Chapter 24: The Devil's Wife
1254words
My phone slipped from my hand.
"What is wrong? What did you see?" Everleigh asked as she picked up my phone.
"Argh!" I clenched my fists, seething with anger and frustration.
"Goodness gracious! What is this?" Everleigh's eyes widened in shock. "Talk to me, Nathan," she urged, shaking my hand.
"What?! What do you want me to say?" I snapped.
"This can't be you, Nathan. How did this happen? You are not that kind of man, are you?" she asked.
"What is wrong with you, Eve? Are you trying to blame me? Who told you I was a perfect gentleman before Scarlett came into my life? You know nothing about me, and you never wanted to know. So, don't you dare try to blame me for my past."
"Come on, my love," she said, pulling my hand closer. "That's not what I meant. I would never judge you. We are all human, and everyone has a past. I'm just surprised that someone as perfect as you seem now was once a rugged gambler and a Casanova." She chose her last word carefully. I scowled at her. "I'm sorry. What are we going to do now?"
"I'm taking you home. I need to clear my head," I said, starting the car.
"No, I'm coming with you," she insisted.
I stopped the car abruptly. "What is wrong with you, Eve? Why are you being so clingy today? I'm not in the mood for your shenanigans," I said.
"What did I do? I know how this feels, Nathan. Have you forgotten that I was also a victim of a social media scandal I knew nothing about? It leads to depression, and I can't let you go through that alone. If you drop me off at home, I know you won't go to the office. I don't want you to feel alone in this. If you are embarrassed, then this is our embarrassment, and we will face it together. Don't push me away this time. I want to be part of your problems because you are my husband. Let's share this burden, and we will find a way out of it together," she said softly.
She squeezed my hand. "You can't run away from this. We are going to the office. If anyone dares say anything about it, I will show them what I'm made of. No one insults my husband. Come on, let's go," she added, fastening her seatbelt.
I couldn't take my eyes off her. She reminded me of Scarlett; the day she fought on my behalf.
"What? You can't tell me you won't go after my little sermon," she said. "Don't worry, I have got you," she assured me.
I smiled and started the car.
Despite Everleigh's efforts to cheer me up, the video I had seen lingered in my mind like a nagging shadow.
I couldn't make it to the presentation today because none of the investors showed up. It was just one of those bad days, and I couldn't wait to wake up to a better one.
I convinced Everleigh to go home before heading back to the hotel. Once there, I ordered several bottles of vodka, ready to drink myself into oblivion.
A knock at the door made my stomach churn. Had Everleigh followed me here?
"Who is it?" I asked.
"It's Michael, dude," my friend replied.
I staggered to my feet and opened the door.
"What? This place reeks of alcohol. What are you doing?" Michael asked, closing the door behind him.
I flopped onto the bed without responding.
"Nate?" He grabbed the bottle from me.
"What is it, buddy? Give me my drink."
He cleared the bottles from beside me and sat down.
"What are you doing to yourself, Nate? I thought you stopped drinking this much. What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.
"Everything is wrong, Michael. Today is the worst day of my life. I feel like I'm losing everything," I said, frustrated.
"Talk to me, man. What happened?"
"One of my warehouses burned down today. And if that wasn't bad enough, my past was posted on social media, causing a scandal. She's taking it too far," I vented.
"She? Who's she?"
"Scarlett," I said, reaching for another bottle.
"You need to stop drinking, Nate. It's not going to solve anything," Michael said.
"But it will stop me from thinking," I replied, gulping down the drink.
"Scarlett? Hold on a minute. I hope it's not the same Scarlett I know."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, finishing the bottle.
"Scarlett Davarosa?"
"No, it's not her. Her name is Scarlett De Guzman," I corrected.
"Come on, man. I know what I'm saying. Scarlett Davarosa is the only one who could put you in this state," he insisted. "Who is she to you?"
"My ex. I betrayed her a few years ago, and now she is back for revenge. She wants to ruin me."
"That's terrible news. How can you be Scarlett's enemy? You have got yourself caught in a web, and it's going to be hard to get out."
"I know where you are going with this. Scarlett has a temper. She doesn't listen to anyone when she is angry. I will just let her vent, and then she will calm down. But I'm not sure of having a possession by then."
Michael felt my neck, checking my pulse. "You are missing the point. Do you even know who Hernandez Davarosa was?"
"I have never heard of him."
"I will tell you. Hernandez Davarosa was a devil's advocate. He was born to steal, kill, and destroy. That's who he was," Michael said.
"This isn't a joke, Michael. I'm not up for this."
"Then how do you want me to describe a man who owned the biggest casino in Mexico, trafficked girls, and sold cocaine worldwide without ever getting caught? Everyone knew him, but he was never taken to the police for his crimes," Michael explained.
"What the hell does he have to do with me?" I groaned.
"He is dead!" Michael snapped.
The silence that followed was as heavy as a stone.
I swallowed hard and broke the silence. "So?" I raised an eyebrow.
"He was Scarlett's husband. They worked together. Rumor has it she was worse than him. She is no longer human, Nate. Scarlett Davarosa is not the woman you once dated."
"Enough!" I growled. "Stop talking nonsense. Scarlett goes to church. She doesn't do drugs, and she wouldn't hurt a fly, so stop spewing rubbish."
"You think you know her? I have known you for over eight years, and I'm sure you dated her before that. Don't you think eight years is enough time for someone to change?"
"Your words aren't helping."
"The first step to solving a problem is understanding its cause. The sooner you realize you are dealing with the devil's wife, the better."
"Scarlett would never hurt me under normal circumstances. I understand how angry she can get," I said firmly.
"Scarlett isn't angry. She is just being herself. She is the only businesswoman who commands the presence of investors and top executives at her company. Scarlett will kill you and use your head as packaging for her next batch of cocaine. Wise up, buddy," Michael said, standing up.
"I have an appointment to catch," he added as he headed for the door.
He glanced back at me. "And just so you know, Scarlett killed the devil himself," he said, slamming the door behind him.
His words hit me like a hammer.
