BILLIONAIRES: Father or Son

Chapter Two

FLORA'S POV

The next morning, as soon as I opened the door, there he was—Jayden, standing like an angry statue by the doorway. His face was twisted in fury, his jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth might crack. Before I could even say a word, he barged into the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"What was the meaning of that last night?" he barked; his voice sharp enough to cut through steel.

I stared at him like he had just sprouted a second head. Seriously, had he finally lost it? Folding my arms across my chest, I raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, Jay. Why don't you tell me?"

He threw his hands up in exasperation. "You left the party and locked yourself in here just because you saw me and Melissa in the room?"

I couldn't help the sarcastic chuckle that escaped my lips. "Oh, you make it sound so simple, Jay. I walked in on you and your ex making out on our matrimonial bed. What did you expect? For me to hand you both a round of applause?"

"If you had let me explain," he huffed, his voice rising with every word, "instead of running off and locking yourself up all night—always seeking attention! I knew you just wanted to make a scene, wanted everyone to find out about that little mistake between Melissa and me, so I would get scolded."

I blinked at him, utterly appalled. How did I ever convince myself that I loved this guy? Honestly, the mental gymnastics I must have gone through... He had done nothing but belittle me, and made me feel like I was less than nothing, and yet I had put up with it all. But this? This was beyond even my twisted version of normal.

"You've officially lost your mind," I spat, my voice trembling with suppressed rage. "You should be apologizing for what you did!"

Jayden scoffed, rolling his eyes as if I had just suggested something utterly ridiculous. "Apologize? Flora, you should be grateful you're even a Kensington now." He shrugged, that arrogant smirk plastered on his face. "I mean, isn't that what you and your family always wanted? Your mother knew no man would ever be attracted to your fat body, so they trapped me with you. Don't get greedy. Melissa was the woman I loved—perfect, rich, classy, everything you're not. You? You're just some chubby hag I have to tolerate for the rest of my life."

Tears stung my eyes, the familiar burn of his words piercing my heart. He had thrown these insults at me countless times, but they still hurt, slicing through me like a knife. Why did I let his words get to me? Why couldn't I find the strength to hurl something back at him, something that would cut just as deep? But I was scared—scared of the consequences, scared of what would happen if I stood up for myself.

"So, please," Jayden continued, clasping his hands together like he was praying, "don't cause any more drama. What happened with Melissa was just a mistake." He waved his hand dismissively, like he was brushing off an insignificant inconvenience. "It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and you shouldn't have seen that. I don't want my mother finding out about this, okay?"

I didn't respond. I just stared at him, my mind numb from the whirlwind of emotions crashing over me. He took a step closer, placing his hands on my shoulders, trying to look sincere. "Listen, you're the one with the name, Mrs. Kensington. You're my wife, and that's an honor. No matter what happens, you still have that title and that name. Just forget about what you saw—it won't amount to anything, alright?"

Tears blurred my vision as I stared blankly at him. The weight of his words pressed down on me, suffocating me.

"Now," he added, his tone suddenly lighter, as if everything was perfectly fine, "be a good wife and help me pick out my clothes. You know I love it when you do that." He leaned down, kissed my forehead like I was some obedient pet, and then went out of the room, leaving me standing there in stunned silence.