The Return of the Neglected Wife

I leaned back in my office chair, letting out a small sigh of satisfaction as I clicked through the finalized reports on my screen. Every detail of the quarter's performance showed growth, progress, and success. My company was thriving, and for the first time in years, I felt like I was standing on solid ground.

The shrill ring of my phone cut through the peaceful moment, and I glanced at the caller ID. Julian. A smile tugged at my lips as I picked up.

"Hey, you. Shouldn't you be knee-deep in depositions by now?" I teased.

His voice, however, was tense. "Malia, can we meet? It's urgent."

The smile faded from my face. "Of course. What's wrong?"

"I'd rather not get into it over the phone," he said tightly. "Dinner tonight? My place?"

"Okay. I'll bring wine," I replied, trying to inject some levity into the conversation. "I'll see you at seven."

As I hung up, unease settled over me. Julian rarely sounded so rattled. Something was off.

The evening came quickly, and I arrived at Julian's apartment, a bottle of his favorite red in hand. The moment he opened the door, I could tell something was seriously wrong. His usually warm expression was replaced with a stormy glare, and his body language was stiff and defensive.

"Hey," I said softly, stepping inside. "What's going on?"

He didn't respond immediately, just gestured for me to follow him into the living room. The tension was so thick it was almost suffocating. As I set the wine down on the coffee table, he finally turned to face me, his jaw clenched.

"Did you know?" he asked, his voice low but sharp.

"Know what?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"That Nixus has been sabotaging my career," he said, spitting the name like venom. "Did you know?"

The words hit me like a slap. "What? No! What are you talking about?"

Julian threw his hands up in frustration. "Come on, Malia. Don't play dumb. He's had his claws in every major case I've taken on in the last month. Clients pulling out, deals falling apart—my entire reputation is being dragged through the mud, and every lead points back to him."

I stared at him, my heart sinking. "Julian, I swear to you, I had no idea. Why would I ever support something like that? I know how hard you've worked for your career."

"Because he's your husband," Julian shot back, the word dripping with bitterness. "Or did you forget about that little detail?"

"That's not fair," I said, my voice trembling with frustration. "I didn't ask to still be tied to him. You know I've been trying to move on."

"Have you?" he challenged, stepping closer. "Because from where I'm standing, it seems like he's still running the show. He's everywhere, Malia—at dinners, at events, in my professional life. And the worst part? You don't seem to be doing anything to stop him."

"That's not true," I said, my temper flaring. "I've been doing everything I can to push him out of my life. Do you think it's easy for me to deal with him constantly showing up, trying to exert control? I hate it as much as you do!"

Julian scoffed, shaking his head. "If that's true, then why hasn't he signed the divorce papers? Why does he still think he owns you?"

"I don't know!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "I don't know why he won't let go, but that's not my fault."

He fell silent, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. "I can't keep doing this, Malia. I can't keep fighting a battle that you're not willing to fight yourself."

"That's not fair," I said again, my voice softer now. "I'm trying, Julian. I really am."

He looked at me, his expression pained. "Trying isn't enough. Not when your past keeps bleeding into my present."

The weight of his words settled heavily in the room, and I felt a sting of shame. He was right—no matter how much I wanted to move forward, Nixus always found a way to pull me back.

"I'll fix this," I said quietly, meeting his gaze. "I'll talk to Nixus. I'll make him stop."

Julian shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "You really think he's going to listen to you? He doesn't respect you, Malia. He never has."

The words hit harder than I expected, and I felt a lump rise in my throat. "I can handle him," I said firmly, though I wasn't sure if I believed it.

Julian sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I hope you're right. Because if this doesn't stop, I don't know if I can keep doing this. I can't keep watching him destroy everything I've worked for."

The ultimatum hung in the air like a dark cloud, and I realized just how precarious my situation had become. Nixus wasn't just ruining Julian's career—he was sabotaging my happiness, my future.

And I couldn't let him win.

The next morning, I sat in my office, staring at my phone. My thumb hovered over Nixus' contact, my stomach churning with anger and dread. I hated that I had to confront him, hated that he still had the power to disrupt my life.

With a deep breath, I hit "Call."

It rang twice before he picked up. "Malia," he said smoothly, his voice as infuriatingly confident as ever. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Cut the crap, Nixus," I snapped. "We need to talk."

"Oh, so formal," he teased. "And here I thought you missed me."

I ignored his jab. "I know what you've been doing to Julian. It ends now."

There was a brief pause before he replied, his tone laced with mock innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb," I said, my voice shaking with fury. "You've been sabotaging his cases, interfering with his clients. Do you have any idea how low that is?"

"Low?" he repeated, chuckling darkly. "Malia, darling, you should know by now that I'll do whatever it takes to protect what's mine."

"I am not yours," I said through gritted teeth. "We're done, Nixus. We've been done for years."

"Not according to the law," he said coolly. "As long as those papers remain unsigned, you're still my wife. And I don't take kindly to other men sniffing around what belongs to me."

The possessiveness in his voice made my skin crawl. "You're delusional," I said. "You don't own me, Nixus. You never did."

"Keep telling yourself that," he said, his voice cold and calculating. "But let me give you some advice, Malia. Stay away from Julian. He's not who you think he is."

"You don't get to decide who I'm with," I shot back. "And if you don't back off, I'll—"

"You'll what?" he interrupted, his tone mocking. "Take me to court? Expose me to the media? Be my guest, Malia. But we both know how that'll end. You're not as ruthless as I am. You never were."

His words were like a slap in the face, but I refused to let him see how deeply they cut. "You're right," I said, my voice steady. "I'm not like you. And thank God for that."

Before he could respond, I hung up, my hands trembling with anger. Nixus might have thought he could control me, but I was done playing by his rules.

If he wanted a war, he was going to get one. And this time, I wasn't backing down.