CHAPTER 002 OLIVIAS POV MybodyfeltheavyasIwokeupthenextday,theeventsoflastnightcamefloodingback.AdrianscruelwordsechoedinmyheadlikeanoiseIjustcouldnt getridof.EvenafterIconfrontedhimaboutwhoDorawashejustsnatchedhisphoneandlefttheroomwithoutgivingmeanyexplanation,leavingmewithabrokenheart.
ButIcouldntconcludeyet,Adrianmightnotreallybecheatingonme,thetextmessagewasntenoughevidence.
Butonethingwascertain,Iwasdetermined tofind outwhoDorawas.
Isatupslowly,theacheinmychestsharperthanever.Ireachedformyphoneandcheckedthetime.Itwas 9:30am.
Myheartsank.
Iwasneveronetowakeup late,butIguesstheemotionalhurtIexperiencedthepreviousnighthadclearly drained me.
Igrippedtheedgeofthebedtosteadymyself.Yourehiswife,Iremindedmyself.Youmadevows.Youcantgiveupyet.
+decidedtomakebreakfast for Adrian.Ideceivedmy brain into thinkingthat ifIkeptontryingAdrianwouldonedaynoticemyefforts.
WhenIsteppedintothe kitchen,Martha,ourhousekeeper,wasalreadythere,hummingsoftlyasshewhiskedeggsinabowl.
Shelookedupwhensheheardmeenter.Goodmorning,Mrs.Westwood, shegreetedpolitely,though concern flickeredinher eyes.Youreuplatetoday.ShouldIpreparebreakfastforyouandMr.Westwood? Ishookmyhead.
No,Martha.Illhandleit.
Herbrowsfurrowed.
Areyousure?I… 1 Ijust…I want todothis myself today.Isaidsoftly,cutting her shortwithafaint smile.
Shehesitated buteventuallynodded.
Allright,maam.Illbe inthe garden ifyouneedme.
Iturnedto thestove,cooked an omelet,toastedbread,andpoured coffee.MaybeAdrianwouldappreciatethe effort,maybe he wouldseeIwastrying.
WhenAdrian appeared,hewas alreadydressedupforwork,hedidntevenglanceatme.He satatthe table,scrollingthroughhisphoneas ifIwerentthere.
I smallsmile spreadacrossmy face.I made breakfast.

approachedcautiously,settingtheplateinfrontofhim.Goodmosaid,a He didntlookup,but his handreached forthe fork.Istoodthere,watchinganxiously 1/4 CHAPTER002 ashetookabite.
Themomentthefoodtouchedhis tongue,hisexpressiontwistedindisgust.He spatitoutintoa napkin,glaringat me.
Whatis this?he yelled,pushingtheplateaway.
Its…Myvoice trembled.IthoughtIdmake youbreakfast.
Hestood,grabbingaglassofwaterandrinsing hismouth.Dontbother nexttime,hesaidcoldly.IfIwantedtodieof foodpoisoning,Id letyou know.
Ibitmylowerlipssohardinabidto suppressthepainhiswordscausedme.
After speaking,hegrabbedhisbriefcaseandstrodetowardthedoorwithoutanother word.
AndIbroke downintears.Mytearswere theonlythingthathasbeenconsistentinmy marriage.
IheardafootstepapproachingandIknewitwasMartha.Iquicklyusedthebackofmyhandstowipeoffmytears.
IknewMarthawas awareof thesituationinmymarriagebutIstillcouldntletherseemecry.Ididntwantto receivepity fromher,becausethatwouldhurtevenmore.
Marthaworea sympatheticlookassheapproached.Mr.Westwoodtold metoinformyou thatyoushouldbereadyby7pm.Hell pickyou upforthe gala.
Inodded,numb.Thegala.Ofcourse.Thatmusthavebeenwhyhecamehomelastnightsothatwecoulddeceivetheworld into believingthatwewerea perfectcouple.
It wasnt about me.Itwas neveraboutme.
Thethoughtcrushedme,but Iforcedmyself toremaincalm.
By6:45pm,Iwasready.Staringat myselfinthemirrorInoticedaslightchange inmybodybutIshruggedit off.
Iworeawhitegownthat hugged my figure.ItwasAdriansfavoritecolorthenwhenweweredating,thoughI doubtedhednoticeitthisevening.
Whenhearrived,hebarelyglancedatme.Letsgo,hesaidplainly,headingtowardthecar.
Myheart droppedtomystomach,stupidofmetobeexpectingacompliment.

