The Billionaire's Redemption: vows reclaimed

Victoria's Pov

Alexander's hands wandered over my body as his lips traced down my private place with practised ease; I shut my eyes, wanting to reconnect to my fanatic and horny self. His hands carelessly traced my skin, clutching my breast before shaking them; he was no longer the loving husband I had gotten married to, and he handled me ruggedly without any trace of love. His touch used to set my skin on fire, but tonight seemed different; it barely sparked. I sucked it up silently, closing my eyes, obligated to fulfil my duty as his wife.

"Tessa" he moaned against my neck, his voice breaking through the connection I was having.

I froze trying to assess what I had just heard...Not Vicky'..

"Did you just ..." I paused for a moment, my voice cutting through the silent rhythm that had just rained on us.

"What?" lifting his head away from my neck, with his brows arched through confusion.

"Did you just say, Tessa?" I whispered, my heart pounding in shock.

The clear view of blood left his face, leaving him pale as he nodded in disagreement.

"No!, I didn't say such, I guess you heard wrong"

I pushed him off before sitting up against the headboard, clutching the sheet to my chest.

"Don't lie to me, Alex. I knew what I heard, I am not stupid"

He let out a large sigh before running his hands through his head.

"Are you sure you are alright Vicki, you are imagining things already. You know I love you so much and won't do anything to hurt you"

"You should stop being paranoid," he says before bringing me into his bosom.

Paranoid!! He said it like I was the problem, literally turning the whole situation into me being crazy.

I didn't bother pressing further about the issue. But laying beside him that night, staring at the ceiling, my troubled mind drifted into a depth of thought, our vow exchange and happy years together. Tessa, my stepsister, her name echoed so loud I tussled as the voice refused to go away

The next week was meant to be our anniversary, I had planned a quick surprise for Alex.

The sound of the door creaking open, my keys making their jiggly sound as I laid them on the counter I had clocked out early from the office; I brought along with me a bottle of wine as it was our anniversary. I wanted it all to be a surprise, but the sound of cackling laughter welcomed me, and this made my heart pound further.

I felt a shivering coolness wash over my body as I stepped softly into the hallway. Alexander's fresh cologne filled the air with the mix of a strangely familiar flowery scent. Alexander's voice caught my attention.

"Tessa, I've missed you so much", his voice was low and tuned with an unfamiliar thing. It was filled with passion, but it wasn't for me.

My heart dropped, my hands and feet going numb with every step I took closer to the room door.

I knew better not to eavesdrop, but I could not help my curiosity. I clearly shouldn't have done so.

"Tessa!!.. The name hit so clearly I recalled him whispering her name the last time we were getting intimate, a flashback of our lives together filled my senses.

A silent scream was let out in my chest.

I was unable to breathe, nor could I scream, nor could I navigate my surroundings; I froze at the spot. My fingers held tightly on the door frame, and before I could stop myself, my eyes traced down from the shelves till they landed on them.

Alexander, the man I had cherished for the past four years, as today was supposed to be our anniversary. He had his lips locked with that of my sister; they were both sprawled across the bed.

I felt the world go into a quick pause; the Earth stopped in its orbit. My head is spinning filled with so many emotions. Everything got blurred around me but not the image before me.

I watched them tangled up In each other's grip, his hands roamed over her like he used to do with me, but he was different, the way he worshipped her, to arching her back, her moans and how he devoted his all to her, It was too much to contain.

An overwhelming, uneasy feeling overshadowed me, twisting into a fist filled with betrayal.

"Am I interrupting something?" I asked, walking into the room, my voice cutting through their romantic, silent meeting.

Tessa let out a loud gasp out of shock as she scrambled to cover herself up with the sheets, but Alexander? He felt unbothered, and neither did he flinch. He sat up, staring at me with a gaze filled with annoyance.

"Oh, Vicki!! I didn't expect you to be home so soon," he said, almost driving me to the hedge of laughing and going crazy sideways.

"Victoria, I didn't..."

"Save it, Tessa," I said, immediately cutting her off her statement; her face was drained, as pale as it was; I watched her fidget as she picked her things up to jolt as she was held back by Alexander.

My brows raised in shock at what I had just witnessed; I quickly found a chair to sit on as I tried to digest this experience.

"I can't hide it anymore, Victoria; I am in love with Tessa", he says, his bare, sweaty chest watching me wonder if air got restricted from the room.

"Since when Alex?!!" I whispered. My posture crossed like I was watching a play unfold before me.

