“I know you already have another woman in your life,” she says, “You should be happy about this divorce. I had good intentions inviting the press here to announce the news. It will be like a rehearsal for the announcement of your second glorious marriage.”
He gives her a calculating smile, “Well then since you’re being so considerate, I won’t let you down”
“Good. The divorce is written in stone. Don’t change your mind or people will think less of you.”
Knowing how prideful Waylen is, she’s trying to manipulate him into guaranteeing the divorce. In private he can change his mind, but as soon as the press learns of the divorce he’ll be forced to stick to his word.
“You don’t intend to talk to the press after today, do you?” he asks.
“Of course not.”
Waylen nods and the maids release her arms. Leilani turns to leave the room. She wants to look her best for such an important press conference and she needs time to prepare. As she crosses the threshold, she turns around and says with ironic languor “By the way, last night was my first time. You can take it as my breakup gift to you.”
Waylen tilts his head and smirks at Leilani’s retreating.
Robert, the butler clears his throat, “Mrs. Bamford’s been behaving very oddly lately. Maybe we should ask the doctor to check on her—”
He’s about to say mental health, but quickly thinks better of it and swallows his words.
“Odd?” Waylen wonders. “It is odd. She used to be quite needy, always begging for my attention and affection. Once she even tried to make a scene by attempting suicide. Why has she changed so much? Why does she keep insisting on this divorce? Is it part of a new strategy to interest me?”
Waylen mutters coldly, “Let her feel smug about her hopeful little illusion. It’s nothing but a desperate power play.”
Like flies she can’t shoo away, a group of maids follows Leilani back to her room. She strips and submerges herself in the large bathtub; rose petals float on the surface of the milky water. She asks the maids to bring her red wine. Twirling a rose petal, she watches the bathwater drip down her long fingers. If everything goes according to plan, tonight will be her last night at the Bamford’s residence.
In the three years since she’s married Waylen Bamford, he has treated her with nothing but revulsion and disgust. He could barely stand the sight of her, let alone bring himself to touch her. Every effort she made to seduce him backfired, leaving him more repulsed than before. She reminds herself that all of that is almost over; in a few hours, she will be a free woman, unrestricted by Waylen’s capricious moods.
A maid interrupts her thoughts, “Mrs. Bamford, there’s a call for you.”
Languorously, Leilani leans against the side of the tub and opens her eyes before putting the Bluetooth headset on.
“We’ve confirmed that there’s a newly developed toxin in your blood,” a male voice says, “In excess, it can cause massive changes in personality, memory decline, and in serious cases even memory loss.”
“Such a large acc.u.mulation of poison suggests ingestion over a long time,” the voice continues, “I recommend you check your food and personal things to see if they’ve been tampered with. And don’t forget to take your medication. It won’t necessarily restore your personality or partially erased memory, but it will help keep you safe for now.”
“I don’t have to check because tonight is my last night at the Bamfords’ house,” Leilani tells him.
She ends the call and coils her fingers around the stem of the wine glass. She squints her lovely eyes and casually swirls the red liquid in the glass. The crystal shines brightly beneath the Swarovski chandelier.
She raises the glass and turns to the camera on the wall. Only a pervert like Waylen would come up with the idea of installing a camera in the bathroom. She toasts him and the anonymous man who has been drugging her causing the drastic personality change and partial memory loss.
Her pink lips mouth a silent “Cheers.”
As if her marriage to Waylen wasn’t horrible enough, now someone has been drugging her.
“All the more reason to get the divorce!” Leilani thinks.
Meanwhile, in the surveillance room, Waylen stares at the computer screen with his sharp eyes. Her smooth and fair skin, like pure moonlight, is incredibly alluring as it slips out from beneath the milky water. He can’t help recalling the way she looked last night when she was beneath him. The intensity of the memory makes his blood run to a certain body part and he can feel it in his pants, hard as iron.
