One Night Stand With My Husband’s Brother

“She had been sleeping around for so long, that it is her second nature. An unbreakable habit.” Chase continued in a detached tone. “It disgusts me.”

He did not mention that what triggered his decision to get a divorce was finding out she had also been having sex with his own step brother. No, not just sex, but a whole affair. Repeatedly.

It was unnecessary to mention that, because only the knowledge that Selene was a chronic infidel, was enough to shatter the perfect image Richard had of her.

Anger roiled in Richard’s eyes from the news. He was also appalled, asking, “How-? How did you find out? And for how long has this been going on?”

“Since the damn wedding. It’s something she had always been doing.”

Richard went silent in his anger, slowly realizing that he should have calmed down to ask his son why exactly he was filing for a divorce. Now that he was aware, he would do things differently.

“But are you okay, Chase? Fertility-wise?” Chase’s father asked, slowly getting out of his shock.

“I am perfectly fine.”

“Then please, give me grandchildren.”

Chase gave him a look. “Can we focus on getting your treatments started as soon as possible?”

“We can do all of that at the same time, son.” Richard countered, like a true businessman.

Chase arched an eyebrow, then said in a light tone. “When you called me in here, I expected you to talk about the fall in our stock prices.”

“That doesn’t really matter to me at this point in life, Chase.” Richard responded. “I know that you are more than capable of handling the company. Forget whatever I might have said in the heat of anger. I trust your judgement. And I just want you to live a happy life.

“You have no idea how priceless it is to have kids, and look at someone you brought into this world. I would like to experience that again, through you, by getting a grandchild.. and an heir. Please, Chase.”

Chase sounded exasperated. “Just start getting treatments. Please.”

“I will. By weekend, my treatments will begin at the hospital.” Richard said.

There was a brief silence, before his father spoke up again. “Have you, by any chance heard from Mackenzie? Nobody seems to have heard from her. I called her father and learned that she was not in North Dakota anymore.”

“I just feel so sad and empty inside. I realized that our family didn’t not treat her right. She was such a good wife to Jeffrey, and an amazing daughter-in-law, but I wasn’t observant enough to notice that things were wrong with the marriage.”

He looked at Chase, “Do you know that I just found out that Jeffrey made her sign the prenuptials without her true consent? He coerced her into believing his own explanation, which was different from the contract, so whatever consent she must have given is invalid. But Mackenzie never sued our family for it.

“It has been years since the divorce, and now I’m looking for her to pay her for her time in this family. She deserves some compensation.”

Chase clenched his jaw in silence. He already hated Jeffery enough, thinking of what he put Mackenzie through could make him lose his shit.

And he did not want to do that when he was dangerously close to Jeffrey. His step brother would probably not come out complete from that scenario.

“Don’t worry about it.” He said in a dark tone. “I’ll handle it.”

~********************

Chase strode towards the huge doors leading out of he house. He was already making plans to call his father’s personal team of doctors and give them strict orders to get every medical research, medicine and equipment they don’t already have, from any part of the world.

Then get to work on his father.

He would be following their progress ever step of the way.

He stepped through the door, but brushed his shoulder against someone who had been waiting on the other side.

Jeffrey.

“Hey, Chase!” Jeffrey snapped harshly. Chase paused and turned around to fully face him, his eyes calm, but at the same time brimming with unspoken danger.

Jeffrey stepped forward with unnecessary bravado, “What is taking you so fucking long? Isn’t it about time you found a solution to our plummeting stock prices? After all, it’s all because of your fucking “celebrity” divorce!”

Chase didn’t think those words were worthy of a reply from him, so he remained silent.

Nothing infuriated Jeffrey more than when Chase goes silent on him, arrogantly staring him down. He exploded some more, “You are not the first fucking person to get a divorce . I got a divorce, smoothly and quietly, and nobody even knew about it. But you? You’re getting a divorce and it has become a national issue.

“The divorce hasn’t even been finalized, and it’s already making headlines. All our partners and clients know about it. Even the ones from other fucking continents! The media is restless, and it’s fucking affecting our stock price.

“We Axfords take pride in our stocks, now you’re ruining it! All because the so-called power couple are getting a divorce.”

Chase arched an eyebrow. “No one made any noise about your divorce because your sheer stupidity of divorcing a good wife made them speechless.”

Jeffery frowned.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Besides,” Chase was out to destroy with his cold words. “No one really gives a fuck about you. You’re unimportant.”

Jeffery was taken aback by the merciless bite of those words. Chase called Mackenzie “a good wife” when he didn’t even know her. Right?

Without sparing him any more of his time, Chase turned around and walked out on him.

That angered Jeffery to no end. He growled and made to go after Chase, but a hand held him back. It was Eleanor. She stood in front of him, scolding him with wide eyes.

“Are you crazy?!” Her voice was frantic. “You want to fight him? Oh my goodness, Jeffery! Are you not smart enough to know that your stay in this house is hanging by a damn thread? You just want to throw all my efforts away? After all I have done to make you a part of this family?”

She grabbed his jaw, making him look straight down at her.

“Listen to me, son. Your father was nothing. Absolutely nothing but an abusive drunk! But here you are. I gave you a new father that loves you as much as he loves his own biological son, but you keep taking everything for granted!”

She pushed his arm away, making her hair fly across her face. Jeffrey frowned, and straightened his shirt.

“Look at you.” Eleanor spat. “You want to attack him and jeopardize your entire stay in this house. Is that what you want, Jeffrey? Get your act straight! This is your chance to get up and take control!

“The stock prices are going down because of Chase’s misconduct and carelessness, and you’re supposed to clean up his mess and use this moment to shine!”

“You’re older than him for goodness’ sakes! Your last name is Axford, and you are an Axford. You are just as important as he is, so forget about anything else. Meet the shareholders and boost your power. Get them on your side!”

She grabbed his shirt again, pulling him close as if that would make her words sink in better.

“This chance will be gone once Chase climbs up again like he always does. And you’ll have absolutely nothing. All of my efforts all these years to make you end up with a great inheritance, will amount to nothing!” She glared at him and pushed him away.

Her gown swished as she walked out on him.

****************

Mackenzie had told her friends everything she had been keeping to herself, emptying her heart and mind to them. In a way, it made her feel a little lighter, a little less pressured.

A little less burdened.

Charlotte, true to her impulsive nature, said in outrage. “Oh my god, Kenzie. I don’t know how you stayed calm all these years. If I were in your shoes, I would have taken my revenge on that family with all my life!”

She was still in shock over Mackenzie’s story, even jumping up from her spot on the couch.

Felicity, as usual, was the calm one, picking up the emotions between each words Mackenzie uttered. She placed a hand on Mackenzie’s, disagreeing softly with Charlotte,

“You can only do that if you have nothing to lose. But these kids, Calista and Cameron… cannot be seen by the Axfords. I don’t want them to be dragged into their mess.”

Mackenzie nodded, glad Felicity could see her dilemma, and her fear.

“That’s my point exactly, girls. I can’t afford to meddle with the Axfords, because I can’t risk anything happening to my babies. I just have to stay as far away as possible, and avoid any of their toxicity from coming near my kids.”