‘I don’t want them,’ he seriously replied.

  ‘Then I want a divorce!’

  ‘Fine a divorce you can have and you won’t get a penny from me,’ he smiled. ‘Unless you sign the new pre nup.’

  ‘Then don’t give me a penny and get me a divorce?’ she said trying to put her dress on a hanger.

  ‘You say that now but you’ll change your mind in the morning.’

  ‘Why would I do that?’ she said seeing he was deadly serious.

  ‘You’re a woman, you make up the rules as you go along and I should know,’ he said lying back on the bed.

  ‘I’ll divorce you, no money for me, simple. You don’t have to see me again and you can leave my business alone. Where do I sign?’ Lily stomped around the room picking up the clothes and flinging them on a chair, angry with his admission and angrier at herself for getting the truth. ‘We can do it tomorrow. Call Judith and we can sort it.’

  ‘Darling,’ he said patting the bed. ‘Come here.’

  ‘I’m not coming anywhere near you. You’ve fucked up my life for long enough and if you think you’re going to fuck me again then you’re bloody mistaken!’ she yelled only to find him smiling.

  ‘This time around it’s different, I feel something for you,’ he laughed.

  ‘Really don’t say any more,’ she said standing with her hand in front of her face. ‘What good memories I had of being married to you have gone.’

  ‘I know you love me first and foremost, regardless of whatever new man you meet.’

  ‘I want a divorce!’ she yelled, overcome by the force of her voice. ‘I can’t do this anymore. I’ve been tricked enough by you.’

  ‘If you’re sure?’ he teased.

  ‘I’m bloody sure.’

  ‘I’d prefer it if you admit to adultery,’ he said calmly.

  Lily stopped still in the room and turned to face him.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Then the whole pre-nuptial agreement is void and you won’t get a penny. You see there’d be no chance of you changing your mind at a later date,’ Richard said pulling himself back on the bed. ‘I would give you a tidy sum as a token of my appreciation for you marrying me, though and I wouldn’t make a claim to your business.’

  ‘You really don’t want me to get your cash?’ she laughed in amazement. ‘What have I done to you? I’ve never taken-.’

  ‘A large sum from the joint account and a very expensive scooter!’

  ‘I was annoyed with you on both occasions,’ she snapped and walked to the bathroom feeling guilty. ‘And that’s loose change to you.’

  ‘I need all my capital.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because I want to be able to put some money behind my own films without sucking up to fuckers who only care about the return!’

  ‘And it saves their wives sucking your cock. And you’re pissed off you had to get married to get the money for ‘Beautiful’? she bluntly asked.

  ‘What do you think?’ he shrugged and another sliding landslide occurred in her stomach.

  ‘Thanks for that,’ she quietly said trying not to cry. ‘You slept with her all the time were married. And I had no idea.’

  ‘I made love to you.’

  ‘Give me a fucking break Richard! You were with her before you were with me so you probably told her the same thing!’ Lily screamed and noticed Richard’s stony face. ‘And if you didn’t love me then you were fucking me too, not making love.’

  ‘I don’t know what you want me to say if you know it all.’

  ‘I don’t think she’s a nice person, between you and me, so you’re well suited.’

  ‘You don’t like her?’ Richard said with a quizzical expression.

  ‘Does it matter what I think?’ she snapped and stared at him. ‘Why tell me you love me even now when you obviously don’t?’

  She examined his face as he gulped back the gin and tonic.

  ‘Because I genuinely do,’ he said double blinking at her.

  ‘You have a funny way of showing it.’ She walked up to him and looked into his eyes. ‘Why did you sleep with Corinne?’

  ‘I was flattered and it got out of hand. And I realised I was starting to like you too much so I needed a distraction,’ he sighed as Lily held her breath trying not to scream at him. ‘The next thing I know she’s breaking up with Will, telling everyone about her and me. Then I got wind you found out.’

  ‘You had two women on the go when we were married. Are there any more I need to know about?’ Lily asked feeling deflated at his openness.

  ‘That’s all you need to know about,’ he gently said. ‘I’m not made to be married. It was a mistake.’

