The sky was bare and the night cold but the streets of New York bustled with a lot of people going about their evening. Noise filled the streets from either idle chatter from passers-by or the music played by the shops in order to sell some products. It was suffocating.
Either way Lucius Wilde would have to go through the cacophony of his least favorite things to get to his destination. With a box of chocolate tightly secured in his left hand and an idea of a surprise, he weaved through the crowd, got to the bus stop and waved a taxi down. He got in.
The driver spoke before he settled in.
“Where to ?”
“The Madison Hotel.”
The driver smiled and looked at him from the rear-view mirror. Seeing he had on a suit he asked another question.
“Business or pleasure?”
Lucius didn’t see the point of the question the man was asking and frankly he was getting annoyed by it.
“Could you just drive? I’m running late.”
The driver snorted.
“Rich snobs.”
Lucius couldn’t help but smiled bitterly and self-mockingly. If only he knew that Lucius wasn’t well to do talk less of being rich. No, it was his wife that came from a wealthy background.
The only reason he was wearing a suit was to surprise her. He met her while he was working a part time job and she took a liking to him. Soon after they started dating and then got married. In their three years of marriage, she always looked down on him since he couldn’t provide for her expensive tastes but this time it would be different.
In another five minutes the cab arrived in front of the famous Madison Hotel. The building was magnificent. High arches in the lobby, art and unbelievable works of architecture employed to make this place the number one hotel in Manhattan. No other building could compare. He couldn’t even afford a room here.
Lucius paid the man and got out of the car. He went into the building through the revolving doors and headed straight to the front desk.
“Hello.”
A small brunette at the desk looked at him, noticed his low grade suit then smiled. Her name tag read Emily.
“I’m sorry sir, the Wellington is down the street.”
Lucius frowned but was used to this. He didn’t look like much to begin with. Short brown hair on a scrawny frame with thick medicated glasses to boot. His low rent suit didn’t help either. He looked like a nerd.
“Um no, I’m at the right place. I called earlier to inquire about the surprise I want to throw for my wife.”
She looked at him suspiciously.
“And who would she be, Mr…”
“Lucius Wilde and she is Valerie Wilde.”
Emily rolled her eyes while checking the computer.
“Look sir, I’m sure you mean well but your sort of person isn’t allowed here. If you could just leave I could direct…”
Her eyes widened as surely he was listed as Valerie Wilde's husband for emergency contacts. She bowed her head and words came spilling out.
“I apologize for my stupidity Mr Wilde. Please forgive me. Your order is ready. My actions were foolish and…”
“Look, just get ready. When I call deliver it to the room. Give me the spare key card.”
He cut her off already annoyed at her apology. She handed him the key card to his wife's room and immediately he walked off towards the elevator.
He got in and hit the button for the third floor. In the mirrored lift he used his hand to comb through his unruly hair and straighten his suit jacket. He had to look good.
It was their third anniversary after all. She was always busy with work so he decided to surprise her at the hotel she stays in for business to give her a night off and help her relax.
He got off the elevator and walked to room 95. It was a luxury suite that only the extremely rich could afford. He called the lobby to bring up the surprise gifts before inserting the keycard and entering the room.
The room was dark but that was expected. He wanted to surprise her when she got back from her meeting.
However, instead of surprising his wife, he was the one who was surprised.
“Come on, faster ... Arh!” Valerie’s moaning came from the far end of the room where the bed should be.
“Oh, babe, you’re so thirsty, let me give you another juicy shot.” A man’s satisfying roar emerged right after.
A wave of emptiness washed over Lucius, and then the next moment, a surge of anger crashed into him, making his hands tremble uncontrollably. He turned on the lights and went over to the bedroom.
His expression changed as his eyes confirmed what he was hearing. His wife is cheating on him! This realization was too much for him to bear.
The gift he was holding slipped from his grasp and hit the ground with a dull thud.
The noise caught the attention of the two who were still deeply engrossed in their love making a second ago.
“Arh! Who is there?! Get out!” Valerie screamed as she pulled a blanket over to cover her sweating body.
“Who the fuck are you?” The man, however, didn’t mind appearing naked. Instead, he was rather angry about being disturbed. After all, he was about to give another shot and was stopped midway.
Lucius ignored him and stared at his wife, lost for words.
“Lucius calm down. It’s not what you think.”
He growled at his wife's words.
“Not what I think? He was clearly fucking you Val or did I not see that well.”
She shrinked into the sheets. The unknown man stood up and walked butt naked to Lucius.
“I asked who the fuck are you dumbass?”
“Who the fuck I am?” Lucius questioned mockingly,
“You’re fucking my wife, and you don’t know who I am?”
With that said, Lucius threw his fist hard on the man’s face, sending him flying back and hit a chair.
“Stop, you bastard!”
Valerie’s word froze Lucius on his spot. He couldn’t believe what he heard.
Did she just call him bastard?!
“After everything I’ve done for you. All the insults from your mother, the free labor your father makes me do for his company and always being downgraded less than the help by your brothers. It’s our anniversary Val. How could you do this to me?”
“How dare you hit me, you stinky low life. I’m talking to you …”
The unknown man finally got to his feet and ran forward to punch Lucius.
“Fuck off.”
Lucius blocked the man’s fist, his eyes still glued on Valerie’s face. Valerie didn’t look like she regretted it, instead, there was pure anger on her face.
“You do not speak to him that way. Do you know who he is? He is Xander Woods, CEO of the Woods Corporation. He could buy your life ten times over.”
Lucius was shocked his wife was defending this man. Anger swelled in him.
“Are you taking his side? Valerie, I never knew you’re such a bitch that any rich guy can fuck!”
A punch landed on Lucius' face pushing him off balance. He didn’t fall.
“I fucked your wife, and so what?! You’re just a low-life who has no penny in his pocket. And you do not speak to her like that.”
Xander laughed triumphantly, as if fucking someone else’ wife was something brilliant to brag about.
At this point Lucius saw red and threw a punch but missed. He tried again but couldn’t hit the man. Xander smirked and then the blows came. Lucius fell to the floor. Hit after hit and kick after kick he endured while his wife degraded him.
“Oh God. You are truly pathetic. What have you done for me? You have no money and no status, you good for nothing man. How could I ever love someone like you? The only reason I married you was to secure wealth from my father who for some reason wanted me to get married quickly. You are a delusional man if you think I ever loved you.”
The barrage of hits stopped.
“Anyway, who permitted you to come in? Get out now before I call the security guards!" Xander, who had enjoyed hitting Lucius, finally threatened.
Taking a breath, Lucius got up and picked up his already cracked glasses that fell during the beating. He cleaned the blood that dripped from his split mouth.
Lucius looked at his wife and Xander coldly and then turned to leave.
Walking out of the room he saw the staff with the things he ordered. They seemed to have heard what happened as they backed off, their face full of disgust and mockery.
As he walked away, he could still heard the people laughing at his disgrace.
“Valerie and Xander, you both will pay for what you’ve done.”
Lucius clenched his fist aa he walked out of the building and into the cold dark night.
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