Alana was the first to notice the man who had just walked in.

She leaned closer to Danica and whispered.

"Speak of the devil. He just walked in."

Danica's eyes dilated. She wasn't ready to see him again after what had transpired between them last night.

But then, she slowly looked around and it was indeed him, Donovan Buford.

Danica quickly pulled her hair out of her bun and used it to shield her face.

Alana was confused by her sudden tensed behavior.

"Why are you acting like this? It's as if."

"Is he gone?"

Alana frowned. "Who?"

"Donovan Buford."

"No. He's actually coming this way."

Danica bit her lower lip hard, wishing her ground could open up and swallow her.

"Hello Danica."

That voice sent her nerves into shreds.

But she tried to calm down. She shouldn't run away from what happened. She should face it.

Sitting up, she slowly ran a hand through her hair, making it in order.

"I haven't gotten any call from you."

Danica knew what he was hinting at.

What she had wanted to do last night with him was because she was intoxicated. Filled with alcohol and heartbreak. But now that she was very much sober, she didn't want to go through with it.

She realized that there was no need to cheat back on Gary. What she needed to do was get a divorce, start her life all over again and become the best version of herself.

She absolutely didn't want the drama that came with getting involved with a man anymore.

Calmly, Danica reached into her bag and brought out his business card.

"I'm honestly sorry for bothering you last night. I do not need your help with anything. I apologize again for what happened. I hope we can put that behind us."

Danica cautiously studied Donovan's face.

It was unreadable. She couldn't tell if he was angry or willing to forget about last night.

Just then, her cellphone rang out.

She reached for it and without checking the caller ID, she picked up.

"Danica, what did you do to my mother?!" That voice sounded at the other end of the call.

It was Gary.

Danica winced at how loud his voice was.

"What did I do to her?" Danica sneered, knowing Martha must have cooked up lies for her son as usual.

"My mother is currently hospitalized. She had a heart attack and I was told she fainted after arguing with you. I swear to God, if anything happens to my mother, Danica, you'll pay for it!"

Danica's brows furrowed.

Martha really did yell a lot today, she even kept yelling even as Danica left with Alana.

Had she been that upset that she fainted?

Shouldn't Martha be happy that she finally left the house?

Wasn't that what the old lady had always wanted?

Not wanting to be blamed for anyone's condition, Danica quickly bade goodbye to Alana and Donovan, then she headed for the hospital.

***********************************

Danica was allowed into the hospital as the daughter-in-law.

She easily located Martha's ward and as she walked in, she found Martha sitting up, eating a fruit and looking perfectly healthy.

Danica scoffed.

"I should have known this was nothing but a false alarm, you've always been an attention seeking old lady."

Martha was shocked by Danica's bold words.

"You little! What are you even doing here? You came to check if I had died? Well, I'm sorry to inform you, I'll be alive for a long, long time and I'll never let you have peace with my son!"

"I don't even want your son anymore. You don't have to fake an illness to make him hate me. I already told you, you can have him!"

"I don't know what you're plotting by pretending not to want my son anymore, but let me inform you that it won't work."

Danica rolled her eyes. Talking to this woman felt like talking to a brick wall.

She would not entertain anyone from this family anymore and so she turned to leave.

Suddenly, a shattering sound filled the ward and that startled Danica.

She quickly turned around to see that Martha had shattered a glass cup.

The old lady suddenly burst into tears, screaming hysterically.

Gary rushed into this ward. On taking in the scene, he quickly hurried towards his mother.

"What happened here?"

Martha cried out. "Danica shattered the glass. She was furious that I had survived the heart attack and she threatened to cut my wrist. She wants me dead. She said she could only have you fully to herself if I die."

Gary turned to face Danica furiously.

"How could you do and say all that to my mother?!"

Danica wasn't surprised by the lies Martha had just spilled. She was only surprised at herself for putting up with this for so long.

"Go on your knees and apologize to my mother right now!"

Danica stood frozen to the spot as she recalled the many times Gary had made her apologize to his mother.

She had apologized for lies Martha made up. She had apologized anytime Martha felt like watching her beg.

She had apologized anytime Martha wanted.

She had done all that so her husband wouldn't be mad at her. She had truly believed pleasing Martha meant pleasing Gary.

Now she realized, she had only made herself worthless in their eyes. She had made them see her as a pushover, she had made them see her as a maid that would always serve the Finnegan family no matter what.

Danica felt so bitter for allowing this people trample on her self-esteem.

They might have done it for so long but she won't allow them to anymore!

She wanted nothing to do with Gary and his family ever again.

Lifting her head, she said to Gary.

"Let's talk."

"You're yet to apologize to my mother." Gary reminded.

Danica eyed both Gary and his mother she left the ward.

That infuriated Gary to no end as he stormed after her.

