Chapter 2: STRANGER'S COMFORT

EMMA'S POV

I tried to make it through the rest of the day at work, but my mind wouldn’t stop replaying what I saw in Daniel’s office. Veronica’s laughter, her hand on his arm, the way he didn’t pull away—it all haunted me. I stared at my computer screen for hours, unable to focus on anything. When the clock struck five, I grabbed my bag and headed home, hoping the familiar comfort of our house would ease my turmoil.

As I stepped inside, I noticed the lights were on. Daniel was already home. My heart clenched. Maybe this was my chance to talk to him, to confront him about what I saw and get the truth. I set my bag down and took a deep breath, preparing myself for the conversation. But then, something caught my eye.

Clothes were scattered across the floor of the living room—Daniel’s shirt, a pair of pants—and then, there it was. A bra. Not mine. My breath hitched as dread pooled in my stomach.

I stood frozen for a moment, trying to convince myself that I was jumping to conclusions, that there had to be some logical explanation. But then I heard it. Faint moans coming from upstairs. My heart started pounding.

No. It couldn’t be.

I forced my feet to move, following the sound as it grew louder. Every step felt heavier than the last. When I reached the bedroom door, the door to our room, my hands trembled. I pushed it open without knocking, and what I saw made my world crumble.

There they were—Daniel and Veronica tangled together on our bed, in a position I didn’t even want to name. The room smelled of sweat and betrayal.

“Oh, I thought you’d left finally,” Veronica said, her voice casual, like she wasn’t half-naked and dripping with sweat.

Daniel’s face turned pale as he locked eyes with me. I could hear his heartbeat, loud and panicked, as though it echoed in the room. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t even try to cover himself.

I stood there, frozen, unable to process what was happening. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions—anger, pain, disbelief.

"Are you going to leave or are you just going to stay there and watch us continue?" Veronica asked with a smirk, brushing back a strand of her messy hair.

Her words cut through me like a knife. I turned my gaze to Daniel, waiting for him to say something, to deny this, to explain. But he remained silent. His guilt was written all over his face, and that silence hurt more than anything he could have said.

“I’m done with all this, Daniel,” I finally said, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and heartbreak.

I left the room and went to the sitting room to pick up my bag. I stepped out of the house and then to my car. I drove the car out of the compound, moving through the street without no destination. My mind raced with thoughts and emotions I couldn’t process. Everything felt unreal, like I was living a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. Before I knew it, I had headed to a familiar bar—the one I used to visit with friends before Daniel’s wedding, back when life felt easier.

I walked in and hardly caused a fuss, observing the people around me. I walked over to the bar and sat down, barely aware of my movements. As I approached the bartender, I said in a blank voice, “Whiskey.” I needed something to ease the pain inside me.

He slid the glass toward me, and I took a sip, tasting the burn as it went down. Glass after glass, warmth spread through me, relieving the tightness in my chest and numbing the edges of my pain.

I had just raised my glass for another sip when a voice next to me said, “Why is a woman beautiful as you doing here?”

I turned to see a man sitting beside me. He was well-dressed, confident, and at ease, with a warmth in his eyes that caught me off guard. I hadn’t even noticed him sitting down.

I managed a small, tired smile. “I think this is where I’m meant to be tonight,” I replied.

He tilted his head, studying me with genuine curiosity. “Rough night?”

“You could say that,” I said, my voice trembling slightly.

He ordered a whiskey and turned back to me. “My name is Simeon, by the way.”

“Emma,” I replied.

“Emma,” he repeated, raising his glass to me. “I don’t know what brought you here tonight, but if it helps, you’ve got a friendly stranger willing to listen.”

I laughed despite myself. There was something comforting about him, something that made me feel at ease. “I’m not sure you want to hear this.”

He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. “Try me.”

And the words flowed out. I told him everything—how I discovered Daniel’s betrayal, the lies, the heartbreak, everything I thought I had locked away inside. Simeon listened quietly, his eyes focused, and for the first time all day, I felt truly seen.

When I finished, he held me. It was unexpected, and at first, I froze, surprised by the sudden warmth and comfort of his embrace. But gradually, I allowed myself to relax into it. He held me gently, offering a kindness I hadn't realized I needed.

"Emma," he murmured in a low voice, "you don't deserve to be hurt like that."

I looked up at him and then pulled back slightly. There was something lingering in the air between us. Without thinking, I leaned forward, and before I knew it, my lips met his in a soft kiss. The world seemed to fall away-grief, betrayal, everything slipping into the background.

I quickly pulled back, shame washing over me. "I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

But Simeon smiled, his eyes warm. "Don't apologize." He cupped my cheek and gently pressed his lips to mine again, drawing me back in.

This time, I let go of everything I'd been holding onto and allowed myself to lose myself in the moment. For a brief, beautiful instant, I felt free.

Suddenly, the bartender's voice pulled me back to reality. "There's a room for that," he said, wiping a glass and giving us a pointed look.

For a moment, I felt embarrassed, but then I realized I didn't want to be. The night passed easily, Daniel fading further from my mind with every moment. At that point, I needed Simeon-his warmth, his comfort, his presence. It all felt like a lifeline I hadn't known I was missing.

I glanced at Simeon, and he seemed to read my mind. He looked at me questioningly, and I nodded. Without another word, he took my hand, and we left, the bartender's keys jingling in his grip.

As he opened the door, he lifted me up from the ground and then unzipped my cloth as if this wasn't his first time. His hand was so cold as he grabbed my left breast. The way he sucks it took me to another realm. I couldn't keep my voice down because he was hitting me at the right spot. And at that moment, I had the thought of divorcing Daniel, there was nothing to fix anymore.