I quietly contacted a lawyer, while my friend researched travel routes.
For the time being, we kept our plans to ourselves.
That evening, Simon came home with my favorite pastries.
He was affectionate as usual, complaining about his tiring day at the lab and how annoying the old scholars were.
Then he buried his big head in my lap, nuzzling me.
His voice and expression seemed normal, but what he didn't know was that I knew him too well.
Whenever he felt guilty, his ears would twitch slightly.
He was trying to gauge if I was angry.
If he had just explained himself directly, I might not have been so upset.
But he insisted on this charade.
Indeed, people change as they grow up.
No exceptions.
For the first time, I lay beside him in bed but couldn't sleep.
Listening to his breathing and looking at the night sky outside the window, my heart felt heavy and painful.
Simon and I had grown up together.
Our families were equally influential.
In school, he was always first, and I was second.
We were always the kids other parents bragged about.
When we finally got together and married, everyone said it was a perfect match.
I thought so too.
But after marriage, I realized I was wrong.
Besides me, he was always surrounded by many women – Ms. Sue today, Ms. Yates yesterday, Ms. Lewis the day before...
Although there was nothing substantial, he treated them as close female friends, which was enough to make me sick.
I've confronted him about this many times, but each time he brushed it off.
"They're just work relationships."
"Don't overthink it..."
"You're the only one in my heart..."
"Be good, Yara. Don't make a fuss. I'm tired."
He never truly addressed the issue.
It's rather sad, isn't it?
What else is there to hold onto?
My best friend and I were shopping for suitcases when we bumped into Cyrus' secretary.
She was browsing rings and smirked when she saw us.
"Ms. Key, hope you didn't fight with the CEO after our last encounter," she said with faux concern.
"Men have their careers, and we women should know our place. Wouldn't want to be replaced by someone younger and prettier, right?"
Her thinly veiled insults and hints about her relationship with Cyrus were infuriating.
Such provocation was intolerable.
Before my hot-headed friend could react, I stepped in and slapped the secretary hard.
"Pretty bold for a homewrecker," I snapped.
"What makes you think you can flaunt yourself in front of the wife?"