THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS

"I want a divorce!" declared Shawn as he flung a pile of documents on the dressing table.

"In your dreams," Kathleen retorted.

"Then wait and see what I'll do to you, you'll beg to die after I'm done with you," threatened Shawn in a cold steely voice.

"I'm not giving you any divorce. Not until I am proven innocent. You can't destroy my life this way," Kathleen stubbornly threw back.

"What? Your life was destroyed the day you decided to cheat on me with that good for nothing low life."

Each of Shawn's remarks felt like a sharp knife cutting deep into Kathleen's heart.

"I've told you repeatedly that nothing happened between us. I was set up and you know the one behind it," Kathleen cried out, a note of desperation in her voice.

"Yeah! Indeed you were set up," sneered Shawn, "… and I guess your victim will be none other than Linda, right?"

"I must say Kathleen, you're quite good at lying and scheming."

Shawn chuckled to himself and continued, "I never expected you'd degenerate to this level. I sincerely thought you were different and would always be faithful but you have disappointed me in no small measure. You have proven that you are nothing but a cheap slut, Kathleen. No wonder nobody wants you, and I don't want to see you ever again," Shawn said with disgust.

Kathleen was astounded and found it hard to believe that Shawn would think of her in such a despicable way, even going as far as reminding her of the past she was desperately trying to put behind her. She can take anything from anyone but her past was a sensitive matter that cannot be overlooked.

She started shaking uncontrollably as a wave of violent fury erupted within her, she tried to calm herself down but her hand clearly had a mind of its own.

"Smack!!!" A loud sound echoed in the room as the slap landed on Shawn's face leaving a crimson patch on his left cheek almost immediately.

For a split second, there was no reaction; you could hear a pin drop at the silence that ensued.

Shawn wasn't expecting Kathleen to be so brave to the extent of slapping him because throughout the period of their engagement and after they eventually got married she had never raised her voice at him. Even when they had disagreements, Kathleen would rather apologize or withdraw to cry than argue with him.

While Shawn was still immersed in shock, Kathleen took a step back, raised her head and gazed defiantly into his dumbstruck blue eyes.

All of a sudden, Shawn's eyes narrowed into slits. "How dare you Kathleen? Are you seriously courting death?" he roared ferociously.

He seemed to have been possessed by the devil as he viciously pulled Kathleen up by her shirt collar against his chest.

"Nobody…, I repeat nobody dares go against me. Not even you! Whoever does, I crush to pieces." His eyes darkened with killing intent.

His grip on Kathleen's collar intensified and she started to choke, finding it difficult to breathe. She attempted to force his hands open, but of course she was no match for him. Instead, his grip on her neck tightened.

Little demons from hell seemed to be dancing around Shawn's eyes as he growled in a strange voice. From his expression, one can see that he was fighting an internal battle.

Kathleen, who has never seen this side of Shawn before, was scared stiff. Her whole body was covered in thick beads of cold sweat and she was losing strength gradually; eventually, her hands dropped limply to her sides.

Just when she thought Shawn would snap her neck and end it all, he abruptly let go and she stumbled backward, struck the wall and slid to the ground completely listless, panting heavily.

"I'm giving you only forty-eight hours before the end of the week to sign the divorce paper and to disappear from my life for good."

The door slammed with a loud bang as Shawn stormed out of the house.

Her perfect world came crashing down the moment she heard the door slam.

"It's all over!"

She gently massaged her neck, it was very painful but not as terrible as the wound in her heart.

What really hurt was that she had believed he truly loved her.

'I must have been a fool to ever imagine he would believe me. But come to think of it, how can I, a nameless nobody, without any background or someone to call a parent, capture the heart of the Almighty Shawn Hudson; the sole heir and president of Hudson Corporations? Of course I have been living in a fool's paradise.'

Kathleen laughed in self derision and a lone drop of tear slipped out of the corner of her left eye.

She has been married to Shawn for over a year now and they've been so much in love, or so she thought until this incident forcefully opened her eyes to the bitter truth.

She always believed they could weather any storm together on the strength of their love despite the opposition they were facing from his family who had already chosen Linda Beazell: the only daughter of the Chairman of the Beazell Group as a bride for him. They were betrothed to each other on his tenth birthday.

When Shawn's mother knew about their secret marriage, all hell had been let loose.

She did all she could to separate them and even threatened to disown Shawn if he didn't end the marriage but it was to no avail as Shawn repeatedly claimed Kathleen was the love of his life and didn't mind sacrificing everything for their love. Even when she had brought up the issue of her family background, Shawn still insisted it didn't matter and would always treat her as his queen

Who would have thought that all those promises and declarations of undying love will be swept under the carpet and forgotten so soon.

Kathleen closed her eyes in despair and the events of the previous day came flooding back.