Chapter 3
1848 Words
Jessica POV
I woke to Grandma and Grandpa murmuring with the doctor. I blinked my eyes open, and they rushed to me. I had slept all night and half the day away.
"How are you feeling?" Grandpa asks, concerned, marking his handsome face.
Moving slightly, to test my body, I almost cried out in pain. It must be covered in bruises from the fall, and the painful and empty feeling in my womb had me hurting in other ways.
"Sore," I replied sadly, barely containing my tears.
"That would be expected, tumbling down the stairs tends to batter the body." Grandma smiled as she pushed some hair from my face, trying to make me feel better by cracking a joke, which fell flat.
"We have arranged for a nurse to live with us while you heal. I assume you do not want to return to the penthouse," Grandpa's gruff voice, full of barely contained emotions, asked. I do not know what he knows, but he acts like he knows something had gone on for Sam not to have been there.
"No, I never want to return there." I proceeded to explain what happened at Sam's office, their gloating about Tammy being pregnant, and that they hope mine dies. She got her wish.
Grandpa pulled out his phone and walked away, as Grandma had tears flowing down her face. None had expected Sam and Tammy to be so heartless.
"You are moving home with us, and recoup. I also suggest a quick divorce." Her tears continued to track down her tired face as she tried to contain her heartbreak and anger.
"No argument with me there. I am glad you insisted on the prenuptial agreement, especially the infidelity clause. Grandpa ensured I had a prenup, as I had a large trust fund that needed protecting. Everything else was still in Grandma's name until I was twenty-five. Grandma was the one from old money and owned several buildings, among other things. When she dies, I get the lot, and I will have more money than I know what to do with. It's not that I am short of cash now. Even Grandpa won't get anything, other than the agreement we had put in place; he will live out his life as he does now, and they will both guide me into taking over the businesses.
My only building is a small gallery, which I purchased for my antiques. I love collecting old things and have a gallery to share them with people who might never get to see them, as most squirrel them away and lock them where no one can appreciate them. I love my little gallery.
Dad lives in a house that was my home growing up, but he does not own it. When Mum died in a shopping center shooting, I was one year old. Dad was allowed to stay in the house. However, if and when he remarries, the money given to support me will be reduced, and when I reach sixteen, it will stop, and I will get control of my funds.
Since he remarried and had a daughter of his own, Dad has treated me differently. He showered his other daughter with love and gifts, but I was not. He was never violent or anything like that, but I could tell he did not love me in the same way, and my step-mum would ignore me over her daughter, when Dad was not around, making my relationship with Tammy a hard one.
Growing up, it did not worry me as much as it could have if it were not for my grandparents, who made up for it and spoiled me. I spent many school breaks with them, while my half-sister did things with her mother.
The doctor came in looking concerned; however, under the circumstances, he gave me the okay to go home.
"Rest up. You are going to be sore for a few weeks." He handed Grandma a prescription and instructions for my care.
After getting dressed in slacks and a loose top, I was wheeled out of the hospital. A nurse will come and live with us and take care of my medical side. It was the only condition for me to be allowed to leave. Without the nurse, I would be staying in the hospital a few more days, and I did not want that. I needed to get away and be safe. I felt he could come to my room any time he wanted, but I was not ready to see him again so soon.
The house by the river came into view; it was good to see what had been my home during school holidays and my refuge when I needed it. The family mansion is no longer used. We need to auction off all the antiques and sell the mansion, as none of us are likely to ever live in it. The staff enjoy life on that twenty-acre property, which has five levels and contains thirty bedrooms, twelve bathrooms, and so on.
"Sweetheart," Grandpa called as I settled on the couch with a pillow and blanket over my legs. I was not ready to climb the stairs to my room.
"In the lounge, Grandpa," I called back; I wanted nothing more than to lie on the couch, fall asleep, and hope it was all a bad dream when I woke. I was numb at the moment, still in denial.
Grandpa entered with four men following behind him.
Already? I thought I would get at least one day of peace.
