof systems.

She turned and took another glance at the empty bed. Even though she already knew that he wouldn't return that night, she was a little hopeful in her heart. She hoped that something would happen and he would come home. But as much as she hoped; she knew better.

Her phone buzzed on the bedside drawer and she stretched her arm to reach for it. Her eyebrows pulled together slowly when she realized that it was a message from an unknown number. She clicked the message open and upon seeing the picture in the message inbox, she gulped unconsciously.

Tears rushed to her eyes but Zaria pressed her lips together willing herself not to let a single tear fall. She knew that she was back and that was why for the past month, her husband hadn't visited or slept in his own house not more than two times. She knew that while he stayed away from his home, he spent ample time with her but she was too scared to bring it up in case he got angry and asked for a divorce. The thought made cold sweat form on her back. For what it was, she couldn't afford to lose him.

She sniffed quietly while dialing his number and pressing the phone to her ears and just as she expected, her call went to voicemail. Pursing her lips again, she summoned up courage and called his assistant. The latter picked up the call at the second ring.

"Hello," Zaria greeted quietly.

"Good evening Mrs. McConnell" the assistant's polite yet distant voice retracted into Zaria's ears and Zaria debated whether to ask her question or not. She didn't know what Logan must have told his secretary but each and every time they came into contact, the latter always treated her with a very polite but distant attitude that never failed to make her feel awkward.

"Mrs. McConnell?" the assistant called when Zaria didn't say anything and Zaria was immediately jolted back to the present.

"Err.... Er.... I called Logan a few minutes ago and my calls went to voicemail. I wanted to ask if he was working late" Zaria replied and there was a moment of silence.

"Mr. McConnell is at the hospital" the assistant replied and Zaria swallowed her saliva.

"Hospital? Is someone ill?" Zaria asked despite knowing the answer.

"Miss Peterson is ill and Mr. President is accompanying her" the assistant replied.

"Oh," Zaria muttered quietly, fighting every urge in her not to let any of her tears spill down her cheeks.

"Could I get the name of the hospital? I'd like to send Miss Peterson some fruits and if possible check up on her too" Zaria added; dropping the call as soon as the assistant said she would text her the address.

Sick? Accompanying her? How dumb did they think she was?

The phone in her hand buzzed again and Zaria glanced at it to see that it was a message from the assistant. It was the address of the hospital, she quickly texted the secretary a thank you and dropped the phone on the bed. She sniffed and got up from the bed, walking towards her wardrobe while changing into a simple blouse and pants. She picked up her coat and walked out of the room towards the kitchen.

Opening the fridge, she was able to collate a small basket of fruits. A glance at the desolate kitchen once again reminded Zaria of how pathetic she was. She loved cooking, she enjoyed it and she loved cooking for him but not even once, had he tasted her food. Every single time she thought he would come home and make a huge dinner; he either came home too late or didn't even come home at all.

Zaria pushed her thoughts aside while walking out of the house. She got into the car and put the basket of fruits in the passage seat and she hadn't gotten to start the car when her phone started buzzing loudly in her pockets once again. She brought out her phone and immediately gulped upon seeing the caller ID. She picked up the call and pressed her phone to her ears.

"Zaria" a deep male voice drifted into her ears and for some reason; Zaria wanted to burst into tears right there and then.

"Hey, Theodore" Zaria greeted, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

"Don't give me that tone Zaria. I know what's going on with you. Just because I am not in the country doesn't mean I am oblivious to everything that's going on okay?" Theodore replied and Zaria pursed her lips.

"I'll be back in three days. They are making a move again; I have to be there" Theodore added and Zaria kept quiet, refusing to say the words that her elder brother wanted to hear.

"Zaria" Theodore called quietly and softer this time.

"I'll call you back Theodore," Zaria said, cutting off whatever Theodore wanted to say.

"Stay safe Za," Theodore said after a moment of silence and ended the call. Dropping her phone on the seat beside her; Zaria started the car and drove out of the house.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The moment Zaria stepped into the ward, she already that the fact that she was ill was a total lie. No one would be ill with rosy cheeks and energetic yells. The lady seating on the bed finished her video call and turned to the door to find Zaria standing there. A flash of surprise ran through her eyes but it was soon replaced with a bright smile.

"Don't tell me Logan asked you to bring me fruits? He already bought a lot yesterday" she started and Zaria unconsciously clenched her fists while the lady continued relaxing in her bed.

"When Logan comes back from the washroom you really have to thank him for me. He's been a real sweetheart these days. He moved me to a VIP ward the moment I said the noise from other patients was making me unable to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night and was craving ice cream, he drove out in the middle of the night to get it for me. He even paid my hospital bills!" the lady continued with a huge smile on her face.

"I don't know where else I would have seen such a sweet childhood friend you know" she added; playing with her fingers while watching Zaria's reaction.

