Everything started from the day I met Kevin, the one who eventually ruined our loving life. I don't blame him entirely because I was the cause of all those problems.
It was on our wedding day when I first met him. He was seated in the front row, wearing a sharp black suit and an expensive watch on his left wrist.
At first, because of our similar age, I assumed he was one of James's close friends. Little did I know at that time, he was James's cousin.
In the presence of our parents, relatives and friends, our wedding was solemnized. Or rather we'd now become a legal couple in the eyes of everyone
At the family dinner, James began introducing me to his colleagues.
"Sarah, meet Harry, my office buddy and also my drinking partner. Well, he's kind of dandy, but don't get fooled by his playboy looks; he's already the father of two little cuties. And there she is, his Juliet, who tames this wild Romeo. Hey! Natasha, over here!" James waved to a woman sitting with two little girls at another table.
Wearing a long black satin, Natasha was guiding the little ones about this wedding. When she saw us, she quickly walked over with the kids.
"Congratulations, James!" She handed Harry the kids and walked up to me.
"Look at you, you look as gorgeous as I did before my pregnancy." She stood beside me, comparing each other's beauty.
I could see jealousy from her eyes and there was some truth behind her words. She still looked beautiful after giving birth to two kids.
"You two drunkards, lucky enough to have such beautiful women as your wives otherwise..." Before she could say more, Harry interrupted her in the middle.
"What do you mean by luck? Are you saying we're not worthy of you guys?" Harry glared at her, his eyes narrowed a bit.
"Look, you know the answer." Her casual reply clearly heated the conversation.
"Whoa, whoa! Relax a bit. Why are you fighting over such trivial things? It's our wedding, guys. If you still want to continue, then at least postpone it until tomorrow."
James rested his hand on Harry's shoulder and patted a few times. Harry grasped the situation and stopped, at least for now.
He went on to introduce more of his friends. They were all very nice person and most of them were married, so I ended up spending a good amount of time chatting with their wives.
"Alright ladies, enough with your chitchat." Natsha carrying one of her kids in arms, sat beside my seat.
"Sarah, tell me how did you guys meet in the first place? You say, you run a salon business. And James works in a stock broker company. There's no way that both who has no previous contact with each other, will suddenly decide to marry just after a few meetings." She was smiling intently as if a child had found something new to play with it.
"Yeah, something seems fishy. Do you give him any special service, when he comes to your salon." Another lady in her earlier thirties pointed at her lips.
The others who were sitting close, shifted their gaze toward me. They all wanted to hear my yes.
Then, suddenly, James called me over. "Darling, come here for a second."
When I got there, I saw Kevin, standing beside him with a wine glass in his hand.
"Wife, this is Kevin, my cousin. You've heard about him from mom, right?"
It looked quite a normal introduction, but I could tell from his tone that things weren't exactly smooth between them. Despite the tension, I still greeted Kevin for the first time.
"Congratulations, sister-in-law. Congratulations, brother," Kevin said, raising his glass toward me.
I returned the gesture with a polite smile, but that was the extent of our conversation. Because right after that, James quickly led him toward his parents.
After dinner, guests came forward to offer their blessings and gifts. My friend Jennifer, whom I always considered sensible and like-minded, didn't disappoint; she gifted us boxes of protection, mostly in family-size packs. It was a mix of embarrassing and hilarious moment.
And then came our wedding night.
The most pleasurable yet painful night for any woman.
James lifted me in both arms and carried me into the bedroom. We were so focused on kissing that neither of us noticed the open door. When I finally did, I murmured,
"Honey, close the door first."
He gently placed me on the bed and went to shut it.
When he returned, he cupped my face and kissed me again, deeply and passionately. His kiss made me close my eyes, surrendering to his will. It wasn't our first time being intimate; we had already crossed that line, but every time, it felt new.
After savoring a few moments, our lips parted, but he wasn't looked ⁰satisfied, so I had to coax him gently.
What I didn't expect was that he'd take advantage of my liberty and continue his kisses until they trailed down my neck.
My breathing grew heavy with every mark he left. The pain caused my trembling hands to clutch his head, but it was too late; his fingers had already begun to slide downward.
"Darling… should we just sleep tonight?" I asked, my voice soften. "We've been doing this for days… and I'm feeling uncomfortable down there."
Just moments before, he had been so eager to put it in, but he paused, his desire melting into understanding. He nodded and helped me up.
After we took a light shower together, nothing kinky, just helping each other rinse off, then crawled into bed.
The night passed peacefully. When morning light spilled across our bare bodies, my head rested on his chest as I breathed in his warm scent.
It was the most beautiful day of my life, which I wanted to freeze forever. But the tighter we grip something, the more it slips away.
Soon, life returned to normal. James went back to work at his stock brokerage firm, and I immersed myself in running my salon.
Until one day, everything began to shift.
The man my husband least wanted to see was about to enter our lives again.
[James's POV – At Samuel & Samuel LLP]
**Why the hell are investment volumes shrinking these past few weeks?** I stared at my computer screen, trying to make sense of the decline.
Suddenly, my phone rang.
"Yes, boss?"
"Jimmy, come to my office. Now." Her tone was serious, but no explanation was given.
I quickly locked my screen and headed straight for her office.
**Knock, knock!**
"May I come in, boss?" I asked, standing just outside the door.
A soft voice replied from within, "Come in."
After getting her permission, I entered the room.
My boss, dressed in white shirt and black skirt, seated behind her desk with a coffee cup in hand.
She stopped mid-sip as she looked up at me. Her eyes scanned me from head to toe.
Then, in her usual cold tone, she said, "Jimmy, leave the office."