Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 41

Emily opened her eyes to the glow of the night lamp on the stand. Her memory was hazy. Where was she? She tried to get up but noticed she was being held down. She pushed against the weight and felt a human hand over her waist.

"You're up?" she heard a calm masculine voice ask above her head.

In shock, she tried to pull away as quickly as possible, but his hands held her down.

"Where are you in a hurry to?" he asked tiredly.

Suddenly, she remembered. She had forgotten her actions the previous night. The memories came flooding back, and she immediately recognized where she was and who the man beside her was.

"How are you feeling, babe?" Mark's voice asked again.

She was uncomfortable.

"I have to go..." she said, trying to get up, but he pushed her back down.

"Go where? It's so early in the morning," he said, pecking the back of her head.

"I don't want people from the church to see me here," she said. "They can come in at any time, especially..." She paused, unwilling to voice her thoughts.

"Especially who? My fiancée?" Mark asked, smiling behind her.

"Sorry," she apologized, embarrassed that he had guessed what she was thinking.

"She's my fiancée; you're my wife. Who holds more ownership of me?" he asked, his hands hovering around her tummy.

"Mark, we cannot continue to act like we're married... I'm sorry but I..."

"But you held on to the ring until recently when you just yanked it off your finger and dropped it on the counter. That's not how marriage works, Emily," he chuckled, gently picking the strands of hair scattered over her face.

"I want a divorce, Mark. I'm begging you," Emily said.

"Anytime you mention the word 'divorce,' I only imagine how far gone into the world you have become. The young church girl I married would never think of divorce. It would be like a sin before God and man. Divorcing me? A pastor? Millionaire? Director?"

Emily listened to him arrogantly praise himself as he pushed the hair off her face.

"Small girl I married," he whispered to her. "I still remember your first night in my house, all by ourselves."

Emily pulled her head away in disgust. She never wanted to remember that night again.

"Please, Mark, divorce me," she begged, her voice now sober. "You're keeping me hostage while moving on with your life. I need freedom... for my son and me..."

"Freedom and then what? Freedom for what?" Mark asked. "Emily, you can't even get new clothes for yourself without a man's help. Unless you're asking for freedom to mess around with other men."

There was silence.

"You know what? I'll divorce you," Mark said, breaking the sudden silence. Emily jerked at the sudden revelation. She couldn't see his face, but his voice sounded serious. "I can get the lawyers to finalize everything and break the marital bond."

"But, in exchange for something," he said, his hand moving from her waist to her thighs. "I will move you to New York. I have two houses there. I'll take you to the one many people don't know about, especially our church congregation. I'll put you in one house, together with my son, and I'll send you money frequently. You're not allowed to work, just take my son to school and go shopping. I will keep an eye on you from over here. I will have every single detail about your day. If there is anything you want, you will reach me, but only during specific times, especially in my office... or preferably, I'll reach out to you. I'll settle all your bills. You will never lack. I'll spoil you with designer clothes, shoes, bags, perfumes... name it. I will also enroll you in some activities with other women to keep you busy. Cooking classes... anything."