Projected Wife

After doing the laundry, Fabe checked her phone while resting in bed. She felt terribly exhausted these past few days. But she was stunned by her husband's ten missed calls.

"Oh gosh!" she quickly texts Bryce. "Sorry, I was doing the laundry. What's up?"

"Laundry? Another excuse," Bryce rolled his eyes, reading her response. He came early to his lawyer's office and waited patiently for Fabe to pick up her phone.

Bryce never believes her wife. Whenever she fails to answer his call or text messages, she always tells him she does the laundry, cooking, or cleaning when they have twenty maids at home. He always thought Fabe was only making up excuses and not interested in him.

Seconds later, Bryce called again.

"Meet me at Atty. Gaston's office now!" and hang up.

"Right now? What's in a hurry?" Fabe whined to herself. She hasn't felt quite well since this morning but was forced to do the laundry by her mother-in-law.

Ever since they got married, Bryce has barely stayed home. It's either he's in the office or out with his circle of friends who are also rich. Madam Claudia, Bryce's mother, never failed to remind her how fortunate she was to marry her son. So as Lady Sophie, Bryce's sister, who married Dean Kron, a prominent businessman in the city, struggles to conceive, treat her like trash.

Madam Claudia treats Fabe as a maid, not as her daughter-in-law. Fabe often received mockery from Bryce's family and friends, but she kept it to herself. Working as a waitress in an indistinctive café, poor and illiterate. Such peasant with low standard, born out of wedlock whose mother is a scouring maid. This is her life. This is what she endures every day.

While Master Rafael Hamilton, Bryce's father, a sixty-year-old retired CEO of Hamilton Corporation, pressured Bryce to marry and have a baby before inheriting all his assets. He only cared about maintaining his family's good reputation in the business industry, the elite circle, and the whole country.

Bryce Hamilton, Fabe's husband. Tall and muscular. He got a perfectly sculptured body and powerful features. He often compared to all the handsome celebrities in the film industry. But he overthrew them all and is currently dubbed the most handsome face in Italy.

Women are dying to glimpse Bryce everywhere he goes, while others offer themselves for a one-night stand. But he married Fabe Everette, a nobody, which broke the heart of all women who fantasized him head over heels.

Over two years of marriage, Fabe tried hard to prove herself worthy of Bryce's love. She wanted him to love her, how she learned to love him and fulfill her duty as a good wife. Fabe serves him well and supports him but, above all, endures mockery and embarrassment.

She was never a part of the family. She was a nuisance to them, an embarrassment to the Hamilton. But because Bryce chose her as his wife, she endures it all. Hoping that one day, they would become a family and that Bryce would learn to love her the way she loved him.

Fabe got up and changed to meet Bryce. Even though she felt a little oozy, she didn't want to piss her husband off, mainly to keep him waiting. She called her driver and drove off. The trip to Atty. Gaston’s office makes her stomach hurl, but she holds it in and takes a deep breath. It felt odd, but the meeting is more important than what she felt right now. It can wait.

Atty. Leo Gaston is Hamilton's legal counsel. He's been working with the family for forty years. Bryce was sitting on the armchair across the table inside his office as Fabe got in. He looks serious, and his eyes are sharp, staring at his wife.

"Good day Atty. Gaston," Fabe greeted him with a smile moving to the chair across from Bryce.

"Good day Mrs. Hamilton," Atty. Gaston glances at Bryce, who locks his gaze on Fabe.

"So, why are we here?" Fabe faced Bryce, who stared coldly at her, and she suddenly felt nervous.

"Let's get this over with," Bryce laid the half-inch thick file on the table.

"This is the contract I made you sign before our marriage. It stated my terms, including the baby, and it’s been two years, and still no baby in the oven. Now, this is our divorce paper. Sign it, and you are free to go," Bryce tosses the divorce paper on her lap.

"Di…divorce?" Fabe felt her throat dry and stuttered over her words. Her hands are trembling, holding the document.

“You heard me. We are divorcing right away. This is what we planned for, remember?” there was no sign of regrets in Bryce’s words. He made up his mind.

“Yeah, it slipped my mind,” Fabe remembered the day she went to Bryce's office over two years ago.

"Good morning, Mr. Bryce. It's Fabe, from the cafe yesterday. I am at the lobby of your building," Fabe sent him a text message.

"Please come to my office on the tenth floor. Tell my secretary that I am expecting you."

"Got it."

Fabe entered his office and told his secretary that Mr. Bryce was expecting her. She called him on the intercom, and the secretary led her inside. Bryce is indeed waiting for her to come.

"Please have a seat," Bryce beckons on the armchair across his table and continues, "I'm going, to be honest with you, Miss...What’s your name, by the way?"

"Fabe Everette," she answered and sat on the chair.

"Ms. Everette, I want you to marry me. If you said yes, are you willing to be the mother of my child?" Bryce folded his hand and waited for her reaction.

"Is this some kind of a joke?" Fabe stared at Bryce confusingly, who didn't even flinch. The word married is like a normal thing to say for him that he throws at everyone that gets in his office.

"This is not a joke. Before you decline my proposal, please take time to read this contract and consider it," Bryce presented a half-inch thick file on his desk.

"Shoot! So you are dead serious."

"I am," Bryce pointed at the contract, and Fabe started flipping pages nonchalantly. She read all the pages and didn't leave out any words.

"So?" Bryce said, seeing her reading the last page.

"Shhh," Fabe shut him. She wants to concentrate on every word written in the contract. If she saw any loopholes, then she's out.

"Okay, take your time," Bryce returned to the documents on his desk. As Fabe check the contract seriously, Bryce glances at her and studies her face. Simple woman, he can tell. No art, vague; in other words, if his best friend Kyle is with them, he would say, boring.

"You will pay me to be your wife just to get your inheritance? Are you that desperate?" Fabe closed the contract and figured it was all reasonable and legal.

"Look, I worked hard for this company, and I won't let this all go to other hands who didn't even contribute any sweat."

"Fair enough. What about the baby? So I’ll be your baby maker, and then goodbye?”

“That is why I want you to read all the terms. If you are not interested, then,” Bryce points his finger at the door.

“Fine! When is the wedding?"

"I'll take care of everything. All you have to do is show up on our wedding day, but you must meet my family."

"Just call me when you're ready.”

The two shook hands and parted. For Fabe, what could go wrong with having a baby? After that, she can leave or take the baby with her.

Fabe pondered over this memory. Through the years of being together and being a good wife, he never even looked at her compassionately. He’s not always home, and he never believed her. He chose to believe his family’s lies and never stood for her. For him, she is just a projected wife.

“Look, Fabe, don’t act like you are shocked. You know about this all along. You signed the contract before we got married. I laid all the details for you, so don’t get me wrong, this is what we’ve been waiting for. My dad demanded a grandchild, and it's part of our deal.”

“Is it?”

“What’s wrong with you? Don’t make me feel like I’m making the biggest mistake here. We both know we are unhappy with this marriage, and divorce is our ticket to freedom. Sign the paper, and let’s get this over with.”

“You mean this is what you wanted! How are we going to have a baby if your….” Fabe inhaled and took the pen, and read the documents first. Bryce didn’t expect her reaction. He knew Fabe was always unhappy with him, but why was she acting this way?

Suddenly, Fabe felt the air surrounding her thin. The office flipped in her eyes, and she gasped for air. She heard Atty. Gaston's voice before she lost consciousness and fainted.