He handed me a box of art books. The same limited-edition ones I mentioned a month ago. He’d remembered, of course. He always remembered the small things. The big ones? Never.
“Baby,” he said softly, wrapping his arms around me. His hand went to my stomach, automatically. “How’s the baby doing? Tomorrow’s your checkup. I’ll come with you, okay?”
I stepped out of his hold. “No need. You don’t have to anymore.”
His voice dropped, confused. “What do you mean? Are you feeling sick?”
One of the maids spoke up from behind us. “Sir, Miss Rosie hasn’t been eating much these past few days.”
He immediately loosened his tie. “I’ll cook. You’ll eat, alright? Just a little. I’ll make your favorites.”
He said it like I was a child. Like if he was gentle enough, I’d forget the bruises his indifference left on me.
He turned to the maids before leaving. “Watch her. Make sure she doesn’t bump into anything.”
The maids giggled when he walked out.
“He’s so caring.”
“She’s so lucky. That’s the kind of husband every woman wants.”
I stood there, staring at the door he’d walked through, feeling something hollow inside me twist and curl. Once, I believed I was lucky too. I thought I’d found someone who would never hurt me.
Now I understand.
I was just the shadow he loved because she wasn’t there.
The doorbell rang the moment Dominic’s car disappeared down the street. I thought maybe he’d forgotten something, so I wiped my eyes, forced myself to stand straight, and went to open it.
But it wasn’t him.
It was her.
A woman stood there, tall, graceful, holding a fancy pastry box with a pink ribbon tied around it.
“Hi,” she said, tilting her head a little. “I’m Loriana. We’ve been talking.”
Her name hit me like a punch, but I didn’t say anything. My mouth just went dry.
She kept smiling, though her eyes were full of amusement. “Dominic’s been so kind to me lately. I wanted to make him something special to say thank you. Since I’m already here, you won’t shut the door on me, right? You’re not that kind of wife.”
Before I could even breathe out a word, she brushed past me and walked right in, her heels clicking on the marble floor like she owned the place.
“Wow,” she said, looking around. “It hasn’t changed much. I almost forgot how beautiful this house was.”