Flora did not have many friends apart from Eva, and certainly none with husbands who had cheated on them with their sisters. But even if she had, she was sure no wife who had been so betrayed would be doing what she was doing right now; going through the social media pages of the mistress.
She had not meant to look up anything related to Olivia, or even Henry. Of a truth, Flora was bored. After she and Eva had spoken, Eva had formally informed Henry’s lawyers that they were rejecting the terms of the divorce that he had offered. Instead, she was now demanding half of Henry’s shares in his company, Sunstraight Manufacturing Ltd.Amazingly, she was going to get all this plus all the other assets, including the houses and cars. Flora had been afraid at first, that this would make Henry blow up and recruit his mother and sisters against her but Eva had told her that things were moving quite smoothly. It turned out that all he was really concerned about was that Flora would go to the paparazzi and ruin the perfect goody two shoes image that he presented to the public.Flora didn’t know what she would do without her firecracker of a friend. Deep down, she knew she would not have had the courage to demand all that Eva was insisting she deserved, even if she was as angry as when she had caught Olivia and Henry together.When all this was over, perhaps she and Eva would take a solo trip to some tourist country and enjoy themselves without all this drama chasing her. She’d finally splurge and buy Eva her dream bag that’d been in her online shopping cart for the last five months.But before that would happen, all she could do for now was wait and wonder as Eva concluded negotiations and used her lawyer superpowers.In her defense, she had tried to occupy her mind before succumbing to the temptation to torture herself. First Flora had cleaned the apartment from top to bottom, and put all her all into scrubbing the pans and pots in the kitchen. Next, she had tried to watch a new action movie and fallen asleep on the couch before she had even reached the middle.Now, she was trying hard to remember Olivia’s Gram username as she opened the app.Finding her step-sister was not a hard task, much to Flora’s surprise. It turned out Olivia was some kind of upcoming social media influencer, with over twenty thousand followers and counting. Ironically, her username was your-pinkest-angel. Flora could not stop her laughter as she saw the bow and pink heart emojis next to the words. If only her followers knew she was certainly no angel.While the most recent images loaded, she perused the older ones, scoffing at the skimpy outfits that left nothing to the imagination. There was nothing but silhouetted shower pics that revealed nothing yet everything at the same time and bikini shots with her behind pushed at the camera. A few pics showed her sticking her tongue out at the camera at several high-profile locations. It seemed she liked to show off her wealth to her followers. Knowing Olivia, she probably giggled at the thought of them envying her with each photo she uploaded. Olivia was no sultry siren in her twenties trying to make a splash. She was seven years older than Flora, landing her firmly in her early thirties.When she got tired of scrolling through provocative photos that encouraged illicit private messages, Flora scrolled back up, ready to exit the page. The top photos had loaded and her heart leapt into her throat. At the very top of her profile, Olivia had pinned an image with her hand entwined with a man’s hand, squeezing tight. On her finger was a huge garnet ring glinting in the sunlight. The photo was cropped out to remove the man’s face and part of the body but Flora knew without a doubt that it was Henry.Loathing roiled in her; the illegitimate couple hadn’t even waited until she and Henry were properly divorced!She clicked on the photo and scrolled down to the caption. It read, “making things official!! My pinkest angels, meet the #loveofmylife!!”The location tag glinted on the screen. It was the Severas Museum of Grand Illusions; the very same place Henry had gotten on one knee to propose to her. It was a place Flora had once treasured, because he had professed his everlasting love for her in the presence of tons of strangers and shown her how much he loved and valued her. What scum he was. Even in this, Henry couldn’t be original.Flora exited the page and waited to recognize a pang in her heart, some ache that would let her know that seeing this public confirmation of Henry’s infidelity to her had affected her. Oddly, she was calm as she dropped her phone on the bed. There was no more love for Henry inside her, let alone respect. Maybe she would have had some regard for him if he had owned up to his actions like a real man and a proper human being instead of shocking her with divorce papers and trying to blame her ‘lack of love’ for their ruined marriage. All she felt was a searing disgust, one so strong she could have thrown up. Henry and Olivia deserved each other but she wouldn’t let their union be peaceful.Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open and Eva barged in, a wild excited look in her jade eyes. “You’ll never guess it.”Flora did not try to fight the smile that grew on her face. “I’m free?”“Free as a bird Flo!”Her friend rushed to hug her and Flora held her tight. “Oh my God Eva. It was almost too easy.”“You should have seen the little weasel,” Eva scoffed, rolling her eyes. “He didn’t even care about the demands, he just kept asking about the waiver and insisting you don’t go to the press. He’s awful.”Flora laughed heartily. “Who cares? I’m free of him!”As they hugged, Eva’s eyes caught sight of Flora’s upturned phone and she snatched it up, noting Olivia’s username in the history of the search bar. “Oh Flora…”“I was bored,” Flora said, a little too quickly. Eva’s eyes narrowed. “I mean, a little curiosity doesn’t mean anything.”“You don’t still love him, do you?”Flora gasped in disbelief. “Of course not, Eva. Come on, that’s not something you should have to ask.”“If you say so,” Eva said as she laid the phone back on the bed, face down this time. Flora hated how much the cheer in her voice had reduced. “Look, for now, you and Henry are separated but the court wants to be sure this is something both of you want and are sure of so it’s giving you a grace period.”“Grace period?” Flora echoed, “We’re not divorced yet?”Eva sat down on the bed and patted the flowery bed sheet. “Think of this as the first stage,” she said. “You’re well into being separated forever, but the court is giving you a chance to reconcile if you want to. If you get back together with Henry during this time, then the whole process will never be finalized. All of this would have been for nothing.”“Fat chance,” Flora hissed.“You’re sure Flo?”“Oh come on Eva. Just because I was stalking Olivia’s page doesn’t mean I want to jump the bones of the man who treated me like nothing. Please, I’m sure.”Eva nodded approvingly, but her gaze lingered on Flora’s phone. “Good. Let’s keep it that way.”“Okay, you have to pick one milady. Green shimmery dress or cobalt tube gown?” Eva held each selection to her body as she mentioned them. She struck a pose, waggling her brows at Flora. “Come on Flo, pick one. Personally, I recommend the cobalt. Show off those curves to the world girl.”Flora rolled her eyes, dropping the book she’d been attempting to read before Eva had begun her mini fashion show. “I’m not going to a nightclub Eva. I haven’t been to one in what, five years? What would I even do there?” She shook her head, making her chestnut hair fall free from the loose bun she’d packed it into. “I don’t think I even remember how to dance.”Eva blew out an irritated breath, one hand on her hip. “You’re not some old grandma; you’re in your twenties! It’s your literal prime. Just because Henry kept you locked up doesn’t mean you can’t live life a little now that he’s out of the picture.”“By drinking myself half to death and ending up with a kil
The moment she saw the Cherub, Flora wondered what she had been so scared about. It was a beautiful place, and the very sight of it soothed her nerves. The actual building resembled a magnificent mansion that was lit up with electrical lights that were designed like medieval lamps. In front of the entrance was a huge water fountain that was lit up from underneath with blue and yellow lights that gave it the illusion of an intricate water show.All around the building were fully grown palm trees that nearly towered over the building, lending sophistication to the entire location. Flora could barely contain her gasp as she got down from the car. “I told you,” Eva said with a huge grin. “It’s a swanky place.”Her friend was wearing the cobalt tube gown she had tried and failed to convince Flora to wear. It hugged her body like a lover, emphasizing her slim hips and tiny waist. The gown was strapless, and Eva’s midnight black hair fell over her shou
“At my service?” She rose her eyebrows at him. “Are you going to show me all the secrets of the Cherub?”He did not reply to her for a second, letting his gaze trail all over her and Flora fought the shivers that went down her spine at his obvious attraction to her.Really, he was the epitome of sophistication, his tailored tuxedo accentuating his chiseled features and piercing eyes. His commanding presence drew attention yet he seemed unfazed by the admiring glances, devoting his attention to her and her only.It was a heady drug, his attention, one that was intoxicating yet very unsettling. When she had left behind the clothes that were made for her body type and begun wearing maternal clothes that suited a woman several sizes bigger, it was as if she had become invisible. Due to Henry’s insistence, she had started staying at home so much more which limited her human contact. Often, the only people she would speak to in a week were the servants, Eva and Henry’s mother when she call
