Chapter 1 001

IMOGEN'S POV

Rome was supposed to be our clean slate- a turning point in our marriage, but I felt loner than I had ever been in my years of being married to my husband.

I shut my eyes tight trying to drown their voices in my head but it was hard. He had done it again just like the last time and the other times.

I opened my eyes watching as the tears stained my cheeks and the mascara ran through my face.

Pathetic, I thought to myself.

I looked myself in the mirror, and my reflection was quiet as usual, after all it was a blank canvass waiting for me to smear more make-up to paint across the tear- stained skin. I sighed heavily, wiping away another tear with the back of my hand.

I've told myself to stop crying because I was getting frustrated at the tears that kept streaming down my face. I couldn't believe he had done it again.

Well, scratch that, I could believe it. But it stung as if it was a new thing.

How dare him? I said to myself, looking at the reflection, hoping for some answer. But silence filled the room as my reflection stood looking at me while waiting for more makeup.

The first time I had caught him cheating was at his company's party with his secretary. I had stumbled in on them fucking in his office- they were just so horny that they could not hold it in till everybody had gone.

They were both shocked to had seen me but I was the one who just stood there, barely moving. Then he quickly adjusted his pants as he headed towards me, but just then I had the courage to leave.

At home, I could barely get a word out; rather I sat on my bed crying- then my bedroom's door slammed hard.

"Still crying?" Perry's voice was low and bored. "Jesus, Imogen. Do you ever stop?"

I turned, my eyes filled with disbelief as he stood in his expensive suit, loosened tie, phone still in his hand. He didn't even bother looking ashamed.

"You promised me, Perry," I whispered, my throat raw. "You said you wouldn't do this, didn't you?" I tried to keep my voice steady but it betrayed me.

He scoffed, sliding his phone into his pocket. "I'm always here, aren't I? I always come home to you, so that alone should make you grateful."

"Grateful?" My voice cracked. "For getting cheated on? I am your wife-"

"Careful." His eyes sharpened, warning me. He stepped closer, his hand gripping my chin hard enough to make me flinch. "Don't start this, Imogen. It was just sex and everything I do is for us."

I swallowed the bitter taste of his lie. "What?" I my forehead squeezed as I tried to understand how fucking another woman was for us.

"No, Perry. Everything you do is for you."

His smile was thin, dangerous. He released me with a shove that forced me back against the counter. "You should clean your makeup, fix your face. You look... messy." He adjusted his cufflinks, already done with me. "I'll be back later. Don't wait up."

A tear streaked down my face, bringing me back to this very moment.

I shook my head gently, trying to get rid of all the negative thoughts that were running through my mind. I had been through enough and at this point what I needed to do was to leave.

I just needed to find a way to survive the next few months and then maybe I could try to forget everything I have lost.

My career, my family, money, him, everything.

It seemed like a lot for one person to lose but one thing was certain I wasn't doing this marriage with him anymore.

This was the very last straw for me. I was just very tired of the unending cycles of lies, cheating, deceit, and tears. I deserved more, so much more.

I dabbed some more concealer under my eyes, hoping that maybe by applying, even more concealer, I could cover up how red and puffy my eyes were.

Once I was done and it looked good enough, I took a deep breath preparing myself for whatever was going to happen from the moment that I would walk out of the vacation home and into the night.

Perry had promised me so many things when we had gotten together, he had talked about loving me unendingly and protecting me, but it had been all lie.

He had broken my trust and had left me hanging emotionally, mentally, and physically while he continued to cheat on me shamelessly.

We were still on our vacation in Rome. I had left my dear husband to go shopping and then he still brought in a whore even on our vacation!

Things weren't always like this, he treated me like a queen and put me first in everything, but that changed the moment he had a breakthrough with his finances.

The very first moment he had a taste of the money that had come from years of both our had wok and determination, he became a changed person, all those promises had gone to hell and the cycle had begun.

This was his usual game, whenever he would commit one of his disgusting acts, he would do something extraordinary for me.

Gift me a ridiculously expensive item, and take me out on a vacation, anything to make up for his stupid ways.

He had bought me a ridiculously expensive diamond ring two weeks ago.

The ring currently sat perfectly on my finger, not too heavy and not too small. Now two weeks later, on our supposed make-up vacation; we were back to his cheating.

It hurt more than any physical pain he could inflict on my body, and yet I stayed with him. I put up with his lies and his deception because he had made me believe it was my fault that he started stepping out.

He had always insisted that I could not give him the pleasure he wanted, although I had tried watching new videos and had even suggested different sex styles.

Perry wasn't still satisfied so I stuck with pleasuring myself- not that I knew how to do that either.

He was my first and I had not really explored.

So, I was stuck in this marriage where I could barely tell if it was a loveless one or one filled with love.

I removed the ring and placed it on the vanity then I picked up my black purse that sat on the counter, taking one more look in the mirror, enjoying the way the dress hugged my curves and made my cleavage glitter under the light with matching gloves, before leaving the bathroom.

It seemed like the more money a man had the worse he treat his woman. I sneered under my breath, beyond disgusted with the situation.

I was completely tired of the cycle and of being the obedient woman and wife who took it all.

I had worked for my position and won't let some whore take my place and enjoy everything I had built.

Tonight, was going to be my night, the night I get lost in my wants and needs. I was going to throw caution to the wind and have the best night of my life.

I made my way toward the front entrance of the hotel, enjoying the power that coursed through my veins as the sound of my heels made clicking noise.

"Good evening." I plastered a fake smile at the receptionist when I stopped to drop the key card at the reception.

I stepped out into the street, taking a deep breath of the evening air.

For tonight I would let go of everything including his name and forge a new path for myself.

A cab drove before me almost immediately, I pulled in and got in. I handed him an address I had found earlier in my husband's jacket and he drove away without asking.

He stopped in front of a huge building with different apartments. I alighted and paid before going in, the hall had a wave of different smell, so bad I couldn't believe Perry would come here.