I stared at my reflection in the mirror and was finally satisfied. After what felt like hours of frantic searching, I had finally found a dress that would perfectly complement the earrings.
Yes, those earrings – the ones I discovered hidden in Jason's pocket this morning.
A pair of delicate and luxurious pearl earrings adorned with diamonds
It was created by my favorite designer, Kokichi Mikimoto, one of only five such earrings in the world.
Jason is so thoughtful that he would secretly buy the jewelry I like and give it to me as a surprise on our wedding anniversary.
Yes, I was sure he would give this gift to me tonight.
I kept checking my dress and makeup in the mirror, and couldn't help imagining how stunning I would look in those earrings.
My hands smoothed down the fabric of the dress, which clung to my body in a way it hadn't just a few weeks ago.
I turned to the side, my eyes drawn to the slight, but unmistakable curve of my abdomen. A secret I had yet to share with anyone, least of all Jason.
Finally, after three years of marriage, Jason and I were going to be parents.
This was the moment I had been waiting for, the news that would make tonight's anniversary dinner with Jason even more special.
I placed my hands on my lower abdomen and the smile on my face grew even wider.
Jason and I have been together since college. I feel very lucky to be married to such a wonderful man.
Although Jason is not great at expressing himself and rarely shows his emotions, I still think our marriage is happy.
I went to get my phone, intending to ask Jason if he could come home early tonight.
But a striking piece of news forced me to click on it.
In the video, under the countless camera flashes, the elegant man in a neatly tailored black coat was very familiar to me, that was my husband.
And next to him was a charming lady, whom I had never seen before.
"The CEO of Devine Corporation appeared at the airport, with his secret GIRLFRIEND."
I felt every single word of that title taunting me.
I held my cold hands together, trying to regain my composure from the shock.
I couldn't see the face of the woman in the video from the camera's angle. Therefore, I felt that their relationship might not be what it seemed.
I decided not to speculate until he explained everything to me. We have been married for three years, trust is the basis, isn't it?
I heard the soft click on the front door and hurried over. Jason was wearing a brown trenchcoat looking even more handsome than in the video.
“Hey babe, welcome back.” I helped him take off his coat and took his bag.
I played along and pretended not to have seen the video.
“How was your day?” I asked.
“Hectic as usual but went smoothly. Why are you all dressed up? Are you going out this late?”
“Huh! You don't remember?” I couldn't hide the disappointment in my voice.
He looked at me with a puzzled expression. “Remember what?”
“What day it is, babe,” I pouted.
I led him to the dining table hoping he was just pretending not to remember but he still had that puzzled expression when he saw the table setting.
My heart sank.
“Stop joking dear. It's our anniversary. I know you just want to surprise me.”
I started to feel ridiculous. It was so obvious that he didn't even remember our anniversary, but I still wanted to give him another chance, or maybe give myself another chance.
Jason rubbed the back of his neck apologetically.
“I'm sorry Ava I have been preoccupied lately with work, it slipped my mind that today was our anniversary but I promise to make it up to you.”
“What do you want? Anything at all just mention it and I will get it for you in the blink of an eye.”
I stared at him intently, “Come on, I saw the pair of earrings this morning. Why don't you take it out and put it on me.”
Jason tilted his head quizzically. “Which earrings?”
I looked at his perfectly handsome face under the light and suddenly felt that I had never really gotten to know him.
Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted everything. He strode towards the door and I followed behind him curious to know who was visiting this late at night.
As he opened the door a young lady hugged him and said with the sweetest voice, “Why haven't you gotten ready? I'm starving.”
I recognized that voice. It was the same as the lady in the news.
Confusion and disbelief swirled within me as I stared at Jason and stared back at this stranger holding his arm intimately.
I glared at the lady intensely and my eyes were fixed on the sparkling diamond in her earlobe.
The earrings she wore bore a striking resemblance to the one I found in Jason's closet which I thought were my anniversary gift.
My heart skipped a beat.
The lady turned to me with a saccharine smile. “Oh, you must be his wife! Nice to meet you. I'm Laura Martinez. He always talks about you.”
“I just got divorced today, so I asked Jason to have dinner with me to celebrate. I'll borrow him tonight, thank you!”
Hearing the woman's words I looked at Jason expecting an explanation instead I noticed he was putting his coat back on.
“Jason…” I stared at him in disbelief.
Jason glanced at me, an uncomfortable look crossing his face.
“Ava, I'm sorry. Maybe we can celebrate another time. I promise I'll be back soon.”
“But it's our anniversary,” I protested weakly, feeling lost and betrayed.
“I even made your fav….”
Before I could finish my statement, the door was slammed in my face.
He left with Laura leaving me standing by the doorway with a shattered heart.
