CHAPTER 004

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 sweet smile.

"Come and try Jason's cooking. I'm sure it's delicious."

With that, she took the food to the table, like a hostess.

“Good morning darling, I was making breakfast but Laura wanted to help. It's turning out pretty impressive.

Laura flashed me a bright smile, her eyes twinkling with a bit of mischief.

“We've been cooking for a while now. Jason's cooking is amazing but he does need some guidance.”

I felt my heart tighten. I wanted to ask Jason why he didn't come home last night and what Laura was doing in our home but I couldn't.

“Jason always cooks for me so I'm sure without your assistance his meal would taste nice,” I said in a low tone.

Laura's smile didn't falter.

“Well, then you have me to thank for that. I remember when we were abroad, I had to teach him step by step. He was pretty clueless at first but with time he picked up.”

Her words stung more than I expected. It wasn't just the acknowledgment of their past but the way she spoke casually about it.

We sat down for breakfast and Laura kept on talking about the sweet memories she shared with Jason, her voice full of nostalgia. 

I felt like she was deliberately trying to draw out the details of their past relationship to spite me and she won because each word felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

Laura said something that took my breath away.

“You know Jason has always taken good care of me. Even on your wedding night, he left you just because I argued with my husband.”

The room felt like it had frozen. My fork fell from my hand clattering onto the plate.

I vaguely remember that I sat on the balcony and waited all night.

On the wedding night, he left his newly married wife and went out without a care.

I thought it was a big deal, worried about his safety, and wondered if I had made him unhappy while expecting him to come home early.

I was only 23 years old at the time, and I married someone I had loved for many years.

How could I not have expectations for marriage and him?

But it was not until today that I found out that when I was waiting for him to come home with hope, he was with another woman.

All this seemed like a joke.

I looked at Jason trying to read his reaction. 

I had never known why he had disappeared that night and I had never asked. I had buried the pain but now it was all coming back raw and unbearable.

Jason's expression darkened, his smile vanishing. “Can you stop talking about the past?” he said sharply, slamming the table with his fist, his voice cold.

Laura blinked momentarily taken aback, her eyes which were glowing with excitement now flashed with a mix of hurt and confusion.

“Why are you reacting like this? What's wrong?”

Jason glared at her, “You are being childish and willful. There are things you should not say in front of my wife.”

Laura's eyes welled up with tears, her voice trembling. “You've never yelled at me before. Why are you being like this now?”

I watched their exchange my mind racing. I was both relieved and unsettled.

On one hand, Jason's reaction seemed to indicate that he was distancing himself from their past. 

But on the other hand, I was scared that his coldness meant that there were still unresolved feelings or issues between them.

Jason's next words were like a cold slap on Laura's face. 

“I'll have my assistant arrange for you to be taken home. If you need anything contact him directly instead of coming to me.”

Laura's face turned red with anger, her hands shaking.

“Fine, I won't bother you anymore. Whether I live or die, it's none of your concern.”

Jason's face remained impassive, he didn't move nor offer a word of comfort or regret. He just nodded stiffly, his eyes avoiding hers.

I had expected him to soften to show some hint of the man who cared for Laura in the past but instead, he slapped her with cold words.

Laura stormed out, slamming the doors behind her.

The silence that followed was almost deafening. I felt a storm of emotions. Jason's eyes met mine, I saw something in them I couldn't quite place, perhaps regret or guilt.

“I'm sorry you had to see that,” he said quietly.

I nodded unable to find my voice instead I turned back to the table staring at my untouched breakfast. 

My mind was crowded with thoughts trying to make sense of everything that had just transpired. 

Did he just draw a line with Laura and remove her from the picture?