My Husband's Boss is Mine

NADINE The food I made was getting cold, it was already past 10pm and my husband was yet to come home. I showered hours ago and was seated on the bed, restlessly tapping my feet on the ground and waiting for him to get home. This wasn't the first time I'd been made to wait this long, but I've somehow gotten used to it. The long waits and the worry were now a part of me. Dean and I have been married for three years, our marriage may not have been out of love, but I could swear I love him with everything in me. I mean I've been crushing on him since I turned 18, when I saw the opportunity to become his at 22, I grabbed it. But here I am now, in a one sided love marriage, hoping for my husband to love me too. The beeping of the entrance door announced his arrival, separating me from my thoughts. I sprang up to my feet, excited like always and rushed to the living room to get his suitcase. “You're home,” I took a long stride to get to him. Once I got to him, I spread my arms apart to hug him. He side stepped me. “How many times have I told you not to wait out late for me!” He boomed, looking down at me. “I…I was worried. I couldn't sleep,” I stammered, backing away. “Get the f**k out of my presence,” he pushed me aside and headed for the bed room. This wasn't his first time pushing me off like this. I was used to the treatment. Smiling even more widely, I followed him to the bedroom, to help him undress even though I knew he wouldn’t let me an inch close to him. “Take this,” he threw a bag I never noticed earlier at me. The bag landed on the floor, exposing its content. A blue floral gown and a black stilleto “Yo…you got me a dress?” I stuttered. This would be the first time I'm getting something from him in our three years of marriage. “We’re having a company event tomorrow night. You'll accompany me…” “Do not showcase your uncultured attitude when you get there. Act classy and do not bring embarrassment to me,” his words were more of an order. I could only smile, readily bobbing my head in happiness. “I would forever cherish this dress,” I told myself. “Are you a lizard?” He boomed. “When I talk you reply with words, not nods, woman!” He yelled, raising his hands to hit me. “I'm sorry….” “Get out!” He turned his back on me. I quickly picked up the clothing and rushed out of the room. “Close the door, you jobless fool!” He yelled yet again. “I'm sorry,” I mumbled with my head bowed, shutting the door. Getting to my room, I didn't bother shutting the door, I left it wide open like I've always done for the past three years, hoping that Dean would someday get in here and touch me even for a bit. I didn't care if it turned out to be a drunken act, I just wanted my husband to touch me. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, it might never happen, not when he has another woman. “Dean bought you a dress, and invited you to a company event. You should be happy,” I told myself, pulling out the dress and spreading it on the bed. The dress was a bit too revealing and rather too short, but I didn't mind. It was my husband’s first gift to me and I would wear it, to make him happy. And who knows I might finally get his attention for myself. I couldn't wait for tomorrow to come. Just like a dream, the day of the event actually came. I spent over an hour getting ready and once I was satisfied with my looks, I headed down the stairs in search of Dean. I found him seated on the couch and watching TV. He wasn't even dressed yet. “You ain't yet ready,” I muttered, stepping into the living room. He turned in my direction. My heart jumped in joy. He was looking at me! “Do I look like I'm part of the decoration team?” He gave me a look of disgust and focused his attention on the tv. My heart clenched. With my head bowed like always, I took a seat next to him. A look from him was all it took for me to scramble to my feet and take another seat. About an hour later, he was finally ready. I followed him out. I pulled the car door open myself, knowing he wouldn't do it for me. But then I felt him grab my hair. “Am I your driver? You want me to drive?” I had taken hours doing my hair and he just ruined it this way. I almost cried, but I held it all back. “I'll drive,” I mumbled, once again consoling myself with the fact that he had proposed to me himself. He will definitely realize he loves me one day. The drive to the event hall was in silence. Getting there, he made me go park the car and once I stepped out. I pulled the little bind off my scattered hair, letting hair cascade down my back. “I look better this way. Dean probably knows that, that's why he ruined my hair,” I told myself. Once my dear husband got out of the car, he approached me. I smiled, knowing that couples often link hands in events like this. We were going to link hands. I was beyond excited. I outstretched my arm, expecting him to take it, but then, he pushed it to a side. “You'll be on your own throughout the event. Once it is over, take a taxi back home.” He walked away, once again shattering my already broken heart. I trailed behind him, once we walked into the event hall, Dean walked off, leaving me all by myself. I didn't know whom to talk to, it was my first time attending his company event and yet he left me to wander on my own. I stopped one of the waiters and took a glass of orange juice. Dean hates it when I drink, so I've always avoided alcohol. Walking back to the spot I was standing earlier with my drink in my hand, I'm suddenly stopped by two ladies. One was unfamiliar while the other was someone I would recognize even in my dreams. My husband’s mistress, Angela. “Look who we have here,” she smiled, tapping her friend. I smiled at her and side walked to get away from her, the last thing I wanted was to get people’s attention on myself. “How dare you come to a classy event with a fake gown,” she snickered, grabbing onto my dress. Getting involved with her will surely offend Dean and that I didn't want. “Let go of my dress,” I calmly requested. “As you wish,” she smiled, ripping a part of my dress off and tossing it to the ground. Gasps filled the entire hall. “What did you just do?” I whispered in horror. “Ripped a fake undeserving dress,” she grinned, her friend clapped and both laughed. Whispers of who I was and how I managed to get into such a big event filled the entire room. I could only bow my head in shame. “What the f**k is going on here?” The one voice I have been waiting for asked, it was Dean’s. “Ouch!” Angela suddenly yelped, falling to the ground and grabbing hold of my left leg. “What the heck is wrong with you?” I cried out, clutching onto my ripped revealing dress and trying to get her hand off my leg. “I f*****g told you to stay away from trouble!” Dean growled at me, roughly pushing me aside and helping Angela to her feet. Tears trailed down my cheeks. “She ripped my dress and you're taking her side,” I cried. “And when did you start talking back at me!” He thundered, his mistress snickered. I was beyond embarrassed, my heart was shattered beyond repair. I couldn't comprehend it all. “She f*****g ripped my gown!!” I yelled at him for the first time, fed up with it all. “Get yourself off my sight right now!” He growled…” I didn't even let him complete his statement, I walked away, tears blurring my vision Everyone in the room was whispering about me, some were laughing, others were pointing fingers. I couldn't even see what was before me, all I wanted was to disappear from here. The exit was suddenly nonexistent, my tears were blinding, my heart was aching, I was disoriented. I ended up stumbling into one of the waiters, his legs tackled mine and I found myself falling. I shut my eyes, ready for more embarrassment, but then someone caught me.