Undefiled Queen

Merlyn’s Pov

After a few days of staying with Stephen, I became hale and hearty once again.  I missed my aunt and uncle and wanted to spend some time with them.  On the other hand Stephen was always insisting on me to go to our home back in New York.  Though I excused him and understood his intentions were not to betray me, I needed some time to process things in my mind.

After much argument with Stephen on going back to my maiden home, I finally succeeded and came back to my uncle and aunt.  As soon as I came back home, my uncle welcomed me with open arms. My aunt was working in the kitchen preparing my favorite dishes.  Both of them thanked Stephen heartily for dropping me home as well as taking care of me during my sickness.

On the contrary, Stephen was humble to state that it was his duty as a husband to protect me. My uncle and aunt need not have to thank him for that. Their conversation was so friendly that it was too difficult for me to process that a few days ago he almost killed my uncle, threatening him to not disclose the truth of my parents death to me until I was married to him.

After Stephen went back to the office and my brother to his college, I asked my uncle to stay back with me for the day.  He was initially surprised but subsequently agreed to me when I told him that I missed him and wanted to be with him.

After a while of settling down in the house, I asked my uncle to sit beside me on the bed and asked the one question which was pricking me all the while to come out of my mouth.  ‘Why didn’t you tell me who the killer was of my parents? Didn’t I have the right to learn the truth about their mishap being their child?” I accosted with anger lacing in my voice to my uncle.

“You sure do dear.” He breathed out deeply looking up to the ceiling of the room and said ‘so finally he apprised you of the truth.”  My face was devoid of any expression. I was waiting for his explanation and his beating around the bush replies were freaking me out.

‘Princess”, he paused for a bit and continued.  ‘I am your uncle and I always want the best to happen to you.  Stephen came to meet me when I was in the hospital and expressed to me the entire truth behind your parent’s death.  To tell you the truth”, my breath shook ‘I was burning red with the information he relinquished and wanted to kill him then and there leaving about the consequences.  But my sane mind taught me differently.  I need to act mature as a father of a grown up daughter and son.  I understood how powerful he was! He could change the tables in another part of the world by the flick of his fingers leaving not a clue.”

“Keeping my emotions in control I listened to everything patiently that Stephen confessed to me. When I admonished him for his wrong doings, I was submerged by his rage. I understood he could kill me with not a third eye coming to know about it and still get out of the hospital stain free. But whatever he is to the outside world his feelings for you were genuine.  I observed him as a man in your life and through better and worse.  He really cares for you and loves you with all his existence.  I need to confess with regret that I cannot bring a better husband to you than him though I still hate him and his family for what all of them had done to you and your brother.”

After a while uncle again continued with a troubled expression as though there was a deep knot in his thought. ‘As an uncle and well wisher of yours, I never wanted you to marry him. But I observed you, and noticed you had similar feelings for him as what he had for you. I also understood no man will keep you as happy as he could. The prick of losing your parents because of him will always be there but I’m sure eventually you will get over it with time and his affection.” He spoke with genuineness in his voice.

‘It is really a curse of fate that he happened to be ‘the man’ in your life, who is indirectly responsible for your parents death.”  He raked hands through his hair frustrated.  ‘But unfortunately Stephen cannot do anything about it.  I regarded him deeply. Though he may be a money minded, tricky, manipulative beast to society, his love for you is sincere like no other person can, apart from your parents.”  That is why keeping aside my prejudice; I allowed you to marry him hiding the truth.” He concluded with sincerity in his eyes.

Merlyn’s Pov

I rubbed my face with anxiousness, thinking about the cruel game fate had played with me.

Ten days passed by since the revelation of blatant truth that changed my whole life.  My relations with my spouse are nurturing well and I am happy with the good things developing in my life.  Last night Stephen told me that he would be hosting a party for the launch of his new branch at Dubai and insisted on me to come.  But somehow I feel sick at the smell of liquor and cigarettes around me.

I was watching a movie on Netflix waiting for Stephen when I heard the doorbell. With an enthusiasm that he would probably be at the other side of the door I pulled it open with an everlasting smile on my features. But Alas! Nobody was there at the entrance.

My sanity intervened on a timely basis. Why would Stephen anyhow ring the bell? He always has the house keys with him. I looked around and then felt something smooth under my feet. There it rests, a manila envelope in a neatly written cursive handwriting in thick blue ink – to Mrs Merlyn Collomen.

Was this a surprise from Stephen? My lips automatically stretch to a smile. My husband loves me and is very fond of giving me surprises.

Eagerly I opened the envelope and inside it were a stack of photos. The moment I had a glimpse of the first one, my heart thudded fast. Each one felt like a slap on my face and shook the ground under my legs. Thankfully I was sitting. Otherwise my knees were on the verge of giving up.

My nerves were in tenterhooks and my lips began to shiver. The pictures shocked me to the core. My hands gingerly took the first photo in my hands. It was Stephen holding hands with a young brunette. The place looked like a house because it had all the household accessories, like TV, fridge, microwave etc.

I could see there were a few photos hung to the wall but they were not clear in the photograph. In the second Stephen was hugging the brunette. My hands automatically went to fists.

In the third picture, Oh God, I couldn’t even see it. They were kissing each other wild and passionately.

I had no strength in my kernel to look at the other pictures but as my hands were shivering one of the photos from the stack fell to the floor. It was a scene of their passionate excursion with both of them stark naked and dim bed light glowing on the nightstand.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

An unquenchable abhorrence submerged me. No coherent thoughts were forming in my mind because of anger. I immediately got up from the couch and went to pick up my mobile to dial Stephen but the call went on voice mail.

Before I could drop him a message, my own phone beeped. It was a call from an unknown number. Who was calling me at this hour? Was it Stephen? What more secrets is he hiding from me?

I plastered the phone to my ears and spoke a meek hello. “Hello beautiful, did you recognize me? How is my Christmas gift to you? Enjoyed? After you caught the golden eagle you stopped responding to my messages but how could I forget you? I manipulated a few people and just got out of the prison cell your husband put me in.”

“I am sorry. Who is this? Do you think making my husband a villain will get you any closer to me?” I snarled with rage but recovered a few seconds later. “You are mistaken. It doesn’t mean if he is out, you have a chance to enter my heart. Who is this?” I repeated again and then got a doubt.

“Max?”