“Mr. Henderson is single. I’ve seen women like
you before. Get out of here before you
embarrass yourself.”
I heard the other employees talking.
“Who does she think she is? Acting like she is
Mark’s wife.”
“She probably just wants money. A man like
Mark Henderson has all sorts of groupies.”
“Look at her. She will never get close to
Mark.”
く
I clenched my fists. I kept my voice calm.
“My name is Mia. You can call him. Verify.”
The receptionist rolled her eyes.
“If you’re really his wife, why can’t you call
him?”
Mark had blocked me after that fight.
I gritted my teeth. “I can’t get hold of him.
Please, just tell him I’m here.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Mr. Henderson and Sarah are so cute
together. He buys her presents. You are
nothing.”
r
“Stop embarrassing yourself. Go home.”
I clenched my fists, trying not to lose it.
“Mia?”
It was Mark’s driver, Frank.
- 6.
Frank was a lifeline. I grabbed his arm.
“Frank, tell them! I’m Mark’s wife. Let me in.”
The office went silent. Everyone stared.
The receptionist looked like she was going to
faint.
<
Frank looked at me, hesitant. Then he said,
very slowly,
“But… Mr. Henderson told me you were just
the nanny.”
The office exploded in laughter.
“I knew it! No way Mark’s wife would dress
like that!”
“She thought she was going to be Mrs.
Henderson.”
“Mr. Henderson would not look twice at a
thing like her.”
My face was burning.
く
Mark had told people I was the nanny?
The security guards started moving towards
- me.
I pushed past the crowd, ran into the building,
and headed for the stairs.
I just wanted to find Mark and throw the
divorce papers in his face.
And then, I would be done.
Sixth floor. The door to the CEO’s office was
slightly open.
I hadn’t even knocked when Sarah walked out.
Her face changed when she saw me. She
grabbed me.
<
“Stop. Mark’s in a meeting. What do you
want?”
I tried to push past her, but she grabbed my
hair.
She dragged me back and called security to
throw me out.
She didn’t want me seeing Mark.
I grabbed the divorce papers.
“I want a divorce.”
Sarah paused, a look of triumph in her eyes.
She waved the guards away.
- 7.
<
Mark was sitting behind his desk, looking at
paperwork.
He looked up when he heard the door open.
His face darkened.
“Who let you in here? Get out.”
I dropped the divorce papers on his desk.
“Sign these. Get divorced.”
He stood up, his face red.
“Are you going to cause a scene at home
too? When will you stop?”
“I’m not making a scene. I’ll sign these and
- go. I will never bother you again.”
<
We stared at each other.
He picked up the papers and scanned them.
It finally hit him that I was serious.
For a second, I saw fear in his eyes. Then it
turned to anger.
He ripped the papers to shreds.
“Think again. You’ve done nothing for years!
What are you going to do?”
“What about Mikey? A divorce will devastate
him.”
“Get out now!”
He pointed to the door. Two security guards
<
grabbed my arms and dragged me out.
Outside, I called my lawyer.
“Sue him. I want this done.”
I was exhausted.
Mikey was gone. I was going home to bury
him.
I was going to stay with my parents, to take
care of them.
- 8.
I got back to my apartment and found a
message from Sarah.
It was a photo.
く
A messy bed, two people together in a robe.
I could see his shoulder, and the birthmark I
knew so well. It was Mark.
A message popped up:
“Maybe you feel bad, Mia? So I see you tore
up the divorce papers, get over yourself, go
back to your pathetic life and let me live
mine, maybe Mikey is waiting for you”
Once, I would have been jealous.
Now, it just made me sick.
I tapped the screen and replied:
“Mark ripped up the papers. He won’t sign.
く
….
“You’re not wanted, get a clue, please just
leave me alone.”
Then I blocked her, deleted the message, and
tossed my phone aside.