Flora lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. Despite drinking some chamomile tea before retiring for the night, she had not been able to sleep until very late into the night, and even when she had managed to fall asleep, she would always wake up after an hour or two before getting so tired she would succumb to sleep once more. Her rest had proven restless and Flora knew exactly why. It was the guilt of leaving Damien the way she had, with so little explanation for her strange behavior. What must he be thinking of her now?His concerned face flashed in her mind and she cringed, embarrassment flooding through her. She had not meant to leave him so abruptly, but she had felt like she was suffocating, the weight of her doubts and fears crushing her. Flora had enjoyed the kiss but the panic that followed was overwhelming. She’d thought she was ready to move on but the kiss had brought all her insecurities flooding back, filling her with a feeling of inadeq
As the plane descended, Flora’s heart quickened with each passing minute. She peered out of the window, her eyes scanning the landscape below. The sprawling city was bathed in the warm hues of the setting sun, casting long shadows over the horizon.The familiar sights brought a sense of unease, a feeling that had been gnawing at her since she had booked her ticket. As the aircraft taxied to a stop, she took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay ahead. She gathered her belongings and made her way down the narrow aisle, the hum of the engines fading into the background as she stepped onto the tarmac. The crisp evening air greeted her and the warm sunshine enveloped her, a stark contrast to the chill that had settled in her bones. She had been dreading this trip for weeks, but she knew it was necessary. She had to face her father and stepmother, to tell them the truth about her marriage and the impending divorce. She couldn’t do it over the
“Here we are,” the driver said of the taxi. “The Equinox Hilton.”Flora peered out the window at the hotel he’d brought her to. It was a towering masterpiece of elegance and sophistication, its sleek glass and steel façade gleaming in the city lights. From what she could see, the lobby was lavish, adorned with marble and crystal, every detail crafted to be nothing short of unforgettable.“It’s one of the most luxurious hotels in this city ma’am,” the driver continued. “Very refined. You’ll enjoy your stay here.”From the looks of it, Flora was not even sure she could afford it, but all the same she nodded and flashed him a grateful smile. She alighted from the vehicle, and paid his fee before getting her box out of the trunk. The hotel exuded an air of opulence and extravagance from the moment Flora stepped through its grand entrance, hinting at the world she was entering. Marble floors gleamed under the soft glow of crystal chandeliers and tower
Their conversation flowed easily as evening turned to night, moving through dreams, fears and aspirations. The storm outside eased up, replaced by a light shower. Flora found herself growing more and more tipsy, the champagne flowing like water as she laughed and joked with Damien. He was witty, and she couldn’t help but feel drawn to him, her inhibitions slowly disappearing with each passing minute and with each sip of champagne, replaced by a sense of recklessness fueled by the bitterness of her recent argument with her parents. She laughed at his anecdotes, her laughter mingling with the soft strains of music playing in the background. The more she drank, the easier it became to confide in him, to share her deepest fears and frustrations. And then, in a moment of drunken candor, she made a mistake. As they sat together on the couch, their legs touching, she leaned in close, her voice low. “I have a confession to make, she said, her eyes locked on his. He raised an eyebrow, his
Sunlight speared through the gaps in the curtains, dragging Flora from a restless sleep. It casted a warm glow over the interior of the penthouse suite. She stirred from her slumber, her mind still hazy with the remnants of dream and desire. As she blinked away the last of her sleep, the events of the previous night played on repeat in her mind – the raw vulnerability she’d shared with Damien, the intoxicating of alcohol and attraction and the stolen moment of connection before reality intruded. Disappointment gnawed at her. A part of her had been hoping to wake up to Damien by the window, the city skyline a backdrop to their newfound alliance. But the plush armchair was empty, the only evidence of his presence a single white orchid lying on the bedside table, its delicate petals mirroring the fragile hope blooming in Flora’s chest.Beside the orchid lay a folded piece of paper. With trembling hands, she reached for it. Flora’s heart hammered against her