  ‘What do you want me to do?’ she said feeling the cut of the remark.

  ‘I care about you,’ he said. ‘I know you don’t believe me. I’ll always look out for you. I won’t leave you high and dry.’

  ‘Let’s get a divorce then,’ she said and walked passed making sure her shoulder hit his side as she went to sit on the bed. Richard slowly sat down next to her. ‘We’ll name Will.’

  ‘I don’t want to get him involved.’

  ‘Why? Because he’s better looking, fitter, younger and a nicer person, who everyone loves when they meet,’ she laughed and then glanced at Richard.

  ‘That’s not true,’ he shrugged defensively but Lily knew she’d hit a nerve.

  ‘Then who shall I admit to adultery with if there’s no one else?’ she asked and watched him narrow his eyes as he looked at her.

  Lily waited for him to say something.

  There was a constant bleeping in the room.

  Lily realised it came from the camera on the floor. She watched Richard stand up and walk towards the camera then bend down to pick it up.

  ‘It’s still on,’ he said glancing at her with a look of concern.

  ‘It might have recorded your confession,’ said Lily half laughing before being met with a stony glare.

  She watched as he quickly examined the camera and replayed the footage.

  ‘Ah,’ he said.

  ‘Are you going to delete it?’ she asked knowing the answer as he quickly went through the controls. ‘Silly question.’

  Every time Richard tried to touch her as they lay in bed later on, she slapped him. It was slowly dripping in what he told her. She felt alone, let down and used by the man she was currently in bed, and very much in love, with.

  ‘Lily,’ Richard said making her jump.

  ‘What?’

  She was now seething, her head full of sleep.

  ‘You’ve not slept. Honesty, you see, it doesn’t pay,’ he sighed touching her hair. ‘I take it you’re mad with me?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I love you now but I really don’t want to stay married. I need my space, my right to do what I want. Being married to you will cause problems with-.’

  ‘Your bank balance,’ she added sadly.

  Lily gulped back the sob she had controlled in her throat for the past two hours but it betrayed her.

  ‘Don’t get upset,’ he gently said.

  ‘You broke my heart when you left me,’ she said, feeling the tears drip down her face. ‘You had no idea what pain I went through. It took a long time for me to trust someone and then, with my luck, he sort of ends up working for you.’

  ‘We can work this out,’ he whispered. ‘Look you know the truth now, you know what I want.’

  ‘The truth is you want a divorce without losing any money and you’d prefer I’d admit to adultery to save face,’ she sighed. ‘Are you going to set me up?’

  ‘No,’ he hesitantly replied.

  ‘You’re such a liar,’ she yelled and turned to face him as he flinched while she wiped her tears away. ‘I know about your plan to use Dominic so stop lying.’

  Richard looked genuinely shocked but couldn’t speak.

  ‘You see I know things too,’ she said and bolted out of bed towards the bathroom, locking the door.

  Putting on the shower she sat on the toilet and started to cry.

  Her pain felt intense.

  She stepped into the shower and sobbed as she washed every trace of him off her skin and realised she was in a ‘no win’ situation.

  After controlling her crying and composing herself she put on a dressing gown and stepped out of the bathroom to see Richard sitting on the edge of the bed, bent over resting his arms on his knees. He immediately looked up at her and didn’t say a word.

  Calmly Lily walked around the bed and took her bag, putting all her things away. The beautiful dress, that was hanging covered in the wardrobe, was clumsily shoved into her bag and she quickly put on her old clothes from the day before.

  Richard hadn’t moved a muscle and was staring at the floor. When she collected all her belongings she walked towards the door.

  ‘You’re not going to say anything?’ he asked.

  ‘You said everything you wanted to.’

  ‘Are you coming to the lunch?’

  ‘Sure. The show must go on, isn’t that what they say?’ She turned around and looked at him as he glanced away. ‘I take it Judith will be there? I gave Stella an invite so it might be a good idea we all meet afterwards for a chat.’

  ‘Are you going to agree to change the pre-nuptial agreement?’ he quietly asked.