I tried to understand and piece together what had just happened, it still felt like a dream to me.
Who was Laura, and why was she wearing those earrings? Did Jason give them to her? How could he go out with another woman on our anniversary day?
This was the first time Jason had ever forgotten our anniversary, so don't blame me for overthinking.
I took the pregnancy test results out of my pocket. Tears threatened to spill over but I blinked them back.
What went wrong with my marriage?
I can't risk Jason knowing about my baby until I figure this out, so I stuffed the results into the deepest compartment of my bag.
I retreated into the empty house that suddenly felt cold and desolate.
Liar.He said he would be back soon, but I was alone in the empty room all night.I couldn’t stop thinking about this as I dragged myself to Devine Corporation where I work. The company is owned by Jason's family and Jason is the CEO and my boss.Each step felt heavy as I walked through the corridors that once felt comforting. Now they seemed filled with echoes of unanswered questions.My best friend and colleague Sally Grey greeted me with concern as she entered my office right after me. “Ava, are you okay? You don't look well.”Forcing a smile, I nodded. "I'm fine, just tired."She eyes me skeptical but decides not to press further. “Well, you'll be pleased to hear that today they're announcing the new design director. It has to be you, Ava. You've worked so hard for it. Congratulations in advance babe.”“Thanks, Sally. I appreciate your support.”I am somewhat calm because I knew the position would be mine. Jason had assured me and I was ready to take on the responsibilities of t
I couldn't believe what I had just heard, Laura's words echoed in my ears like a thunderclap. I could feel my chest growing so tight that it became difficult for me to breathe.“You left me and married him, claiming he was the love of your life, so right now I don't care if you got divorced because of me or not.” Jason retorted, his voice laced with bitterness.Every word felt like a needle piercing my heart.“I was young and confused Jason. I'm sorry for the hurt I caused you back then. I thought I loved him but I never did, it was after I married him that I realized I left gold for bronze. Jason, it's you my heart beats for.” Laura sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks.I was breathless, eager to know how Jason would react to the pitiful Laura in front of him, but I was also afraid that his answer would make me a complete loser in our marriage.“It's too late Laura, I'm married.” Jason declared.I watched in a daze, hoping for something. I wanted to see Jason break free from Laur
The house was quiet as I slowly woke up, the soft hum of the morning light filtering through the curtains. I noticed the other side of the bed was empty and showed no signs of Jason coming in last night. I felt a pang of sadness within me as different wild thoughts ran through my head.The silence of the atmosphere was interrupted by a burst of laughter.I frowned, as I slipped out of bed and followed the sound, the laughter grew louder and mingled with the clinking of dishes.Pushing open the kitchen door I met a scene that stung more than a slap. Jason and Laura were standing at the counter their movement in perfect harmony like they had practiced this routine a thousand times.Laura leaned closer to Jason her hands brushing his as they worked together.Jason who always seemed so reserved was laughing at something Laura said. His laughter was so rich and genuine, a sound I hadn't heard often.A pang of jealousy pierced my heart."Good morning, Ava." Laura noticed me and showed a sw
The days that followed Laura's departure were strange. Jason became more loving and attentive towards me. He cooked for me, bought me flowers, and even took a leave of absence from work to spend quality time with me.It felt like the early days of our relationship. I felt that he was trying to compensate me for all the agony I had undergone during these past recent months. He could not have been more successful.After getting home from work, Jason changed his clothes and went to prepare dinner.And I rested on the couch and watched him busy in the kitchen.He was tall and handsome, and the sunset shone on him through the windows, creating a light halo that removed some of his coldness.He lowered his eyes slightly, and his hands with distinct bony fingers handled the ingredients skillfully.This scene gave me a feeling of peace.“What’s wrong?”He turned around and asked me in a gentle voice.“Babe, will you be able to accompany me to the hospital tomorrow for a check-up?”I decided t
I regained consciousness in a hospital bed feeling dazed and confused. The room was well-lit, and the clean scent of disinfectant overwhelmed my senses, almost suffocating me.My pulse quickened as the accident flashed back into my memory, vivid and harsh.The baby was my first concern. Fear took hold of me as I touched my belly, dreading the worst.“Hey, easy there,” came a familiar voice breaking through my racing thoughts.It was Sally sitting beside my bed. Her presence gave me a bit of comfort, but I got more anxious when I remembered I hadn't told her about my pregnancy. The weight of keeping this secret felt like a big rock was stuck in my throat.She saw the fear in my eyes and helped me lie back down on the bed, putting her hand on my arm. “Don't worry. The baby is fine," she said in a calm and reassuring voice, but I could tell she was worried too.Her words brought me relief but also made me feel guilty. I hadn't planned to reveal my pregnancy like this to her, especiall