THREE

Justin groaned as he struggled to open his eyes. For some reason, his head hurt and he could not open his eyelids. He threw his head back on the bed when his intense pounding in his head got harder. What happened? The only time he had felt like this was when he’d had a terrible hangover when he had drank on his twenty-first birthday, but he was sure he hadn't drunk. Or had he? He couldn’t remember what had happened the previous day.

A warm body beside him reoriented him a little. Even with how horrible he was feeling, he knew he couldn’t have been beside his wife. He peeled open his eyes and gasped as he met the eyes of a strange woman… who obviously looked like she had also just woken up.

He jumped out the bed, taking the covers with him, when he realized he was stark naked. He realized his mistake when his eyes met the woman’s naked body. What the heck had happened the night before? He took his boxers and ran into his bathroom, pulled it on and splashed water on his face willing himself to remember.

The previous day began to come to him in flashes, he remembered the premiere preparation and being in the kitchen during the premiere. The food. Tyler had brought food to him.

He hurriedly rushed out to find the strange woman still in his bed. “Please, can you put on some clothes or cover yourself with the sheets.”

The woman smiled coyly at him,” Why, darling. You were saying something different yesterday.”

Justin paled, had he done something with the woman while he was unaware? “What happened yesterday?” He whispered.

She pouted,” That’s sad. I thought I turned your world upside down. You told me that yourself.” She stood up from the bed, still naked, and started walking towards Justin, who started walking back.

When his back hit the wall and there was no more escape, the woman came close to him and breathed into his ears,” I can make you remember everything that happened.”

As she was still talking to him, and he was trying to escape her, his door opened and Rosetta, Martha, Cyril, and Tyler came in, all with thunderous expressions. Justin pictured the way they would have seen the scene they had just witnessed and pushed the woman away.

“It’s not what you think. I swear.”

Martha marched towards him like a soldier and slapped his face. “You pathetic jerk. Is this what you have been doing to my daughter?”

Justin reeled back in shock and palmed his flaming cheek. He looked towards Rosetta, who was glaring at him. “Nothing happened. I swear. I don’t even know who she is.”

The woman pouted and ran her fingernails down his shoulders,” What do you mean love? Just tell the truth.”

He turned and glared at the woman.” I don’t know how you got here in the first place, but I want you to get out.”

“Stay” That was Rosetta. “I want to hear what she has to say.”

The woman smiled and went to sit on the bed. “Sure hon. What do you want to know?”

Rosetta glared at Justin,” What happened yesterday and why are you here?”

Justin could only watch in shock as the woman started weaving the most ridiculous story. She said he had grabbed her, promising her a good time, and then forced her to sleep with him. Justin could feel himself shaking with anger, but he kept quiet, knowing they had all judged him without even trying to hear from him.

Justin laughed manically when she mentioned that he had picked her up from the premiere. He hadn’t even been there, and he knew everyone was aware he had been in the kitchen.

“Are you just going along with her lies?” Tyler protested and watched as Rosetta came to stand in front of him in her heels. She was wearing a pretty floral dress she looked especially beautiful in and even with her heels, he still towered over her.

“Is this really what you do? Have you been cheating on me this entire time?”

Justin didn’t mention that he didn’t think they had been in a relationship. After all, throughout the years they’d been married, they’d never slept together or even in the same bed. “She’s lying. You know I wasn’t at the premiere yesterday.”

Justin could only gape in shock as Rosetta shrugged casually,” And how would I know that?”

He started arguing with her, trying to convince her when Cyril turned to the woman. “What do you need? How would you like him to be punished?”

The woman studied her nails,” He should be convicted for sexual assault, at the very least.”

Justin couldn’t believe Rosetta had smiled at that statement. “That’s ridiculous. I did not touch her.”

Tyler smirked,” Where is your proof?”

Justin swore at him. “You gave me the food yesterday. I’m sure that’s where everything started.”

Tyler laughed and shrugged,” Where’s the proof?”

Justin lunged at him, but Cyril pulled him back and pushed him to his knees. He turned to the woman. “I’m so sorry. You can leave. I’ll make sure he gets punished for his crime.”

The woman nodded, blew Justin a kiss, and put on a dress that couldn’t be called one. It was shorter than most women’s underwear.

Cyril pulled a chair closer to Justin and glared at him. “I’m sure you know the law doesn’t easily forgive sexual offenders, and I just need to speak the word to make sure you rot in jail for a long time.”

Justin let out a frustrated sigh, “I didn’t do it. I’m not even sure how I got here last night.”

Cyril ignored him, “You have two choices. I will either send you to jail so you can pay in full for your crime, or you can sign a divorce paper right now.”

Justin looked at Rosetta in shock as she pulled out a document and threw it at him. “Rosetta please…”

Another slap landed on his cheek, this one from Tyler. “You will not mention her name or anything about her again. You piece of trash.”

“I swear I did not touch the woman. I don’t even know her. Please believe me.”

Cyril nodded solemnly, “I guess that’s jail, then?”

Justin looked up in anguish. “None of them. I choose none. I’m not signing the papers to divorce my wife. I love her.” He turned to Rosetta,” I love you, please don’t make me do this. We can have a better life together.”

Rosetta shuddered visibly,” I don’t know how you got so deluded, but what would please me immensely would be you signing the papers. I would have said jail, but unfortunately, that wouldn’t erase my name from yours. You disgust me, I’ve hated you since the day I met you, and amazingly the hate has only grown stronger.”

Justin felt his heartbreak at her words and stared at the woman he had worked so hard to please, her family. He had willingly given up his self-worth, sense of self and identity, all to please her, and this was what he was hearing from her. “You cannot mean it. You have to be kidding.”

Martha hissed loudly,” Seems like you’ve made your choice.” She threw a pen at him. “Sign the damn papers.”

Justin studied Rosetta, trying to read her expression, to which she stared back at him in disdain.” Sign the papers, and please get out of my life. You’re a stain I will never be able to wash away, but please get lost.”

Justin skimmed the document and signed it dejectedly. It had been stated there that the reason for the divorce was Difference in conflict. He could only sigh at his years of stupidity.

Martha collected the document with a huge smile. “Perfect. Now get lost.”

At her words, Tyler and Cyril lifted him up and threw him outside the house. Thankfully, none of the guests were around to witness his humiliation. Justin sprawled on the floor, hopeless and dejected, thinking and pitying himself for the years of humiliation and verbal abuse he had experienced in their hands. All to go to waste.