One Night With Mr Braxton

Two weeks and no one caught sight of Asher in the house. The entire mansion became unusually dull and quiet, safe for the presence of Rooney who brought colour to the house by being himself. Rebecca went everywhere, hoping to occasionally bump into him on one of the occasions but to no avail.

As the time progressed, it became clear that there was trouble in paradise. Emma hid herself inside, refusing to socialize and avoiding the questions being thrown her way.

It felt disappointing to be in the dark on your supposed husband’s whereabouts, so she settled for the barest human interaction possible. Rebecca strode into the hinder parts of the Mansion. She saw Emma leave the house and figured it was the right time to familiarize herself with their shared house.

Maybe find something that pointed out that she wasn’t crazy to stay here. The house came into view, and with carefully calculated steps, she walked into the house, making sure she wasn’t seen by anyone.

For a moment, she awed at the beautiful chandeliers that hung in the high ceilings, the marble floors and the entire space in general. Asher always knew the best things and she wasn’t surprised to see how expensively furnished their living room seemed.

Her eyes darted towards the stairs after lingering on their new and intimate dining- also known as the reason they didn’t partake in dinner with the house. Leaving her less opportunity to be with Asher.

She headed upstairs with a vengeance, determined to find something. Anything to prove she wasn’t crazy. Rebecca breezed through the little hallway, trying every door, in search of their bedroom and his home-office. The last door she tried, suddenly opened up, her eyes widened in mild surprise and she felt elated.

Without further ado, she entered the office, sifting through it and reading some files. At that moment, she lost track of time, and continued snooping until someone came in;

” What are you doing here?” Emma’s voice concealed the bouts of anger tumulting within her.

” I just-” She dropped the file at hand, ” I needed to check something.”

Emma wasn’t smiling , ” Check what, Rebecca? Last I checked, this place belongs to me and my husband. So please tell me, why are you in my home-alone- and in my husband’s office?”

” I believe you heard me the first time. Besides, I don’t answer to you.” She spoke flippantly, then made to leave but Emma stopped her;

” Do you really think I’ll let you go just like that? I don’t freaking care who you think you are, but the moment you start snooping like a little thief in someone’s space, It’s only fitting that you explain yourself- either to me or perhaps, the security.”

” Did you just call me a thief?”

” Are you a thief?”

Before Emma could finish the words on her lips, a resounding slap landed on her cheek. Immediately, she saw red and lunged for her with an ironclad grip on her hair.

A cat fight broke between the women and they tumbled over things, making a mess of the office while they aired their grievances in a physical way.

” WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!”

The women drifted apart at the sound of an angered Asher. They were primarily taken by relief at his presence, a feeling that lasted one second before they realized just how terrible things were.

” Talk to me, or so help me God, you wouldn’t like what’s coming.” He held his forehead while his eyes closed by the height of anger he felt. ” What the hell is this?” He asked again. this time, dangerously slow.

” I missed you and decided to come check if you were back already,” Rebecca spoke first, using the softest tone, ” Emma came in and without giving me an opportunity to speak, she attacked me.”

Emma’s eyes widened, ” That’s a lie! She came in here, snooping around and got caught. She hit me when I demanded an explanation and now this.” She quipped, refusing to back down from the staring contest going on.

Rebecca’s face contorted to that of a person wronged, ” Ash..”

” I don’t want to hear it!” Asher’s response cut, ” I warned you-everyone- against coming into this part of the house and you disobeyed.” His voice rang cold, ” Who do you think you are?”

Not expecting such a response, she immediately got on her knees, ” I’m so sorry, Ash. I hadn’t heard anything from you in two weeks and I got worried.”

Emma rolled her eyes. Typical.

Unrelenting with disapproval, he continued, ” I don’t care. You have no business knowing my whereabouts or being here; Not to talk of fighting my wife!”

” Ash, I-”

” Shut up! Unless you want to be put out of this house, I suggest you apologize to my wife, and escort yourself out of my quarters.” He took in a breath, then icily ordered, ” Now.”

Rebecca didn’t look too fondly on apologizing to her but in order to save face with Asher, she swallowed and did just that.

” I’m sorry for intruding.”Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Emma remained silent, petty enough to ignore her insincere apology.

” Don’t you ever, not even in your dreams, come here again or engage with such disrespect to my wife, have I made myself clear?”

She nodded with gritting teeth.

” Get lost.”

Rebecca scurried out in embarrassment, she couldn’t believe he treated her with such disregard, and all because of that ugly wench! She vowed in her heart to make her pay tenfold for the shame she caused.

Meanwhile, after her dismissal, the house remained quiet. Not one word got shared between the couple despite the questions twirling around their head. Emma felt conscious, then disappointed when her husband refused to speak to her.

She wasn’t a child, and got the memo behind his disappearance, loud and clear. He didn’t want to be with her, he couldn’t stand her. These thoughts were beaten down by his single act of tending to her wounds- an aftermath of her little scuffle.

Whenever his hand hovered her face, she felt sparks dance around her skin and took in a sharp breath. He didn’t speak, but with dedication, applied first aid with a care only known to his hands. After that, they prepared separately, and went to sleep on the same bed, without a word of communication.

The next morning, Emma got up early and headed to her outdoor studio. Asher left earlier than her, avoiding her like a plague, she forced herself against overthinking his recent attitude towards her.

When he got out of that phase, he knew where to find her.

Inside the studio, she placed the finishing touches on her canvases which portrayed the newest-soon-to-be-released Soul-Shoes men’s collection. Proud and content with her designs, she passed them onto Chara, demanding that samples be made and returned to her.

Meanwhile, at the Steele headquarters, Mrs Steele paced about her office with a scowl. That scoundrel left her hanging for a period of two weeks even after missing their day of appointment! Emma’s nonchalance irked Mrs Steele and she sought out ways to show she wasn’t all bark and no bite.

” Release the picture.” She ordered her assistant who stood before her, ” And do a good job this time, there is no room for excuses!”

” Yes ma.”

*****

” Calm down, Asher! There has to be an explanation.” Jason reasoned with his friend, looking distraught.

” Calm down?” He asked frighteningly, ” I thought she was smarter than this, but apparently, That was too high an expectation for her.”

” That picture doesn’t suggest she cheated, Ash. Don’t let the words of a loser cloud your sense of judgement. Think about it, why on earth would Emma opt to cheat on you with a scoundrel who cheated with her step-sister and got engaged on her birthday?”

The only thing Asher heard was, ‘ why she would cheat on him with that man- even his friend wasn’t adverse to the possibility of her cheating- just not with the said man.’

” Can’t you hear me? Get out of your head, Ash. Don’t do anything you would regret.” Jason recognized the look on Asher’s face, decisions made in anger always spelt doom. ” Listen, first, we pull down the picture, find whoever is behind this and get back at them harder. My bet is on Colton, and trust me he’d prefer to be dead than experience what I have planned for him.”

Jason got on his feet, resolved to work on the case while giving his friend a minute to stew things down. Few minutes after he stepped out, Asher got up and in seconds, sent everything on his table crashing down.

Within minutes, his entire office was upturned. He sat on the floor, breathing heavily with his eyes pierced on the picture of his barely clothed wife.