Page 169 of Checkmate
His eyes flashed in approval, undressing her mentally as his gaze roamed her body. Her heart leapt as she swayed towards him automatically before a knock at the door interrupted them both.
“Hold that thought,” Marcus said, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “It’s like a bloody circus here this morning.”
Erica leaned back in her chair, playing with the ghost charm hanging from her necklace. She was finally a divorced woman. Finally free of any connection to Alex. The feeling was incredible and almost intoxicating. She never realised how much his refusal had impacted her until she felt the relief of knowing it was all behind her.
Almost on cue, her phone buzzed, Alex’s name popping up on the screen, a new message alert flashing obnoxiously. For a moment she considered ignoring it, however curiosity won out.
It was the last time she’d ever hear from him after all.
Happy birthday, my love, the text read.
I hope this message finds you well and that you’re enjoying your birthday morning. If this was last year, I’d be waking you with diamonds and the biggest bouquet I can find. Unfortunately, someone else has the honour this year.
I could get angry about it, but that doesn’t help anyone. Instead, I’ll just be patient. I know you’ll come around, Erica. You loved me far too much to move on so fast. I’ll forgive you for your time with whatshisname, just as you’ll forgive me my time with Sophie. We both made mistakes, but we belong together.
I hope you like your presents, my darling. All my love.
A x
That was… odd.
“Um, Marcus?” She called, frowning as she reread the message, walking into the hallway. “Marcus, Alex just text me—”
“Asking if you got your flowers, by any chance?”
“Hm? What do you—” Looking up from her phone, Erica widened her eyes at the bouquets littering their hallway. Flowers of all colours and shapes sat in various vases and displays. “What the fuck?”
“This came with them too,” Marcus said, holding a diamond necklace from one finger. “What the fuck is going on?”
Good question.
These were not the actions of a man who had just signed off on his divorce. It made no sense. But she had the papers sitting on the breakfast table. It was official.
“Erica?” Marcus said, looking as confused as she felt. “If not Alex, then who the fuck divorced you?”
Chapter 50
Alex
Of all the days in the world for bad news to land on his doorstep, it had to be Erica’s birthday.
He’d already been in a shitty mood in the run-up to this day - work was crap, he was about to be a father and his relationship with Sophie was at an all-time low, and rumours were flying around about his infidelity.
So far, he’d convinced Sophie they weren’t true, but he could see in her eyes that she was no longer believing his lies. He didn’t even know the woman’s name. She was just a faceless person in the sea that was the London Group employees. She’d laughed at a joke he made, he propositioned her and she took the bait.
They both agreed they had too much to lose by admitting their mistake and so he believed they had buried it as a secret never to be uncovered.
So how the fuck were there rumours?
Thankfully, there was no proof. But he was on thin ice in all aspects of his life.
Erica’s birthday was just the cherry on top of a cake of awfulness. It was killing him that he wasn’t there to celebrate with her. Holidays had come and gone during their separation, but none had hit quite as hard as her birthday.
He fucking missed her.
Now more than ever, he missed her calming presence, her way of keeping him level-headed. Had she been his partner instead of Sophie, none of this would have happened.
He wouldn’t be having a child he didn’t want. He wouldn’t be on the verge of losing his biggest client. There would be no fucking rumours flying around tarnishing his once-stellar reputation.