"Alex!!"

"Let's not make a big deal out of this. You have refused to give me an offspring, and clearly, this is your fault", his historical tune mocking me to my bones.

"How is it my fault, Alex? Today is supposed to be our anniversary, or have you forgotten?"

"Oh, don't act like you have been the perfect wife, darling. You are never around, always up for work, but have no time for your dear husband. Do you recall the last time we wanted to have a romantic night?" he says, running his hands into his hair.

"You pushed me off!!" he yelled

I felt my heart crack at every word he spilt.

I watched him explain and toss the fault at me with a less expressive face.

I let out a hysterical laugh as he explained how it all started.

"We can both put this behind us as you should forgive me, or do you want to end it all because of my one-time mistake," he says, walking towards me, smiling hysterically.

"I want a divorce, Alex.!!"

His face gets twisted, and for the first time, I see a genuine emotion through his face.

Victoria's pov

My voice sang through the air like a death sentence.

"I want a divorce"

Alexander's face showed a spring of disbelief, and for the first time in four years, I saw a splash of undenied emotion through his face, not love, nor was it remorse, but raw, unfiltered, satisfied anger. The weight of the word I had just declared had its impact on my chest, but I could not break down now.

"Are you serious right now, Victoria?" His voice damagely calm.

I stood up, clutching the hem of the bedsheets together like armour to shield me from his lies.

"I've never been more serious in my discussion with you Alexander"

He let out a mocking scoff before running his hands through his hair.

"You can't be serious, Vicki. You are joking; you can't just walk out of our marriage because of my one-time mistake, come on now", his tone shifted from the once calm, imposing to a venom-laced word.

"One-time mistake, you say..." I murmured, tossing my head in agreement and immediately directing my question to Tessa

"For how long have you two been together?" I asked, my voice calm as ever.

She jilted as she murmured her answer to me

"Two years now, but I.."

I held up my hands, pausing her on the track of her speech.

All I wanted to do was to shout, haul, scream, and dart him with my nails, but I chose not to give him the satisfaction of seeing me crumble.

I stared at Alexander, releasing my words laced with an icey cruel tune

"Watch me"

I turned on my heels to leave as he tried holding me back but was sent jolting with a one-time gaze, which was filled with unfiltered hatred, irritation, and a sense of murder from me.

Stepping out of the room, my mind lingered so far but was brought back by Tessa's trembling voice.

"Victoria, please! I didn't mean for this to happen..."

"Hear her out, Victoria. At least we are both remorseful", Alex's voice followed up immediately.

My heels took a plumping stop, my hands fixated on the door frame for support, I slowly turned to face her

"You didn't mean for this to happen?" I repeated her words to her, my voice trembling my brows raised in a questioning form. "You didn't mean to crawl into bed with my husband on our anniversary? You didn't mean to destroy the last bit of this sham marriage. I was desperately trying to save it, Tessa.."

I proceeded to give a round of applause before letting out a large smile like everything was okay.

I watched her face flush in shame, but I wasn't waiting for her response, not at all. Every second I spent at that door was irritating and filled with goosebumps on my skin.

I dashed into the hallway, with my heart pounding greatly in my chest. The house which I cherished now looked like a whore kingdom as I was in the prison hurdling to escape. Everything reminded me of his disloyalty.

I had just made it to the front door, grabbing my purse and my keys off the rack. The cool night air flushed my face as I stepped outside.

I needed this air, the space, it wasn't contaminated with either of those liars.

The world felt so unreal as I drove through the streets of London that night; the street lights blurred into a golden white colour. My hands firmly gripping the steering wheels so tightly I felt the pain surge through my anger as flashbacks of Alexander's words and his audacity to pass on the blame to me.

"Tessa", I whispered, recalling her name so loud I let out a hysterical mockery laughter.The thoughts of been committed only to be blamed for my misfortune.

"It's your fault, Victoria" his words burned through my chest as the flashes of their bodies in bed together entangled in each other's arms.

I quickly pulled over to a quiet park, as I was unable to go home to the emptiness and void. I let out a scream, relieving myself of, what I felt at that point. I rested my head on the steering as flashes of our happy years together flooded my mind.

"How could I have missed it? The late-night calls, mesoutges, his growing impatience with me, it was all coming to my senses. But what burnt me further was the humiliation he had me witness; I tried my best not to cry as tears would still mean I cared, but clearly, I didn't want to. All I could feel now was a hollow space in my heart.

