Golden Handcuffs, Farewell To Jude

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For five years, our marriage was a secret. I begged my billionaire husband to accompany me to a high school reunion, but he spent the whole night thirsty for my former classmates' attention.

Since then, every single night, those women have been coming to our house. They linger in our bed with Jude, their moans echoing through the walls.

I was forced to listen to every disgusting sound.

"She's like a dead fish in bed. She's only good for serving tea and acting like a maid," Jude's voice would drift out, cold and mocking.

Sienna Reed, the girl who used to bully me, became a regular in Jude's bed. As she dressed one morning, she sneered at me.

"I used to be jealous that you married into money, Alara. But now? I should thank you for sharing the wealth. Your husband is quite the catch."

I looked down at my phone. I had just received a notification from the hospital. My father was dead.

A bitter, tearful smile touched my lips.

Finally, I could break these golden handcuffs. I was finally leaving Jude Sterling for good.

"Alara! Where the hell is my coffee? Why isn't it here yet?"

Jude's roar exploded from behind me.

I sat in my lounge chair, staring at an old photo of my father and me on my tablet. I didn't even look at him.

In the next second, the tablet was ripped violently from my hands.

Jude stood there in a loose gym tank top. The dark red hickeys on his neck were glaringly obvious.

He glanced at the photo and let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

"Staring at a picture isn't going to make your old man get better, Alara."

"Don't forget, if it wasn't for my money, he'd have been in the ground years ago!"

"Stop acting like you have a backbone and go brew my coffee. Now!"

He tossed the tablet back at me.

The hard edge of the device slammed into my forehead. I hissed in pain as a sharp ache throbbed behind my eyes.

Jude didn't show a hint of remorse. He just turned on his heel and walked away.

Watching his retreating back, I couldn't help but think of high school.

Back then, my father was healthy, and life was simple.

Jude had short, clean-cut hair and eyes that sparkled with something like kindness.

He used to blush when he handed me his physics notes, quietly asking me to explain the lab steps.

After I helped him, he'd pull a small bag of my favorite snacks from behind his back like a magic trick.

With a shy, boyish grin, he'd turn and run off like the wind.

His silhouette used to be the highlight of my day. I never imagined our future would turn into this nightmare.

"Jude, honey, won't Alara be upset?"

"Given our history, it's probably a bit inappropriate for me to be staying here for coffee."

Sienna sat close to Jude on the sofa, her arm hooked firmly through his. She looked at me with a triumphant smirk.

Lately, women had been cycling through this house like a revolving door.

But they were all fleeting. None of them stayed the night.

Except for Sienna.

Jude wrapped his arm around Sienna's waist and gave me a look of pure disdain.

"She doesn't have the right to be upset."

"Besides, with what we just did, what's a cup of coffee? Are you telling me you want to hit it and quit it?"

Jude tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her flush against him.

Sienna tilted her head back, wrapping her arms around his neck to give him a lingering kiss.

"Don't be silly. I'm not that kind of girl."

"I'm more than happy to spend every second with a man as incredible as you."

I stood there, watching my husband be intimate with another woman.

My heart was eerily quiet. It felt like a stagnant pond, unable to produce even a single ripple of emotion.

Or perhaps, the news of my father's death had already turned me into a ghost.

"Alara! Why are you standing there looking like a zombie? Who are you trying to guilt-trip!"

Jude's bark snapped me back to reality.

I looked at him silently, trying to find a trace of the boy I once loved. There was nothing left.

Sienna remained draped over him, her eyes filled with the same malice and mockery she'd had ten years ago.

I loathed Sienna Reed.

Since high school, she had targeted me, never hiding her cruelty.

Because of her, my teenage years were draped in a dark shadow.

And the root of it all? I was just a girl from a poor, single-parent home.

Jude had witnessed her bullying me many times back then.

He had even stepped in to protect me.

Now, choosing Sienna was his favorite way to punish me.

"If you want coffee, brew it yourself," I said with a cold smirk.

I walked straight toward the door, ignoring Jude's furious shouting behind me.

Since my father was gone, this marriageDbought and paid for with medical billsDno longer had a reason to exist.

Five years ago, my father, who had worked himself to the bone his whole life, was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

I was a fresh college grad. I couldn't even dream of affording the astronomical costs of his treatment.

