The Day I Broke Her

Insult

My attitude rubbed someone the wrong way. They told Zoey, "I think you're too kind with your employees. A secretary shouldn't be messing with your wedding. The gall! I'd have fired him if I were you. Teach him a lesson!"

The other guests agreed right away. Zoey looked at me and started chastising me like I was her employee. "I can't keep you around anymore, not after this. But you've been a loyal man. You've worked hard. I'll assign you to a subsidiary. You won't really lose your job. But if you don't know your place, I will fire you!"

That got a lot of cheering from the crowd.

"That's a successful business owner for you! She gives second chances even to scum!"

I spat in the face of that offer and sneered. "You, firing me? I'd like to see you try. Go on!"

Someone sarcastically remarked, "Of course. Termination doesn't scare him. He can sell his body. Not like secretaries make much anyway."

Everyone gave me weird looks. Then, a greasy, half-naked guy leered at me. I saw him drool. "Nice bod, mate. I can do anything I want with you? How much for one time? I can't give you much. Not a rich guy. But I'm still Ms. Chandler's relative. How about a family discount?"

I glared at Zoey, my expression dark and stormy. "You're going to hide the truth and let them insult me how they want?"

Zoey paused for a moment, and she turned her head away. "Bart is my husband. I will not betray him. If you leave right now, nothing will happen."

Bartholomew looked smug, like he'd won. "I know you started this because you hate what's going on. Now you ruined your reputation and got nothing in return. If this were any other day, Zoey wouldn't have minded your extortion, but not on her wedding day. Yet she did not fire you even after you slandered her. She's done enough. Don't you have a conscience?"

Bartholomew shed tears for Zoey, and she quickly wiped them off with tissue paper.

Alright, this act was getting on my nerves. I slammed my foot into Bartholomew's back. He gasped and fell into Zoey's arms.

Her lover getting hit stoked Zoey's fury. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Winston?" She slapped me hard across the face.

I fell onto a table and was drenched with piping-hot gravy. It was greasy, and the liquid seeped through my summer clothes, scalding my skin all over.

Zoey ignored that and held Bartholomew in her arms. Shrilly, she barked, "Apologize to him right now or else!"

Bartholomew was gloating. I held down the burning pain and pushed myself up with my elbows, but that took everything I had.

I was wobbling, and her naked arms burned angrily. It was like a maw, laughing at the joke called my love. The pain scorched hotter with every passing moment, but my voice was colder than it had ever been.

"You dated me for three years and never told me you had a boyfriend. Now, you're holding your wedding in the hotel I gave you, and you also want me to apologize to him? What makes you think you can lord me around? Just because I gave you everything you asked? I can take everything away from you right now, you know."

That stunned Zoey.

The guests whispered among themselves.

"Do you think it's true? The relationship, the wedding, and the hotel gift to Zoey?"