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Theridetothegalawassilent,thetension inthe airwas so thickthatIfeltsuffocated.I was uncomfortableandfeeling abitnauseous.
Ineededfreshair soIwound downthecarwindow andstaredout,clutching mybagtightlyasItried tocalmthestorminsideme.
When wearrived,cameras flashed,capturingthe imageofusastheworldsperfectcouple.
Adriansteppedoutfirst,extending a hand tohelpme,acting like aperfecthusband 2/4 CHAPTER002 forthe camera.
Whatahypocrite heis! EveryonenevermissedachancetoremindmeofhowluckyIwas tomarry Adrian.
Lol,onlyiftheyknew whatIfacedinmy marriageeveryday.Thisisoneofthereasonsyoushouldntalwaysenvycoupleswhoseemsweetontheinternet.
Inside,theballroomglittered withchandeliersandlaughter,butIfeltinvisible.Adrianwasthecenterofattention,charming theguests withhischarismawhileItrailedbehindhimlike ashadow.
Nooneacknowledgedme.NooneaskedhowIwasdoing.
Itwas asifIdidntexist.
I wasabouttoexcusemyselfto theladiesroomwhenavoicecutthroughthehumofconversation.
Adrian! Iturnedtowardthesourceofthevoice.Shewasstunning,herredgownhuggedher curvesinalltherightplaces.Herradiantsmile littheroomandImustadmit she lookedlikeshehad juststeppedoutofamagazine.
Iwontlie,Ifelt slightlyintimidated.
Adriansfacelitupinaway Ihadntseeninthreeyears.Dora,hesaid,histonewarm,almost affectionate.
My breathceased.
Dora? CoulditbetheDorafromthetextmessagelastnight?The onehewentonavacationwith? Myheartracedinmychest,Istaredatthem,mystomachchurning.
Adriandidntevenbotherintroducingme.
Adrian,Isaidsoftly,hopingtoremind himofmy existence.
Butheignoredmecompletelyand pretended asifhedidnthearmecallouthis name.

Heleanedcloser toDoraandwhisperedsomethingin herears,andshelaughed,thesoundcausedasharppaininmychest.
Sherestedherhand onAdriansarminawaythatmademybloodboil.
Youhavent changed atall,sheteased.Stillsocharming.
Andyoureas beautiful asever,Adrianreplied,hissmilegenuineasmileIhadntseenor hadevenbeendirectedatmeinyears.
Itwasasifaknifehad been driveninto mychestand was continuouslybeingtwistedasIwatched them chat.
Theychatted likelovers,herhand lingered on hisarm,hergaze filledwithsomething 3/4 CHAPTER 002 possessive.
Istood there,aghost,astheyflirtedopenlyandIcouldnt doanything aboutit.Andithurts.
Doraglanced atme,herlipscurlingintoaslysmirk.Oh,Adrian,Ididntrealizeyouhadcompany.
Huh…Shedidntnotice?EvenatoddlerwouldknowIwashiscompany.
I turnedtowardsAdrian hopingtohearhisresponsebuthisresponsewaslikeapunchtomyface.
Shesjusthereforthegala,nothing more,hesaiddismissively.
Justhereforthegala? Dorassmirkdeepened.Oh…well,Adrian.Sinceyoudont have anycompany,whydon twefindsomewherequiettocontinue our discussion?Itssonoisyhere.
Adriandidnthesitate.Thatsoundslikeagoodidea.
I couldntbelievemy ears,washegoingtoleavemeherealone? No,hecant!He knowsIdontknow anyoneheresohemightaskmetojointhem.
Adrianturnedtomebriefly.Bookaridehome,hesaid coldly.
1felt myheartshatterintoamillionpieces rightatthatspot.
Andwiththat,hewalkedaway,Doras handonhisarm,leavingmestandingtherein themiddleofthe crowdedroomwhereIknewnoone.
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