CHAPTER 3: Ex-Husband

Scatlett's POV

Tour with two brothers? One that Serena turned down? What a blow to the face. My ego was hurt, and I wanted to refuse the offer. Moreover, I wanted to spend Christmas with Aria. It'll be our first Christmas together without Raphael. I wanted to make it special. I had…plans.

After winding up some data entry stuff at my desk, I breezed down to the manager's cabin. I knocked thrice. He took his sweet time letting me in.

"Hey boss," I put on a sweet demeanor, masking my aggression to stab the fatty, "I don't want to take this offer. It pays plenty, yes, but I'm sure I'll guide better next time. Just not this one."

I shrugged my shoulders and placed the file down. The manager, unamused by my resolve, rubbed his chin.

"You know I can fire you right now too, right?" He retorted cunningly. My smile fell.

"You wouldn't do that, right?" I kept the game on.

"But I would, right?" He grinned like a Cheshire cat. Except he made himself look incredibly ugly. I sighed, giving up on the stupid back and forth.

"Sir, I can't take this. This feels like a hand-me-down from Serena, and I'm not up for tourism and shit right now. Excuse my language. I have my own private plans." I spoke my mind.

"Hmm. Very well. You know your salary depends on how many reviews you get. But for that, you have to work and not sit ducks at your desk. Look at that beauty. She's such a hard worker ~" The man pointed his pen through the tinted glass, showing Serena sitting on the desk. Her mini skirt was comfortably high up her inner thigh. She attracted many eyes to her - not to her smile but to her bleached inner thighs.

"Sir. We all know very well I'm the last person to sit ducks at my desk without work. I'm always on my feet without recognition! I feel like a fool!" I burst. The man looked at me with challenging eyes.

"One more time, you let a curse slip from that pretty mouth of yours; you're out of my company." I rolled my eyes internally at his threat.

But my memory of Baby Aria flashed in front of my eyes. If I lose dibs on getting this promotion once again, I'll lose everything.

"Sir. You're not giving a fair opportunity to your employees. I'll have to report you to the admin." Saying, I turned on my heel to leave.

"Try that, and I'll tell them what you've been spitting on my face since this morning. I have proof while you don't. I'd win." He said. I took a sharp inhale.

"Did you just threaten me?" I asked.

"You started first." The fatty shrugged and I sighed.

"My husband is a lawyer, and I'll put you behind bars by the end of the day. I have rights and powers too." I threatened again. The manager jumped his eyebrows, opened his laptop, and typed some keys.

"Raphael Thorne, software engineer, MBA. I don't see an LLB or LLM here."

Way to go, Scarlett. You made a fool of yourself.

"You're getting off on me being desperate for that promotion, isn't it? Is that why you're toying with me? Serena was nowhere close to being my competitor. But you gave her a chance because she's prettier? Couldn't you be any more obvious?" I narrowed my eyes and spat my heart out.

Silence ensued between us. Meanwhile, I reflected on myself and started feeling guilty about lashing out at my boss.

"I understand where you're coming from." Reassurance from his end seemed skeptical. That was until he pushed the file to me and said,

"I do get off on my employees working for me. So take this tour and get me some money. Maybe I'll consider you for a five-star certification after this." My eyes widened.

"Is this a trap?" I asked genuinely.

"If you feel like it..." The fat blob tried to pull the file back and chuck it in his drawer but I reached out and quickly left the cabin. I knew he was smirking at my back. Or at my ass, I didn't care.

I stared at the file, hard.

Aria's smile flashed in my eyes yet again as I sought to resolve.

I needed this promotion for one and one reason only: So that I could win the custody battle Raphael was putting me through. For Aria.

She's the light of my life. She made me feel like a decent human. Still does. As her mother, I needed to make sure I didn't turn her over to Raphael at any cost.

He's become an incompetent father over the years. I've seen him 'take care' of Aria.

'Raphael! She's been crying for a whole day!' That useless excuse of a man refusing to change diapers for her when she was a little baby. He never cared for her as she was growing up, much less encouraging any of Aria's interests.

And what did he reply to that whole typing his world away on the computer? 'You're the mother, Scarlett. It's your duty.'

I lost hope.

Another day, my baby came to me crying because her father was glued to his computer and barely paid attention to her. His excuse for asking? He was busy 'earning money for our family'.

But when I walked into his office, I was repulsed to see him jerking off to group fun videos on his computer. We argued heavily. He almost slapped me that day. For the first time.

Since that day, I've resolved to take Aria under my care no matter what. I can't let Raphael stay as her father figure.

At the end of the workday, I checked my desk and packed to leave the office. While juggling keys and mellowing a melody, I bumped into an unexpected visitor.

"What are you doing here?" I asked vainly.

"What's your problem? You don't own the company. I can be wherever I want." Raphael retorted as I gave him a stank expression.

"Whatever. We need to talk about Aria." I said to start the conversation. Raphael gazed at me with disdain and disgust. With gritting teeth he said,

"If that's your attempt to seduce me back to play family with you, forget it. Aria is my daughter. End of discussion." His tone was cold and unapproachable. I couldn't recognize him anymore.

Just as I was about to reply, a melodious voice calling his name silkily snatched his attention.

"My goodness..." Raphael whistled at Serena who twirled in her mini-skirt for him. She smirked seductively. Although her mood was ruined when she saw me there.

"Too much audience around here. Let's go somewhere private, shall we?" Serena pulled at my ex-husband's collar and shot me a glance.

"Why are you announcing it to that low life? She knows not to interfere in my business. She doesn't mean anything to me. Just my daughter's ugly whore mother."

Raphael's words had me speechless. My lips wobbled as Serena smirked at my crumbling stature.

Raphael could hurt me any which way but his words hurt me the most. The cheating man and his mistress took off in his brand-new Mercedes in front of me.

I knew the marriage was over long ago. It dissolved all my happiness. But why did I feel like Raphael and Serena were on a joint mission to make my life hell furthermore?