"When he heard that I caught a cold, he was really worried and left a meeting to run all the way here just to check up on me. C'mon, there's no sweeter childhood friend anywhere" she continued maintaining a bright smile on her face. She knew everything she was saying would annoy and irritate her, no woman would want her husband fawning over another woman and being at her beck and call while he ignored her.

Zaria hadn't even noticed that she was clenching her fists so hard that her nails were digging into her palms and they were already becoming bloodied. As much as she hated to admit it; she knew that she was right. Logan had barely sent two glances at her when she fainted but just because his childhood sweetheart had gotten cold, he had left an important meeting and stayed with her for so long. She used to think that maybe Logan wasn't affectionate to anyone but here was the evidence that he was affectionate but it was only for one person.

"At the end of the day, you are just a mistress. I am his legal wife, there's nothing you can do" Zaria said firmly, trying to hide her shaky voice behind her straight face. She wasn't going to let this bitch know that her words had gotten so much to her that her heart was in pieces. The lady on the bed sneered and chuckled.

"Don't worry too much Zaria; that title would soon be taken away from you and it would be mine" she replied and Zaria staggered slightly. She knew it. She knew that as long as she had come back, it wouldn't take so long but she had tried to ignore it and pretend that it wouldn't happen. She hoped and wished that it would come so much later than she thought. But here it was smashing her right back in the face.

"Tricia, why are you doing this?" Zaria asked, still keeping a straight face and Tricia shrugged her shoulders.

"You and I know better Zaria that I am just taking back what belongs to me" Tricia replied with a smile and Zaria swallowed her saliva turning to leave. And just then; someone walked into the ward and then Tricia yelled.

By the time Zaria could turn to glance at Tricia, the latter's palm was bleeding and the person who walked into the ward rushed towards her; holding onto her and screaming for the nurses. Zaria felt her head go blank for a minute before realizing what Tricia had done.

"How dare you?" he roared at her.

"I didn't do it!" Zaria defended by throwing her hands in the air. She almost couldn't believe that Tricia would pull a move like that.

"You are saying that with those bloodied hands of yours?" he asked, his words freezing her in place. Zaria brought her hands to her face and was mortified at the blood on her hands. She definitely didn't slice Tricia so how did blood get on her hands? She then remembered clenching her fists so hard. She immediately turned to him to defend herself but Tricia beat her to it.

"She said that I seduced you and that I should die" Tricia cried, looking so pitiful that if Zaria was a random passer-by, she wouldn't hesitate to take pity on her. Zaria reached for his jacket pulling on it slightly as he turned to her. She shook her head vigorously.

"I didn't do it, you have to believe me," Zaria said desperately hoping that he would believe her but what she got instead was his cold eyes as he shook her off and flung her to the ground.

"Everyone thinks you are innocent and meek but what they do not know is that you are a terrible person and vicious woman" he spat at her.

"I want nothing to do with you murderer, let's divorce" he added and Zaria got agitated as she shook her head vigorously.

"That's not what happened Logan, listen to me. That's not what happened. I didn't even touch her. I was already at the door before she yelled '' Zaria argued back.

She definitely couldn't afford to lose him. Her eyes stared back at him pleading and begging.

"Even if Tricia wasn't here and this didn't happen. I would still divorce you" Logan told her and Zaria could feel her heart breaking into pieces.

"Don't do it. I would not come to see Tricia again, I would stay away from her and not do anything. I'll be quiet like before and not do anything. Don't let us divorce okay?" Zaria said, grabbing one of his hands but Logan flung her away once more.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to touch me randomly?" Logan asked, his eyes showing disgust and irritation.

"Now that my true love is back, why should we still remain together?" he asked and Zaria realized that she had no answer for him.

"Our marriage was a contract anyway, let's end it. You never even matched my status" Logan added and Zaria swallowed her saliva.

"Did you really...... Did you really have no feelings for me?" Zaria asked, finally deciding to bet on everything that she could bet on.

"Do you really feel nothing for me? We spent a year together, did you really not fall in love with me during that time? Aren't you treating me too cruelly? I was your wife for a year!" Zaria cried out her emotions in shambles and disarray.

Logan turned to her and rubbed his forehead for a moment. He hadn't meant to treat her like this or divorce her like this. The situation had changed and so he couldn't help himself.

"Logan" Tricia cried out in a pitiful voice and Logan turned to her smiling softly.

"I'll let my lawyer prepare the divorce papers. You'll get a hundred million dollars as alimony and I hope you won't appear in front of me again. I would also let this stunt you pulled with Tricia go, you should be grateful that I haven't called the Police '' he said indifferently before walking into the ward and pressing Tricia's head to his shoulder muttering words that Zaria couldn't hear. She could see Tricia's smug and smiling eyes through the space in Logan's arms.

