THE SUBSTITUTE HUSBAND’S RISE TO POWER.

002.

The silence in the room hung heavy, it was deafening as Elena stared down at the document that Alex was giving to her. “What is that?” She demanded, her patience wearing thin.

Alex forced a smile, the kind that didn’t reach his eyes. “Well, it’s a treatment agreement.” He lied, the words falling smoothly out of his mouth.

The last thing he wanted was for Elena to know that he was handing her a divorce agreement because there was a part of him that told him that she wouldn’t sign it if she knew what it really was.

Elena looked from the paper to Alex, “but why?” She asked, puzzled. “I mean, what other treatment do you need when you’ve already been discharged from the hospital?” She added.

As she spoke, she glanced down at the document, but Alex was quick, he’d already pressed his hand over it to block her from reading the heading.

He closed his eyes, there was no denying that he was still in pain, but he swallowed the pain down, forcing a tight smile that felt like shards of glass in his throat. “There’s still the recovery phase, Elena.” He said calmly.

“During the surgery, Doctor Albert Hugo, the city’s top specialist, was unavailable. I want him on board for my full rehabilitation now. Physical therapy, follow-ups, the works. You know how these things go.” He explained.

Elena’s gaze flicked up to his face, searching, but he held her stare, letting the lie settle between them, but he didn’t falter. His chest burned, and not just from the cracked ribs, but from the raw, festering betrayal that clawed at his insides.

Five years. Five whole years of pouring himself empty for this woman, and here she was, standing in their living room with suitcases full of another man’s clothes scattered at her feet.

The thought of it made his stomach twist and turn, but he made sure the only reaction he gave was the clenching of his fist, nails digging into his palm.

“Dr. Albert Hugo?” Marcus chimed in before Alex or even Elena could say anything else. Alex lifted his gaze to meet Marcus’ smug grin, his arms crossed over his chest.

“That shouldn’t be a problem, right, Elena?” He asked, turning to her, laughing low. “Not long ago, I had a mild cold, it wasn’t anything serious, but Elena here pulled all the strings to make sure that the doctor himself attended to me round the clock.”

The pride in Marcus’ voice caused hot rage to flare through Alex’s veins, but he still didn’t react even though his teeth were gritting.

He couldn’t believe it. “She’ll definitely make sure that Dr. Albert attends to you, don’t worry.” Marcus’ voice jolted Alex out of his thoughts, and his eyes followed as Marcus placed a hand on Elena’s shoulder.

Alex did not miss the blush that crept up Elena’s face. “You’ve come to the right person, Alex. She always makes sure to look after the people who actually matter to her.” Marcus finished, and even though he had said it so calmly and lovingly, Alex could hear the undertone.

The words hit Alex like a punch, twisting deep in his gut. His vision tunneled, something heavy pounding in his ears as the memory of lying on that gala floor crashed over him.

His own blood, wet and warm between his fingers, ribs hurting so badly, vision blurring while he dragged Elena’s unscratched body to safety. He shook his head.

While he’d fought for his life, she’d been busy rerouting the best surgeon in the city to soothe Marcus’ cold! A mild cold! Something he could have used a tablet for?

The humiliation burned, hot and visceral, flooding his veins with acid. His hands clenched at his sides, knuckles whitening, the ache in his chest flaring into something wild and alive.

He wanted to smash Marcus’ face into the marble floor, feel the crunch of bone under his fist, taste the copper of revenge. But he didn’t. Not yet.

Instead, he smiled, bitter and sharp, the expression carving lines into his face that hadn’t been there before the whole betrayal.

Marcus’ eyes narrowed, predatory as a wicked smirk took over his face. “Why so quiet all of a sudden, Alex?” Marcus’ voice rang in the silence, bringing the quiet to a halt.

“Was it something I said about the doctor? Should I not have spoken?” He asked as he stepped closer to Alex, his voice dripping with fake concern that made Alex’s skin crawl.

“Marcus, enough!” Elena cut in sharply, her voice edged with panic. Her cheeks had gone pale, eyes darting between the two men as she realized how close Alex was to the truth.

The thought of Alex discovering that she had misappropriated the medical resources terrified her, and so she forced a stiff smile as she snatched the folder from him.

“Nothing is wrong.” She said quickly as she opened the folder and immediately found where to sign. “I’ll sign it right now. For your recovery, of course.” Her signature was hurried, but Alex didn’t mind.

Relief flickered in her eyes when she signed the papers, she was relieved that Alex hadn’t pieced together her betrayal, that her precious substitute husband remained blissfully ignorant.

Little does she know.

Alex took the papers with a nod, and for the longest moment, he stared at the signature before shaking the thought out of his mind.

The divorce papers had both their signatures on it now. It’s done. The finality of it surged through him, a dark, intoxicating rush that drowned out the pain in his body.

“Thank you.” He muttered as he clutched the papers and made his way to his room.

While Elena and Marcus busied themselves downstairs, her laughter with Marcus echoing through the building, Alex was quietly packing his things, preparing to leave.

He packed in silence, the zipper of his duffel bag harsh in the silence. He packed a few shirts, a few medical textbooks that he owned.

His eyes landed on the wristwatch she got him for their third anniversary. He'd been so happy, and it was the first time he saw her happy, but it was all a lie, because hours later, she was in the bathroom, pleasuring herself while moaning Marcus’ name.

He dropped the wristwatch, he wouldn’t take it with him.

It wasn’t until he was done packing that he realized just how little he owned. Five years reduced to one worn bag and the ghosts of sacrifices he could never take back.

His heart hammered against his bruised ribs, each beat mockingly reminding him of his place. Nothing. A shadow. A substitute.

Without thinking too much about it, Alex pulled out his phone with trembling fingers, thumb hovering over his old friend’s profile. Julian.

Years ago, they’d sworn an oath to join Horizon Medical Trust, to travel the world helping families stay whole. It had been their shared dream.

But on the eve of the offer, on the day he was supposed to go with them, he had chosen Elena. The one person that had decided he was nothing but a substitute to her.

His thumbs flew across the screen:

‘Julian. It’s Alex. Do I still have a spot in our dream? I’m ready now. Really ready.’

He hit send, stomach twisting into knots as the message whooshed away. The wait clawed at him, every second stretching into an eternity of doubt.

What if they’d moved on? What if there was no place left for a broken man who’d thrown everything away and chosen a lie?

A sudden crash shattered the silence from Marcus’ new room, heavy and violent. Then Elena’s scream ripped through the air, frantic and panicked, raw terror shredding her usual composure.

“Marcus! Oh God!”