Page 107 of My Ruthless Husband

My eyes widen. I’ve never seen Vicky so pissed before. Not even when a teen ruined her jeans with water color earlier and refused to apologize.

“What would you do if that happens?”

A dark smile creeps across her face. “Oh, the possibilities are endless. I’ll play his games, only better. To start, I’d call him at three in the fucking morning, just to ruin his precious sleep. Let him feel what it’s like to be interrogated over trivial matters, especially when our line of work demands we wake up at the crack of dawn.”

The sharp, unexpected sound makes me jump. I look down and find her hand is soaked and water is dripping all over her fingers from the bottle that is now crushed.

She blinks then stares down at the floor, horrified. “I’m so sorry. I made a mess.” She looks around and then immediately starts toward the back of the hall. I grab her arm. “Where are you going?”

“To get the mop.”

“I’ll do it.” When she tries to argue, I shake my head. “Call Hal and get it over with. Delaying it will only agitate him.” And judging by Vicky’s reaction, he would take it out on her. I had no idea Hal could be this ruthless.

When Vicky’s shoulders slump in resignation, I give her arm a squeeze. “Go. I’ll clean this up and wait for you in the courtyard.”

The community center courtyard is warm and inviting. The walls are covered in climbing vines and bright flowers. In the center, a marble fountain trickles softly, surrounded by colorful flower beds and cozy seating that make it a perfect spot to unwind. It is maintained well and volunteers often spend their break time there.

“I’ll be outside.”

“All right.”

When she doesn’t leave, I roll my eyes. “Oh, relax! It’s not like I’ll be abducted by aliens in the next five minutes if you step away for that call. I’m not exactly alone in a deserted alley, am I?”

Her lips twitch in amusement. “No, you’re not.”

Smiling, I begin pushing her toward the main door, “Go, make your call, and if little green men show up, I’m sure I can hold my ground until you get back.”

She snorts but leaves nonetheless.

After cleaning up the floor, I make my way to the courtyard and take a seat on the bench.

Staring at the lifelike beautiful female sculpture fountain, I find myself drowning in thoughts, contemplating the simplicity of the tasks I do here.

It’s strange, really. With so much chaos and pressure in my life, I find myself finding peace in the small tasks like mopping the floor or organizing a storage room.

I can’t help but marvel at the novelty of it all. The luxury of doing ordinary things or sit in the open air without a mountain of problems looming overhead.

These simple tasks almost feel like an act of defiance. Damian would lose his mind if he found out his wife was mopping floors. He’d be beyond furious, especially knowing it’s because of the bodyguard he hired. I can’t help but smile. It would be a blow to his ego, seeing his trophy wife brought down to this.

My smile broadens but only a second before it vanishes completely.

If he finds out what I’ve been up to, it’ll be the last time I set foot here. I can’t take that risk. Luckily, Vicky’s got me covered.

“Admiring the fountain, I see.”

I startle, my shoulders tensing at the unexpected remark. Before I can fully process the words, the deep voice continues, “Why the frown, though? Did it forget to dance for you today?”

I turn, catching sight of Matt strolling into the courtyard. He’s wearing striped sweater and jeans, his hair unruly.

I hadn’t caught a glimpse of Matt all morning, and I’d half-assumed he wouldn’t show up today. I was kind of disappointed. It’s silly but true how we get used to certain faces around us. But he is more than just a familiar face. Matt has a unique ability to add liveliness to everything around him.

His energy is infectious. Just like my best friend, Summer. He effortlessly engages with those around him, making them feel seen, important. He can turn the simplest moments into something extraordinary.

Take yesterday for instance, he managed to make Anne smile. That was no small feat considering the teenager is going through a phase where she hates everything and everyone with a passion. Specially her divorced parents who forces her to come here three days a week to channel her anger through art therapy.

So, what did Matt do? He went above and beyond, deciding to throw a birthday party for her at the center. But this wasn’t just any party, mind you. Knowing Anne’s penchant for online games and such, he organized a paintball event. The transformation of the space into a paintball arena was both unexpected and brilliant.

Anne, who usually keeps to herself, couldn’t help but join in. Everyone could see Anne’s joy bubbling over. She was having ablast, splashing colors in every direction. The genuine happiness on her face was undeniable.

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