Chapter 2 Madam Has Left Home

Fiona did not say anything further. She disappeared into the kitchen to heat up a glass of milk. Then, she placed it on the coffee table and scurried away before Stephen could unleash his wrath. Stephen stared at the glass of warm milk for a solid ten minutes before finally downing it in one gulp. That woman had finally stopped acting like a proper housewife. Stephen took a shower and wrapped a towel around his lower body. Then, with his hair still dripping wet, he made his way to the master bedroom. He pushed the door open. The entire room was dark. If it were not for moonlight seeping in through the window, he would not be able to see anything at all. Marjorie was still wide awake. She knew he had returned because she could hear his car coming into the garage. All this while, she had been perking her ears up, waiting for Stephen to come in. Whenever he came home late, she would usually be waiting downstairs with a late-night snack of sorts, just like how any devoted wife would. However, she no longer felt the need to do any of that. She did not think it was fair to continue putting in effort into a one-sided relationship. Stephen stood next to the bed for a while, waiting for her to respond. When he saw that she did not stir, he got into bed, deliberately shuffling the sheets around and making as much noise as he could. "I know you're still awake," he said finally. He was a little surprised by how cold Marjorie was behaving that night. Marjorie turned around and slid her slender hand up his taut chest. Then, she traced her hand downwards as her calf snaked seductively around his. Stephen's breathing quickened. His warm exhale against her skin sent shivers down her spine. He loomed on top of her and began pressing kisses on the jawline. Then, he gently nibbled her face and snaked his hand down along her back. All of a sudden, Marjorie said, "I'm ovulating tonight. I think it's about time we try for a baby." Stephen's hand stiffened. Marjorie felt his entire body run cold. All the lust and passion dissipated within a matter of seconds as he said, "Is this the reason you called me this afternoon?" Marjorie lowered her head. "Your mother wants a grandchild. How do you think I'm going to achieve that without you? Am I supposed to get pregnant with another man's child, or should I go to a sperm bank?" Stephen sneered and cast her a long look. "You seem like you've given this a lot of thought. Since you know the solution to this, feel free to choose whichever that you fancy. Being my wife is already a privilege, so don't try to lock me in any more than you should." Marjorie let out a self-deprecating snicker. "I would hate to lose you." "Never bring it up again if you don't want to lose me. This will be the last time I hear talks of trying for a baby. I don't care whatever reason you give, but I will never bring a child into this world." With that, he turned and strode out of the room. That night, Marjorie cried for hours and hours alone, but all of a sudden, she began to laugh. The next morning, Stephen returned from his usual morning run, took a shower, and sat down for breakfast. By the time he picked up his morning newspaper, Fiona had already set down his breakfast in front of him. "Enjoy, Sir," Fiona said as she handed him a glass of milk. Stephen glanced at the time. It was 8:30 a.m. "Go upstairs and call her down for breakfast." Fiona did as he asked. However, a few moments later, she scampered back downstairs again, exclaiming as she clutched a folder in her hand, "Sir, Madam has left home. She's taken all her clothes, and I found this on the dressing table!" A divorce agreement. Stephen skimmed through the folder and finally let out a snicker. It seemed that Marjorie had put in a lot of research, so much so that she could list down every single one of their separate assets. His mood changed instantaneously when he reached the final page and saw the reason for divorce listed. [The divorcee is unable to maintain a sexual relationship with the divorcer due to erectile dysfunction, thereby leading to marital disharmony.] Stephen slammed the folder down in a fury and immediately dialed Marjorie's number, but she declined his call. The next time he called, she finally picked up. "What are you calling me for?" Her tone was cold and emotionless, as though she were speaking to a stranger. "What is the meaning of this? Do you even have the right to file for a divorce?" Stephen shouted. "Of course I do. You should sign the papers as soon as you can, that way I'll be out of your hair sooner." "Why are you divorcing me?" Marjorie sneered. "Stephen, do you honestly think this is what married life is supposed to be like? We don't have sex, and we don't have any emotional connection. To be honest, there's nothing to prove we are husband and wife apart from the marriage registration. I don't think continuing to stay in this marriage will benefit you or me. Divorce seems like the best outcome for us, and this will finally allow you to pursue the woman you love, Carolyn. Am I right?" Stephen was silent for a few moments. He was about to respond when Marjorie hung up. As soon as she hung up, Marjorie laid against her headboard, fiddling with her phone. For some reason, there was a strange calmness in finally being able to speak her mind. She felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She stared out at the city below her and felt a newfound sense of freedom. She had no one else to live for but herself now. Unfortunately, her good spirits did not last long. For lunch, Marjorie decided to visit the Rose Cafe, which was a quaint restaurant located on Central Avenue. The moment she stepped through the door, the manager stopped her. "Ms. Marjorie, I'm afraid the restaurant is not open today. I apologize for the inconvenience, but you'll have to dine elsewhere." Not open? Marjorie glanced through the doors. She could see the waiters bustling about with piano music playing in the background. "Mr. Bennett, I'd like to know why you're refusing to serve me when it's quite clear your restaurant is open. Is this how you treat your guests?" she asked, pursing her lips and casting the manager a sharp look. Mr. Bennett did not seem at all intimidated by her. He did not say anything further, but Marjorie knew immediately what was going on. Stephen. She should have known. Marjorie's expression darkened. Since Stephen was capable of blacklisting her from the Rose Cafe, this meant that he would even go so far as to freeze her credit cards. She had divided their assets evenly, but the truth was that most of the wealth belonged to Stephen since he was the one who worked for it all. Therefore, it made sense that Stephen would not be willing to pay her any alimony, considering she did not work at all during their marriage. Unfortunately, she did not have much to her name, save for the credit card that was tied to Stephen's. Marjorie immediately called the bank. She was reassured to know that her cards had not been frozen, but this did not mean they would not be frozen in the near future. She had to find a job as soon as possible to regain her independence.