01
“Selene, you misunderstood. Marina had a bit of low blood sugar. I just helped her for a second.”
“Really?” I replied, my voice flat. “You’re so helpful, aren’t you?”
“Selene, just wait in the car. I’ll be there soon.”
I hung up and leaned back in the car, closing my eyes to rest.
It wasn’t long before he came back.
One side of his face was flushed, and there was blood at the corner of his mouth. It looked like Marina must’ve bitten him when he tried to kiss her.
I handed him a tissue.
“You’re bleeding.”
Lucian glanced at himself in the mirror and forced a smile.
“I must’ve bumped into something,” he said, trying to brush it off.
This wasn’t the first time he’d lied to me. Every time he was guilty, he’d give me that same fake smile.
I gave him a look, unfazed.
“Did you bump into Marina’s teeth?”
His face stiffened, and a flash of irritation crossed his features before he spoke again.
“Selene, don’t be so harsh. I already told you, she had low blood sugar, and I was just helping her for a moment. It’s not what you think.”
I didn’t reply, just closed my eyes and rested.
Once we got home, Lucian went to take a shower.
His phone, which had been lying on the table, suddenly buzzed.
It was a message from Marina, with a hotel location showing up on the screen.
I glanced at it but didn’t touch the phone.
His password used to be my birthday, but after he started getting cozy with the new intern, that password stopped working.
I had used a little influence to have the intern let go, and ever since, Lucian’s attitude toward me had shifted.
I didn’t expect that once one intern left, another woman would take her place.
Lies and deceit were like a slippery slope. Once you began, there was no turning back.
I suddenly felt so exhausted.
I took a nap on the couch, and when Lucian came out of the bathroom in his bathrobe, he grabbed his phone.
When he saw the message from Marina, he froze for a second, then glanced at me, looking a little uneasy.
“It’s late. Why are you still sitting here?” he asked, trying to sound casual.
“I’m just a bit tired. I took a short nap.”
Seeing I wasn’t upset, he seemed to relax a little.
He opened the phone, and when he saw the message, I noticed his lips curl into a small smile.
“Selene, there’s something urgent at the company. I need to go right away.”
“Okay,” I said, not looking up.
He seemed hesitant and came over to explain himself, almost too quickly, “It’s a problem with production scheduling. I need to go check it out
myself.”
As he spoke, he was already walking toward the closet to change.
By the time he came out, I was still sitting on the couch, unmoving. He slowly approached me and stood in front of me.
“Selene, you should get some rest. I’ll call you once I’m at the company.”
I rubbed my eyes tiredly. How much longer would have to pretend along with him?
I stood up, grabbed his coat from the couch, and handed it to him.
“It’s cold tonight. Wear this.”
Lucian looked at me, surprised. He hesitated for a moment before taking the coat from me.
“Selene…”
He suddenly pulled me closer, his voice softening as he looked at me with something like tenderness. “Stay at home. I’ll come back soon.”
Before he could say more, I interrupted him.
“Alright, go. Don’t be late.”
Thelped him into the coat and adjusted the collar just like I always did when he left for work
11:26 AM ·
I helped him into the coat and adjusted the collar, just like I always did when he left for work.
But in that moment, I knew.
As soon as he stepped out the door tonight, our marriage was finished.
