TMUW 2 - Iris

"Hi," I greeted him as he sat down. "Alone?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I'm with someone. They're in the restroom, they might be coming back soon," I replied.

"Can we s—"

"Husband... My husband is with me," I cut him off.

He nodded and they excused themselves, leaving me alone. I forced a small smile and rested my head on the sofa's armrest. It was going to be an early morning tomorrow. I already felt tired.

It felt like just a while ago I wanted to grow up quickly, and now I wished I could go back to being a child, coloring in coloring books at home.

As the alcohol started to take effect, I decided it was time to head home. I would be driving. I didn't want to return home, but I had no other choice. Plus, my uniforms were there. I hadn't brought any clothes with me.

I looked at the house in front of me. The lights were on, and the place was bustling with life. It was late at night, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was already inside.

I let out a sigh and walked in. I almost stumbled, thrown off balance. Thankfully, I managed to grab the stair railing to steady myself.

I pressed my forehead and closed my eyes. The alcohol seemed to be hitting me quite hard.

My forehead wrinkled as I heard laughter from upstairs. I climbed a few more steps up the staircase. It felt as though there was glue on my feet, making it difficult to lift them.

They were laughing together as if they were in their own happy world.

"I love you. I can't wait to marry you," Iris said.

It was hard for me to leave my spot, almost as if I was rooted there, as their lips met. Even if I averted my gaze, I couldn't escape the sight.

"Me too," Lucas replied after pulling away from her.

I felt like the ground had given way beneath me. Not even two days had passed since I left, and this was already happening? There were still more painful memories buried there.

I shifted my gaze as they caught sight of me on the stairs. I ended up feeling embarrassed, as if I had no right to be upset. I was the one feeling ashamed that I might be intruding on them.

"Hi, Aurora!" Iris greeted.

I tried to smile, but I couldn't manage it. I dared to look at Lucas, hoping he would feel some shame for what he had done, especially inside our own home, but I found no remorse in his eyes—only irritation.

I nodded at Iris. "I'm going upstairs," I said, not waiting for her response.

I hurried away and closed the door behind me.

I bit my lower lip and let out a sigh. The sides of my eyes started to heat up. A lump formed in my throat.

What did I do in my past life? Is my sin so great that I must endure this? Will I be plagued with headaches every day?

I fought back tears, questioning whether I deserved everything that was happening to me. Did I deserve the trials and tribulations? Did I deserve all this suffering?

"Stop, Aurora. Let him be. Remember how you wanted this? Let him be the one insisting on a divorce, so you won't have to struggle to explain to your parents why you separated," I spoke to myself.

"Do you still not want this? After seven years, you'll finally be free. Your headaches will lessen. The bruises you get will diminish. You won't have to be a slave to someone who never respected you. Don't you want that, Aurora?" I asked myself.

I wiped away the tears that streamed down my face, carrying a mix of pain, anger, frustration, and emotions I couldn't even put into words.

I sat behind the door for minutes before moving to the bed. Sleep wasn't visiting me tonight. I wasn't hit with tiredness as I had been a while ago.

I checked the time on the wall. It was getting late. I wondered how I would manage to work tomorrow. I just hoped I wouldn't make a mess and get scolded again.

I intended to drink water, but my water dispenser was empty. I had my tumbler with me, so I went downstairs to refill it. The surroundings were quiet now, and it seemed like Lucas had fallen asleep. I wasn't sure if Iris was still here or if she had left.

The only sound was the water being poured into my tumbler. I purposely didn't turn on the lights. Fortunately, the inside of the tumbler was stainless steel, so it helped keep the water cool.

This was what I always brought to work, although it was quite noisy when dropped or bumped, thanks to the stainless steel.

I puffed my cheeks upon seeing the cupcake in the fridge. I wasn't able to touch it, of course. It wasn't mine. Ultimately, I went back upstairs.

My eyebrows furrowed when I heard noises from Lucas's room. I was cautious as I approached the door, I pressed my left ear against it, trying to hear better. I was curious about what was going on inside.

I could hear what sounded like conversation. It seemed they were watching something on TV and had forgotten to turn it off. I was about to ignore it, but then I thought that Lucas might not get a peaceful sleep if it was left on.

I quietly opened the door, and the TV was indeed on. I didn't bother turning on the light in my annoyance, fearing that Lucas might wake up. What caught me off guard, however, was seeing Lucas and Iris in a compromising position on his bed.

"Lucas..." it's Iris. "Faster..." she moaned.

I quickly covered my mouth to stifle any noise, but in an unfortunate mishap, the tumbler I was holding slipped from my hand and made a loud sound as it fell.

"What the fuck!" Lucas shouted.

Fear coursed through me as Lucas's gaze immediately turned in my direction. I swallowed hard and hurriedly left the scene. I didn't bother picking up my tumbler, as it had rolled away and I had no idea where it ended up.

My heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it would burst out of my chest as I locked the door to my own room. I know that he wouldn't be able to enter here since I held the key to my room. He had no interest in my room, so he didn't have a spare key either.