His Charming Wife novel Chapter 1

"Your husband and I are in Shangri-La room No. 1108, we're together now. Why won’t you divorce him, Stella? Do you have no shame? Neither his body nor heart belongs to you."

Standing outside the door of room No. 1108, Stella Grace looked on indifferently at the text message flashing on her mobile phone. Long eyelashes shielded the darkness in her eyes, and she kept her face clear of emotion.

The door opened.

Frederick Addington walked out, his sultry assistant hanging provocatively in his arms. Pausing, he smiled roguishly, "Here to catch me cheating again Why don't you come in? It's hot outside, aren't you tired of standing?"

Unconcerned, Stella said, "I'm afraid of disturbing you and affecting your performance. Are you fully recovered now then?"

Frederick’s eyes flashed with anger at the insolent tone. "That’s certainly very rich coming from you, especially when you are the unchaste one in the first place.”

Stella started to laugh, laughter which soon turned to tears.

Three years ago, she had been kidnapped by Frederick’s ex- girlfriend. Making her escape, she had been raped by a mysterious man. Not far off, a car in the distance started to rock on the spot. It was Frederick and the woman who had kidnapped her. The pain she felt from her lower body paled in comparison to the rending pain tearing through her heart.

Even now, Stella had no idea how she went through that day. Just the sheer thought of it continues to send shockwaves of pain through the most tender part of her heart.

"If I make you uncomfortable, I apologize. I'm used to this tone," Stella lifted her chin lazily.

Frederick’s eyes were cold as ice. "What are you doing here, exactly? Don’t tell me you came just to make me angry."

"I'm afraid you’ re right. Your instincts have always been accurate." Stella smiled calmly.

"Get lost." The tone was apparent.

Undeterred, Stella handed over a document from her bag.

Instead of taking it, Frederick eyed it warily. “What’s this?”

“It’ s her.” Stella gestured towards the voluptuous woman standing at the side.

"What about me?" The woman laid her hand possessively on Frederick. She had heard through the grapevine that Stella was not on good terms with her husband. From the looks of today, it seems that this was the truth: Frederick hated his wife with a passion. The cards were in her favor.

Stella Grace waved the documents in her hand. "Your reputation precedes you in Los Santos. I’m sure you slept with - what - 80% of the rich and wealthy in the city? Unfortunately for you, one of them has been diagnosed with AIDS just last month."

The assistant’s face turning a pale shade of white.

Turning her gaze towards Frederick, Stella asked, "Did you guys use a condom? Otherwise, I have a few doctors I'm familiar with, and I’m happy to introduce them to you."

Snatching over the document, Frederick glared at Stella, only to throw the same document onto her face. "You always had a talent for making people unhappy."

She stood upright. The slap of the paper on her face hurt more than she imagined.

Mockingly, Stella said, "I'm counting on you to spend the rest of your life miserably."

"Then I must do the same to you, or how can I be happy? I'm not heading home today, so don't wait up." Frederick responded with a fit of dark anger. Turning sharply, he made his way to the elevator.

She stood there, expressionless. She understood the subtext of what he was saying: Tonight, Frederick would spend his time in the arms of another woman, taking on a different scent. Fie had never touched her ever since she had lost her virginity. In his eyes, she was worse than a whore.

Her eyes misted up. Just because she was silent, just because she kept her tears to herself, it did not mean the hurt was any less.