Dear Ex-Wife You Are MINE (Victoria and Alessandro) novel Chapter 1

An illusional hope

Victoria's POV

Oh no, no, no! Shit! I glanced at my wristwatch and then at the lengthy line of traffic in front of the signal ahead. It seemed the whole of New York was at a standstill.

“Sir, can you tell me how long it will take?” I asked the driver.

The man shook his head. “I don’t know, madame. It seems it will take a long time,” he replied in a thick French accent.

Fuck! Why is it always me facing such tragedies? I needed to reach the birthday celebration before 6 p.m., and it was 5:50.

Oh lord! I had no choice. After paying the cab’s fare, I took a deep breath, quickly exited the taxi, and rushed down the street. I loved my husband so much and would do anything for him, including rush like mad, so I wouldn’t be late for his grandmother’s seventieth birthday.

My husband and I had been living together for three years, and I had been suppressing my personality just to be with him. But I took a pregnancy test the week before and was expecting a baby! I couldn’t wait to tell him the good news!

Though engrossed in my thoughts, I didn’t miss it when a car approached, looking as if it were about to hit an old woman on the side of the road.

Without a thought, I ran to her and pushed her out of the way. But I tripped and fell into a mud puddle. “Aah,” I whimpered in pain.

The old woman tried to help me stand. “Oh, my sweet little girl.”

With a slight help from her, I rose, feeling a terrible ache in my right arm. It messily fell under my stomach. God knew if I broke my hand.

“You okay, sweetheart?” the old lady asked. “Let me take you to the doctor.”

“No, ma’am, It’s alright. I have to leave.” Despite the excruciating agony in my arm, I didn’t waste a second before getting back underway. I looked at my dress. Oh, good Lord, my dress is a mess. Alessandro would be so angry. But it was already past six, and there was no time for me to change.

After receiving several odd looks from people on the street, I reached the hotel. My husband stood in the foyer, maybe waiting for me?

“Alessandro...” I walked toward him, hoping he would understand my situation.

But the moment his eyes fell on me, his cold gaze turned into an icy stare, and his jaw clenched. “Of all days, how could you be late today? This will make me lose face in front of everyone!”

“I—Alessandro, let me explain. I was—”

“Enough!” He raised his hand. “I don’t want to hear any of your bullshit!”

Quickly, I lowered my eyes, not wanting him to see the threatening to form. I knew this would happen, but was it my fault? The thought blurred my vision even more, despite me trying so hard not to let my tears spill.

Worse, two ladies approached, sneering—Alessandro’s cousins. They paused, and one said, “Today is Madame Devonte’s birthday. Are you dressing like this to embarrass us?”

The other looked at her and said, “I think she shouldn’t go in.” Then her gaze shifted to me. “You’ll only make my grandma angry.”