  ‘It’s all about your money, isn’t it? Don’t you give a shit about what you’ve done to me? How you’ve made me feel?’ she said hearing the throb in her throat as she started to cry.

  ‘Oh baby,’ he said jumping up and walking towards her, covering himself with a sheet. ‘Don’t go.’

  ‘Why, you need something to do between now and midday?’ she snapped.

  ‘I never meant to hurt you, you know that?’ he said trying to touch her face.

  She stepped back and glared at him.

  ‘Let me tell you something Richard. When I first laid eyes on you I thought you were wonderful, it was like love at first sight for me.’

  ‘I know,’ he said glancing away.

  ‘Dom and I laughed about ‘getting Rich Quik’. I loved you so much and you were horrible to me, but I couldn’t help the way I felt. The moment you asked me to marry you, I thought, wow, I’ve hit jackpot. How stupid was I, now that I know it was all a lie?’ she said and turned around.

  ‘Don’t go, please let’s talk,’ he gently said touching her shoulder

  ‘The worse thing is that I do love you but it wasn’t until I met Will I realised what it was like to have someone love me back and you couldn’t even let me have that.’

  ‘I wanted you back,’ he said getting upset. ‘But I need a divorce.’

  ‘Have it,’ she said wearily, unable to stop crying. ‘Bring it on but please leave my best friend out of it. He’s the only good man I’ve got in my life and I don’t want to lose him too. That’s just not fair because I don’t think I deserve it.’

  She opened the door and glanced at him over her shoulder. He was staring at her as she gently shut the door before returning to her home in floods of tears.

  She peeked into Dominic’s room as he slept. It was just gone seven in the morning and she wasn’t sure whether to wake him. Lily walked into her room and pulled the box from under her bed and took out all the mementos she kept of her time with Richard and ripped them all up, except one photo which she put into her wallet. She blinked back the tears at the remaining contents before shoving the box back under the bed.

  ‘A girl’s got to do what a girl’s go to do,’ she said before bursting into tears for the hundredth time.

  Chapter Forty three

  ‘Oh my god!’ Dominic exclaimed. ‘You look amazing.’

  ‘Bloody hell you really have scrubbed up well,’ Julian added as they stood in one of the rooms of the hotel surrounded by boxes of bags.

  Lily walked in and kissed them both on the cheek and gulped as she looked down at her new deep purple coloured dress.

  ‘This,’ she said pointing to her face, ‘is down to a very good makeup artist who lives round the corner.’

  ‘They’ve been working on you since the crack of dawn,’ Dominic sniped and smiled. ‘I thought you were spending the night with the Dickhead.’

  ‘Change of plan,’ she said trying to force a smile.

  ‘Is everything okay?’ Dominic asked.

  ‘You both look equally gorgeous,’ she laughed ignoring Dominic. ‘And you look quite manly Julian.’

  ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’ Julian said in total amazement. ‘Who is she?’

  ‘I have no idea,’ said Dominic stepping back and eyeing her suspiciously. ‘What have you done to Lily?’

  ‘I’ve put Lily away for a moment while I play Mrs Richard Hayden-Quik.’

  ‘You lucky girl! I saw him earlier and he was utterly charming and gorgeous plus he has a super fit friend with him,’ giggled Julian. ‘Bastard as he is, you can’t help but love him?’

  ‘I know,’ she said honestly before gulping hard noticing Dominic narrowing his eyes at her.

  ‘Were you with him last night?’ he asked like a stern father.

  ‘I was,’ she said biting her lip and turning to Julian. ‘Why don’t you go and mingle downstairs. I need to speak to Dom.’

  ‘You don’t have to ask me twice, sister,’ he said and scurried along.

  Lily faced Dominic.

  ‘Did you speak to Will?’ she asked seeing his look of disappointment.

  ‘He won’t talk to me. He’s coming here today and-.’

  ‘Here? He’s coming here?’

  Lily felt a panic in her chest.

  ‘Yeah. All Rich’s star pupils are invited,’ he shrugged. ‘And I get here because of an invite from his wife.’

  ‘You’re on the same table with Julian and Stella by the way,’ she said trying not to show her nerves.