"You know, I was hoping what my mother had said might be exaggerated, but the way you just glared at her proved she was telling the truth! How could you? My family has been nothing but nice to you! Why would you want to kill an innocent woman? Why are you acting up? This isn't you!"

Danica ignored his words until they got to a tea house beside the hospital.

There, she sat up and went straight to the point.

"Let's get divorced."

"A divorce? You want to divorce me?" Gary asked, a mocking edge in his voice.

"Yes." Danica replied, seriously.

He laughed. "Fine, tell me what exactly you're mad about and I'll apologize, happy?"

Danica grimaced as she stared at him, recalling the times he'd apologized and pet her the few times she had expressed anger.

But then nothing changed after the apology. She realized she should have stopped falling for that.

And now, no amount of apology could fix things. He had cheated on her. That was simply unforgivable.

"I do not want any long divorce process so I don't wish to fight for anything. I'll send the divorce papers to you. You sign them and we're done."

Unsettled by how serious she looked, Gary sat up.

"I just said I'd apologize."

"I don't need your apology."

"What do you need so you can stop throwing this fucking tantrum. Do you want to go on a vacation? Oh, I remember you wanted to go to Paris, just the two of us. Fine, I'll plan the trip. I'll spend more time with you so can you stop."

"I want a divorce, Gary." Danica insisted.

"You don't. You're just acting up."

"Why would you even think that? Isn't this what you've always wanted? Isn't this what your family has always wanted? Oh, aren't you tired of messing with me?"

"Did your confrontation with my mom really piss you off that bad? You're willing to divorce me just like that? I thought you said you loved me more than anything in this world!"

Danica laughed.

The audacity for him to say that while he was shamelessly balls deep in someone else at a fucking banquet.

She stood up, grabbing her bag.

"I'm done trying to reason with you. You'll be hearing from my lawyer."

As she turned to leave, Gary got up and grabbed her hand.

He forcefully turned her around to face him.

"I'll talk to my mother, okay. I'll settle whatever conflict there is between you two."

Danica roughly tugged her hand away from his.

"I'm no longer interested in you! I'm not interested in being your wife anymore. Is that so hard for you to understand?" Danica lashed out.

Gary glared at her.

Yeah, that was pretty much hard for him to accept because he had been certain Danica would remain his docile housewife for life, the one who barely complains while he does whatever he likes.

He was used to her doing whatever she was told, he was used to her obeying and pleasing him so seeing his wife standing her ground was shocking and unbelievable to him.

"Like I said, the divorce papers would be sent to you so you had better sign it asap or else, I'll drag your ass to court and demand half of your property! You better sign it while I'm being nice." She warned.

That totally enraged Gary, he grabbed Danica by the hand and stormed off, pulling her with him.

"What are you.let me go!" Danica tried to struggle with him but his grip was too strong.

Seeing he was headed for the restroom, she tried harder to fight him off.

Worst.there was no one around the hallway.

He pushed her into the restroom and shut the door, standing before it.

Danica panted, not liking the look on his eyes at all.

"I tried to be nice! I tried to be gentle but if it's this way you want. You'll get it! You're mine, Danica. I'm the only one who can say when this marriage can end or not! Until then, you stay mine and it seems I need to remind you of that."

Her eyes dilated on seeing him take off his jacket.

"HELP! HELP ME!" Danica yelled, frantically at the top of her lungs as she tried to reach for the door and get out but she couldn't fight off his strength.

He tackled her to the floor and tore off her shirt.

"A divorce! How can you ask that?! I'm going to fuck that thought out of your head."

"Don't touch me, you fucking animal! Get off me! HELP ME!" She continued screaming, refusing to give in.

Even as he tried to seize her legs, she kept kicking at him and throwing hands at him, hitting and scratching at his face.

Gary grabbed her both hands and pinned them above her head.

"Will you fucking calm down?! I am your husband. This is my right!"

She spat on his face and hissed. "I'll rather die than ever sleep with you!"

Speechless, Gary gasped. "You."

She continued to screamed for help and struggled with him but he also had no plans of giving up until he had her.

Suddenly, a loud sound was heard behind them and the door came crashing down.

Before Gary could see the person, a punch landed on his face first sending him to the floor and off Danica's body.

Danica quickly scurried to the side, crying and hugging her knees.

Wincing in pain, Gary turned and saw Donovan.

"Mr.Mr Buford?"

"Mr Finnegan, so you're a fucking rapist?" Donovan asked, bluntly.

Gary swallowed. He was well aware of Donovan's position in the Buford family. It was literally a dream for any company to get any investment from the Ford Group. Not to mention the Buford family's great affluence.

No one wanted to be on their bad side and he also didn't want to be seen as a rapist either. Donovan was a freaking lawyer.

