Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Ethan went back home with a lady. The lady was taller than Agnes, older than her in appearance, fairer than her, fatter than her but not as beautiful as her...

Agnes was sitting on a couch and she was also reading a book.

"Agnes," he called in a high pitched tone. " Can't you see I am back. Get something nice and warm for this beautiful lass beside me and be quick with it."

She did not move neither did she say a word.

" Are you deaf? Didn't you hear me?" Ethan asked angrily.

She stood up immediately.

Ethan turned to the lady beside him." My love make yourself comfortable. And I am apologetic for not offering you a seat. Please have a seat and like I said make yourself comfortable."

"Than," Agatha, the lady called." You are such a rich, lucky and handsome guy. You are damn rich and I do not think anything or anyone in this world can ever strip you of your wealth. Your castle is such a beautiful and massive one. I feel it is the best in the whole wide world. I am so lucky to have found such a handsome charming wealthy and influential man like you."

" You didn't find me," he said to himself." I found you for a specific purpose. So do not feel lucky or think for a bit that you have got this rich guy standing in front of you."

"Why are you still standing there, go in and get my something for my angel to eat," he commanded his wife.

She held back the tears in her eyes she walked into the kitchen and prepared something, after she was done, she placed everything in a tray and walked out of the kitchen.

Agnes walked in with a tray. In the tray was kebab and vegetable rice and chicken and mint' julep. She smiled." Enjoy."

" I hope you have not added something toxic inside this food," Ethan said to her.

Agnes smiled. "Why? Are you scared of death when you are indirectly killing another person?" She asked, looking so down.

He ignored her and turned to the lady beside him. He was not ready to let this woman disgrace him, in front of his desk, besides he had a lot of time to settle scores with her. " Help yourself," he said smiling sheepishly at her.

"Than my love you should not ignore me because of the slut beside you. Listen Ethan, I understand that she is not the first woman and she wouldn't be the last woman either but I can't help but wonder why harlots like her likes men who are already married, it's not good for the health, soul and body. I might be ignorant to every cheap harlots that you bring home but that won't change the fact that I am your wife, your better half. Sorry to break this bad news to you sweetheart but the guy besides you is taken."

She turned to him. " It is fine if you quietly watch this girl insult me but please answer me. Who is she?"

" It is time to get moving. Get out of my house," Ethan said, standing up.

"Than, did I say anything that upset you?" Agnes asked, standing too.

" I said leave," he said slamming a bundle of money on the couch." That is your payment, you can now leave and I am sorry for wasting your time. I have doubled your payment at least it can compensate for the time of yours, I wasted."

Agnes grabbed her purse and the money angrily. Then she said," I do understand you Than and I am ready to put up with whatever this lady says or ..."

Ethan shouted, interrupting her." Don't you understand simple English? I said Get out."

"Fine," she screamed and left.

Agnes was standing with her mouth agape. She walked to him. " I know you are no more the man who loved me and treated me as if I was everything to him but at least try not to be the uncivilized man I met at the bar that night." She said and turned. She was to quick that she was able to hide the tears in her eyes.

" I know you and how low you can stoop, in order to prove to me that you can never give up on building a relationship with me," Ethan said firmly.

" Do not be so over confident Than you mean nothing to me. But my husband means everything to me and even if it means stopping so low in order to turn you to the civilized man you were once before, I do not mind," she said exasperated.

" Go on, keep deceiving yourself, you and I know that those words of yours means nothing to me, not even a bit. Behaving like this won't do anything to change the situation and as a matter of fact, I sent that beautiful lady home only because I got fed up with her admirations," he said flamboyantly.

She forced her tears in and went away.

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THREE MONTHS HAD PASSED BY LEAVING ETHAN AS THE WORST GENTLEMAN EVER. AGNES ON THE OTHER HAND ENDURED HIS ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOR TOWARDS HER. (Ethan was staying over at Clinton's house through the night and at day he went to work. Sometimes, when he stayed at home, he would drink himself to stupor and sleep in the guest room.)

Ethan's dad had come back from his business meeting. To his favor he had two new business proposals and new business deals which would benefit his company a lot. He had not been to his residence yet. He was residing in his house which was outside his state of residence. It was all Ethan's idea and he couldn't refuse it.

18th of December was his birthday and a day before his birthday was when he intended to come home. His birthday party was being prepared ahead of time. The preparations were going smoothly and the money ran into hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Marcus and his father were aware of the party but of the reasons they were not aware.

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" Hello," Ethan said through the phone. " How are you dad? It has been a long time since we last met. I hope you are getting ready to come back home because I can't wait to receive you."

" You are the one that asked me not to come home and now you are missing me. What a funny young man. How is my idle daughter-in-law? Send me her picture at least, I can't wait for days any longer, I want to see a glimpse of her."

" Come on dad my sweet loving wife is also in a haste to meet you but I have made my decision, you will only meet her a day before you come back," Ethan said. Then to himself he said," By then I must have control over her."

"Did you just say something son," his father asked.

"No dad, I did not say anything," he lied.