For a long time, Zaria remained on the ground unable to move or think. Everything she had worked so desperately for in the past year was just taken away with just a sweet voice and a coy person. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't win his love, no matter how hard she tried, she wouldn't get him to look at her twice even if she was wearing the most gorgeous clothes in the whole world, and no matter what she did; there was no way on earth she was going to get this man to love her.

The reality seemed to smash Zaria right in her face and she felt lost for a while. She dragged her feet towards the visitor's lounge and sat down staring into space. It was the truth that she refused and stubbornly failed to admit for the past year and now she had come to terms with it; way too quickly that her head felt light for a moment.

Chuckling lightly; she pulled herself to her feet and dusted her clothes before turning to glance towards the ward, the door was already closed and Zaria knew that she had lost that man, forever. She chuckled again as she turned and started walking away, her parents after all hadn't brought her up this way, to so desperately beg for one's love and get zero in return, it was time to walk away, far away as possible. She chuckled again and started walking towards the elevator.

"Since you can't get him to love you; let's get back something else that belongs to you," she said to herself as she pressed the elevator button.

The woman who stepped into the elevator looked nothing like the woman who had just been embarrassed a few minutes before, she excluded elegance and class, her eyes were sharp and unbothered and there was this air about her that screamed 'Don't get close'. The nurses that stepped in with her kept glancing back at her with giggles and whispers that Zaria couldn't bother herself with.

----------------------------------------------------

Tricia turned to Logan as soon as she was sure that Zaria had left and burrowed further into his embrace. She wore a wronged expression and Logan chuckled at her expression.

"What is it again?" he asked and Tricia pursed her lips.

"Is it okay for you? To divorce like that?" Tricia asked, biting on her lips and feigning concern.

"I feel like I'm coming in between the two of you," Tricia said quietly.

"I don't want to be...." Tricia added but she didn't get to complete her statement when Logan stopped her.

"Tricia, you are not coming in between me and Zaria. There's nothing between us. I gave her money; a million to get married to me" Logan said and Tricia turned to him with mock surprise.

"Really? I thought she... I thought she really loved you!" Tricia exclaimed and Logan sneered.

"Zaria? Love me? She probably loves my money" Logan said, his eyes full of disgust.

"I met her when I was involved in an accident last year. She was one of the random nurses that were assigned to me. She was quiet and weak and so to get Mom off my back, I offered her money to marry me and she did" Logan added.

"There's absolutely nothing in between us" Logan continued, disgust and irritation radiating off his body.

"I thought she really did love you" Tricia whispered, burrowing back into Logan's arms with a hint of a smile on her face.

It was past 12am in the middle of the night but Zaria brought out all her boxes and started packing her clothes into the boxes. She remembered to leave everything that Logan had bought for her and she couldn't help but laugh upon realising that Logan had only gotten her a gown and a pair of shoes ever since they got married.

They were supposed to attend a wedding as a couple and Logan had claimed that he didn't want her to embarrass him so he had gotten his assistant to order a dress and pair of shoes for her. And of course, both the dress and shoe size were wrong and Zaria had never been uncomfortable the way she was that day in her entire life. She had to visit the restroom virtually every ten minutes to adjust her dress and check how badly bruised her feet were. The wedding gift as well was left behind.

The thought made Zaria chuckle and she sat back on the bed staring at the now graveyard-like estate. Why she was in this kind of mess in the first place ran across Zaria's mind.

She had met Logan when she was a kid and he had been her hero since then. She had dreamed of marrying him, being his wife even though she knew it was impossible but somehow the opportunity had presented it. She had also wanted to find out pieces of evidence of what had happened that night and since Logan was somehow involved in it; marrying him would also give her that opportunity. She had hoped that she would be able to make Logan finally fall in love with her else she would have never agreed to the marriage. The money was nothing to her.

But before her dreams could be realised, they were shattered right in front of her eyes. She not only didn't get Logan to fall in love with her, but she also didn't find any evidence of what happened that night and so at the end of the day, there was no need to even stay there any longer.

The next morning, Zaria washed and dressed up pulling her packed boxes outside the house while the maids and butler watched but none of them stepped forward to stop her. Although they had only lived with Zaria for a year; they had never seen her like that, quiet as usual but the kind of aura she excluded scared them all into their wits.

Zaria chuckled as she pushed the door of Logan's room open and her eyes flew through everything admiring the theme of the room. She could count the number of times she had stepped into his room ever since they got married. Logan hated people entering his space; just the same way she had thought that he was ice cold to everyone. She found out he was just like that to her only.

She placed the box and card in her hand on the table and took one more glance at the room before stepping outside the room. She walked down the stairs producing a pen from her purse before walking towards the seating room.