My father refused to fight it. He didn't want to be a burden to me.

That was when Jude Sterling appeared. He promised to cover every cent of the medical bills and fly in the best specialists in the country.

The price? I had to marry him.

At the time, I thought Jude was an angel sent from above.

The day we got our marriage license, we stepped out of the courthouse.

I was nervous but grateful. I wanted to invite him to lunch to thank him.

But then, a woman walked up and threw her her arms around him, calling him "babe."

As I stared in shock, Jude's lips curled into a sneer.

"Alara, did you really think I've been pining for you all these years?"

"I only married you so I could destroy you!"

"I never forgot how you rejected me in front of everyone!"

"I'm going to pay you back for that humiliation, ten times over!"

His eyes were overflowing with hatred.

The sun was shining, but I felt a chill settle deep into my bones.

During our senior year, Jude had confessed his feelings to me in front of the entire class.

Looking at his shy, hopeful face, I wanted to say yes.

But Sienna was standing right behind him, her eyes burning with a murderous glint.

She had threatened me. She said if I ever dated Jude, she'd hire thugs to trash my father's small diner.

She promised to spread rumors that our food was contaminated, ensuring we'd never find work in this city again.

I couldn't risk my father's livelihood. I had to reject Jude.

After that day, Jude's attitude toward me flipped.

I never realized he had been nursing that grudge for a decade.

After we married, I tried to tell him the truth so many times.

But Jude never wanted to listen. Eventually, I stopped trying.

I rushed to the hospital and handled my father's final arrangements. By the time I was done, it was dark.

Before going home, I met with a lawyer and had the divorce papers drawn up.

Looking at the signed document in my hand, I hesitated for a moment before dialing a number I hadn't called in years.

The phone didn't even ring twice before it was picked up.

My hand tightened around the phone.

"Caleb? Is the offer to join your team still open?"

When I graduated, I was supposed to start a major research project with Caleb.

But my father's illness forced me to drop out.

I heard that Caleb had to carry the entire project alone because of my sudden departure. He had been exhausted.

I was terrified he'd say no.

Every second felt like an eternity.

When Caleb's voice finally came through, I felt like I had been granted a pardon.

"Come back, Alara. We've all been waiting for you."

My eyes stung with tears. After confirming the meeting time, I hung up.

Right after that, I booked a one-way flight out of the country for next week.

The moment the payment went through, Jude called.

After a moment of hesitation, I answered.

"What?"

"Alara, Sienna didn't bring a change of clothes. Go buy her some lingerie."

Jude's voice was strained and punctuated by heavy breathing.

I didn't need to guess what they were doing.

Before I could respond, Sienna's voice chirped in my ear.

"Make sure it's red lace, Alara! Jude loves seeing me in that style."

"You heard her! Go buy it now, and don't take all day!"

Jude hung up without giving me a chance to speak.

The boy I once adored had become a total stranger.

In the evening, I placed my father's ashes in the memorial garden.

Once everything was settled, I took an Uber back to Jude's mansion.

The house was blazing with lights, looking like a palace of sin.

As soon as I pushed the front door open, a crystal vase came flying at me. It smashed against my temple.

I clutched my bleeding forehead, the searing pain radiating through my skull.

Jude's voice hit me like a barrage of bullets.

"Alara! Where the hell have you been fooling around?"

"Where are the clothes I told you to buy? Where are they?"

"Answer me! Who do you think you are, trying to give me the silent treatment?"

I looked up, blood trickling down my cheek. My wound felt like it was on fire.

Jude's face was twisted in rage.

Sienna sat next to him, twirling her hair, looking annoyed that her fun had been interrupted.

"Don't be so mad, Jude. Maybe Alara is just jealous and throwing a tantrum."

"Her? She doesn't have the status to throw tantrums in my house."

Jude snorted with contempt. He glanced at the blood on my face for a split second before looking away with total indifference.

"I'll give you one last chance to make it up to me. Go to my room and wash all the clothes. By hand. Only hand-wash."

I didn't say a word. I just walked past them on shaky legs.

The bedroom smelled like a mixture of cheap perfume and sex.

Lingerie and toys were scattered across the floor, and torn stockings were draped over the headboard.