  ‘Will’s going to thump me.’

  ‘Or thump me,’ Lily whispered, as she started to wring her hands.

  ‘What’s wrong with you?’

  ‘I’m going to be the perfect wife today, as it will be my last day as Mrs Rich Quik-.’

  ‘You look nervous,’ said Dominic, gently stroking her arm. ‘Did you have a fight with Richard?’

  ‘No but I expect I will do later.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I’m giving him a divorce,’ she said confidently. ‘I can’t stay married to him a minute longer.’

  ‘It’ll take years as he wants to change the pre nup and give you less than zero,’ laughed Dominic.

  ‘It will happen and on my terms,’ she said anxiously.

  ‘How?’ laughed Dominic.

  ‘I’ll explain later but promise me one thing?’

  ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Be nice to Rosana.’

  She walked half way down the staircase then she spotted Will talking to a woman. Lily felt nervous and her first reaction was to run out of the building.

  ‘Lily,’ Rosana said walking up to her in her officious manner. ‘Where’ve you been? Richard’s been going spare.’

  ‘Good!’ she said and examined the room full of people. ‘I recognise some of the faces but the others have been pulled back so far I’m sure they’ve got pubes on their chin.’

  ‘This is no time for jokes,’ Rosana barked. ‘I put the DVDs in the bags as per Richard’s instructions. Is that okay?’

  Lily smiled at Rosana looking exceptionally chic and her glasses perched on her nose.

  ‘It’s perfect. Thanks,’ she quietly said.

  ‘And by the way,’ Rosana said turning to walk away. ‘You look nice.’

  ‘At last a compliment after all these years!’ Lily yelped.

  ‘Please stay calm. You look very jittery.’

  ‘That’s because I am.’

  ‘Stay focussed,’ snapped Rosana before walking off.

  Then she spotted Richard and her heart lurched as she tried not to betray how hurt she was with him. He looked directly at her as he spoke to Judith and then she noticed John Bentley with his piercing blue eyes. Judith turned and nodded to Lily as Bentley just glared. Richard started to walk towards her but Rosana ushered him into the room and glanced at Lily.

  ‘You look gorgeous,’ Will said popping up beside her.

  ‘Even Dominic said so,’ she smiled feeling sick to the pit of her stomach.

  ‘Are you okay? I was meaning to call you but I felt really bad about the other night. You fell over and-.’

  ‘Rosana was there to pick me up,’ she sarcastically said. ‘You were angry. I’d be angry too. Did you speak to Corinne?’

  ‘She didn’t deny it.’

  ‘And what did Richard say?’

  She looked at him as he bit his lip.

  ‘I didn’t ask him.’

  ‘Why not? Has he been let off again?’

  ‘I wanted to punch him but he’s your husband so I can’t.’

  ‘Don’t let me stand in the way of your true feelings,’ she said earnestly. ‘I’ve felt like punching him for a few days now.’

  ‘Are you okay? You seem a bit on edge?’

  ‘I had a fight with Richard,’ she said then sighed heavily. ‘Look, please speak to Dominic. He thinks you’re avoiding him.’

  ‘I didn’t return his calls because I was angry. Not at him,’ he added profusely. ‘But myself. I’ve not been honest with you.’

  ‘What about?’

  ‘I’ve not treated you any better than Richard,’ he said earnestly. ‘I’m so sorry I should’ve told you how I really felt and-’

  ‘Can you come and sit down!’ barked Rosana as Lily waited for Will to finish what he was saying. ‘We can’t wait for you.’ Rosana then noticed William and instantly went crimson. ‘Hello Will.’

  ‘How are you today?’ he said smiling at her in a sympathetic manner.

  ‘I’m sorry about the other night,’ she said swallowing hard and Lily could see Rosana was looking guilty. ‘It was completely unforgivable.’

  ‘Telling me my girlfriend was screwing her husband, my boss and your boss or you being drunk?’ he said with a false grin.

  ‘Both,’ Rosana replied.

  ‘I was going to find out sooner or later,’ he said quickly glancing at Lily. ‘I would never have known otherwise and I appreciate your honesty.’

 

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