My phone buzzed up, startling me. It was Alexander's name boldly flashing across my screen. My heart skipped in defence, I had my fist against the steering, my jaw clenchingso hard as I declined. His message popped up a moment later.

Please let's talk, can you come home?

I stared at the message,my thumb hovering over the keyboard as I proceeded in deleting his messages.

Victoria's pov

The view through my half reopened window brings in a wafted cool breeze filled with the faint scent of spring. I barely slept the previous night I had slept off in my car, my mind reminisced about the event that occurred over again. I silently hummed a silent musical through my lips, I was in my sanctuary away from the chaos.

"Victoria, are you okay?" My assistant Zara peeped into my office with a clear consigned expression written all over her face.

I forced a quick smile,though it looked fake on my lips.

"I'm okay, Zara. I'm just having a lot on my mind"

She hesitated as I tried pushing her head out of my office carefully before sitting back at my desk, glancing straight at the clock on the wall It was just 10.am, but I felt like the day slowed down its pace.

A knock at the door broke through my trance.

"Come in" I called out, trying my best to mask the tiredness in my voice.

Maria Alvarez, my bestie, walked in with her demeanour as lovely as ever. I was so shocked to see her as I tried my best not to bother her through my growing chaotic life.

She walked in with a small paper bag, which smelled of my favourite pastries. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, It looked like she ran down here with her eyes lit up with concern.

"Hey you..," she drags the speech, murmuring softly ,placing the bag on the desk.

"I got a call from your assistant stating you weren't looking yourself,and guess what? I was around the corner, so I decided to pop in."

I managed a weak smile, Maria has always been my closest pal and best friend through my ups and downs. If anyone could light me up back to my old self, it would be her.

"Thanks for showing up for me, Maria," I whispered. " I didn't want you getting bothered about me."

"Don't be ridiculous, Vicky,"she says, pulling a chair close to me.

"Listen,darling, we are best pals, and what do best Pals do? They stick together. so I'm here now. So, spill it, what's the issue?"

I sighed, leaning back into my chair as the sad words about the incident spilt out of me, from Alexander's hints till he was caught red-handed and how he tried insisting I was the cause. Maria listened so devotedly to the story, her expression shifting from disbelief to anger as the details dropped, leaving no words unturned.

Tsk..tskk

Maria clicked her tongue with desperation. I could sense the anger boiling within her.

"That bastard" she uttered, slamming her hands into my desk. "And Tessa? I warned you, didn't I ? I told you she was trouble, a snake, but no. She definitely crossed the line this time."

"Maria, it's not just them." I said, my voice giving way to the tears I had held in for a long time.

"It's also my fault,I caused it ,I could not be a good wife, I ignored the signs, I..."

I was about to say my next blame when I got cut off by Maria.

"Would you stop blaming yourself," Maria says, leaning forward.

"This was never your fault, those two bastards made their choices, you deserve so much better and don't you go around blaming yourself"

"No, don't cry, my darling, they are not worth it"

Her words struck me as it brought me back to my confident self, I felt a glimpse of validation from her as she carefully wiped off the tears in my eyes.

"I don't know what to do, Maria," I said, admitting my weakness. "I called in my lawyer to send the divorce papers to him this morning, I still feel stuck in this nightmare, like there is no Redemption for me"

A glowy smile elapsed on her cheek as she tipped her chin thoughtfully drooling away.

"You need a reset Vicky", she said jokingly

"A reset?" I asked, confused at her filtered statement.

"Yes Vicky A fresh start,why don't you get out of London for a while,let's put some distance between you and all this awful nightmare of toxicity, let's reconnect you back to your bossy young self"

I was about to protest against it,but Maria held up her finger against my lips.

"Don't argue with me Vicky, you've been through hell and now it's time for you to heal,and I am not sure you would find that healing here in London as every nook and cranny has a blueprint of Alex"

Her words planted a seed of possibility. In my head, I had always been the type to soldier on my feelings and kept things moving. I guess she was right.

"Where would I even go?" I asked hesitantly

Maria's face lit up with a grin . "How about Germany, whereas we could both plan a getaway for the weekend, it would be the best experience ever"

"Germany?" I frowned at the idea but still took it into consideration.

"Okay, I'll go to Germany" I said, tugging my lips

Maria leapt for joy as she applauded me repeatedly.

"That's my girl!!, this is probably one of your best decisions you've made"

I laughed, feeling free of the burden tied down in my chest.

Maria and I chatted about our travel plans, and for the first time in four years, I felt happy one more time,like I had something to look forward to.