CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Hailey, what does that mean?” I asked as I am holding the paper.
“Didn’t I tell you that earlier?”
“I thought we were ok?”
“Are we ok?”
“Hailey.” I shrugged when I mentioned her name.
“Where are we ok, Phoenix? In your dealings with me since you’re always angry or in my dealings with you after you quarrel with me?” I could not answer her. “The last time I checked I’m ok, you’re just not ok with me, are we ok Phoenix?”
“I am sorry for what I did last night.” I tried to calm down because It was my fault.
“Ok.”
“Hailey, please. I am asking sorry. I know I was wrong in what I did last night. I already know how many mistake I have committed. I realized everything last night what I did.” I held her hand. “I’m so sorry. I was all wrong, the amount I said wrong, I did wrong. I didn’t see your worth. Please forgive me.”
“That easy?”
“Hailey?”
“How many times have you insulted me, accused me, then one day you realised that you were wrong, you’re saying sorry then it’s ok? We’re fine and that’s all?” I could not answer what she said. “I know I’m guilty but you know what I can’t accept, Phoenix? To embarrass me and doubt in front of a lot of people.”
“Hailey, I didn’t mean to.”
“You meant it. It’s embarrassing that you fought with the person I was just talking to without asking the real reason. You punched someone and you didn’t listen to me. You showed to them that look like I was a bad woman and untrustworthy. You showed them that you did not trust me. ”
I was embarrassed by what she said so I didn’t keep quiet. She’s fucking right. I just rushed in my actions she explained but I did not listen.
“Is that reason enough for you to file an annulment?”
“Yes, because I don’t want to be with someone who doesn’t trust me. Then another thing, you don’t love me, do you? You were only forced into this marriage because you needed money so you agreed. So now I’m letting you go.”
“I don’t want to, only a paper mill will make rich to make an annulment paper but I won’t sign anything.”
“Why, because you’re afraid you won’t get the share grandpa promised?”
“Hailey, not like —”
“I’ll give it to you. 25% promised by grandpa, plus half of mine. Just sign the annulment.”
“Are you that eager to break up with me? Give me a chance, Hailey.”
“You’ve had a chance for over a month. Not just one but more chance in every day.”
“I’m not going to sign,” I insist. “I’m not going to sign anything.”
“Your tough and hard, Phoenix. But go ahead, I won’t force you.”
“Why are you in a hurry? I thought we were ok because you agreed about something that happen to us earlier?”
“I’m still your wife, you haven’t even signed yet, have you? And it is a wife’s obligation to serve her husband even in bed.”
“For whatever reason it is. I won’t sign.”
“Ok,”
“Hailey,”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .
“Come out, let’s eat.” Then she left the room and left me.
EVERY DAY I can’t concentrate on work because of what happened. After what happened to us she became cold. Even though she was taking care of me, there was still no denying that her treatment of me was cold.
Last night she suddenly disappeared after eating. Manang Tasing said that she had already entered her room. When I followed her it was closed and locked. I knocked but she did not open so I went straight to my room. When I got there my suitcase was already there. I called on her cell phone but it was turned off.
When I woke up she had not yet left her room. I wouldn’t have come to work but Dane was teasing me. I just left a message to manang that I had left. Even though I’m here in the office, I’m still trying to call her but her cell phone is still off.
Damn! she’s fucking angry with me. She doesn’t want to talk to me obviously. My decision to come to the office was really wrong. I was in the office but my mind was in the mansion. To Hailey and what is happening to us.
I don’t want to admit it. But, damn! Am I in—?
“Hey? Are you okay?” Dane asked me.
“I want to apologize for what happened at the party then. And send my apology to your brother.” I saw the three seat properly. While Dane, smile.
“What happened?” she asked again.
“Is that you, sucker?”
“Are you being bullied, Phoenix?”
“Something wrong with you, man.”
They said one after another.
“Damn,” I hissed. I don’t know if I will tell them or not.
“Sucker, we’re still swimming in our dads’ eggs. We’re already friends.”
“You can open with us, man.”
“Yeah, Phoenix, you might explode when you take that in your chest. You’ll smell here.”
“Is this because of Hailey?” I look at Dane who is just calm.
“What’s wrong with Hailey?”
“Stupid, sucker, if you win I won’t give you my hummer.” Won? Zeus and Jace have a bet?
“Don’t mind them, what happened?” I sighed at Blaze’s question.
“She files an annulment.”
“Hummer!” Jace shouted.
“Fucking sucker,” Zeus said annoyed and threw and the key of his hummer to Jace.
“They have a bet that Hailey will hate you before one year,” Dane explained.
“Seriously guys?”
“But I’m not happy that you’re going to separate. I’m happy that I have a hummer. Haha. But go ahead, what’s your problem?”
“Nevermind.” I’m embarrassed to say.
“Seriously, Phoenix, what’s the real problem?” Blaze asked so I rested deeply.
“That’s it, Hailey files an annulment.”
“Hailey?” Zeus ask.
“My wife,”
“Your wife?” Blaze ask.
“What the hell?” Are they fooling me? “What’s wrong with you.”
“What they’re saying, now, you just mentioned her name and called her wife.” I looked at Dane then look at them one by one.
“No judgement.” it’s Blaze.
“So what’s your plan?” I diverted my gaze at Dane.
“No judgement,” Zeus repeated. I can’t open my mouth. But I know them, they may be laughed at me but they will be the first who can understand me.
“Slow to speak, they already said no judgement.”
“I didn’t sign.”
“But you said you don’t you want her? Why don’t you agree?” I was shaken by Jace’s question. “What? You’re too slow to tell a story.”
“Shut up, sucker, let him take his time.”
“I am waiting.”
“Fuck, how can I say it?”
“Just tell us, that you are already in love with your wife. Simple as that. Is it hard to admit?” I looked at Blaze because of what he said.
“Am I in love?”
“We all know, Phoenix, you’re just not aware.” I frowned at what Dane had said.
“Dane is right, sucker, we’ve been noticing for a long time. You’re just not aware.”
“Because you’re in-denial. Even though it’s very obvious you’re still keep on saying no,” Blaze said.
“We noticed your changes, your excited to go home, you don’t get too involved in the gimmick. You always call her to check what she’s doing and even if you deny and insist that you did that because she’s your responsibility, we see differently,” Zeus added to what he said.
“Damn!”
“So so damn, because she will break up with you. Ow, she already did because she file an annulment.”
“Shut up Jace, you’re not helping Phoenix, his already in love, in trouble, and still you teasing him,” Dane scolded.
“Oks,”
“I do not know what to do.” I grabbed my head. I’m confused. I don’t want to admit that I’m in love because that’s not how I feel. Fuck, I am so messed up right now.
“Do what you think is right to do?” Dane asked me.
“But wait what happened and why did she file an annulment? Is it about what happened to you and Dylan?” I nodded and then told them what had happened that night. As well as what we talked about and what Hailey told me.
“Your doom, sucker.”
“I know, ok?”
“Who thought that was just one night and boom, you woke up,” Jace said.
“I wish I was just slapped and she fought with me.”
“It’s your fucking mistake so claim it.”
“Yeah, Dane, I know.”
“Then make a way that both of you will be ok. Or do something can she can escape from you.”
“Fuck, I don’t know what I will make, Jace.”
“The annulment won’t work if you don’t sign. You’re not stupid to sign, are you, so, she’s still your wife.”
“Blaze has a point, don’t sign and fix your marriage, sucker”
“There’s a way for your wife not to leave you,” Jace said while smiling.
“What?” At once we ask.
“Get her pregnant.”