He smirked at me. “Surprised, huh? Yeah. I'll go ahead and tell him Theo was your ex. And that you two are seeing each other again."

Was that all?

"What? You think I can't do it or I'm just bluffing?”

I sighed to myself in relief. He had just scared me for a moment. Obviously he knew nothing. “Do as you wish. I don't care."

I strutted away, totally unfazed.

My mind was in a storm as I walked away. Why was Adam trying to be such a pain in the ass? George had helped set him up after our wedding, and Adam was able to build and manage his own company until he began going bankrupt after he started gambling and borrowing recklessly. But it didn’t stop him from living his extravagant lifestyle. Just a few months back, he resorted to borrowing money from me to pay off his debts and close up invisible business deals. And now I'm supposed to take the fall, huh?

It wasn’t until I sat down that I realized I was sitting next to the blonde lady who claimed to be Theo’s fiancée. I let out a weary sigh as the thought of Theo and his cargo of problems flooded my mind again. It was too late to change my seat.

“Hi, Mrs. Williams. I’m so sorry about what happened earlier. Please pardon my manners,” she said sweetly.

I forced a smile in response. “It’s okay. I would be angry too if I saw my husband with a lady like that.” I lied. Not like I would give a care in the world.

“Right?” the lady chuckled. “Well, I must say you are a very lucky woman with a perfect life and family.”

My smile widened till my cheeks ached.

“You know the ladies were just talking about you earlier because of this device on my hand.” She showed off her wristwatch.

I frowned. What did it have to do with me? “I don’t get it.”

“Oh, I guess you can’t see it clearly.” She held her hand closer to my face. “It’s one of the latest devices from your husband’s company. The features are so top notch. Emergency flashlight, listening device, location tracking and phone call. All on my wrist.” She broke off into a laugh.

I was forced to join her. In truth, I had no freaking idea about the product. I wasn’t even aware George had begun producing wristwatches, talk less of one with special features. What he mainly produced were phones, tablets, and laptops. He never held discussions with me unless it was something that had to do with Ted.

“I see you have one from a different brand,” the lady commented, staring at my wrist.

“Yeah. I… this was actually an expensive gift from an old friend. I’ve got tons of them at home, including the one you have with you, so I switch them daily.”

It was actually an old wristwatch. I had been forced to sell the expensive one George got for me a year ago, when Adam needed his famous ‘urgent cash’ recently, because the loan shark he borrowed money from was on his neck. That was less than a month ago. I was a full-time housewife and relied only on the monthly allowance George gave me, which he had been gradually reducing these days. In fact, he made sure the only money he dropped with me these days was for Ted's upkeep, leaving little or nothing for me.

“Wow. I knew it. I said earlier that you are so lucky. You have no idea how many women are dying to be in your shoes.”

I felt my cheeks ache from smiling. It was so tiring. People should be careful what they wish for. Why was the lady sounding like Theo was a poor guy? His business was doing well, wasn’t it? Well, it was probably nothing compared to George's business of three generations.

By the time the event was over, it was almost sunset. The moment I got home, I made straight for her bedroom, feeling tired and worn out, not caring to listen to Ted's excited ramblings. Adam gave him his ears instead. He had come home with us since I was yet to give him any attention.

I was surprised to see George in the bedroom, busy with his laptop. He was rarely at home by this time of the day.

“Is everything okay?” I asked, walking over to his side but he shut the laptop immediately with a grunt, holding up a card. “Do you really not know Theo previously? Wasn't this card given to you at the party yesterday? Why did you lie to me?"

I literally froze in my tracks, sweating hard.

"I…what are you talking about?”

"I told you something last night about him being an important business partner, but I guess you don't give a hoot, right?" He raised angry brows at me. “He said there was a deal he promised to introduce you to, through the mayor's wife for a women's foundation. You were supposed to call him, but you didn't.”

I was so tired, my knees felt weak, and I had to settle myself on the sofa. "Are you… are you saying Theo called you?"

“Are you going to see him or not on Monday? It's weekend already."

"Yeah, I…fine I will.”

Theo was moving faster than I imagined. Heck. This guy was really out to ruin me. What the hell was he up to? Well, I believe things would sort themselves out. He couldn't just waltz into my life after ten freaking years.

“How was your day?”

I was surprised to hear George ask. He hardly cared.

Sometimes, I often wondered how I had been able to scale through this marriage of convenience for the past ten years. I guess Ted had been the life of it. He had been the one keeping us busy and making us seem like a real couple, from his toddler years until he was about six. It was only recently, since he had grown older, that I noticed the obvious gap in my relationship with George. Everything between us had merely been about Ted.

“Won’t you say something? Did Ted have fun?” he finally put the laptop away.

I thought as much. He was asking about Ted, not me.

“George, today I met someone who was showing off her new wristwatch to me, but I didn’t even understand what she was talking about because I had no idea you launched a new product.”

He smiled, rising to his feet. “That’s good. I’m glad people love the product,”

“That’s not my point, George!” l raised my voice.

“Isn’t it embarrassing for me not to know? I didn’t even see a sample with my eyes. You couldn’t even get your wife one. I know you hate to involve me in your business but at least…” I trailed off in exasperation, forcing myself not to break down.

“The last time you got me a wrist watch was last year and even recently when you didn’t see it, you didn’t bother to ask. I’ve been wearing an old one instead.”

He let out a grunt, rolling his eyes. “You are making an unnecessary fuss. I guess we did the launching when you traveled with my mum to Germany to see her doctor. You should be glad the business is moving anyway. Didn’t you see the one I got for Ted? If I should start giving away my goods away like that, do you think I would make any profits?”

“Really, George? Giving your wife one of your products would deplete your profits?”

“Look, Victoria. I can’t do this with you right now. If you want it so badly you can have that one on the dressing table. There is another new one in my closet.” He uttered coldly, walking out the door.

l wiped a tear off my cheek with the back of my hand as I proceeded to his closet to get it. Yes, I wanted it so badly and I was going to get it. I wouldn’t sit back next time and watch anyone try to make a fool of me. I thought as I walked into his walk-in closet and retrieved the watch from his display glass, where a host of other jewelry sat.

But George stormed back in immediately, his eyes wide as he stared at me in rage. He snatched it from me in fury.

“Seriously, are you nuts? Your brother came to ask for money and you had the guts to demand this? You have no idea of its worth, do you?”

My face crumbled in frustration and pain.

Adam was not supposed to breathe a word to George.

Now why did he?