Her best friend openly showed her contempt and said, "What is your problem, Jerome? You’re just a blind man! Is there anything you can brag about? How dare you take your hand away from her."
Laura shot her a warning look to silence her. She picked up a glass of fruit tea from the coffee table and held it out to me.
“Come on, darling, smile for me,” she cooed. “It’s such a shame you can’t see. If you do, you'll recognize it as the place I proposed to you. Back then, I was madly in love with you.”
Her words dripped with nostalgia as she placed my hand against her cheek as her eyes turned red.
I knew she loved me in the past but now she shared that love with Jock.
Suddenly, the door burst open and Jock walked in. Seeing him, Laura, who just showed her love to me, looked at him with stars in her eyes.
He was wearing my tailored made suit. The same one that I wore on my and Laura's wedding day. He had stolen it himself, just as he had stolen everything else from me.
Seeing him come, Laura's friends rushed over, surrounded him and greeted him. They acted as if he was Laura's real husband. As for me? They treated me as an outsider. Luckily, I knew that and I also did not care.
Laura released my hand without a second thought and walked toward Jock. She had forgotten about my existence.
They both sat down. Laura perched herself on his lap while talking and laughing together.
Laura's friend teased her because she was afraid that I would understand their banter, she spoke in German with them.
"Please, don't say it in English. Otherwise, Jerome will know."
“Don’t worry! We all get it,” one of them replied.
Jock silenced her with a kiss, drawing gasps and cheers from the group. When they glanced at me, their eyes were filled with mock pity.
"This blind man, Jerome, is so pathetic. His wife and best friend are flaunting their love right in front of him and he’s clueless about it."
“Laura, aren’t you afraid he’ll catch on?” another friend asked. “You even brought Jock home! It’s such a thrill thing to do, but what if he finds out?”
Laura's lips were swollen from Jock’s kiss. “He won’t. I spend my days with him, my nights with Jock. I’ve got it all worked out.”
Her smug words immediately sent the group into fits of laughter.
"Laura is really brilliant."