Chapter Two

The cab stopped right in front of the house, and Lex sauntered to the house at the speed of light. He was so focused on the house that he didn't notice a red Lamborghini parked nearby. 

As he entered the house, he went directly to the room with a smile on his face hoping to steal another kiss from Stella before leaving again. 

However, when he got closer, a soft moan and giggling caught his attention, and he stopped just by the door. There was a sudden silence, and then, again came the moans, this time louder. 

Lex was confused. Was Stella watching a pornography? He thought. Everything became clearer when a male voice suddenly spoke up, mentioning his name.

“Tell me baby, Lex and I, who does it best?" Said the voice. Lex widened his eyes in surprise. He refused to believe what his brain was trying to tell him, but he stayed still.

"Lex is a good man, I love him for who he is, but of course you know who is best for me. If not you, who else?” Stella's voice came thereafter, followed by her giggling and naughty laughter. 

Lex frowned upon hearing her statement. He clenched his fist and felt his legs trembling on the ground.

Immediately, he pushed the door open, and just as he imagined, Stella was lying on the bed with no pants while the stranger positioned between her legs, thrusting into her. 

Stella flared up on seeing a male figure. The stranger likewise, and when they noticed it was Lex, the stranger quickly climbed down and began wearing his clothes.

Lex stood in shock. He couldn't believe his eyes. His gaze darted from Stella to the stranger, Paul Asher. He furrowed his brows, a puzzled look crossing his face as he tried to make sense of the situation.

Stella quickly wrapped the duvet around her waist, covering her nakedness. Her eyes had gone teary as she stared back at Lex. 

She fidgeted with her hands, and a nervous swallow betrayed her guilt. 

“Babe, I can explain,” she mumbled inaudibly as a look of shame washed over her features, like a cloud passing over the sun.

“What in God's name is this Stella?" Lex asked, his voice saddened and rough, as a result of his sudden heartbreak. “You're fucking a man in our matrimonial bed?!" He yelled, his eyes watery and his hands shaking continuously. 

Tears gathered in her eyes, and as she parted her lips to speak, she found herself at a loss of words. 

“I'm sorry," she managed to say, her voice quivering as panic overtook her.

Lex darted his eyes back to Paul Asher, who had lit his cigarette like everything was ok. He didn't appear disturbed by the situation, rather, he felt confident in himself.

“What the hell is going on here? How long has this been going on?” Lex said, asking no one in particular. He turned back to Stella who had her gaze buried in the ground. She couldn't look at him.

"Answer my fucking question, whore!" He yelled, and Stella shivered. Her face became vibrant as she faced his direction, wiping her eyes slowly before shaking her head in a form of disappointment.

“How dare you call me a whore? Well, can you blame me? You barely give me enough money for the things I need. I'm a woman, Lex. I have needs. If there's anyone to blame, it's you. You're broke! Everything I am is a result of who you are, Lex!” she yelled back at him in anger.

Lex furrowed his brow to express his anger. He was mad because she had no shame, instead she tried to blame him. 

"I give you everything I have Stella. What more could you possibly want that would warrant you bringing a stranger to our bed for sex?” He asked, and Stella scoffed. 

“It's not enough. You don't earn enough to satisfy my needs. I'm sorry, but it's true."

“So to satisfy your needs you had to bring strangers home and fuck them huh? Is that it? This is not even the first time is it?” He asked, but Stella was mute.

He scoffed and shook his head in disappointment. His face contorted with rage, and his chin jutted out defiantly, as he glared at Stella.

“Talking about money, you have no idea how much I sacrificed for this marriage. I chose a life with you as my wife over wealth. Not everything is about money, Stella!”

“I could have all the money in the world, but you are most important to me! I should've known that you're not all you seemed to be.”

Just then, Paul Asher who had been quiet the whole time cleared his throat. Lex turned towards him furiously.

“And what are you still doing here? Get your ass off this place before I vent my anger on you," he warned, but Paul didn't feel threatened by his words. Rather, he came further and puffed his smoke directly into Lex's face. 

“So you're Lex whom Stella always talks about? She loves you, man, too bad you're not worthy of her love,” Paul said. 

He stepped back a little, brought out a whole bundle of cash, and threw it on Lex while smoking his cigarette nonchalantly. 

“Take that cash and name whatever you want, Lex. I'll give you anything just so you can leave Stella for good. You'll sign a divorce, and you'll both go free. We both know you can't keep her anyway, so if I were you, I'd take this opportunity to better my life,"  

Looking at the cash on the ground, Lex returned his gaze to Paul Asher. He felt insulted. He couldn't believe how much disrespect was coming from a stranger he was meeting for the first time, simply because his wife had chosen to downplay his pride. 

He clenched his fists, his eyes reddened with uncontrollable rage. He gnashed his teeth angrily, and when he raised his face, Paul was staring at him with a slight smile of mockery. 

Lex threw a quick left punch, sending Paul to the ground, and Stella fell on the bed while trying to avoid them.

“Stop it!" She screamed, but Lex charged further. Paul quickly helped himself up and prepared to defend himself against Lex, but Lex was too skillful for him to handle. 

Lex flanked him with his right hand, and when Paul lost focus, then came a left hook directly to his nose, and he dropped to the ground grunting in pain.

Lex pounced on him and turned him into a punching bag. Seeing Paul Asher with blood all over his face, Stella started crying. She screamed and cried out for help, as Lex wouldn't stop. 

Just in time, the door opened, and Maron, her younger brother rushed into the house.

He grabbed Lex from behind and pulled him away from Paul, but Lex wasn't done yet. He struggled to free himself, but Maron was sure to hold him tightly. 

Paul struggled to help himself to his feet, but he couldn't stand. Stella had to rush to him and help him to his feet. 

He could barely see due to the blood all over his face. On his departure with Stella's support, he turned back to Lex who was standing with Maron.

“I'll come back for you, Lex. This I promise you. You will pay for what you have done. Pray that you live to tell the story.

Lex scoffed with a daring glare and walked away to the bathroom with his face buried in his palms. In the bathroom, he looked at himself in the mirror without uttering a word. 

Even though he had beaten Paul to a pulp, he didn't feel any better. It doesn't change the fact that Paul was sleeping with his wife. 

The bathroom door flung open, and Mariana, his mother-in-law rushed in with Stella following behind.