Chapter 1
"The statistics of Mr. Valentino's case is continue to be at a very high rate. We can't afford for Mr. Valentino to escape from the system again…" I say to my team in our meeting as my assistant Jerry come up and starts to explain more I start to zone out a bit as he starts to go into the Valentino's lives and what they do. To people even their own families. I sat down in my chair as one by one everyone went over the information they have gathered about Aaron Valentino the son to the current leader of the Valentinos and the east side of New York. Aaron's father Victor is a well known wise guy, so no one dares to mess with him especially when he steps in for something or someone like is son, Aaron. Who has come across my desk one too many times for me to ignore this time. My phone buzzes and I see its my husband Robert, asking me to come by his office and talk about the divorce papers I asked for. Sitting in my car in front of my soon to be ex-husband's law firm. I hate this building with a passion. A month ago, I found my husband and his slutty assistant making passionate love on his desk. Impregnating her and causing me lots of pain and humiliation. It was our anniversary that day, and I was completely devastated. Getting out of my Volvo Polestar and headed to the doors, I decided to get all the bad thoughts and memories out my head. I came here to do business and business only I told myself.
Walking into the oak wood like lobby with white marble floors and black furniture. I see my favorite receptionist Justin Balor standing at his position on the phone with his lovely wife Jessica. Jessica works for me at my new law firm in the downtown area as my receptionist. Smiling brightly as I head over to the overly large reception desk area that had big bright bold letters that said "Keen INC." I leaned on the desk putting on my best front, making it seem that I was aye-okay, but deep down I knew I was feeling pure shit. "Ah, good afternoon Mrs. Keen. How are you? Haven't seen you in a while." I sighed and nodded relaxing a bit around Justin after he hung up his phone call with Jessica. "Well, I'm a busy woman Balor, How's Jess and the baby? My lobby surely does get lonely without her, there's no more excitement down there." I pouted slightly expressing how genuinely I miss Jessica and her weirdness brightening my day every time I walk into my building. "She's doing fine ma'am, thank you for the presents again, by the way, Jessica and I are very grateful to have such a good friend as you. Mrs. Keen." He said reaching for my key to go park my car. I handed him my keys and pushing my hair back.
Justin and Jessica know about Robert and I getting a divorce, and they have been so supportive of me and always love to give me hand. They're actually going to help me move soon since I'm selling the house that Robert and I use to live in. They always call me out by married name in public due to the divorce not being public or the fact that we are a broken couple being leaked to the press right now. It would cause a huge problem for both businesses and my family all the way in London would be devastated if they found out. I don't think they'll even let Robert live if they found out since I am the only daughter in the family and second eldest. My father holds me dearly to his heart. I'm his only girl, actually I'm an accident. I wasn't meant to happen, nor were my younger siblings, not after what the doctor told my mother years ago.
"Well, that's what God Mothers are for aren't they?" I said chuckling about to head to the. elevator then I stopped remembering about the cake I made last night. "Oh Justin, I have a cake in the car. I was going to run it by your house when I left from work, but since I'm here, Why don't you just take it" Justin nodded and I sighed as threw my keys at him and I overheard the other receptionist having troubles with a young English man. "Ah, I'm sorry Mr. Claire, I'm very new to the job. I don't know EVERYTHING there is in this company, why don't I give them a call upstairs?" The second receptionist said. I forgot his name oh what was it? Oh, fuck it. I went over and pressed down on the end button of the phone. "No worries, I'll take him up," I said with a kind perfect smile. The receptionist hung the phone up and nodded rubbing the back of his head while apologizing. Thinking that he screwed up big time, why do I feel like this isn't the first time he's messed up on something before.
"Mr. Claire was it? Follow me please" I say to the tall handsome English man. His hair was in a man bun. It was clean but very appealing to the eye, black hair too with the intoxicating blue-green eyes, and his suit, it's a Navy Fresco, single-breasted, one button suit from Huntsman. I know Huntsman all too well, my father, eldest brother, and three youngest brothers have their suits handmade from them. I spent my youthful years making sure their suits were alright and presentable to the public when going out since my mother was always working with her cases as well helping me with my own when I didn't know how to handle things.
As we get into the elevator Mr. Claire turned to me sticking out his hand for a handshake. "Thank you, Mrs. Keen, I-" I held up my hand to stop him hating being called that name. "Vanessa Please, no need for formalities..." I say as lowering my hand and shaking his hand, smiling and showing all of my white perfect teeth. "Well, Vanessa. Nice to meet you, I'm Ethan Claire" He said shaking my hand and smirking. Pulling back, he turned forward and there was a small silence. Then he turned back to me. Feeling him shift his weight around and turning to me. I quickly turn to him meeting his gaze with a small smile not showing my teeth. Being polite and kind as possible despite my mood.
