Chapter 9

Sally

My legs were still shaking as I made my way up the stairs and to Pamela's room.

I had a feeling that the shadow I saw belonged to a certain someone in the adjacent room to mine.

I knocked on the door but there was only silence.

I knocked again and this time, harder. The door opened a little and there was still no answer. I peeked inside, and just as I thought there was no one inside, sliding in quietly, I went to check the bathroom just to be sure.

It was confirmed that the moving Shadow I saw belonged to Pamela.

That sneaky bitch!

She was the one complaining Cisco forced her into marriage and didn't want to miss her wedding, yet she had the balls to sneak into my husband's room.

I ran a frustrated hand over my hair, Cisco's words echoing in my mind.

I released a dry laugh.

He thinks because I had stayed this long in this house then I can't Divorce him.

I chuckled; he said I was stuck with him. Those words had meaning, I knew it but I don't give a single damn.

Fuck revenge! First thing tomorrow, I'm filing for a divorce, and I'm taking him to court for child abuse.

My children and I came first; he chose another woman over me, so I might as well leave just like I should have done a long time ago.

I entered my room, and Iris quickly ran to me with eyes asking millions of questions.

"Mom, what happened?"

Ignoring her question, I said."Listen to me carefully, honey; we will be going away for a while, okay?"

Iris creased her brows, confusion on her face."Okay ...but..."

"No buts, I don't want you girls to get hurt again, and since your daddy doesn't want us, we would leave." As much as it hurts me to let my kids grow up without their father, I have no choice.

Mia whined." No mummy, I love it here."

I ruffled her hair."We will be back okay. Just think of it as a mini vacation."

" but you said Daddy doesn't want us," Iris added, a confused expression on her face.

I sighed." It slipped out of my mouth. We are going on a vacation, and we will be back soon."

She only nodded but I saw the doubt in her eyes.

I managed to convince them or rather lie to them. Then we spent the rest of the day in my bedroom after which I tucked them in bed.

In the middle of the night, I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about what Cisco did to my children and said to me.

I need to talk with Liz tomorrow, plus I have work. I also have to inform my father of my decision to divorce Francisco. It's a fifty per cent chance that he would agree because he cares about reputation.

All rich fathers do, but it's not his choice to make; I'm doing what's best for me and my children.

I closed my eyes and calmed my breathing. Tomorrow would be hectic; technically, only ten per cent of the city's population knows about his wedding to Pamela.

I don't know how he managed to sweep it under the rug but it saved me some trouble. At least I don't have to deal with the press.

I finally drifted off into sleep after staying awake till almost midnight but the sounds coming from downstairs woke me up.

Checking the time, it was only 1:30 am. Why, in the name of rotten cabbage, would anyone be awake at this forsaken hour?

Then I heard voices, one of them sounded like Pam but I wasn't so sure. I wanted to check it out, but I was too tired to move. After contemplating for a few seconds whether to get up or just go back to sleep I finally decided to go back to sleep. It was none of my business what she was doing anyway.

****

Lucky me, my dad came to visit the next morning. An excellent opportunity to tell him about my decision before going to the office.

I waited patiently for him to finish his discussion with Francisco before I showed my presence. The girls were sent to their rooms for us adults to discuss.

Francisco sat at the far end of the couch, tapping away at his phone. I hadn't seen Pamela this morning and I hope I don't.

" So, Sally, there's something you said you wanted to discuss?" My dad asked.

My father, Jerald Thompson was a social elite. A Very Influential and prominent member of high society. It was only after my mother's death that he withdrew partially and left the company for me and Cisco to run.

As an only heir, I was to inherit every single legacy he had built, including the family business. But since I was married, it was only customary to let my husband handle most of the company matters but that doesn't mean I don't have my place in the office.

I was the CEO of most of the corporations my family owned. Francisco just did most of the groundwork.

I knew my father; anything that would bring a stain to his legacy was forbidden, and that was part of the reason he turned a blind eye to Cisco's low-key marriage.

So, I was a bit worried about bringing it up. At this rate, I have to.

"Yes, there is and since Francisco is here, I think we should settle this once and for all." I started.

My father leaned back onto the couch." is this about the Tearang group?"

" No, it's about my marriage." I didn't bother with sugarcoating my words.

Cisco looked over at me, a blank expression on his face.

" your marriage?"

I straightened my spine." I'm filing for a divorce, and I want to take custody of our children."

The living room turned silent with my father staring at me with his mouth half open.

From the corner of my eyes, I watched as Cisco clenched his fists.

My father scoffed." A divorce?"

I maintained my stance, I won't let him intimidate me." Yes, I'm divorcing my husband; matter of fact, I already contacted my lawyer, and the papers would be ready before dusk."

My father glared at me, a deep frown on his face. He turned to look at Cisco who was staring at me like he wanted to snap my neck." are you aware of this, son? Did you agree to this?"

Cisco shook his head, appearing like the perfect son-in-law." I do not conform to a divorce. I'm not signing any divorce papers, Sally."

I gritted my teeth." I don't care if you don't sign them. I am putting my signature on that paper, and I'm going to walk out of this house with my girls."

"you will do no such thing, Sally." My father snapped and faced me." Why, all of a sudden you want a divorce? Do you even realize the impact this would have on our lives or how it would affect my granddaughters?"

I took a deep breath, biting on my lip to calm myself." Father, I will do as I like. I no longer want this marriage; he doesn't want it too, so there's no issue. And yes, I'm aware of the impact it would have, but family comes first."

" I never said that." Cisco piped in." I don't want a divorce."

My father nodded, agreeing with him." is this because he has another woman? What's her name again..."

My chest heaved up and down as I stared at my dad. He was speaking like I had no right to file for a divorce. Like cheating was a normalised activity.

" that's the least of the reasons. He cheated on me, Dad, and what's worse? He married that bitch and now he is abusing your granddaughters." I didn't even realize that I had raised my voice at some point.

My eyes were beginning to sting again.

" I sincerely apologize for what happened yesterday already. It was an accident and I was drunk." Cisco countered.

My father looked from me to Cisco." A man can take as many wives for himself as he wants as long as it's not illegal or forbidden, and since they are married legally, then it's not cheating."

What the actual fuck!

I just sat there, unable to find words, completely in utter disbelief." did you not hear the part where he abused his own child."

" I didn't abuse her, it wasn't intentional!" Cisco countered again.

I finally snapped." Shut the fuck up!"

My father stood to his feet the next second, a deep frown on his face as he approached me." You will not speak to your husband that way in my presence, Sally."

At that moment, I couldn't recognise the man I called my father. Tears threatened to fall but I'm not weak. There's no way in hell I'm going to cry in front of them and also no way I'm going to let him dictate my life for me.

Not anymore, he has controlled me enough.