The sheets were a tangled mess, stained with the evidence of their afternoon.

The smell made my stomach churn. I felt like I was going to vomit.

Before I could even process the disgust, a wave of intense dizziness washed over me.

Right before I blacked out on the floor, I heard their voices from the living room.

"Let's go find some real fun tonight."

"I'll take you to that new exclusive club downtown. What do you think?"

"Will it be even more intense than what we just did? Oh, hubby, you're the best~"

I lay unconscious on that floor the entire night. No one came to check on me.

When I woke up the next morning, I drove myself to the hospital.

The doctor stitched my wound and put me on an IV drip.

It seemed that the lack of food combined with the trauma of my father's death had caused my blood pressure to plummet.

I never used to have health issues like this.

Life with my father was hard, but he cherished me.

But five years with Jude, suffering through his daily torment, had left me with chronic back pain and fainting spells.

Jude was an expert at finding ways to break me.

"RingD RingD"

My phone buzzed on the hospital bed. It was Jude.

"Alara! Where the hell are you hiding now?!"

"I told you to wash those clothes! They're still sitting there!"

"The room is a mess. Are you trying to die?"

I stayed silent, letting him scream until he ran out of breath.

When he finally stopped to pant, I spoke with a voice as cold as ice.

"Jude, I'm done being your puppet."

"That's it. We are finished."

I hung up before he could explode.

I had five days until my flight.

To get my personal things, I had to return to the mansion one last time.

After five years of marriage, I barely owned anything. Everything I cared about fit into a single backpack.

I didn't expect to run into Jude and Sienna on my way out.

Jude saw the bag on my shoulder and narrowed his eyes.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going out to buy some things."

I didn't plan on telling Jude I was leaving. Luckily, he didn't seem to care enough to press me.

Jude gave a cruel laugh, his eyes full of mockery.

"You acted so tough on the phone yesterday. I actually thought you wouldn't show your face again."

I thought to myself, 'You're right. I won't be showing it again very soon.'

My forehead throbbed under the bandage, but Jude didn't offer a single word of concern.

Sienna clung to his arm, her eyes flashing with a silent challenge.

I hesitated, wondering if I should tell Jude who she really was.

But he didn't give me the chance.

"What are you standing there for? You're an eyesore. Get lost!"

Jude shoved my shoulder as he stalked into the house.

Sienna scurried after him. As she passed me, she leaned in and whispered, "Alara, you can't win against me."

She laughed triumphantly and pressed herself against Jude as they headed toward the bedroom.

Three days left until my flight.

Jude spent fifty million dollars at an art auction to buy a famous painting.

I happened to see a video shared on social media by one of Sienna's friends.

It was a voice clip of Sienna bragging.

"Tell me, am I irresistible or what?"

"He dropped fifty million without even blinking. This man is so easy to manipulate."

Sienna's friends were gushing over her, calling her the ultimate queen.

I thought about it for a second and then forwarded the clip to Jude.

His response was a barrage of angry texts.

"Alara, what is wrong with you? Are you trying to drive a wedge between me and Sienna?"

"I'm happy to spend money to make her smile. What does that have to do with you?"

"Are you jealous? When you rejected me in front of everyone, did you ever imagine I'd be this rich?"

I didn't bother replying.

I had done what I could. If he wanted to be a fool, that wasn't my problem anymore.

One day left.

I saw photos on Facebook of Sienna's lavish birthday party.

"So jealous of my girl! This party is literally fit for a princess!"

"I heard there's going to be a huge engagement announcement tonight! God, when will it be my turn?"

Fine by me.

The title of Jude's wife belonged to the woman he actually loved. I was happy to hand it over.

On the day of my flight, I arrived at the airport early.

My screen lit up with a text from Jude. He was clearly in a blind rage.

"Alara! Where have you been sleeping the last few days?"

"You think you can just disappear? Who do you think you are?"

"You have ten minutes to get your ass home, or there will be hell to pay!"

I had already sent the divorce papers to his office via a courier.

He'd receive them today.

As for Sienna's birthday or engagement, it had nothing to do with me.

I pulled out my old SIM card, dropped it into a trash can, and boarded my flight to Germany.

Goodbye, Jude. Goodbye to everything here.