"Vanessa Keen, married name…You wouldn't happen tobe Albert and Rachael Chantler's eldest daughter, would you?" He asked smiling after hearing my loud sigh. I'm not surprised he knows my family, Hell I wouldn't be surprised if he knew where my first flat was back in London, my family is very popular. "Guilty as charged" I simply said as we got closer to each other a bit. "Wow, Miss Chantler it's nice to meet another one of the Chantler women... I must say your mother is ve-"
"Head strong? Compassionate? Hard working? Presistent?" I say cutting him off
"That she is, your father very smart and such a wise man and very smart when it comes to the playing field... Your younger brother, Eli absolutely-"
"An idiot and reckless absent-minded, random, spontaneous..." I said leaning on the wall of the elevator thinking about my family and how their lives are right now. They sure are a lot better than mine. They don't even know what I'm going through right now. The awkward elevator music settling in I cleared my throat and looked up at him as he was about the speak. "Well I wouldn't say that Vanessa... Eli closes all his deals, I might say. And he takes after you I wonder if your other brothers will too?" Ethan said chuckling and leaning into my personal space a bit, which I really didn't mind much. He wasn't that much in my personal bubble, and if he was I wouldn't mind, but I'm pretty sure he knows better "Well my eldest brother Christian is a doctor as know Eli the one right after me I'm not sure if he follow out being a lawyer but he seems to be doing well… As for the twins Haiden and Cody hard to say, they just entered middle school. I'm not sure what they want to do." I say laughing a bit.
As we were talking about London, our families, and our work, we exchanged cards and decided to keep in touch for work purposes and maybe have dinner, or a drink or two one night. The elevator doors open and my foul mood sets back into place. Ethan held his hand on the elevator to make sure it didn't close on me. I stared at the long hallway and then at Ethan, I felt slight anxiety come through my body, I didn't want to walk in there, this is the place that my life was turned upside down, and my love betrayed. Ethan sighed and came back into the elevator, he pressed the emergency shut down button and put his brief case down and looked at me. He smiled and held out his hand to me, motioned me to give him my hand, I sighed and raised my hand giving it to him. He held my hand gently and smiled, looking into my eyes. "Now, I do not know your relationship between you and your husband, but you are a Chantler... Act like it... You are a Chantler woman, and they walkinto places with their heads held high proud as ever." Ethan said, It made me smile. I nodded and looked into his eyes. "Okay... Only because I'm a Chantler... not because you gave me that little pep talk" I said straightening myself and pressing the emergency button, my anxiety went down just a bit. I'm here because Robert Fucked up not me.
Leaving the elevator once it opened, and heading down the hallway and turning left towards the cubicles. Ethan coming in right behind me straightening his suit and gripping his snazzy briefcase, Ethan looked over at me and smiled at me and shook his head. Incomes Robert with a huge smile on his face. Robert completely ignored that Ethan was right next to me and separated us. Robert pulled me into his arms and wrapped them around my waist and kissed my cheek, I frowned deeply and closed my eyes trying not to lash out in public at him, AGAIN. I felt disgusted by him and looked up at Ethan as Robert was speaking It was obvious that I didn't want him touching me nor did I want to be near him in one-hundred-mile radius. Ethan mouthed to me asking if I was okay and I closed my eyes again not answering him at, I was trying not to turn around and break Robert's nose and his arms off. I didn't hear what Robert was saying, because nowadays I tune him out and never respond to him, but I'm pretty sure he was going on about how beautiful I am and how much he "loves" me.
As Robert was talking and moving his hands down below my waistline, I was just about ready to bash Robert's face in has his filthy hand were all over me. My fist balled up into a fist and my face was a slight red. Ethan, seeing my face of anger, knowing how English women are when they're angry, he decided to butt in, but Robert still hasn't learned his lesson, obviously. "Mr. Keen, It's nice meeting you finally, might I say you have a beautiful lovely wife, my family actually does business with her and her family, speaking of business I am pressed for time. Shall we get on with it?" Ethan said sticking out his hand for Robert to shake it. Robert stands there and presses his lips together for a bit, he didn't even bother to shake his hand he waited for Ethan to put his hand down, then lets me go and smiles and sighs. "Vanessa baby go wait for me in my office please, Mr. Claire, I shall not keep you waiting, follow me,"
"Like Bloody Hell, I'll go in there!" I said loudly forgeting that we aren't alone, making heads turn towards to us. I cleared my throat and sighed Robert gritted his teeth and sighed. "Honey please, go in the office while I do business with Mr. Claire... PLEASE..." He said begging me to go to the office. I sighed and stormed off to the office. Slamming the door behind me there was still a silence, only for a little bit though, then it went back to chatter and phones ringing and being answered. I sighed and turned around to the office layout. Everything was still the same from the last time I was in here. The dark oak wood desk and the glass top, with the skyline view, partitioned... The white marble flooring, all the same decor, nothing changed at all what so ever.
