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Chapter 18 An Unnecessary Casualty
Ava had fallen asleep before we could reach home. After parking the car, Matthew went to pick her up and carry her to the room. Once he tucked her in, I got ready to bathe.Meanwhile, Matthew’s phone kept buzzing, and he would glance at it before hanging up. He seemed uneasy; I knew it was because he wouldn’t dare answer it when I was around.I took a change of clothes and my phone to the bathroom. After placing my things aside, I turned on the water and left the door slightly ajar to listen for any movement outside. As expected, I heard Matthew speaking into the phone hushedly.Since that was the case, I called Ivanna and only heard the busy tone. It confirmed my suspicion that Matthew was talking to her on the phone.My hands trembled with anger as I showered hastily and left the bathroom. Matthew heard my footsteps and quickly disconnected the call. He entered the room from the balcony and feigned ignorance, saying, “Hey, honey, are you done?”He faked a smile and took the towe
Chapter 19 Smooth-Talker
The phone call shocked Matthew and me. His eyes narrowed, while mine grew sharper as I looked at him and demanded, “Answer it!”Matthew froze again.“You will answer this call in front of me if you have any conscience left. I’ll give you one last chance!” I stared at him, holding my still-crying daughter close.After a while, I straightened up and continued, “I used to believe my husband would never betray me, even in a world full of lies. You’ve let me down.”I finally uttered the words I never wanted to face. I never expected the concept of betrayal to affect us too. I cried as the words left my mouth. My cries mixed with Ava’s in a symphony of heartache and brokenness.Matthew slowly took his phone, and the ringtone was even more jarring in the tense atmosphere. I looked at my motionless husband staring at me. Gradually, his fingers clenched into a fist as I growled through gritted teeth, “Answer it!”Matthew glanced at the phone and said, “I-It’s Melanie.”"Answer it!" Regar
Chapter 20 An Excellent Opportunity
I glanced at the incessantly ringing phone, unsure how to describe my emotions. The timing was impeccable because she called just as Matthew left. I knew he must’ve called her and reported the situation as soon as he left.I calmly answered the call, "Yes, Ivanna?""What are you up to? Is Ava okay?" Ivanna sounded like she was in a great mood.Of course, she would be in a great mood. She must be taking advantage of last night’s argument between Matthew and me."It seems like you're free today to call me so early in the morning. " There was a hint of sarcasm in my tone."Well, I'm not a robot. Even I need to recharge and maintain myself!" Ivanna laughed. "Let's go out.""Ava isn't at school yet, so I'm just playing with her at home," I replied."Oh? That's great. Bring her along so I can spoil her a little. Since you weren't in a good mood last time, I didn't dare to talk to her for long," Ivanna teased me.After some thought, I figured the opportunity was too good to pass up. S
Chapter 21 My Best Friend's Keys
After touring around her house, I felt a bit disappointed. There wasn't even a pair of men's slippers in her place.I suspect she had tidied up since it took her two hours to come and pick us up. It was enough time for her to hide any evidence. I figured she had thought things through.Ivanna prepared a few snacks for Ava, perhaps because she sensed how distracted I was. She then turned on the TV, played a cartoon, and sat beside me. Soon after, she began to scrutinize me, making me feel uncomfortable. Then, she patted my hand, saying, "Let it out."My heart raced, and I looked at her defensively while withdrawing my hand. "Let what out?""Share what's on your mind," Ivanna encouraged as if trying to coax me.I sneered before saying, "What's on my mind? What do you mean?"I saw her mouth twitch. After a moment of silence, she stood up abruptly. "You stay here and play with Ava. I'll make something for you two to eat."After removing her coat and changing clothes, she went into
Chapter 22 Who Was That Woman?
I was in disbelief because the two keys didn’t match. I doubted myself then and wondered if I had wrongly accused Ivanna. Was Matthew seeing someone else, or did he have another trick with those keys?I didn’t expect this or know if I should feel relieved or frustrated. My mind went blank as a strange feeling crept into me. I suddenly felt the need to turn around and was startled as Ivanna calmly stood behind me.“Did you find what you were looking for?” She sounded like she had planned this whole thing.My lips trembled as I looked at Ivanna and felt I could no longer read her. Of course, I was embarrassed when she exposed me. Still, I stood tall and locked eyes with her, saying, “What are you trying to say, Ivanna? Why did you lie to me? What’s going on between you and Matthew?”Her calm demeanor caught me off guard, provoking my anger and embarrassment."I've never lied to you. I know what you're referring to. You want to talk about that day I saw Matthew at the teahouse." Ivan
Chapter 23 Recruiting Allies
Ivanna shook her head, saying, "The surveillance footage I got was too blurry. Also, I couldn't see the woman's face because Matthew's arms blocked her face.""Do you have the footage now?" I asked.She quickly sent me the footage, and I saw many people on the street that night. Matthew’s figure in the video was fleeting. He wore the same overcoat I had ironed for him, making his tall figure stand out in the crowd.His left arm was around a woman in a pink top. His large frame obscured her figure, so I zoomed in on the footage, but it made no difference. I still couldn’t make out the woman’s face."He's quite the schemer," I said as my tears clouded my vision.Ivanna silently approached and sat beside me before putting her arm around my shoulder. I held the phone, choking on my tears as I said, "That night, I saw his figure on a live stream on TikTok. I sent him the video link immediately."I paused, tried to calm down, and spoke again. "Matt found a restaurant, removed his jacke
Chapter 24 Vanished Into Thin Air
Sure enough, Matthew soon came to the office.With a composed smile, I asked, "Did Johnson call you? Where were you so early in the morning?""Yes, he called me. He said you were coming to work, and I was surprised you didn't mention it last night." He removed his coat, hung it up, and then looked at me. "I just went to check out a construction site on the way here."I explained, “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I felt a bit free after sending Ava to daycare.”Meanwhile, Matthew approached and sat beside me. "I thought about something on the way back. You can go to the general office if you insist on working. I think it suits you well. It's flexible, no pressure, and it's also good to have someone overseeing company matters.""No, I'm going to the marketing department. That's where I'm best suited," I rejected Matthew’s arrangement, expressing my thoughts and seeming stubborn.I understood Matthew's intention to send me to the general office. It was just a nominal position,
Chapter 25 A Business Trip in Operose
I redialed Matthew’s number, but a mechanical voice informed me that the call couldn’t connect. I squatted in frustration, but the thought of my daughter’s fever struck me. Then I gritted my teeth, forced myself to stand, and returned to the lobby.I tried calling Ivanna when I arrived, but her phone was off too. I paced around in panic and wondered where those two could’ve gone. At that moment, I felt like my pleas were falling on deaf ears.Ultimately, I reluctantly called my in-laws. Although it was past one in the morning, and I didn’t want to disturb them, I had no other option. Sure enough, my mother-in-law answered and sounded alarmed, “Chlo? What’s wrong? It’s so late. Is something wrong?”I had trouble answering her question but soon apologized and told her about Ava’s high fever and that I had no cash. My in-laws said they would rush to the hospital and quickly hung up. When they arrived, the doctor had already put Ava on an IV drip and diagnosed her with acute pneumonia.