Within Temptation

Fifteen (New Devil)

Euphoria's interior looked like the inside of a palace. I was left stunned by the beauty of it. I look around for Ben while mentally preparing to hash things out. I walk around the lobby wishing I had someone by my side for support. I hear familiar footsteps coming towards me. Despite the anger coursing through me I still run into his arms. Ben holds me tightly kissing the top of my head. We break apart taking a few steps away from each other.

"Is there somewhere private we can talk?" I ask. I need to stay strong tonight. He burned the bridge of our relationship. I could try and convince myself the spark was still there. A small part of it was. There was a louder part that was tired of the false accusations.

If we're being technical, they're not false anymore.

I flinch, following him down a carpeted hallway. There were paintings on the wall each piece seemed to come alive as we passed. Ben opened up a door moving aside to let me through. I step inside a glass of Pepsi appears alongside a glass of water.

"Alcohol isn't permitted during training. When I'm official it won't affect me at all." He explains sitting down.

"Yumi says you've fucked up royally especially since you've kept the real reason you joined a secret." I sit across from him.

"I joined to protect my family." He says it with conviction. He crosses his arms over his chest.

"Don't you dare lie to me!" I exclaim hands shaking. "Not about this, I want the truth. I'm owed it."

"Remington came to see me. He told me I was right to be suspicious of Andy. I have never liked the way he looked at you like you belonged to him. I went to Yumi, and she gave me something that helped me remember everything. Andy is a monster and he wants to take you away from me. I can't lose you. I won't. Not to him. Not to anyone!" His eyes are burning with a fierce possessiveness that sets me on edge.

"Is that why you've been going through my phone?" I ask. "Ben, I don't know how many times I have to tell you this before it sinks in. Danny and I had a one-night stand. He orchestrated the whole thing because he had a crush on me. He thought one night would be enough to ignite something between us. Nothing happened after that. I love you; I've been loyal to you. I'm your wife!"

"I have a hard time believing you." He pulls his phone out of his pocket. "If you were loyal, you wouldn't have let Andy into the loft. You also wouldn't have fucked him."

My heart plummets into my stomach. He shows me his phone, of the cameras he had put up in the loft above Wanderlust. I stand up, and tears are threatening to fall down my face. He stands as well his eyes locked on mine. This is not the man I had fallen in love with.

"For Orion's sake, I am not going to take you to court for custody. I am also not going to ask for a divorce, why ruin our reputations?" He backs me up against the wall. "You are going to stop seeing Andy. You will be working remotely from now on and the only way you're leaving the house is with me. Are we clear?"

My hands are shaking and I am struggling to keep myself calm. He threatened to take my son away from me. I had zero fear of taking him down. I square my shoulders standing up to my full height. It was clear there was no reasoning with him. I wipe the tears from my eyes. I could feel it, my heart breaking into a million tiny pieces.

"Benjamin Paul Bruce, I hardly recognize you anymore. You are not the man I married. I am convinced the man I loved vanished a long time ago. The first thing I am going to do when I wake up is call my lawyer to file for divorce and full custody of my son. As of now, we are officially over."