"Alright then, since you have denied me of saying my beautiful daughter in law, I guess there is nothing more I have to say to you," he acted, like a child.

Ethan let out a laugh, "you this old man when would you learn to stop acting like a child," he said, indirectly mocking his dad.

Mr Moore frowned his face. "Hey son, you had better not insult me, remember I am still your father," his dad warned him.

"I apologize dad, forgive my manners," Ethan said to him, even though, the apology was not sincerely from his heart.

"Father, I guess I have to go off now. I have a lot of work to do," he lied, not wanting to spend any more time talking to his dad about unnecessary things.

"Alright son. Have a nice day and do not forget to send my regards to your darling wife," the old man said, smiling so sheepishly.

Well he could not be blamed. He had always wanted to see his son get married, this was not only his wish, it was Ethan's mother's wish too.

"Hey Agnes are you free today?" Marcus asked over the phone.

"Yes I am, why do you ask?" She inquired.

"Nothing new, I just wanted to hang around with you, that is you don't mind anyways," he said to her.

She smiled. "I would be a fool, to say no to you," she answered.

"That is a yes then?" Marcus said in a questionable tone.

"Yes," Agnes remarked.

"Alright then, I will drop by your office by three," he notified her.

"Ok, I will be waiting. She replied.

"You do not need to wait, I am not like Than because I never keep a pretty woman like you waiting," he praised.

She blushed, "you never give up with these flattering words of yours," she said in between smiles

"Never," he admitted.

"Alright I have to go now," she said to him.

"Okay bye," he greeted.

Immediately the call ended, Agnes dragged the phone to her chest and smiled. "I wish Ethan could turn out to be like Eric," she murmured.

"Who were you talking to over the phone?" Ethan inquired, walking closer to her.

"A friend," Agnes answered, looking a bit scared and guilty. Guilty about the fact that she was talking to his cousin and Ethan did not like him.

Ethan looked at her in contemplation.

"Are you sure?" He voiced out.

"Yes," she answered, nodding her head too.

"Alright," he dismissed.

"Agnes, I would like to take you out later in the day, that is of you do not mind," he said to her in a discouraging tone. Agnes remembered that she had accepted to go out with Marcus, so accepting her husband's own request would cause problems for her.

"I will be so busy at work today," she lied to him. Seems like she has chosen Marcus over her husband but who could we blame for that. It was what Ethan wanted, right from the beginning. To have her detached from him.

"Hmm," he heaved a sigh. "Alright then, I will take someone else in your place," he shamelessly vomited out those words from his mouth. x x x x x x

Agnes smiled at him, she was not bothered at all. x x x x x x She too was going to have fun with her brother in law. Ethan turned and was surprised to see her smiling instead of getting bitter, sad or angry. Well that was not his business, he grabbed his towel and walked into the bathroom.

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At the restaurant..

Marcus had kept to his words as the gentleman that he was or as the gentleman that he pretended to be.

"So tell me what's up between you and my cousin? Are you both getting along now? Have the two of you patched things up?" Marcus inquired, not like he was concerned, he only wanted to know how far the seed of discord he was sowing into Agnes was sprouting.

"No we have not patched things up. This days he is even doing more abominable things," Agnes voiced out.

"What do you mean by that!" He asked, feeling a bit confused.

"I do not feel like talking about it," she replied, looking a bit down cast.

"Don't you trust me anymore. C'mon tell me what is happening, remember a problem is half solved, when it is shared," I convinced her.

Agnes looked at him, then she opened her mouth and said, "Ethan now brings in different women into her matrimonial bed."

"What?" Marcus exclaimed. This news really shocked him. Was Ethan really this ruthless, he thought to himself.

This time around, he was really filling pitiful for her. "How can you still live with such a man? Why not leave him, I just do not understand what type of love, you have for him that is making you endure all of this," Marcus voiced out his opinions.

"I can't also tell why I can not bring myself to leave Ethan," she finally admitted.

She closed her eyes tight, in an attempt to hold back her tears. Ethan had really hurt her this bad, yet he was still the only man in her heart.

"Agnes do not waste your tears for that bastard, trust me he does not deserve it," Marcus tried to coax her, while tapping her gently on the back.

Agnes looked at Marcus so adoringly, "why can't Ethan just be like you. I just wish I had met you earlier, much earlier before I had met your cousin. It would have been you I his place, right now," she said in regrets.

"You are very much aware that you do not need to wish for it because all this can still happen. All you have to do is divorce him and I will run, rushing to you. Ethan does not how much of a Precious jewel he has and one day he is going to regret all of his actions towards you." Marcus preached.

"I do not think he is ever going to realize his mistakes towards me. He is such a beast. He is not a human because humans feel pain but as for your cousin Ethan, all he knows how to do is inflict pain. I regret the day I fell in love with you," she declared in between tears.

"Calm down Agnes," he said, still tapping on her back in a gentle manner, to hold her from crying so much.

"Thanks a lot Marcus, if not for you, I would feel so sad all of the time. You brighten me up with your jokes. Your flattery makes me smile. You treat me so well and believe me, I am so glad to have someone like you in my life," she thanked him.