In the centre of the living room; a black file lay on the table and she flipped it open. Her eyes ran over the document and without hesitation, she scribbled her signature on it and slammed it shut. She refused to let the words on the file get to her. Rising to her feet; she walked out of the house with a sharp glint in her eyes. The driver opened the door for her and Zaria got in, she didn't spare another look at the mansion as the car drove out of the compound. She picked up her phone and dialed a number. The other person picked up the first ring.

"As of this moment, I'm officially divorced, let's get my things back"

-----------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the driver drove into the mansion; Logan could feel a headache coming. He had thought of numerous ways to make Zaria divorce him quietly; Tricia had also come up with some nice suggestions as well. At the thought of Tricia, his lips curved upwards lightly.

But when he stepped into the house, it felt strangely empty, there was no Zaria running helter-skelter in the kitchen to prepare breakfast for him, or loud music playing in the background. Zaria always thought that songs were a huge motivation to cook so there was always a song playing whenever she was cooking. But there was practically no noise at all.

"James" he called and an older man came rushing into the seating room.

"Where's Zaria?" Logan asked and the older man stared at Logan weirdly.

"She left" he replied and now it was Logan's turn to stare at the old man weirdly.

"What do you mean she left?" Logan asked as his eyes flickered toward the black file on the table. He walked towards the table and picked up the file. Zaria's impressive handwriting and signature smashed him back in the face.

"She signed this?" Logan asked in shock.

"Yes sir" James answered and Logan dropped the file in shock and bafflement.

"Call her," Logan said, resting on one of the chairs and crossing his legs.

The butler was swift in bringing out his phone and placing a call across to Zaria. He placed the phone on the table and put it on the loudspeaker. The call was picked up on the third ring and Zaria's clear voice rang in the room.

"Hello"

"I see you have signed the divorce papers. Send me your bank account details, and I'll send you the hundred million compensation" Logan said sneering deep down.

He knew Zaria way too well, she would never give up her rich woman's life. It was probably the hundred million dollars' alimony that made her sign it. The thought made him want to puke but Zaria's next words made him freeze in place.

"I don't need your stinking money" Zaria replied and promptly hung up,

Both the butler and Logan stared at the phone in a daze and extreme shock. Logan racked his brain and tried to remember when Zaria had ever spoken to me that way but nothing came up. Zaria had never ever raised her voice at him before, her voice was always quiet and soft. He refused to believe his ears.

"Call her again" he instructed, gulping quietly. The Butler reached out and pressed the call button.

'This number is unavailable. Please try again later

Logan chuckled and then chuckled again before rising to his feet. She had actually dared to block his number? She agreed to divorce him and didn't want a dime from him and that should have made Logan happy but for some reason; he felt that there was something wrong somewhere. He turned and climbed the stairs heading for Zaria's room.

As he expected the room had been emptied out and it looked even more empty than when Zaria moved in. The butler opened the wardrobe and Logan was shocked to find a gown hanging on the clothes rack and a pair of shoes beside it. He was quick to recognize it as the gown that he had bought for her when they had an important event to attend the year before.

"She left this?" Logan asked no one in particular and then sneered. The butler then dropped a box on the bed.

"She left this as well," he said and Logan turned before freezing. They opened the box and everything was intact. This was the wedding gift that he had gifted her on their wedding, it was worth over a hundred million and a money grabber and poor nurse like Zaria would never leave this behind.

He walked out of the room and walked towards his room, pushing the door open; there was a box and card on his table. He swallowed his saliva opening the box and a flash of surprise spread through his face. He was quick to recognize the brand of the wristwatch he was holding and he was sure it would cost nothing less than hundreds of millions.

He turned to James who was standing behind him "Ask Phillip; there has been any kind of huge transaction on my account recently. About five hundred million to seven hundred million" Logan said and James nodded walking out of the room.

Logan placed the box back on the table and picked up the card beneath it. He flipped it open and there were only a few words in it.

Happy Birthday, my love.

There were lots of hearts next to it and with how messy they were painted; Logan didn't have to think about how excited or happy she must have been when drawing it.

"Mr. Phillip said there has barely been any kind of transaction on your account for the past five months," James said walking back into the room.

"In fact, the card was only used twice. To buy a cup of coffee and used it at a supermarket. Both transactions spent just a little over five hundred dollars" James added and Logan blinked his eyes trying to process the information he had just gotten.

If Zaria barely used the card that he gave her, how was she able to get everything she had? A wristwatch costing over four hundred million dollars? Where did she find the money? All kinds of thoughts ran through Logan's mind and he turned to James swiftly.

"Did she say where she was going?" Logan asked and James shook his head.

"No sir" he replied and Logan rubbed his forehead trying to think.

"Find her. I want to know where she went" Logan commanded. He found it hard to describe why he was bothered in the first place. He had wanted her out of his life and finally, she was gone but something just didn't feel right. And as a businessman, Logan knew something not feeling right meant there was something not right.