Chapter Two
1296 Words
It was like Cassidy's world had exploded around her. Surely, she couldn't be seeing things properly. She blinked at the papers in her hands but there it was bold and clear as day, it was divorce papers. Her chest tightened and her breathing labored as she looked up at Dave who was staring at her contemptuously.
"I... I don't understand... What is this?", she stuttered, shaking the papers.
"Isn't it written on there? These are divorce papers", Dave sneered.
Cassidy's breathing caught. Why this all of a sudden? She knew Dave wasn't happy and had never wanted this marriage, but she thought they had an understanding. Why would he suddenly want to divorce her? Why was he looking at her with such contempt? Had she done something wrong.
"Bu...", Cassidy struggled to breathe.
"But why Dave? Why all of a sudden? Is something the matter? Have I done something wrong?", She asked.
Dave's face tensed.
"Just sign the papers Cassidy", he gritted.
"No", Cassidy said, suddenly becoming firm.
"Not until you tell me why. This marriage isn't just about us, it involves our families as well. You can't just....", Cassidy broke down into sobs.
Dave stared at the crying woman in front of him. If he hadn't known what she had done, he would have been fooled, he thought to himself. He would have felt sorry for her. But he knew so he only stared at her with contempt.
"Cassidy, enough of this. Just sign the papers", Dave said firmly.
Cassidy shook her head between her sobs.
"No... Not until you tell me the reason", she said, her voice quivering.
"The reason?", Dave asked, anger building up in him.
"You want to know the reason?", He asked again.
"Yes. I need to know. It has to be a very good reason because..."
"You cheated!", Dave said forcefully.
Cassidy stopped. She blinked at Dave confused.
"I... I don't..."
Dave watched as she looked at him, surprised and shocked. He sneered inwardly, what a wonderful actress. Honestly when Dave had received the pictures yesterday while he was at the office, he had been shocked as well.
He almost couldn't believe it, but there it was as clear as day for him to see, proof that his wife, Cassidy Peyton, had been having an affair. His anger surged and he had immediately stomped to his lawyer to draw up the divorce papers. How dare she?
Cassidy was stunned by what Dave said. Had he really just accused her of having an affair? She was surprised. Where was this coming from?
"I don't understand", She said as she glanced at Dave.
Dave sighed exasperatedly.
"Cassidy just sign..."
"No. I don't understand. What do you mean I cheated? Where is this coming from?", she asked.
Dave exploded in anger.
"How dare you?! How could you be so audacious? You are the one who did something wrong and you're asking me questions?!"
Cassidy shuddered under Dave's anger.
"I know ours wasn't a marriage born out of love. But I had no idea you would stoop so low. An affair?", Dave said and stared at her with an incredulous expression.
Cassidy immediately began to plead.
"Dave. Dave please listen to me.... I don't know what you heard or from who you heard... But I promise you... I promise..."
"Enough!", Dave said forcefully.
"I don't want to hear it. Out of respect for your family, I don't want to create a fuss. I want us to settle this quietly between us without giving the press a field day", he added.
"So here's what is going to happen, I'm going to go upstairs, freshen up, get ready and go to the office. By the time I return by the end of the day, Cassidy I expect that those papers should be signed and you are gone", Dave said and walked upstairs without giving her a second glance.
Cassidy crumbled to the floor and broke into sobs, the divorce papers in her hands. She looked at the things she had prepared for her surprise on the center table and the tears seemed to pour in full force at the thought.
Cassidy sat on the floor of the living room, crying, for a long time before finally going up to her room. While she was in her room, she cried some more and was vaguely aware of the door opening downstairs and the sound of Dave's car driving out of the compound.
He had gone to work. Her mind was in a mess. Why would Dave suddenly accuse her of cheating? Sure he was cold and indifferent towards her but Cassidy didn't think he was someone who would make such an accusation without reason. He must have heard it from someone or somewhere. But from who?
Even if he had heard it from someone, the fact that he hadn't allowed her a chance to defend herself and immediately believed just showed how little he thought of her and their marriage.
It also showed, Cassidy thought with a wince, how her efforts this past year to try and make their marriage work had amounted to nothing. Even if she did find a way to somehow convince Dave that she hadn't cheated on him, Dave didn't care about her at all, he probably never would, meaning their marriage would never work out.
Cassidy looked at the divorce papers. It hurt her to do this because she had had so much faith in the past year that she would be able to make their marriage work but she picked a ballpoint pen from her work desk, and with trembling fingers, she signed her name on the papers. She looked at her signature on the papers, tears rolling down her cheeks before she began to pack her things.
The city of New Orleans always bustled with life. With its rich history and culture, the city presented a lot of attractions that had tourists buzzing to it as bees buzzed to flowers.
The markets were always full and the streets always packed with people, it was always a wonderful sight to see. But as the luxurious Cadillac crawled through the dense traffic of the city, Cassidy could not find it in herself to admire the sights or to revel in the nostalgia of being back in the city she called home.
She had a banging headache and she felt sick. After packing her things and placing the divorce papers on the center table in the living room, Cassidy had immediately booked a flight home. She couldn't stay in Nashville for another minute.
She needed to get home and inform her family about the divorce first by herself before they heard from another source. She dreaded breaking the news and having to answer their questions, but she knew it had to be done.
Cassidy looked out the window as the car steered away from the busy parts of the city to a more recluse and quiet part. From this distance, she could already see her family house.
Cassidy's grandfather was originally from New Orleans. He had grown up here, poor and an orphan before moving to Nashville to build the Pay-TON group all by himself. But he had never forgotten where he came from so he had built their family house here and Cassidy had spent most of her childhood here.
The gates opened and the driver drove into the large compound. He stopped the car in front of the house and immediately came around to open the door for her. Cassidy nodded to him and began to walk up the steps to the house. No sooner had she started climbing the steps when her vision suddenly became blurry and her head swarmed.
The queasiness from earlier hitting her with intensity, Cassidy collapsed!
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