My Husband Faked His Death For His Mistress

Talia

David continued speaking, spilling out his plans while insulting me. He was so engrossed that he didn't notice when I slipped out of the room.

My heart shattered with every word until hollowness remained.

So this was how it was. The devotion I believed in was an empty shell.

From that moment on, my determination was set.

Despite already knowing his plans, I didn't say a word, pretending everything was normal. I counted down the days before it happened.

Now, everything was settled at such an auspicious time too.

There was no grief in me. Just icy calm.

He and Penelope may have made their way out of the country to live happily.

He arrogantly believed that to uphold his legacy out of love, I was going to take care of the business and take care of his family in his absence. When the time was right and their child had grown up, he would return in full glory with a fairy tale story and take back what was his.

"Very well," I murmured.

I would take care of his business of course. He had forgotten who I was, but I would remind him.

I would take over everything that should be for me and my child.

I would look forward to the day he returned. Then, he should expect nothing but ruins.

.....

The policemen and doctors looked on at me with pity as I confirmed the identity on the body. I wasn't allowed to see the body.

According to them, due to the accident, it was beyond repair bearing severe burns removing any traces for recognition aside from the body being similar to David's.

I remained silent when one of them spoke, looking at me sympathetically.

"We are very sorry Miss. We found this amongst his belongings. According to the people present, he had finished buying flowers for you when he..." He said, offering me a crumpled half destroyed mess that was once a bouquet.

On cue, I burst into tears, collapsing while they frantically tried to comfort me. As I collapsed, the report in my hands ‘accidentally’ scattered onto the floor.

They saw the ultrasound report in my hand, their faces paled and their sympathy grew deeper.

I was escorted back to my home by them, with words of consolation passed onto me before they left.

I walked into the mansion that was once our home, now my home. Drying up my tears, I lounged in the living room. The first thing I did was call Jason.

“Where are they now?” I asked,

“Our men spotted them on the flight hours ago. They are no longer in the country.” he answered. My heart settled.

“Good. Begin the process as we'd planned.”

“Yes madam.”

I rested against the chair after the call ended, shutting my eyes.

David had thought that I was easy to manipulate, that from the years of my concessions towards him and his family, he had won.

The Winston Corporation, an industry giant, was headed over by my parents when a car accident made everything they worked for crumble. The sole heir to that fortune was me.

I was always wary of people when growing up all the way through college and suspected David at first. But his persistence and sincere devotion had won me over. Perhaps that was why he was so confident.

But there were many things he hadn't accounted for.

Although the Winston Corporation had fallen in the eyes of the public, I was never truly alone. There were many secrets I never told him of yet, things that were placed there for my protection.

People like my father's trusted protège Jason who had been my shadow assistant or the trusted maids around me.

And now, they came to good use.

I had already been planning from the moment I'd overheard his confession. The time for his reckoning would come.

I could only imagine the look on his face when he and his lover arrived to find the mess they had left behind.

He couldn't blame me for being heartless would he? After all, he was the one who was heartless first.

Determination filled me. I placed my hand on my belly where my child was growing. He was going to be the future, the reason I would build my legacy.

Alongside the folder containing my pregnancy report, I brought out the keepsake I took from the hospital. The sole unbroken flower from the damaged bouquet David brought.

A white lily. They were my favourite flowers no matter the colour. He knew how much I loved them to learn each of their meanings. During the days of our courtship, he had always given me pinks for adoration. This time however it was white.

A flower prepared for a funeral. A love token to soothe grief and send a message.

Don't forget me.

“So foolish,” I muttered, smiling wryly at the petals.

He probably wanted to use sentiments to compel me. Lost in grief, I would have taken these flowers as a sign. If I didn't forget him, put him first in all my actions, bear his family's and support his company, he could still thrive.

But he miscalculated.

“You forgot David, that there is another meaning of this flower.” I said pulling it close.

Rebirth.

I was thankful for him letting me see the truth.

And now I was going to take everything that was rightfully mine.