Chapter 108: Chapter 108

Rodney got to his house with trepidation. He did not know why he was afraid but his wife had really surprised him.

He had had to sponsor the abortion of alot of babies because he did not want to antagonize his wife because a large portion of his wealth came from his wife. Her family was a powerful one and antagonizing her would mean digging his own grave.

It was not really as though he loved her but he could not afford to become less wealthy than he was at the moment.

He who pays the piper dictates the tune and he always danced to the tune of his father in law and his sons.

He had expected his wife to vent her anger on him for his unfaithfulness but she just welcomed him home as though nothing happened.

Her behaviour, rather than put her at ease, made him more afraid because he just did not know what was going on in her mind.

'Could you tell the maid what you would like to eat, so that it can be brought for you', she said.

'I do not think I can eat anything'. he said though he was famished but he knew that he would be unable to swallow anything due to his frame of mind.

His wife looked at him for a long time and dismissed the maids attending her.

'You just performed a strength draining task in that hotel with your mistress and you don't feel hungry? I definitely feel famished whenever I am through with my lovers', she said and smiled at Rodney whose eyes widened like saucer.

'Oh, spare me your look of astonishment. You do not suppose that you are the only one who can two time your partner, now do you? Two can play the game you know. I have known of your activities right from the start. It was a pity I could not get to that girl before she went off. What was her name again... Nancy. She had to go away to abort her pregnancy just so that you could retain the happiness in your home. Such a foolish naive girl'.

'You knew?'

'I know of all your activities. I was surprised though when Ruby came to me with the information that she was your lover but that she had just left you. She probably thought that I was not aware.

I asked her what she wanted me to do with such information and she said she just wanted me to know what my husband did behind my back.

Can you imagine? I knew then that I could use her to teach you a lesson.

I asked her to pretend to go back to you and ask for money or some gift. That way, you won't be suspicious and the rest is history.

I could have got you killed if I wanted to, But I kept you alive'.

You made a faithful woman like me so bitter that to get back at you, I started habouring the idea of having lovers.

'You started habouring the idea or you started having lovers?' he asked, suddenly getting angry. Angry that he had been taken for a fool. Angry that his wife had known about his infidelity right from the start and must have been making fun of him all the while, as he tried to keep his affairs away from her.

He had really liked a few of the girls in the past but had to squash those feelings so that he would not get his wife hurt.

He had really liked Nancy and since she left, he had not really had peace and had not found anyone quite like her. Letting her go had been one of his greatest regret in life but he had consoled himself that it was probably what was good for her. She would start a brand new life without him and it would seem that she had judging from the picture he saw of her in the papers with the Campbell man.

But instead of making him happy, it made him jealous and angry.

He had lost someone he had started to love because of a woman who had been unfaithful to him? And she may not even have bothered to hide her affairs like he had been hiding his because she felt that she had nothing to lose.

Her family was wealthy and would back her up and take care of her and the custody of the children would definitely be given to her.

He realised with a shock that his marriage had ended even before it had gone half way.

'How sure am I that the children are really mine?' he asked.

'You don't know that, now do you? What are you going to do about it?'

Rodney could not believe his ears. She was not even going to deny it. What if the children were really not his? And he had been protecting a marriage that was a farce from the start.

He looked at his wife who was staring at him condescendingly. She had always behaved in a prim and proper way but behind it all she had been deceiving him.

He had held her in high esteem, hiding his activities from her out of respect but she had obviously been laughing at him behind his back and calling him a fool.

What was so shocking was that he never suspected her. He had always considered her beyond reproach.

'You might want me to give you a divorce but it will not happen. I will not give it to you'.

'I had not even thought of that but why not, if I want it?'

'It shall be your punishment to remain in this farce of a marriage. You will be unable to remarry as long as I do not give you the divorce. Let that girl who wants to remain a concubine or mistress her whole life do so. Also, you will have to forfeit your share of the company and I shall make sure to leave you penniless like you were when I met and took pity on you enough to marry you and better your life.

You felt that the right way to repay me for my magnanimity was to cheat on me with my own money. Well, nobody wrongs me and goes Scot free.

At first it hurt so much when I found out about your activities.

I even fell sick, you must remember that time. I had not been as unwell as I was then but it did not deter you and that was when I decided that rather than kill myself for someone not worth it, I would rather pay you back in your own coun and have you have a taste of your own medicine. I had not hidden my activities and had wanted you to go d out and question me but you were so blind and foolish that you never did and never would have had I not decided to reveal all to you'.

'Its all good but the shares and the money you are talking about, have I not made my own contributions to it's advancement? How can you leave me penniless?

My contributions have helped to expand your father's empire and it will be gross injustice to take it all away from me because you feel you and your family have the power to do just that', he said angry that he had not put in motion the plan he had had so long to break away from the company. He had been procrastinating and now, that dream was not ever going to be realised.

'Oh, we might consider compensating you but that is if you do not try anything foolish. But if you do, you will be out in the cold, licking your wounds like the dog that you are!'.

Rodney could not believe that the woman who had loved and respected him so much that she had been unable to utter any word against him could stand before him now and say all these boldly and he could do nothing about it.

She had been seething in anger and bitterness against him all these while and yet she had suffered his touch whenever he felt he should fulfill his duty by her. And she had not given any clue to her feelings. Such a woman was deadly and could kill. He wondered why she had spared him all these while.

He had better be careful. He would play the fool for a while longer and see how he would deceive her long enough to get his share of the wealth. This was not time for any form of ego but of wit. Let the wisest person win.

The game had just begun.