Love to Hate You

Chapter Eighteen - Caught

Rafe showed Bianca into his office and closed the blinds behind him. She smirked to herself as she sat down in the chair opposite his. Closed blinds meant a private conversation, and that would surely mean Mike and divorce.

'So,' she said, in an indulgent, self-satisfied tone, 'shall we talk about Friday?'

'Certainly. What do you want to say about it?' Rafe's fingertips skimming over the blue file on his desk; almost caressing.

'Well,' frowned Bianca, 'obviously, it's a bit embarrassing, isn't it? Mike working here, and able to tell anybody about the state of our marriage.' Rafe nodded.

'It is embarrassing that I ever thought enough of you to marry you, yes. I'm ashamed of such a lack of judgement.' Bianca had no reason to argue with him, because it didn't serve her purpose, and so she said, –

'If you feel that strongly, and you're so worried about what people will think, surely the best thing to do is to go our separate ways?'

'I couldn't agree more, Bianca, darling.' That threw her. Rafe – when they were alone – would only ever ignore her, or speak spitefully. Endearments had died away before they moved to New York; had been spoken only once or twice (a little grudgingly) whilst trying to appease Bianca when he had worked long hours getting the firm off the ground. That Rafe would call her "darling" now, after she had chased him to London, insinuated herself into his office, and slept with an office junior? It was concerning.

'Raffey?' she asked uncertainly; her smug mask slipping for just one moment.

'We should divorce. I've had new papers drawn up.' And he pushed the blue file towards her. Bianca's eyes lit up with avarice.

'I'm glad you've seen sense. What's the money to you, anyway?' But the money did matter to him, because he didn't have an unlimited supply, and what he did have, was hard-earnt and his. He would have no compunction about sharing fairly with his wife, but she had never truly been a wife to him. The bane of my existence, he thought to himself, as he watched manicured fingers wrap around the file. 'What're you giving me?' she asked, too idle to trawl through the paperwork.

'Nothing more and nothing less than what was stated in the pre-nup.'

'What?' gasped Bianca, and really, she didn't look very attractive at all with her mouth hanging open. Not cute and sweet and endearing like Mattie when she's surprised or confused, thought Rafe, comfortingly. 'I rejected this before. Why on earth would I change my mind and sign it now?'

'You're right, Bianca,' Rafe agreed. 'I misspoke. I meant to say you can keep my car in New York; I can't be bothered with the hassle of selling it.'

'But it can only be worth $50,000!' she screeched. Rafe frowned at her; his brows knitted.

'You say "only", when you're lucky that I offer you even that!'

'Well, I won't sign. I'll contest the adultery.'

'You can't contest it. Flick through the papers,' Rafe said, nodding his head towards the file she had so hastily discarded.

'What?' Bianca hissed, shuffling through the papers until her fingers stilled, as they landed upon a statement from Mike, attesting to her adultery. Rafe smiled at her; a warm, charming smile.

'My PA actually walked in on you and Mike before I did, so I can ask her to give a statement too, but I didn't think it was necessary to drag her into this.'

'That's why you've not fired Mike?' said Bianca, with wide eyes.

'Yes and no,' shrugged Rafe. 'Chris would have a fit if I tried to fire Mike – all that red tape. Then there's the fact that it does give me a bit of leverage over him. He's keen to stay with the firm, and was quite happy to give this statement in return for keeping his job and precious project. That's the mistake you made, you see, Bianca,' Rafe continued, leaning forward in his chair, and impaling her with an icy, disdainful scowl. 'You f*cked a junior – someone with ambition; someone who needs a break. You could have tried your wiles on David – he's proven himself. He could refuse to give a statement, leave, and get another job quite easily. Mike can't. He's dependent on Chris and me this early on in his career. You really f*cked up, Bianca.' He smiled, and then sighed, before leaning back in his chair, and looking at his computer screen. He had new emails. He checked them, confident in the knowledge that Bianca could seethe in front of him all she liked; foam at the mouth if she needed to, but that she wouldn't go anywhere until she knew exactly what sort of a fix she was in.