Vindictive King of Hell

THE warm breeze surrounding the cabin gave off a calming vibe as the paintbrush with aquamarine pigment touched the canvas.

Max’s lips twitched up to a satisfied smile as he viewed his painting of the sea. It was hyper-realistic, a different theme compared to his usual abstract and bloody subject.

“She must be at home now.” Max put the easel on the table beside him and gazed at his wristwatch.

He removed his painting apron and hurriedly got out of his mini-art studio. His wife had probably arrived from work, and he planned to surprise her because it was their second wedding anniversary.

Max picked fresh roses from his garden and strolled happily home while holding a canvas wrapped in paper in his other hand.

Their house was only a hundred meters away from his work cabin. And he was living his dream of a peaceful life with the woman he loved.

“There you are, darling. Happy anniversary!” Max’s face beamed as he saw his wife sitting on the couch. She seemed agitated as he handed her the flowers and the wrapped canvas.

Max’s wife, Georgina Woods, a twenty-four-year-old accountant who dabbled in modeling in her spare time, had been married to him for two years, and he wanted to spend his lifetime with her and create a family together.

“We need to talk.” Georgina did not bother to check his gift and even shoved the roses to her side.

Max’s lips quivered, and his face softened. “Of course, darling. Why are you upset? Did something happen at work?”

Georgina opened the canvas, and a lifelike painting of her portrait materialized before her eyes. Yet she frowned upon witnessing it.

“Mediocre,” she whispered under her breath.

“Don’t you like it? I’ll revise it right away.” Max attempted to grab the canvas, but his wife tossed it aside.

“It’s trash!” She didn’t conceal her irritation this time.

For a moment, Max was lost for words. He breathed out and sat beside her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

His eyes caught the diamond necklace on her neck; he knew it was expensive. Unfortunately, it didn’t come from him.

Georgina rolled her eyes. “I can’t take this anymore, Max. We’ve been married for two years, yet there’s been no improvement in our way of life.”

Max’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I have a big dream ahead of me. I want to travel the world and be proud of my husband among my peers. But look at you; all you do is paint, tend to the garden, clean the house, and do other shit.”

Max’s jaw clenched, but he remained calm. “Let’s talk it out. You know I’ll give you everything that will make you happy. You just have to tell me because I can’t read your mind.”

“I’m not happy anymore. I thought living a simple life with you would make me happy. But I ended up in misery.” She snatched a paper envelope from her leather bag. “Here, it’s the divorce papers. I want out.”

Max’s jaw dropped at these unexpected words from his wife. “But why all of a sudden? I thought you and I were fine with this simple life. Didn’t we agree on this before getting married?”

“I’m barely holding up. I’m sick and tired of you. Your handsome looks are not enough to compensate for the lifestyle I want.” Georgina stood up. “Please sign the documents. It’s over for us, Max.”

Max couldn’t wrap everything in his head. He never saw this coming. Or maybe he did, but he just kept ignoring the signs.

“You should’ve communicated with me about the things you want. Didn’t I give everything to you? I may not have a corporate job, but I have a decent income to build a family.”

Georgina laughed sarcastically. “Decent income? Coming from where? Your shitty paintings and farming?”

Max’s face contorted a little. “I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

Georgina sniggered. “Don’t romanticize being poor. It’s only romantic in movies.”

“We are not poor. We have enough.” Max exhaled sharply.

He didn’t want to assume something unpleasant about Georgina. Georgina was the perfect woman for him, or maybe she used to be. He chose to be blind to accept the fact that something had changed.

Georgina suddenly snapped. “What you have is never enough. I thought I was fine with the bare minimum, but it grew to resentment. Look at you now. You can’t even give me the jewelry I want!”

Max wondered why his wife had suddenly had a change of heart. She wasn’t materialistic before. He settled with her, knowing she’d be a good wife and the best mother to their future children. And before they married, they agreed to this kind of arrangement.

“Calm down, darling. Don’t make a harsh decision when you’re mad. Let’s talk again tomorrow.”

“I made up my mind. I’m divorcing you.” She glared at him and left the house without turning back.

Max sighed heavily to calm his mind. He’d try to talk with her again when her emotions had already subsided.

* * * *

TWO days later, when Max paid Georgina a visit to her apartment, he finally faced the harsh reality of their marriage.

The sounds of moans of pleasure reverberated around her flat as he entered.

“Oh, Theodore! That’s it. Harder!” Georgina’s voice seemed drowned in passion.

Max froze as he realized what was going on. He stood there for a moment before he got the courage to peek at a small opening in the door to ensure he was not hallucinating.

Georgina was with a man, an old man probably in his mid-fifties. She was naked, riding on top of him.

“Goodness, Georgie! You’re a tigress in bed!” The old man was having a hard time catching his breath.

Max’s jaw tightened. He breathed in and out to calm himself as he clasped the paper-clipped pages of the divorce papers. His wife had cheated on him with an older man!

“I will do everything for you, Theodore,” Georgina mumbled in between her sharp breaths.

“But what about your husband?”

Georgina paused, rocking and gyrating her hips. “Let’s not talk about him. He’s good for nothing; you’re the one I love now. I even terminated my pregnancy with that loser.”

“You little witch,” Theodore chuckled.

“I don’t want to have a child with him. I don’t want to be poor forever!”

Max clenched his fist hard. Instead of barging in, he silently snatched his fountain pen from his chest pocket and signed the divorce papers. He left them on top of the glass table in the living room.

Their marriage had no hope and was not worth fighting for. He knew this was coming, but he wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Georgina had no idea how furious Max was for aborting their child without his knowledge, even though she knew how he dreamed of being a father. No words could ever describe the rage he felt upon learning it.

Max returned to his cabin and drank his favorite brandy. He sat on the veranda for a long time, lost in his thoughts. His life didn’t turn out like he wanted it to, even if he had planned it carefully. Now that he had lost Georgina, he was unsure of his future.

Around nine in the evening, a black luxury SUV suddenly parked in his garage. Normally, he’d be alert to strangers coming, but he knew the plate number and the vehicle’s owner.

A man in his late fifties dressed in a black suit came along with ten uniformed bodyguards wearing tactical suits.

Max paused midway, chugging his brandy. He put the glass back on the table when the man reached him.

“Maximus Griffin, your grandfather wants to see you,” the man said. He was Oliver Davis, the butler of the Griffin patriarch–Lucas Griffin.

Max chuckled. He was already tipsy. “You suddenly show up on my doorstep after two decades, ordering me, as if I’m a part of the family? What makes you think I’d come with you?”

Oliver cleared his throat. “Your grandfather is dying.”