After Divorce I Married The CEO

“You need to sign these,”

Jane Roberts almost dropped the frying pan she had been carrying across the room in fright. She glared at her husband who was still standing in the doorway, a brown envelope in his outstretched arms. “What is that? You scared me.”

He didn’t apologize or respond to her question. He simply walked out of the room.

Frowning, Jane walked out of the kitchen, frying pan in hand and followed him into the dining room. “What is that, Marcus?’

Marcus dropped the envelope on the table and sat down on one of the chairs. “Divorcee papers. I had my lawyers draw them up last week so they are ready and all you have to do is sign them.”

Jane was stunned. “Did you just say divorce papers?”

Marcus raised an eyebrow, an irritated look on his face. “Did I stutter?” He got up from the chair, picked up his briefcase from the ground and walked away without sparing her another glance. The sound of the door slamming jolted Jane out of her reverie and she immediately took off after him, her ears ringing loudly.

“Honey, you didn’t eat breakfast.” She called out to him but he ignored her as he got into the car and drove off, the exhaust and fumes from the car blocking her view of his car as it disappeared out of sight.

Jane stood there for a few more minutes with a dazed expression on her face. Somehow the events of the last few minutes felt like a dream to her. There was no way Marcus would speak to her like that and serve her divorce papers.

She ran back into the house and made her way to the dining room. She picked up the envelope he had tossed on the table and held it in her shaky hands, fear of its contents gripping her.

“You can do this,” she told herself as she opened the envelope slowly and withdrew the bound papers inside it.

Just as he had told her, the words, ‘DIVORCE SETTLEMENT’ were written in bold letters at the top of the paper.

The envelope slipped from her hand to the floor as she slumped to the ground, unshed tears clouded her vision. This had to be a silly prank because why would Marcus, the absolute love of her life do this to her?

“I’m not signing this,” She whispered, wiping her tears with the back of her hand as she slowly rose to her feet. “I won’t sign this. He can’t treat me like this, I won’t let him!”

She sniffed and picked up the frying pan she had left on the table and then walked back into the kitchen, her heart shattered.

After two years of loving Marcus and giving all of herself to him, this was how he wanted to repay her. Was this some sort of sick joke?

“He’s probably going through something at work and is taking it out on me.” She muttered to herself as she placed the frying pan back on the cooker and covered it, her appetite gone.

She walked out and took the stairs to her room where she slumped on the bed and gave in to the tears ***

“I’m coming,” Jane yelled as she ran down the stairs, adjusting her bathrobe. She had just stepped out of the shower when she heard the doorbell. After crying herself to sleep, she woke up with a headache and felt the need to revive her body the best she could with everything that was going on.

“I said I’m coming, hold on,” she sighed and looked through the peephole frowning when she saw an unfamiliar face staring back at her. She didn’t know this man. Who was he and what did he want?

Panic set in and she took a deep breath instantly to calm her nerves. She left the person standing there and ran back upstairs to her room to get her phone. She wasn’t expecting anyone so the man hadn’t come for her. Perhaps Marcus knew him and had sent him to pick up something.

She dialled his number as she made her way back down the stairs again, scoffing when it went straight to voicemail. She tried his number again a few more times but it went to voicemail as well. She hung her head and stared at her phone helplessly at a loss for what to do next.

The doorbell rang again followed by a series of knocks on the door signalling that the man was getting impatient. With a resigned sigh, she walked to the door and opened it, blocking the way with her body. “Can I help you?”

The man’s hand was raised as if he had been about to knock. As he saw her, he smiled and took a step back, bowing his head slightly. “I am Mark.”

She raised one brown in question. “I don’t recognize you, Mr. Mark.”

He nodded and took a step forward, towering over her easily by two inches. “Mr. Dreame sent me and my team.” He said and it was then she noticed the van parked in the driveway with a sketchy sketchy-looking man inside it.

“What can I do for you?” she asked him, her guard up and completely alert.

“Mr. Dreame sent us here to help you pack. He said you were leaving the house today.”

“What?” Jane gasped, her mouth falling open in shock at his words. Did Marcus ask these men to come and kick her out of their own house? “I think there’s been a mistake. Maybe you can give him a call to confirm.”