Clearing his throat and swallowing the pain from the punch, he smiled and let out in a friendly tone.

"What do you mean rapist, Mr Buford? This is my wife and we were having a little.you know."

"I heard cries for help and her reaction right now says otherwise." Donovan replied, gesturing at Danica.

"That's how she is.She just said she wasn't in the mood. You know how women can be sometimes." Gary fruitlessly tried to defend himself.

"And you were forcing her?" Donovan pressed, his eyes growing icy by the second.

Gary couldn't understand why Donovan looked so angry. Granted, he was a lawyer and may be all about granting justice to people but Gary felt he looked so mad, he doesn't even know Danica.

Still trying to be as polite as possible, Gary let out.

"Mr Buford, like I said, this is just a simple matter between husband and wife. This doesn't have to be blown out of proportion, especially regarding someone you don't know."

Donovan cocked an eyebrow.

"So it's wrong to help people you don't know now?"

Gary was at a loss for words at this point.

With how notorious Donovan's personality was rumored to be, he was the last person to come to the defense of others, especially strangers or did he.?

"Do you know my wife?" Gary asked, curiously.

"I do. I guess she didn't tell you. Danica here is my new assistant. What kind of husband are you if you don't know the basic things about your wife?"

Gary swallowed, his eyes darting to Danica and then at Donovan.

When did Danica become Donovan's assistant?

"Let me inform you that your actions today is domestic assault and you tried committing marital rape. Based on your own words that she's always been like this, it means you've already committed such crimes several times and so."

"No.no. I swear I've never taken her by force before. You can ask her. I will never hurt my wife." Gary let out in a rush.

He didn't want to be thrown in jail.

And worse, sent to jail by a Buford meant there would be no way out.

At that moment, his cellphone rang out.

Gary quickly pulled it out and picked up on seeing it was his mother.

"Son, where are you?! Don't tell me you left with that tramp?!"

Seeing an opportunity to leave this tight situation, Gary grabbed onto it.

"I'm on my way."

Hanging up, he hurriedly said to Donovan.

"Something happened to my mother. I have to go." Quickly, he hurried out of the restroom.

The restroom fell into silence. Danica had stopped crying now and she wondered how she kept getting caught up in this kind of awkward situations with Donovan.

She didn't know if this was coincidental and frankly it didn't matter at the moment.

She felt grateful that he had saved her. The thought of Gary touching her made her skin crawl.

She blinked when she heard footsteps getting closer and then a jacket was draped around her.

"Are you okay?" His voice sounded surprisingly soft.

Danica slowly looked up at him and nodded.

"Thank you."

She wore the jacket properly as she slowly stood up.

That douche, Gary had ruined her shirt.

For a moment, she felt Donovan staring at her intently.

"Mr Buford." She called, slowly.

He blinked and then stuff his hand into his pocket.

"Let me take you home." He offered.

She slowly shook her head. "No. You've done enough for me already. I can see myself to an hotel close by."

He nodded, curtly.

*******

Just as they walked out of the building, Donovan's voice sounded behind her.

"Be my assistant for real."

Danica turned to face him, surprised by his offer.

"Why?"

"You'd clearly need a lawyer for a smooth process for your divorce. Plus, I have always admired your debating skills from college. I think you would do well in the law field."

Danica didn't know how to feel about this. "I think I can handle my divorce process myself."

"Can you? I mean, we both saw how feral your husband can be back there."

Danica knew he was right.

Plus, she also noticed the way Gary seemed to be scared of Donovan.

Having Donovan take her case or be her backing would surely give her an edge over Gary.

But then, she still felt skeptical about this.

"I'm sorry if this comes off as rude, I just.I'm not used to getting such help. What's in it for you? Why do you want to help me?"

"Hmmm.I am in need of an assistant at the moment and I think you're capable of that role. But if you don't want to, it's fine."

Danica weighed her options at the moment. It would definitely be at her best interest to work for him.

"Okay, I accept. I'll be your assistant."

He nodded. "Be at Moon Tower tomorrow by 9:am."

**************

Sitting up on the hospital bed, Martha smiled at the young lady peeling an apple for her.

Ever since she found out that Jenifer was Gary's mistress, she had gotten more hostile to Danica, hoping to drive her away as soon as possible so that Jenifer could become the wife.

Martha felt Jenifer was more deserving of her son. Jenifer was the daughter of the deputy mayor in the city.

Her social status was far higher than that of Danica's.

She had done everything possible the past three years to ensure Danica didn't conceive for her son. Sure, she liked using Danica as a slave but that was all.

She had been against the marriage from the last and had sworn that the likes of Danica would never bear a Finnegan.

Jenifer here deserved her son and deserved to conceive his child.

If anyone should be the mistress, it should be Danica.

Why couldn't her son see that?