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Apunch in my gut landed as soon asIrecognized the dock.Italmost knocked the wind out of me.
“Isthat the beach—”
“Yes, it’sChateauat theHempstead’sprivate beach,” he confirmed without missing a beat as if he’d been waiting for me to recognize it.
Mymind went blank.Forseveral moments,Icouldn’t get myself to react.Thisarea had appeared recognizable from the beginning because it was nearMilan’swedding venue.Thesame reason the view from this window looked familiar; it overlooked the beach whereAxelandI…Iclosed my eyes against an image that was too painful to recollect.
Itwas an endeavor to speak again. “Howis this possible?”
Axeldropped the manila folders on the desk and stepped toward the window. “Propertiesaround here rarely go on sale.WhenIfound one across fromChateauat theHempstead,Iwas instantly interested,” he spoke mildly as if it were no big deal, unaware of how he had detonated my life with information that kept dropping like bombs. “ButwhenIsaw this view of the beach,IknewIhad to buy this place no matter the cost.”Hestood beside me, staring at the same faint green light in the distance.Iwondered if the same images were flashing through his mind.
Thequestionwhywas at the tip of my tongue, but there was no need to voice it.Axeloverlooked this beach while creating music because it was his muse, as his memories had been mine for years.
“Piya?”
Ishook my head, realizing my trance had distracted me from whatever he had said. “Sorry, what?”
“Havea seat.”
Iglanced at the office chairAxelhad pulled out.Vanquishingmy melancholy with a heavy sigh,Imarched over and took the seat.Axelset down the stack of documents—the ones his staff had gathered from the floor— with a loud thump in front of me and sat at the edge of his desk.
“Whatare these?”Istared at the pile and froze upon finding the words “PetitionforDivorce” etched on top.
Whatthe fuck.
“Divorcepetition,” he declared thoughIhad already gathered as much. “Signthese, and we’ll serve them toAmbaniby the end of the week.Mylawyers investigated his assets.Theythink we can expedite the paperwork and divorce procedures by declaring you don’t want anything from him.Custodywill be the bigger problem—”
Mybody reacted before my mind could process the words.Ijumped out of the chair and cleared the stack of papers off the desk in one quick sweep, screaming, “Howdare you?”
Axelwatched coldly as the papers flew off the desk, landing on the floor.
“Thisis what you wanted to show me?”Ipanted, my temper rising with each word.
Myblood boiled with rage.EverytimeIsoftened towardAxeland showed him an ounce of human compassion, he took it for weakness and tried to bulldoze over my life.Hehad the audacity to discuss the custody of my child, drafted a petition for divorce on my behalf, and wanted me to serve my husband.Really?
Ithought we had exercised a momentary truce while reminiscing over a heartbreaking what-could-have-been past.Itwas all a farce.Themoments of respite were nothing more than an elaborate trick meant to catch me off-guard.Hewas a master architect of manipulation.Ofcourse, he had organized something deceptive behind my back.Thethought only fed my anger.
Myoutburst made no difference to him andAxeldidn’t bother picking up the pile of papers. “Youmight lose custody of your daughter ifAmbaniproves infidelity and that you’re an unfit mother,” he explained detachedly.
“I’mnot an unfit mother,”Ishouted.
“Youwere so drunk last night you had no idea who was fucking you.”
Theroom descended into a heavy silence.Iclenched my jaw and uttered, “Poppywasn’t with me.WhatIdo in my own time—”
“Willbe brought into question during a divorce proceeding,” he interjected. “Howlikely are you to win a custody battle if—”
“Whatcustody?”Iyelled, upset. “I’mnot getting divorced!”
ThewayAxel’sexpression morphed told me thatIhad said the wrong thing.PerhapsI’dbeen hasty in not fearingAxel, after all.
Axelstood, and it took all my willpower not to cower against the tall frame towering over me.Hismuscular, broad shoulders and thickly muscled arms flexed with purpose, andIthought he might attack me like before.Instead,Axelreached behind to grab the stack of manila folders.Theylanded in front of me with a dull thud.Withoutneeding instructions,Iknew the files were meant for me to review.Heconfirmed it by raising his eyebrows at the one closest to me. “Whydon’t you take a look inside that file?”
Ihad no clue what the folders held, butIwas certain it was something worse than divorce papers.Thatwas whyAxelwas perusing those documents with such interest.
Angerswelled inside my chest.Iwanted to retaliate by messing upAxel’sperfectly aligned life.Maybemove his guitar or turntable by one centimeter to the right, which would undoubtedly drive him insane.
However, a part of me knew that lashing out againstAxelwouldn’t help my cause.
