May's POV

It's been days.

Three days to be exact since George stormed out of the house, and my life was already in shambles.

His words rang deep in my heart, holding it like a vice and my messy life.

The small side business I had set up over the years had crumbled due to George's interference, telling me he was dead set on making me sign those documents.

Sitting in a cafe, I stared at the half empty cup of coffee in front of me, the slow rising steam hitting my skin. It made me almost laugh once I thought it was trying to warm me up.

That couldn't happen though. My heart was so much in pieces I couldn't even think of how to make it whole again.

For days on end I have been crying my eyes out, yet crying won't solve anything.

My gaze flickered to the papers in front of me, the steady voice of sergeant Lake hitting my ears as he tried to read out to me the reports of the investigation on the incident that happened five years ago.

“Mrs Salvador, I'll be honest with you when I say this.” He sighed, clearing the phlegm in his throat and sifting slightly on his chair. “Five years ago was a long time, and for some reason, there hasn't been any clues on who might have tampered with the security footage.”

That's right.

The footage in question was the one George had seen, and it had been tampered with.

The fact that George couldn't see that it was tampered with was worrying.

I anxiously gripped my cup, looking at the sergeant. “Can't your team do anything to restore it?”

“Sadly, no.” Sergeant Lake shook his head slightly, his gaze filled with sorrow. “But it's only temporary. You'll have to be patient if you want me to get the real footage back.”

My eyes dimmed at that.

Patience.

I didn't have time for that. Not when George was pressing for the divorce.

Early this morning, I had already received countless emails from websites notifying me that I had been pulled out of Salvador's family list.

Right now, I was this close to swimming in debt, all because of George.

The fact that he failed to believe a single word I said , still crushed my soul.

I raised my head, meeting the sergeant’s gaze. “Thank you for at least helping me.”

Over the past two days I had tried reaching out to other sergeants, but they all avoided me like a plague, and deep down I knew the only reason sergeant Lake was helping was to clear his name too.

Five years ago, he had been part of the cops who helped me in rescuing George, and my husband, the ever petty bastard, was targeting all those involved.

Sergeant Lake gave his signature smile, a ding popping in his phone causing him to fish for the device. “Hold up, it seems my hacker friend found something.”

I perked up, sitting straight, and grabbing his hands, the urge to snatch his phone present, but just then, the door of the cafe jingled.

The soft chime of the bell prompted heads to the door, as well as mine, but dread washed over me as three familiar figures walked in.

Silence reigned in the cafe. I couldn't blame them. It wasn't everyday you'd get to see three walking models walking together.

“Did you see this?” An older woman's sneer cut through the air, her haughty gaze sinking on me like I was a peasant beneath her feet. “I told you George that this girl was no good.”

I paled, slowly rising to my feet, as my mother-in-law's words caused a stir, but I couldn't focus on that, my focus was on George.

The scowl on his face as his gaze rested on my hands.

What were they doing here?

This cafe was miles from his company and the house.

My heart hammered widely in my chest, my throat clogging up at the time I needed to speak the most.

“Aren't you going to defend yourself?” My mother-in-law, Pamela sneered, her heels clicking softly on the ground. “You came here to meet your lover and inform him of your divorce to George, aren't you?”

“N–no,” I stammered, shaking my head wildly in panic.

“Don't misunderstand the situation madam,” sergeant Lake announced, his gaze turning serious as he stood up. “We are here only for business.”

“So businesses are handled in cafes?” Pamela laughed, her hands gently grabbing onto the silent lady that stood behind her. “Tell me Unice, how many times have you dealt or treated your clients to business with such gestures and settings?”

She was referring to me grabbing Lake's hand earlier. They had seen it.

Unice, the lady in question, stood with a poised elegance, her strawberry blonde hair styled in a side swept fringe, and her strikingly similar green eyes flickering to me.

Somehow, we had matched in outfits but the colours were different.

While I wore a red jumpsuit, hers was yellow, the color complimenting her skin tone.

Even the way she looked, shouted at me that I was a stand-in, and I was sure everyone could tell by now.

“Never Mrs Pamela.” Unice swiftly answered, her face with the same knowing smile as my mother-in-law's.

“Oh dear, call me mother.” Pamela gushed, sending me a glare in-between. “Did you hear that May? Why can't you be like Unice and stop embarrassing us? Must you portray your poor upbringing everywhere?”

I pursed my lips, my knuckles turning white as I stared at my mother-in-law.

Since the very first day George had proposed to marry me, she had always objected. I had no idea why she hated me that much, but this was too much.

Why wasn't George saying anything?

Why was he letting his mother create a scene here?

“That’s enough mother.” George finally said, his blue eyes passing over mine. “We only came here because Unice liked the pastries sold here. Whatever she does is none of my business.”

“Humph,” Pamela snorted, moving past me with Unice.

I felt George's gaze on my skin, his hot accusing stare burning at my heart more than it should have, but it did.

I should be angry, but why did I feel so conflicted?

I watched as they all walked to the counter, their backs turning to me as they ordered whatever they liked.

Looking at them here, they looked like the perfect family— a loving mother, the daughter-in-law and her son. What was missing was a child.

I let out a pained laugh, a tear slipping past my eye.

Just staring at them and I could tell how stupid I was in the past.

“Mrs Salvador?” Sergeant Lake's voice brought me from my haze. I blinked rapidly trying to get the rest of my tears to stay in my eyes. “Are you leaving?”

Sergeant Lake observed my face for a moment, before saying: “yes, but I'd rather we left together.”

“Oh,” I blinked slowly, forcing a smile. “Sure, why not.”

I didn't want to look pathetic, but God, I knew I already did.

What I wanted to do now was to escape and go cry in my bed.

I picked my bag, heading out the door with him, but just then, I felt a harsh grab on my arm. “Where do you think you are going?”