/Zianna/
The sunlight shining through the curtains woke me up before my alarm clock did.
It was 6:00am, I needed to be at work at 9:00 and James needed to be at his office an hour before me. I quickly hopped out the bed, making my way to the bathroom.
In the span of an hour and 30 minutes I did my skin care regimen, took a shower, rushed to put on lotion and clothes, picked out shoes, grabbed my brief case and headed to the kitchen. James got ready in the guest bathroom- which was pretty much his own personal bathroom.
"Good morning Darling" He greeted once he saw me enter the kitchen
"Morning" I said in a dull tone
I looked in the fridge and grabbed a bottled water
"Oh come on baby, this isn't about last night is it?"
I sighed and glanced at the clock that hung on the wall. It was almost 7:40.
"You're gonna be late for work- takes 15 minutes to get there- you better hurry"
There was silence.
Two full minutes of silence.
Then he slammed his hand hard against the counter. I jumped, looking behind me with wide eyes and a slightly agape mouth.
He looked insulted
He looked angry
"I'm so sorry" I apologized
I hurried over to his side and kissed his cheek.
"What I meant to say was, Good morning dear, you're almost late for work and you should get going. I'll call you once I prepare to leave" I said quickly
"You'll call me in 30 minutes exactly, and you'll order me lunch from that sandwich place I like"
"Babe, that place is all the way downtown and they don't do delivery-"
He glared at me, immediately shutting me up
"Well I'd have my assistant go get it for me if my wife allowed me to have one"
I rolled my eyes, "All I said was I wasn't comfortable with you having a female assistant"
"And yet, you have a male assistant"
I bit my bottom lip, he was right. But Colson, my assistant, had been my best friend since we were in diapers. I made a promise years ago that when I started my business, I was gonna give him a job doing something. He suggested being my assistant and I loved the idea- and I enjoyed every second of him being my right hand man.
"Yes, but can you really blame me for being uncomfortable? Let's not forget the last assistant- who Colson caught leaving this house ON YOUR DAY OFF"
"Assistants sometimes work on off days"
"But on this off day she had her underwear in her hand. Your track record with female assistants aren't the best"
"Well if I can't have a female assistant then you have to get rid of your male assistant" He stated bluntly
"I will do no such thing"
"Then get ready to see another female leave this house with her underwear in her hand"
I gasped, as that caught me off guard
"I've never slept with Colson while married to you. I never cheated- because you'd be sick if I treated you the way you treat me"
"You let me treat you this way Zianna. You're too weak to do the same to me. You're too weak to leave me. You will never leave me"
"Don't hold your breath" I said with tears falling from my eyes
The clock struck 7:45
"I have to leave for work- and go look for an assistant. Make sure to order my lunch"
He kissed my cheek and walked out the front door, leaving me there to sob.
After a quick crying session I fixed my makeup and decided to head to work early.
Once there, I walked in the building with a fake smile plastered on my face.
I waved at the security guard and the receptionist, getting on the elevator and dropping my smile immediately.
On the way up to the 10th floor, I thought about everything James had said to me, how small I felt. Before I knew it the elevator doors opened and I practically jogged to my office where Colson was already making business calls.
I smiled at him, admiring how serious he took his job.
He finished up his last call and embraced me in a well-needed bear hug.
We always hugged as if we hadn't seen each other in years- which I loved.
While in this hug, my lip started to quiver and I found myself sobbing again.
Colson was obviously taken back, and pulled away to look me in the face.
"Zi? Zi, baby what's wrong?" He asked while pulling me back into the hug.
So I explained everything from the beginning, going all the way back to when the problems first started.
"Why wait so long to tell me Zi? You know I'd go to jail for you, why tf you letting this man treat you like this?"
"I love him"
"Love shouldn't make you this unhappy." He pointed out.
I nodded. I knew he was right
"I swear, as soon as I see him-"
"Please don't hurt him Col, you know how angry you get"
"F*ck that. He's hurting you. I'll go to war for you"
He hugged me again, this time planting kisses on my cheeks and forehead.
"You wanna skip work today? You know Asia can handle it."
Asia was like my right hand woman, one of the only women I could trust and vice versa.
"I wanna take this week off" I admitted
"You can do that, you're the boss. How about you tell Asia to take over this week, and everyday you get up for work you come over my house?"
I smiled at the devious plan.
"Let's do it" I agreed happily
"You need to divorce him, Zi" Colson added
"Not strong enough"
"I hope you're not sleeping with him, he's admitted to cheating basically"
I thought about it
"I hadn't in a while, and I get tested regularly so I don't have anything. But I'm definitely not letting him touch me now- which would probably only lead to him cheating more"
I started sniffling and crying again, but Colson said something that lifted my spirits.
"Then play the same game. Cheat back- get a boyfriend or something. Since he wants to be single- you be single as well."
________________
Y'all I swear Pete is coming in the next chapter 😂😂 Just wanted to introduce the other characters.
Sorry for mistakes ❤️
