In deep sleep, I was startled awake by the sound of loud thunder outside. My phone on the bedside table buzzed several times, but I ignored it, annoyed and rolled over to continue sleeping.
Suddenly, I heard the door being pushed open. Frightened, I thought a thief had broken in.
Just as I was about to get up, I saw the soaked figure of Troy standing before me.
I rubbed my eyes, "Why are you back?"
Seeing me at home, he let out a long sigh of relief. Taking off his drenched coat, he rushed over to hug me, "Felicia, it's thundering outside. I remembered how scared you always are of thunder. So I rushed back from the hotel overnight."
His wet clothes touched my face, the cold dampness making me uncomfortable.
I subtly pushed him away, "You'll catch a cold. Go take a shower first."
For once, he smiled at me gently, "I'll join you later."
The sound of running water came from the bathroom, but I stared at the lightning and thunder outside the window, lost in thought.
Over the past three years, I had undergone countless IVF cycles and Troy had started leaving early and returning late. Sometimes, he didn't come home at all.
At first, I thought his work had simply gotten busier. Until one day, I found lingerie in our closet that didn't belong to me. And the condoms in the house inexplicably decreased.
Soon after, his secretary, Louise Clover, became increasingly brazen. Every so often, she would flaunt their 'love' on social media or subtly provoke me.
Now, I was tired of it all. The irony was that now, Troy remembered I was afraid of thunder.
Yet he didn't know that during countless unbearable nights, I had already learned how to endure the lightning and thunder alone.
I must have fallen asleep again, as I didn't notice when he finished his shower and came out.
He lay beside me in his bathrobe, trying to hug me from behind, his breath on my shoulder and neck growing warmer as he said, "Felicia … can we?"
I sat up and pushed him away. After composing myself, my gaze fell on the ambiguous marks under his collar and asked, "Did Louise not satisfy you?"
He froze, embarrassment flashing into anger on his face, "Felicia, can you stop being unreasonable? We haven't seen each other in days. Do you have to be so confrontational every time? I've told you, Louise is just my secretary. Taking care of my daily needs is her job! What's the point of you making a fuss every day?"