She remembered he didn’t pick up her calls so he most definitely wouldn’t be available to pick his either.

“Of course.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled a number, placing it on speakerphone so Jane could hear. The call went through on the first ring and then Marcus’ shrill voice rang through the earpiece.

“Is it done? Have you kicked the bitch out yet?”

Jane’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach as she heard his voice. She felt insulted that he had picked up a total stranger’s call barely a few minutes after he had missed hers. The fact that he had called her a bitch…

The man sent her a sympathetic sigh and took the phone off speakerphone but the damage to Jane’s fragile heart was unrepairable. She walked back into the house like a zombie, tears clouding her vision. All she could feel was pain shooting through her entire body. She wanted to scream, to shout, to groan, anything but she felt too weak to do any of those.

Slumping on one of the sofas, she held her head in her hands and the tears began to fall, slowly at first and then it became a shower, an uncontrollable downpour of salty water down her cheeks.

She didn’t know how long she had been sitting like that before the man walked in and touched her arm gently. She flinched at his touch and glared up at him.

He held up his arms in a show of surrender and sighed. “Look, ma’am I mean you no harm, I’m just doing my job.”

She nodded despite herself knowing he was right. “I know.” She whimpered and reached for his arm. “Why would he do this to me?” she asked him, her voice so low he almost didn’t hear her.

“I am sorry, ma’am, but I can’t answer that.” He took a step back after making sure she was steady on her feet and sent her a sad smile. “I am so sorry.”

Ten minutes later, Jane made her way down the stairs with her things, her steps unsure and reckless. When she got to the last step, the man came over to help her but she brushed him aside and made her way to the door.

“Do you need me to drop you off?” he asked but she didn’t reply as she opened the door and shut the door behind her with a bang. The sound echoed in her head as she left the compound and the home she had considered hers for two years.

The man stood on the porch and watched Jane’s dejected retreating form with concern and pity in his eyes. He knew men like Marcus were bastards but he couldn’t do anything about it because it was that bastard that would be paying his bills. He sighed as he reached for his phone and called Marcus who picked up on the first ring.

“So? Has she left yet?"

He clenched his fists, his eyes closed as he replied. “She is gone, sir. The job is done.”

Jane knocked twice and waited for a response, leaning on her bag for support. It hadn’t been easy locating this place especially since it had been a long time she had been here. Abigail wasn’t picking up and she knew a hotel was out of the question not because she didn’t have money but because Abby wouldn’t hear of it.

She raised her hand to knock again when the door burst open and her cousin Abigail’s form appeared at the doorway.

“Hey cuz, I missed your call. I was in the kitchen.” She made a move to hug her and then paused when she spotted the bags close to Jane’s feet. “What’s this? Are you leaving town or what?”

She frowned when Jane didn’t laugh at her joke and tugged her arm, pulling her inside before grabbing the bags.

Half an hour later, Jane was sitting on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa in her hands. “Thanks for letting me stay here Abby, I can’t thank you enough.”

Abigail Warren sighed and stretched her hand out to touch Jane’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry babe, I wish there was something I could do for you besides give you a roof over your head.”

Jane smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I should go freshen up.” She rose to her feet and placed the cup on the center table before turning to face Abby again. “I can’t thank you enough for helping me, Abby. I promise I won’t stay here for too long.”

“No, you can stay for as long as you want.” Abigail insisted and Jane blew her a kiss before walking away.

***

Later that day, Abigail walked into the guestroom and sighed when she saw Jane sprawled on the bed. “I think you should go out for a bit and get some air Jannie, you can’t remain stuck in this house forever. Don’t let that bastard keep you locked up forever.”

Jane groaned and sighed. “I don’t want to.”

Abby glared at her and stalked towards the bed with sure determined steps. “Jane Roberts Dreame, if you don’t...” she pulled the covers off her body and tossed it aside. “Get up, now!”

Jane grunted and sat up, staring at Abby with sunken eyes. “I don’t feel like doing anything.”