I thought I would get one day of rest, but I should fight while the iron is hot. Whatever that saying is, I get them all mixed up and confused. Grandpa often laughs at me when I misquote one of those sayings, changing their meaning.
"You know who these men are. So we shall get right to business." A maid arrived with a trolley full of drinks and cake. Grandma followed her, poured me a cup of tea, placed it close to me, and then made herself one, leaving the men to help themselves.
I nodded as I took a sip of my coffee.
Over time, I have been married to Sam. I have become meek and allowed him to act like the boss. I was happy for him to be in charge—or think he was—but not now.
He is going to see the powerhouse I can be.
I want revenge for my baby.
For my heartbreak and betrayal.
But I am not sure how to go about that.
"Firstly, we have arranged for all your things to be brought here. Sams will be bagged, taken to his business, and dumped. The building security has changed the password and will not allow him anywhere near that building again. The penthouse will be put up for rent," Grandpa said in his business tone, breaking my thoughts.
"Sam's card has been canceled, and I have started investigating transactions and his bank account. We need to see what he has been up to. Any auto deductions from your account for his expenses have been removed," our accountant, Saville, adds.
"Here are the divorce papers. Sign them. We have had the footage from Sam's office and the stairwell and will take it to the judge. We do not need his signature for this. The evidence is enough to get a divorce and a month's cool-off period," Jackson, the family lawyer, slid the papers across the coffee table, and I gave them a quick look and signed. Not that I did not trust him, but it was ingrained in me to never sign anything without reading it.
"I will investigate all Sam's dealings since you were married. Find out when all this started and if he has been misusing the card you gave him for trivial purchases. I am thankful you agreed to a few restrictions when you got engaged and did not change them." Jones, the PI, added his part to this meeting.
I agree, Grandpa did not trust my husband and ensured my money was safe. Then again, I only had the trust fund; no buildings or business had come to me yet. I was not ready to take on that responsibility, and as it is all in my Grandma's maiden name, not many know I am the sole heir. I have kept my Grandma's name, doing the same as my mother, and keeping the family name. How so few had joined the dots to link me to billions of dollars and the assets that might put me higher again. When it comes to me, it is beyond me.
"Any questions?' I could not think of any at that point.
"Not right now, I am tired and can't think straight," I replied honestly. All this was too much. I wanted to cry and scream and thrash about like a child who lost her favorite toy. But that is not how they would expect me to behave. I might rarely act like I have money, but that does not mean I have not learned how to be more than I had been. I thought being submissive was what my husband wanted. I should never have changed who I am for him. I was never one to be assertive and never needed to be.
Until now.
A new person needs to come out and play.
Get harder.
Get ruthless.
Get revenge for the loss of my baby.
My phone rang, and Dad's name was displayed on the screen. I put it on speaker for all to hear.
"Jessica, what have you done?" He bellowed.
"What do you mean, Dad?" Having no clue what I had done?.
"Why did you stop Sam's card? Why?' He growled again.
"He is cheating on me, Dad." I cried back.
"So, he is your husband; you forgive and move on."
'No, I will not, Dad, he cheated with Tammy. I can't forgive that."
"You will reinstate the card. NOW!'
"Dad, do you support the two of them? Tammy said she was expecting his child, MY HUSBAND 'S CHILD.' I shouted back.
"So I have two grandchildren coming, that sounds wonderful?" he gloated.
"No, Dad, I lost mine."
"How careless of you. Now reinstate that card, or you will be sorry." He hung up the phone.
"Time to evict him from that house, I would say. Andrew, get the lads together, clear that family out of that house, and change the locks. Jackson, you know what to do. Saville, stop making any payments to that man and his family now. I want anything that belongs to us returned. Cars, houses, money. Grab it all." Grandpa roared in anger. I was glad he got to hear that conversation, as few would believe my father treated me like that, as he assumed the doting father act in public.
"How long has he treated you like this? He is a bully.' Grandma soothed.
'All my life, only Tammy was who he loved.' I replied as the tears started again.
- Writer
