Chapter 5

She was hurt and couldn’t understand why Cage had gone to such lengths. The business would be even more adversely affected by the two men he had antagonized, and she wondered how she was supposed to fix it.

"He’s just too much for someone who can't afford anything and causes me trouble now and then. It might be better to just get a divorce because I'm really tired," she said.

"How about we go to a couples therapist? Lucy, you know how much I care about you. Please, let's not do this," he pleaded before she could walk away.

"Whatever! It might not change my mind, but I will if that’s what you want," she replied and took the stairs.

He sighed, stood on his feet, and headed out. He had thought of opening his studio that day. He hadn't been doing much for the family, as her mom would always say, but he decided that he was going to change that very soon.

Walking out of the mansion, he headed to the gate, striding toward the bus station. He paid for the bus with his wallet and took his seat, ruminating on everything. He realized that he had messed up and had fixated his focus on something he shouldn’t have.

A few hours later, he was at his studio, doing his paintings. Customers were patronizing him more than he had expected, impressed by his beautiful skills, and some even mistaking him for a professional artist.

While in the middle of drawing a portrait painting of his wife, she knocked on his sliding door. He quickly covered the painting and went out to meet her.

"You didn’t know we were going to the therapist's office?" she asked, eyeing his attire.

"Oh! Give me a few minutes; I'll be back," he said and entered the studio. A few minutes later, he returned, all cleaned up and ready to go.

Lucy handed him the key, and he drove them to the therapist's office. They arrived on time and were attended to immediately, sitting before a gentle lady who slowly went through their files.

“Welcome to your therapy session. I’m Annie, your therapist,” she introduced herself before delving further.

“Do you think divorce is the only solution right now, Mrs. Jones?” the lady asked Lucy.

“Yes, please. This is not going to work out anymore because it keeps getting worse each minute. Did he not think at all before doing things? Now I’m the one in a mess,” Lucy spilled out.

The therapist understood that Lucy was not only physically hurt but also emotionally so. Going through their details, she knew that marrying a poor man who had nothing to offer was often the worst.

"Mr. Jones, you should try to understand your wife better. She's trying her best to make things right, but it seems you’re walking in the opposite direction," Annie advised him.

“Why don’t you give it time, Mr. Jones? If after all this you still want to divorce, then you can go ahead with it,” Annie suggested to Lucy.

“Thank you!” she said and stood up, heading out without waiting for Cage. She felt like the therapist was making her the problem and didn’t understand what Cage had made her go through.

Cage and the therapist talked for a few more minutes before he left her office. Outside, he discovered that Lucy had already left and took another cab home.

At night, at Richard’s mansion, Cage walked to Lucy's room to call her out after preparing everything he planned in the garden. He knocked on the door a few times, and she opened it quickly.

“I want to show you something,” he said plainly since he didn’t exactly know where to start.

Lucy closed the door and opened it again a few minutes later, following him. The only reason she was doing this was because of the credit report she saw earlier. She didn’t know how he managed to do everything he had done; he had increased their security, and a man had reported to him that he would be his bodyguard. He had recently taken on more family responsibilities and paid for them. She had seen all the confirmation receipts on her phone since she had been the one to do it all before.

Arriving at the garden, he slowly guided her through the path of flower petals to the table. The food smelled delicious, and she couldn’t wait to take her seat.

“He’s a good cook,” Cage commented.

“Dine with me,” Cage said to her, and she took her seat.

They both ate in silence. Cage felt he should have been doing this all along and believed he was starting late, if not too late for him. He was going to set all issues aside and let her work come first without being a hindrance. If she still wanted a divorce later, he would respect her decision.

After finishing the meal, he brought out the beautiful painting he had drawn of her and showed it to her.

Lucy couldn’t utter a word but accepted the painting. It was a beautiful piece.

To regain her trust and love, he wasn’t going to give up just yet. But if that's what she still wanted in the end, he was going to respect her choice.

The two of them then headed back to the mansion, holding hands like teenage lovers does , while Lucy still had her mixed feelings.

***

Cage walks slowly to the door, he is expecting to see his mother-in-law's fierce face staring down at him again and yelling at him.

He frowned when Lucy stood by the door staring at him with some expression he couldn’t seem to understand.

“Here,” She said, bringing out a card from her bag, and staring at him with a little smile.

“Why would you give me this?” He frowned, unsure of what to say next exactly, he might not be rich but these days have been working for him well in his profession.