Chapter 3
1397 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.
"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 don't want to return to the penthouse," Grandpa's gruff voice, full of barely contained emotions, asked.
"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's tears flowed down her face.
"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 clause regarding infidelity. Grandpa ensured I had a prenuptial agreement, as I had a large trust fund that needed protection. Everything else was still in Grandma's name until I was twenty-five.
Dad lives in a house that was my home when I was growing up, but he doesn't 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.
"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 have stayed in the hospital a few more days, and I did not want that.
"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, followed by four men.
Already? I thought I would get at least one day of peace.
"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.
"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 no longer allow him anywhere near that building. 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
