CUTTING THE CORD my ex husband regret

Chapter one

CLARA

Three Years Ago

I'm shaking in the corner of the room. My stepmom is yelling at me. I don't know what's going on.

"How could you bring shame to us?" she screams. "To our family?"

I'm wrapped in a blue blanket. I'm naked underneath. I don't know how I got here.

I look at Lucy. She's behind her mom. She's smiling like she did something bad.

It was her. She gave me a drink last night. Then she took me to a room when I felt sleepy.

Did she drug me?

I'm scared. I woke up next to a man. It was Lucy's boyfriend, Mike Lightwood. There were cameras everywhere.

But why? Why would Lucy do this?

SLAP!

My stepmom hits me hard. My face hurts. I'm crying.

"How dare you stand there and smear mud on our family's name, you filthy whore?" she yells.

"I-I do-don't know how it happened," I say. My lips are shaking.

I look at Lucy. "Lucy?" I want her to tell the truth. But she just stares at me.

I start crying. "I didn't do anything."

My stepmom comes closer. I'm scared she'll hit me again.

"You didn't do anything, huh?" she says. She looks so angry. "You shameless slut, you see no man to do it with but your sister's fiancé?"

"What a disgrace!"

Lucy speaks up. "Mother, I told you she always had eyes for my man, but you wouldn't believe it."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. I've only met Mike three times. I never even talked to him much.

My stepmom laughs. It's not a nice laugh. "Now, the so-called daughter of the great Jenkins was caught in a one-night stand with her step-sister's fiancé. What a great headline."

My head hurts. How did this happen to me?

My stepmom grabs my hair. It hurts so much. She pulls me close to her face.

"I don't care how you're going to do it, you are marrying into the Lightwood family and cleaning up your stupid mistakes."

She pushes me down. I fall hard on the floor.

Lucy comes and squats in front of me. I hate her so much right now.

"You did this, didn't you?" I say. I'm so angry.

She smiles. "Oh dear sister, you've been of another help to me," she says. She touches my face. I want to push her hand away.

"Did you realize what you've done?" I ask. "You ruined my life, Lucy." I'm crying again.

She just smiles more. "You'll get out of it dear sister, I'm sure you've had a taste of Mike's joystick."

I can't believe she said that. "This isn't a game, Lucy. What the hell are you saying?" I yell at her.

She laughs. "I doubt you'd remember."

She stands up. "Don't worry, you'll have more of him when you get married to him," she says and walks out.

I'm left alone. I have so many questions.

Why did Lucy do this to her fiancé?

Why am I caught in the middle?

I've never felt so lost.

Present Day

I'm walking to my husband's office. I'm excited and nervous. I have a little gift for our third anniversary.

I can't wait to see his face when he learns our big news. I say hi to people as I walk by.

No one knows I'm married to Mike Lightwood, the big boss. We got married in secret.

I knock on the door. I hear Mike say, "Come in."

I walk in, feeling so happy. Mike is at his desk, working on his computer. I smile big.

"Darling," I say.

Mike looks up. He doesn't smile. "I told you to stop calling me that at work," he says. His eyes are cold.

"There's no one here," I say, looking around.

"Why are you here?" he asks. He doesn't sound happy to see me.

"Mike..." I start. I'm holding the test result behind my back. "I have great news for you."

I sit on his lap and put my arms around his neck. I kiss him, but he pushes me away.

"Clara, we can't do this," he says.

I stand up. "What's wrong?"

He sighs and gets up. He walks away from me.

"Whatever that's been going on between us has to end," he says.

I don't understand. "What do you mean?"

"Lucy is back."

My heart starts beating fast. "And?"

"Clara, I need to be honest with you. Lucy had always had a place in my heart. You know she was my first love. Now that she's back in the States, I want a divorce."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. Is this a joke?

"So, after all these years I've been with you, your heart still longed for Lucy?" I say. I'm trying not to cry.

"Yes," he says.