Chapter 142: I’m A Feminist

Chapter 142: I’m A Feminist Diva stopped cold, her gaze swinging from Jax — flustered and red-faced beside the door — to Mari, standing barefoot in pajamas in the middle of the room. Diva’s eyes narrowed instantly. "What the hell is going on here?" she snapped, her voice sharp. "Nothing that should concern you," Jax said coldly. "Both of you. Get out of my room." Diva’s glare locked onto Mari. "Why are you in my man’s room?" Mari arched a brow and shrugged. "Why do you need me to spell it out for you? I slept in it." Diva’s mouth dropped. "You slept here? On his bed?" "Yep. With him," Mari said with a sweet smile. Jax shot her a glare that could melt steel while Diva gasped and turned to Jax. "Is it true?" "Get. Out." he yelled, fists clenched at his sides. Mari was slightly startled at his tone, "Oopsie. Someone is in a foul mood," she said as she sashayed out of the room. "Jax—" Diva took one look at his face and walked out of the room. She chased after her and caught up with her by the staircase. "Wait! You don’t just walk away. What were you doing in his bed?" Mari spun around to face her. "I told you. I slept." "Why did you sleep there? What happened to your own bed in your room?!" Mari gave her a bored look and shrugged. "I was bored. Came to find him so we could see a movie together. Slept off. Simple." "Slept off? Why would you sleep off on his bed?" Mari smiled wickedly. "Because I wanted to. I think I like sleeping next to Jax." Diva’s nostrils flared. "Did anything happen between you two?" Mari smirked. "What do you think? Can a man and a woman who is unrelated by blood sleep in the same bed and nothing happen?" She asked, ruling out Jamal, whom she had crashed on his bed several times. He was her brother, blood or not. Diva’s fists curled. "Stay away from him. I’ve been with him for three years." Mari laughed. "You’ve been wasting your time and emotions having casual sex with him for three years, you mean? If you were dating him, I would have. But you’re not. You’re just a sex partner to him. And Jax doesn’t even want to be more than that with you." Diva stepped closer. "Do you have a death wish?" Mari leaned in, her voice like velvet. "Where did you leave it?" "Leave what?" Diva asked, her brows pulled together in confusion. "Your pride and sense of self worth." Mari smiled. "You should go look for it and pick it up from wherever you dropped it when you decided to stay with a man who wants only your body and nothing more." Diva’s face twisted. "And who says he doesn’t want something more? All he needs is time. His feelings will come around." Mari scoffed, "Three years is not enough time? You’re beautiful, Diva. Stop wasting your time and emotions pining on unrequited love." "Yeah, right. You mean I should leave him so you can have him, don’t you?" Diva asked, and Mari laughed. "I’ll have him whether you leave him or not. I’m advising you to leave him because I don’t want you to get hurt. I’m looking out for a sister..." "I’m not your sister," Diva snapped. "Alright. I’m looking out for a fellow girl. Girl to girl, or call it women supporting women or whatever. I’m a feminist. I don’t like the way Jax talks to you. Haven’t you noticed? He’s always rude to you. If he cared about you, wouldn’t he have felt remorseful to you that you caught me in his room? Yet he asked you to get out with me. No apology. No remorse. You deserve better," Mari said, reaching out a hand to tap Diva’s shoulder. Diva rolled her eyes as she shrugged off Mari’s hand, "He asked you to get out too. He doesn’t want you." Mari waved that off like it was nothing, "Only because he was flustered because he dreamt of me." "Did he say he dreamt of you?" Diva asked, narrowing her eyes. "Ask him not me," Mari said sweetly. "Did Jax say he wants you?" Diva asked through clenched teeth. "Not yet. But trust me... he will. And it won’t take me three years. I’ll help you get your revenge on him, don’t worry and go in peace." Diva clenched her fist. "I’m not letting you have him." Mari rolled her eyes and shook her head, "You really cannot advise a woman in unrequited love. Do what you want then." "I plan to. I’m moving in," Diva declared. Mari stepped back with a grin. "Perfect. The house has been so boring without any drama. I’m going to enjoy your company." Diva glared at her like she was ready to pounce, but Mari only grinned and walked away. Diva stormed back to the room to meet Jax. Inside the room, Jax sat frozen on the edge of his bed, his face buried in his hands as the storm inside of him churned harder with every breath. He couldn’t shake the feel of her— Mari’s warmth pressed against him, her voice whispering his name like it belonged to her. It was all too vivid. Like the dream had intertwined with reality and the lust had seeped into