He curbs the impulse to smash the screen showing the woman’s smug, smiling face. He prefers to wait to see what she’s playing at. The woman suddenly looks at the camera like she knows he’s spying on her from the other end.
Mockingly, she mouths a single word: “Cheers.”
He wonders what she’s thinking. Is she celebrating because she’s about to achieve her desire? Has his father pressured her into divorcing him? Or is this truly what she wants?
Waylen shuts off the screen.
“Who is she speaking to on the phone?”
“We haven’t found out yet,” Robert answers.
“Then do it soon. If you can’t find the person, you can kiss your sweet life goodbye.”
Waylen’s calm, threatening voice sends a quiver down Robert’s spine. He lowers his eyes and hurries to answer, “I won’t stop until I find out.”
Then he raises his head. He looks at Lance with speculation, “The maids say…”
“What?”
“They say that Mrs. Haowel was talking to a man.”
Impassively, Waylen stares at Robert.
Every aspect of Leilani’s life is supervised and organized for her. She doesn’t even make calls to the Peters without a maid present. Now his butler tells him a man has been talking to his wife?
Two of Leilani’s maids walk in to report to Waylen, “Mrs. Bamford is finished with the bath. She asked me to bring this over to you.”
The younger maid holds the phone with both hands and peeks at Waylen with growing admiration and interest.
Waylen takes the phone. The screen shows a live video of Leilani getting dressed. Maids are helping her zip her dress. She is wearing a bright red, backless, lace mermaid dress that reveals the pale swells of her b.r.e.a.s.ts. She has the kind of beauty that people go to war over glowing skin, an hourglass figure, and a flawless face on which even her minimal makeup seems redundant. She is perfect.
Then Leilani turns to face the camera. She intentionally pulls the front of her dress down and flashes her bare b.r.e.a.s.t at the camera. Her lips, colored with retro red lipstick, pucker in a kiss to the camera.
“My dear Waylen, do you like it?” she asks.
Waylen clutches the phone harder, the blue veins in his hand seem close to bursting. He throws the phone and it hits the table and breaks it into pieces.
“Stop her!”
He grinds his teeth in anger and the panicked maids quickly flee in all directions to try to stop Leilani before her flashy new look and bold new attitude creates a scandal with the press.
When she appears in public, Mrs. Bamford is a representative of the entire Bamford family. In keeping with their image, she dresses conservatively wearing modest, high-necked blouses and dresses, neutral colors and simple and neat hairstyles. Over the last three years, her outfits have been custom made and her hair has been arranged by highly-trained specialists. It’s not appropriate for her to be seen in a revealing, red gown.
Elegant and beautiful in her long mermaid dress, Leilani descends the grand staircase with her head held high as a queen. The journalists run to her but bodyguards keep them at a distance. Some of the bolder reporters try to fight their way past the bodyguards to get to Leilani. By now, everyone has heard rumors of the divorce and they all want to get the inside scoop. The bodyguards stand strong and roughly shove the reporters out of the way. After that, no one dares to act rashly, or even take a picture without permission.
There is a collective gasp as Leilani enters the room. She smiles a bewitching smile, capturing everyone’s attention. Mrs. Bamford is a rare lady of high birth; though her manners are impeccable and her demeanor is charming, she hardly ever grants visits to the press. Now she’s making a rare official appearance. The beauty in her smile and dignity in her posture set her apart from every other woman in the room. Both men and women can’t help but stare.
The marriage began in this room and it will end here too. The ebony-wood dining table sits in the center of the room, set with delicate porcelain china. A rare, specially ordered diamond chandelier hangs above the guests. An atmosphere of elegance and aristocracy permeates the air. Five people sit facing the door: Mr. Peters, Mrs. Peters, and Leilani’s three sisters.
All the Peters have taken their seats already, but no one dares to complain about the Bamfords’ late appearance. The Bamfords’ status and power put them beyond criticism.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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