It was a thirty-minute wait in the office, the only good thing about his office, is that it has a great view of the city. When I heard the office door open and close I rolled my eyes and turned the chair I was sitting to the door seeing Robert trying to put on a charming face, but I was not moved. I gave him a straight cold face and raised an eyebrow. "Hello Love..." He said a bit out of breath and coming to me kissing my cheek, and pulled me up from my seat holding my hands, Robert was smiling away like nothing ever happened. That was something I hated I wanted to headbutt him to make him remember that he was the bad gut here. "The papers" I said calmly, just wanting to go get this done and over with. Robert let me go and sighed walking to the desk, he sat in his chair and motioned for me to sit in front of him. I sat down hoping I was about to sign the divorce papers "Vanessa, I don't want you to go... Is there something I can do to change your mind about this?" He said as he leaned on his desk and looked into my eyes with those puppy dog eyes of his. I started to get a bad feeling about this so I needed to keep this short and simple. "Well, you shouldn't have fucked Sam... Papers... Now... I do have other business to attend t-"
"I don't have them, Vanessa..." Robert said in a loud stern voice, and he seemed very annoyed. It made me choke a bit when he said that, I think I might be hearing things. Maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, or maybe he did and suddenly got short term memory lose or something He better be pulling my leg, or he'll be sorry. "What?" I said a bit angry but with a hint of "I might murder you." I rolled my eyes and gripped my skirt on the side a bit "I said, I. Don't. Have. Them." He said pausing at every word letting me hear each one clearly. I turned my back on him not wanting to look at him anymore I stand up with my purse in hand and my fist balled up. I am completely disgusted by him, that lazy perverted pig! How dare he not only betray me in a romantic betrayal, but also doesn't go and get our divorce papers. I felt his left hand on my shoulder and his right on my waist. "Now wait their... I have a proposition for you" He said, I pushed away from him and slapped him across his face, it only made him violent. He raised his hand, and smacked me down to the floor. Then grab my wrist, he pulled me up and held m close and tightly to him "Whoa there tiger... It would be ashamed for us to get a divorce and your visa is almost up... Wouldn't it? You're a smart woman, right? No marriage equals what Vanessa?" He said as his left hand started to wonders a bit on my body eventually going to my breast and squeezing him, and his right hand was choking me a bit to keep my head tilted to the side for him to keep his face pressed into my neck and kissing me slightly. When I didn't say anything his grip around my neck got tighter. "Answer me, before you turn blue baby..." He said with a low growl in my ear
"No marriage means no businesses..." I croaked with slight wheezing
"That's right! no business in the United States, not living here in that beautiful mansion you paid for with all that US AMERICAN DOLLARS, and no seeing that precious Goddaughter of yours..." He said, not loosening his grip, in fact he was gripping tighter and tighter, my face was pale, and it was hard to breathe. I completely forgot to file for citizenship. I got busy with the affair, and work, and Justin's baby that I completely forgot that I'm not a legal US citizen. I could see Robert smirking because he knows he has the upper hand of things. Closing my eyes then opening them again my vision started getting blurry slowly "Now, you're going to listen to me whether you like it or not... I want you to give my two years like we talked about over the phone with the attorney... No ifs, ands, or buts about it, do you understand me" He said growling in my ear with aggression "A year and a half!" I croaked barely able to breathe. He hit me again and threw me down to the ground, my mini skirt manages to slip up and show my thighs and thong, my shirt's buttons were gone and my lace bra was showing. He then stared me down like he would stare at a Playboy magazine. He chuckled and sighed. "Two years and that's final" He growled walking out of the office slamming the door and leaving me on the floor. I cough violently and take deep breaths. Slowly getting off the floor and crawling to the chair to use it for support. I finally manage to get up a few minutes later How could I forget my visa expires soon. I'm an idiot for forgetting about my visa, somehow, I feel like this was all planned, but now he's blackmailing me this is bad. Very bad and I need to fix it now. If I don't I'm doomed, but I can't let anyone know, can I?
I got up and straightened myself up buttoning my suit jacket to hide my ruined button-down shirt. Picking up my black pumps that fell off my feet in the process of him having me in his arms. I grabbed my things and head to the elevator and in a hurry so no one will notice my flushed complexion. Once I was down in the lobby I saw everyone was distracted by work so I managed to swipe my keys and get to my car, without a problem. I pulled out of the parking space and sped out of the parking garage as if I was in a high-speed chase with the police. I went home of course and changed into my black silk nightgown. I told my office workers that I didn't feel well and that I wasn't going to be at the office for the rest of the day. My skin was taking a few hours to get back to normal and I was having slight whiplash on my neck where Robert's hands were, most importantly it pushed all my meetings too, tomorrow so I can have time to settle with Robert's news and his abuse. Something I'm not happy with, something that makes me worry where all this is headed.