Spencer felt his breath catch in his throat. He immediately retorted, "How can I possibly do such a thing? My darling, even if every single man in this world cheats, I'll never stoop to their level."
He then said, sounding very convincingly ashamed, "I asked the doctor about this, and he told me that because of the fluctuating hormone levels, pregnant women can undergo mood swings and feel very insecure at times. This is all my fault, my darling. I've been spending too much time away from you lately. I'm ashamed of myself. The company is hosting a luncheon the day after tomorrow. Would you like to join me? It'll be good to get out of the house."
He hugged Nikita so close to him that she could hear his pounding heart as clearly as though it were her own. She resisted the urge to ask him whether his heart was racing out of concern for her, or because he was terrified that she found out about his affair.
On the day of the company luncheon, Spencer and Nikita's appearance immediately caught everyone's attention. Spencer placed his secretary in charge of overseeing the luncheon so that he could spend time with Nikita. When Nikita was thirsty, she did not even need to tell him. He could sense her every mood and handed her a drink with a straw in it before she could ask. When she munched on some cherries, Spencer was there to catch the seeds in his palm. When she went to the bathroom, Spencer waited patiently for her outside the door. If anything, Spencer seemed like the more clingy one in the relationship.
The female employees were all green with envy.
"What do I have to do to find myself a husband like that?"
"Mr. Ford is so obsessed with his wife. They're inseparable!"
"Hey Queenie, we invited our spouses and families today, so where's your husband?" someone piped up, and immediately, all eyes were on Queenie.
Queenie's husband always spoiled her with luxuries like Spencer did Nikita, so naturally, everyone was curious to meet her loving and generous husband for the first time.
Queenie gave a forced smile and replied, "It's a shame. He's busy and couldn't make it today."
Everyone seemed disappointed by this. "We were all looking forward to meeting your husband. I'd like my husband to learn a thing or two from him."
"I wonder if Queenie's husband is anywhere as handsome as Mr. Ford is!"
Nikita emerged from the bathroom, and who would she run into but Queenie?
Queenie pursed her lips and muttered, "Oh, finally! The entitled brat has finally emerged. We've been waiting for ages."
Everyone gasped. Queenie had always been snarky and rude, but everyone knew there was one person not to be messed with—Nikita. She was the apple of Spencer's eye, and one could easily lose one's job if they crossed her.
What was wrong with Queenie? Why was she deliberately picking on the CEO's wife?
One of her colleagues nudged her and hissed, "Are you out of your mind, Queenie? Apologize to Mrs. Ford right now!"
Queenie turned her head away and refused to budge.
Before Nikita could even say anything, Spencer barked, "Queenie, I won't tolerate such behavior. I'll deduct your bonus for this month, and you're officially off the project. Wendy will take over instead."
Queenie's eyes were as wide as saucers. She stared at Spencer in sheer disbelief, but Spencer ignored her. Instead, he straightened Nikita's dress and said gently, "Let's go, darling."
Nikita did not reply. She could see out of the corner of her eye that Queenie was glaring at Spencer. Angry tears slid down her cheeks, but no one else seemed to have noticed.
They all checked into a luxurious five-star hotel for the night. In the middle of the night, Nikita jolted awake, but when she turned around, she discovered that the other side of the bed was empty.
Her stomach was churning, and that was what woke her. She rolled over, and after a brief moment's hesitation, she decided to check the dashcam in Spencer's car.
She pulled up the footage and could hear a familiar voice as clear as day. Queenie said, her voice dripping like honey as she giggled, "For a moment, I thought you forgot me, Spencer. You were so mean to me this afternoon! I was so upset. Is that how you're going to treat me from now on?"
Spencer's husky voice came in short bursts. All of a sudden, he thrust, and Queenie gasped. He said coldly, "You were out of line this afternoon, Queenie. Have you forgotten what I told you? We can fool around all we like, but I draw the line with my wife. If you pick on her ever again, this will be the last we see of each other."
This seemed to put Queenie in check. She hooked her arm around Spencer's neck and crooned, her voice interspersed with moans of pleasure, "I was just jealous. I'm jealous of her, Spencer. She gets all of your attention, and I get the leftovers."
Spencer's tone softened. "Don't cry, baby. You had your eye on the bungalow on Second Promenade, didn't you? I'll buy you anything you want. I love you, Queenie, but I hope you won't make things difficult for me."
Queenie was satisfied by this. She beamed and replied in a syrupy tone, "I'm willing to be your mistress forever, Spencer if that means I get to be with you."
Their conversation was interrupted by another round of passionate moans that ended in a climax of ecstasy. Nikita felt as if she was shaken to the core. Tears streamed down her face, and she could not even bring herself to utter a single word.
I love you.
Spencer told Queenie that he loved her. Those three sacred words that he said to her at their wedding. Nikita felt as if her world shattered into pieces, and Spencer's wedding vows were like maggots crawling out of the remains of their ruined marriage.
A long time ago, Nikita idolized a celebrity, who practically changed into a different person after her divorce. At that time, when interviewed regarding her failed marriage, she replied wistfully, "In the end, it was nothing more than ashes and dust."
For a long time, Nikita did not understand it, but now, she felt the words ringing right down to her bones.
People changed, sometimes in seconds. The only thing constant about the world was that nothing was.
All of a sudden, Nikita felt a tearing sensation through her lower belly. She rolled out of bed, feeling as if someone had taken an axe to her uterus. She summoned all the strength she could to crawl to the door. She forced the door open, startling a passing employee as she passed.
"Mrs. Ford! My goodness!" the woman screeched.
Nikita felt a wave of relief. She glanced appreciatively at the woman, but the next moment, she passed out cold.
