Chapter 3

• It started with a phone call and ended with a door slammed shut—everything in between was a blur
• Speaking of blurs, that was what Alex saw when his mother’s palm spread over his face, making a loud slap. It had been ages since she last slapped him and he most certainly didn’t see it coming.
• “What do you mean you divorced her? You kicked her out of your house?” Mrs. Steel yelled at her son, filled with rage.
• “I do not love her, mom.” Alex retorted, holding his cheeks in surprise.
• “Be quiet! I am not going to let you do this to that poor innocent girl, speak to her Clifford.” She turned to her husband for support.
• “It is already done Mom!” Alex insisted.
• “Then you will have to undo it, Son. The girl had only buried her father a few days ago, why would you shatter her heart in this manner?” Mr. Clifford Steel spoke, the hurt very audible in his tone.
• “Can you all stop blaming me and put my feelings first? It is always about her poor innocent Camille. What about me, Mom? What about my happiness? Do you not care about me? I do not love that lady, I am in love with someone else and I want to be with the one I love, why can you not support your own child?” he begged with a sad face.
• Mrs. Steel came closer and caressed his face. “You know that is not true, son. We care about your feelings but we cannot watch you destroy your life and that of that innocent girl.”
• “Enough about her!” Alex yelled as he pulled away from his mother. “I have been nothing but a good husband in the past six months. I was very clear about how I felt towards her but yet I married her, and when she carelessly lost my baby, I still stayed. When she lost her father, I was there for her, I helped arrange the funeral, I gave all the moral and emotional support she needed. When is it ever going to be my turn? Is it a crime to want to be happy? Tell me mother!” He screamed.
• “What was so difficult that you couldn’t work out with her? Who told you love is enough? That woman has endured a lot with you as well, she loves and cherishes you, she is respectful and kind and loving, she was the perfect partner. Why can't you just move on from your childish crush and build your marriage? Why don’t you let go of your past and learn to love your wife?” Mr. Clifford opined.
• “She is not my wife, father. We are divorced now and she is gone.” Alex said adamantly. “And what I have with Fiona is not a childish crush, we have been together for years, I have always loved her.”
• “And she never loved you back, or did you forget? You once proposed to her and she turned you down? If you two were really meant to be together, why were you not together before Camille came along?”
• “It is not that simple, Dad. Fiona only rejected me four years ago because she needed to further her education, she was in love with me as far back as then but she didn’t want marriage to tie her down, she wanted to get her master’s degree before we got together officially.”
• “Is that really what you tell yourself, son? Are there no married women pursuing further education? She didn’t accept you then because you were not successful, so why let her back into your life now that you have succeeded?”
• “We all make mistakes, father. She wants to be with me now and that is all that matters. Camille and I were mistaken too and I have just made it right, I have set her free from a marriage where she is not loved, she deserves better.”
• “You are right, she does deserve better after everything she has done for you. Don’t forget that in the little time you have been together, she has helped build you to be the man you are. I will not accept Fiona or whatever you call her as your wife. Go and find Camille before she does something to hurt herself, beg her for forgiveness and get back together with her.” Mrs. Steel commanded.
• “No I won’t, Mom. What is done is done, I am getting married to Fiona as soon as the divorce is finalized and I am doing it with or without your blessings, but I will appreciate it if you will be there for me.”
• “Count me out of such an evil act, son. I will not join you to betray that young girl, and remember that karma exists, someday it will come knocking on your door son, don’t come running to me in tears then.” Mrs. Steel spoke with absolute disgust at her son as she walked away.
• Alexandra turned to his father. “Dad, please hear me out, help me speak to Mom, make her understand. This is my life too, I feel sorry for Camille but I cannot continue to be with her out of pity, I want to be able to love back too, I want to be with someone my heart beats for, why can you not understand?”
• Mr. Clifford sighed. “I will speak to your mother, and I hope you are not making a mistake, Son.” He said calmly, as he went after his wife.
• Alex drove his fingers through his hair and let out a deep sigh. Did his parents love a stranger more than they loved him? Why were they rejecting the woman he loved over a one night stand which led to an arranged marriage? He was hurt to think of it.
• One thing he knew was that in a few weeks, he would be getting married to Fiona and that was final. No one would stop him, not even his own parents!
• ** **
• Leaving his parent’s house, Alex had returned to the office. It was only twelve pm. He had agreed to meet with Fiona here at the company for lunch at two pm, but after the confrontation with his parents, Alex was very uncomfortable at the office, so he decided to go back home and meet Fiona there.
• Being close to her right now would help him take his mind off the worry, reassure him that he was doing the right thing by following his heart.
• Alex arrived home and noticed a familiar car in the front as he drove in, that was his best friend Nathan’s car. Alex wondered why Nathan had visited without calling him first, however he was glad to know that Nathan was here.
• Nathan was someone he could confide in, although his mind was already made up on the divorce, he thought he could do it with some advice from his buddy.
• Alex got into the house but didn’t find Nathan downstairs, so he figured he must have gone up to the mini-bar. He decided to go see his fiancée first and also put away his briefcase.
• On getting to the master bedroom, Alex opened the door and walked into the biggest shock of his life. Getting pounced on by his best friend was his fiancée!
• Both naked, Fiona was moaning loudly with her legs wrapped around Nathan.
• “Fiona!” Alex screamed in shock, his legs trembling, disbelief written all over his face.
• The two of them were shocked as well when they saw him; they immediately hid under the blanket, covering their nakedness.
• “Alex? I can explain.” Fiona immediately wore a sorry face.
• Alex staggered backwards into the hallway. “No, please God no.” he muttered in a defeated tone, his heart shattering into a million pieces as he fell butt first to the ground, his back against the wall.
• Fiona was not who he thought she was, he had been fooled, and just like his mother had warned, Karma had come for him faster than he could imagine.
• TBC!!