his veins and taken root. He wondered if this had happened because he had been dreaming of her a lot. How could she have come into his room to sleep on his bed? How did she even know he had dreamt of her? Was she a witch? Maybe she was. How else could he explain why he felt this way? What the hell was wrong with him? He clenched his jaw, trying to will it away. A soft knock tapped against his door before it creaked open. He didn’t raise his head. He didn’t need to. "Jax?" Diva’s voice was gentle, hesitant. "Can I come in?" He let out a long breath. "I guess." She stepped inside, the door closing behind her with a soft click. "I just got back from Varis. You disappeared without a word to me. I was worried," she said quietly. Jax nodded once, not trusting himself to speak yet. "Lots of renown collectors were present and many were interested in your works and kept asking to see you. The curator said all your works were sold," she added with a small smile. He finally raised his head to look at her. Diva stood in a black two piece suit, her hair loosely tied, face mildly made up and vulnerable. "I’m sorry," he said hoarsely, not giving any explanation. "For?" "For leaving without a word to you. Thanks for taking care of things in my absence. I heard from the curator." "Someone had to step in." Diva studied him for a beat. "Why did you leave, Jax? What’s going on?" Jax looked away. "Nothing. I was just exhausted." "Exhausted?" Diva watched him for a while without speaking. The silence between them stretched, taut and uncomfortable. Then she caught a glimpse of something red peeking out from under a pillow. Her face shifted as she went to the bed, and Jax followed her movement wondering what she was up to. Diva stepped back, the color draining from her face as she picked up the thong. "Who did you fuck?" she asked slowly. "Was it Mari?" Jax frowned when he saw the thong. When did that get there? That little witch! "I didn’t have sex with her." "You didn’t? But you let her sleep here? In your bed? Right next to you?" She asked as she dropped the thong on the bed. "No, I didn’t let her," Jax sighed. "She snuck in while I was sleeping. I didn’t know until I woke up." Diva folded her arms, hurt flashing in her eyes. "I know you, Jax. You’re a light sleeper. How could you not have known when she came into your room or got on your bed?" "I was EXHAUSTED and knocked out! You know very well that I haven’t had a decent sleep for two weeks because I was trying to finish up the paintings in time for the show." "So, you admit that you had sex with her..." "When did I admit that?" Jax asked, exasperated. "What was that doing under your pillow?" Diva asked, and Jax shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "She might have missed it when packing up the undies I got..." he trailed off when he saw her eyes widen and he realized how that sounded. "You got her undies? And she had to come get them from your room? On your bed? Did she try them on for your approval too?" "I had to get her clothes and underwear. If either you or Venita had handled it, I wouldn’t have had to do it, would I?" He asked defensively. "So she comes and goes from your bedroom however and whenever she pleases but I’m not allowed to," Diva said, and Jax sighed but said nothing. Diva stared at him, her eyes hurt. "Did you touch her?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. He hesitated too long. His silence screamed the truth. "Oh my God," she breathed. "Jax..." "I didn’t mean for that to happen. I thought she was you." "You thought she was me?" Diva asked increasingly, "How?" "I wasn’t fully conscious, okay? I was dreaming and—" "Dreaming of me or her?" she snapped. Jax winced but said nothing. Diva gave a hollow laugh. "You can’t even say it, can you? So she was telling the truth? You were dreaming about her." "I didn’t ask for it," he said. "I didn’t want any of it to happen, okay?" "But it did," she said, voice cracking. "I bet you were thinking about her a lot. I trusted you. You said you were only going to keep her here because her father..." "Can you stop?" Jax cut her off as he got off the bed and he ran a hand through his hair, "I can’t deal with this right now. Leave me alone." "No, I can’t leave you alone. We’ve been together for three years, and I deserve some explanation. If you’re cheating on me..." "Cheating? We are not in that kind of relationship, Diva. Can you stop making it sound like we are? We had an agreement. If you no longer feel up to it, let’s end this now. I can’t deal with this possessive and jealous attitude. I’m stressed enough already," Jax said irritably. Diva stared at him for a moment and crossed her arms in front of her defiantly. "I’m staying here with you until she leaves." "Suit yourself. But if you add to my stress, I’m throwing you out."