Abby nodded and sat on the bed. “I know sweetie but it’s not nice for you to stay cooped up in here when that bastard gets to enjoy his life.”

Jane nodded. “You’re right.” She rose to her feet with a smile, the first real one since everything that happened that morning. “What should I wear and where would I even go?”

Abby winked and stood up, walking towards her. “I can help you pick an outfit and I can also recommend a nice place too.”

“Thank you so much for doing this Abby, I owe you plenty.”

***

Half an hour later, Jane found herself in a bar and was on her second drink. She looked dejected and worn out, staring miserably around the place, feeling disgusted and fighting back the tears about to escape her eyes.

"Look at them, all laughing and happy!" She sneered and took a big gulp from the bottle she held.

She heard footsteps beside her. “Jane Roberts?”

She looked up at the good-looking stranger standing in front of her and frowned. “Who is asking?”

He ignored her question and took his seat on the barstool in front of her. Jane watched him settle in as if he owned the place, her frown deepening.

“What do you want and how did you know my name?” A puzzled expression crept upon her face.

“What I want for now is not as important as what I can do for you.”

Jane sized him up and scoffed. He looked rich, he was good-looking but that was all he had going for him plus she had never seen him before in her life and she hated the arrogant vibe he was giving off. “I don't appreciate this, whatever this is. Please leave me in peace. And I don't talk to strangers".

"I'm not a stranger... I'm a friend."

"A friend I know nothing of?" She rolled her eyes and gulped once more from the bottle.

"I mean I've known you for a while now... Following you and—"

"You mean you've been stalking me?" She kept a deadpan expression and instantly hated the expression.

"I don't see it that way as you put it."

"What else do you know about me?" She rolled her eyes and crossed her legs.

"You're the wife of Marcus Dreame".

She looked at him with a sullen look, more perplexed and worried.

"You're creeping me out and I don't want to further any conversations with you anymore"

She was staring at him, waiting for him to leave but he didn't.

She ignored him and asked for a refill, deciding to ignore the man, thinking he’d take the hint and be gone so she could drown her sorrows in peace. But he didn’t seem to take the hint but leaned closer, speaking to the bartender.

“I think she has had enough, don’t serve her anymore.”

Jane scoffed and glared at him wondering why such a good-looking man like him would be so arrogant. “I don’t see how this concerns you.”

“In case you don't know, this bar belongs to me,” he replied with a shrug. “I don’t believe in drunk patrons even if it’s to forget one’s problems.”

Jane got off the stool unable to hide her irritation and started to walk away but he grabbed her hand. “Don’t touch me,” she fumed, shrugging off his hand.

He raised his hands in mock surrender, a smirk playing on his lips. “Here is my card, call me if you ever need me.”

"And why do you think I'd ever need you, arrogant sir?"

"I won't let you go until you take it" he smirked and leaned closer to her while she stepped back.

She was craving to take the card, but didn't want to appear desperate as she watched the card, then stared at him, hesitating and thinking of what to do as gravy thoughts went through her head.

'He said I may need his help' she thought. 'I do not know why he knows me, and I do not know what he wants from me, but I have no choice now. He may be right, I may need him anyway.'

She kept staring at him, looking at the card too.

Jane scoffed and snatched the card from his hands. “I won’t be needing this but sure so you can stay out of my hair.”

He chuckled as she walked away, her ass wriggling in her beautiful blue dress.

"What a careless human, she didn't even pay for the bottles" he scoffed and shook his head sideways, then turned to the bartender.

"Hey, Jake... Put whatever she ordered on the house".

"Sure, boss" Jake replied.

Caleb was about to leave when he noticed something shiny on the counter beside him. He smiled when he recognized the purse sitting on the counter. It looked just like the one Jane had brought out of her bag before.

“This must be hers right?” he asked, eyeing Jake who nodded.

"I'll keep it until she returns for it" Jake muttered.

"No... I'll give her myself. Or If she comes for it, tell her I'm with it".

"Of course, boss" Jake replied.

With a sigh, Caleb slid off the stool and walked towards the door intent on catching up to her.

His phone rang as he got to the door and he stopped to take the call aware that Jane was getting away. “Caleb Lockwood speaking,”