Wife for Hire

Chapter 1

The embers from the fire were no longer visible from the distance. Yet, ashes fell like snow despite the fact that the summer sun was already vanishing from the tawny sky.

Her blouse that was once neat white was now stained in cinders. Her hair that was once treated a week ago is now as crooked as the burnt tree in front of her house.

Wisdom was now sitting by the corner of the road. Her house was on fire just hours ago. The only thing remains of her were the apparel she was wearing, her second-hand laptop and mobile phone, and her coin purse that has no more than ten coins, as well as her leather wallet that she had since high school that has no more than a hundred dollars. Everything was burnt—including her ten-month-old baby.

Wisdom was well aware that misfortune is her middle name since she was born. But, the fact that her husband just left their infant daughter in their house and went to her best friend’s condominium unit to have a bed session is just utterly outrageous… and unlawful.

Richard, her husband, could have at least brought their daughter while he had a bed wrestling with her best friend, Francine. Well, her husband had been an asshole ever since, that’s why she wouldn’t wonder if ever Richard passed as the dumbest man in the world—because his dumb as shit anyway.

Wisdom couldn’t bring herself to weep; not even a tear would come out from her eyes. How could she weep when her only daughter died in fire while her husband was feasting his cobra inside her best friend?

She just arrived from work when she spotted the fire even from a kilometre away while driving her car—the car that was gifted to her during her eighteenth birthday.

She seized her mobile phone and dialled the number of her sister’s best friend who was a lawyer. Thank heaven anyway that at least she has a little salvation in her marriage.

To be honest, she could no longer take it—no longer endure it. She will divorce Richard as early as now, even if he is still banging that snake best friend of hers.

Wisdom stared at the still-busy street. Paramedics giving first aid to the affected; several people are still wailing under the now starry sky.

‘People are just too overacting. I didn’t even cry here that my baby was just burnt and my husband was also burnt… burnt because of sexual pleasure.' She mused as she ate the chocolate that was given to her by her boss, Gerry.

In her relief, the smoke was no longer that black. Unlike hours ago, the smoke was wholly thick and black as charcoal.

Her phone vibrated. She checked her messages and was elated that her sister’s friend, the lawyer, was happy to help her. Well, that’s what a man gets in drilling different holes—a divorce.

She may be not that rich compared to Francine but at least, she has loyalty; she has a word of honour. Yet, it seems that Richard doesn’t deserve her loyalty—not even an inch of her affection.

And Wisdom, as witty as her name, would prefer to live on her own than to reside with an asshole under one roof.

***

Minutes turned to hours, hours turned to days, and days turned to weeks.

Three weeks had passed and Wisdom Weisz was now living in her own walls, in her own roof. Her so-called husband really went and chose her best friend over her.