Chapter 1 - OTHER WOMAN

NATHALIE ANDEZA

I sat up immediately upon waking, worrying I might be late. I checked the wall clock and breathe of sighed in relief when I saw it wasn't noon, despite the sun was rising.

I headed to the kitchen to prepare and cook a breakfast for my majesty; my beloved husband, Nigel, who always leaves early for work.

The good thing is that, we don't have children yet, or I'll definitely be exhausted taking care for both of them. But, how can we have children, if nothing's happening between us?

Our parents arrange our marriage, despite of that, I loved him for a long time since high school. Unfortunately, he doesn't like and reciprocate my feelings.

I cooked a hearty breakfast because it was a special day for us. I designed the food with a heart shape and I put all of my love and devotion into it. Unfortunately, the man infront of me doesn't look like he appreciates it. He just continue munching his food without any care.

"Why you cook so much?"

Finally, he noticed something and so I took this opportunity to remind him. "It's because, today was a special day for us."

His brow frowned. "What is it?"

I felt disappointed by his remark. "Nigel, don't you remember what day is today? Have you really forgot?"

"I don't remember." He answered nonchalantly, then he stood up. "I'm off to work." And without any care, he leave just like that. He leaves like a stranger as if he didn't dine with his wife. Maybe if he's like other husband, he would thought to give me a peck before he leaves.

My mood and appetite are gone, I couldn't eat anymore and I was only poking my food. I looked at the other food that we haven't touch and sighed. I'm so stupid to think that he will appreciate all of these and to taste them even a little.

But I shouldn't be discouraged, like I said, today is our special day because, it's our wedding anniversary. I needed to prepare and rent a good venue.

Because I chose to be a housewife when we got married, I didn't have anything to do so I was hands on in taking care of the celebration. I contacted my close friends and Nigel's friend and his close relatives. Unfortunately, his parents were out of the country.

.

.

I am now standing on the platform of the venue. I watched all the guests who came but the one I was waiting for didn't come yet. And who else that could be? Of course, it was my husband.

I called on his company and the secretary says he's still in the middle of the meeting. The secretary also said that the meeting was very important, so no matter what or even if the meeting takes until midnight, it has to be finished.

When the night went deep, Michelle, one of my close friends, came to me. "Nat." She called. "Why's your husband isn't here yet? Is he still coming? The guests are getting bored."

I sighed. "Okay, tell the guest they can eat now."

I called the company again to check on Nigel, but the secretary said he had already left and was in a hurry almost one hour ago.

One hour ago? then that means he must be here by now, unless he didn't read my messages and didn't know about this celebration. Gosh! now I regret I hasn't told him about this. Well, its actually my surprise to him, but now its ruin. I called Nigel in panic but he didn't pick up. Just what I had worried would happen, my husband did not show up.

After the guests bid their goodbyes and set off, I helped the staff to clean the venue. They politely stopped me but I was determined to help. Although it wasn't my job, but I wanted to move and to losen up because I felt my tears will pour down anytime soon.

I'm so disappointment with Nigel. Why he didn't read my messages when he saw that I'm texted him? It's already my consideration that I didn't call him because he doesn't like that, but why he didn't even throw a look on my text message, am I that unimportant to him? While moving the dirty dishes, my tears finally fell.

.......

The next day, I woke up from the noise I heard in the kitchen. I got up and went there to see Nigel squatted down to pick up some of the refrigerator's contents on the floor. "I'm sorry, I was clumsy, do I woke you up?" He said.

The moment I saw him, I almost forget how he stood me up and how he made me cry last night. He looks a little uncomfortable and disgusted by the sauce that covered his hand while cleaning the scattered foods on the floor. I sighed. What should I do with this man? Although he had hurt me but I still couldn't bear to see him like this.

"Let me." I approached him but was stunned when I smelled a strong and pungent smell of a woman's perfume from him. "Y-you.... Have you met a woman last night?"

Nigel stopped. I saw a little shock expression on his handsome face. "I was busy at the company last night so I didn't come home. I don't have a time to meet someone." He answered normally, without any guilt.

'Liar! His secretary said he leave the company after the meeting and was in hurry...... Nigel, why are you lying?'

My mind was drifted away while cooking. I don't want to think of this but I felt my husband have woman outside. "Ouch!" I got scalded and dropped the pan. The fried egg on it thrown out and now wasted, so I cooked another one.

While eating our breakfast, I watched Nigel while he ate elegantly, when he furrowed his brows. "The egg was a little salty." He complaint.

That's when I snapped out from my thoughts. "I-I'm sorry, I hadn't paid attention."

I looked at him again. His cold and domineering countenance doesn't looks like a playboy or a Casanova who loves to play fire. So although I had doubts, I chose to ignore them. 'Fine, I'll trust you this time, but please, don't make a fool out of me because I might not be able to handle it.'

When Nigel left to work, my best friend, Elaine Sanchez, came to visit. She's always been close to me since high school, and I always poured my grievances that cause by Nigel. "It's okay nat, men's always like that. They didn't know what exactly they want." She said comfortingly.

"But It's not only that he stood me up last night, earlier, when I approached him, I smelled a strong scent of a woman's perfume from his body..... Elaine, do you think, Nigel have woman outside?" I asked her worriedly.

Elaine stunned but I seemed to see a glimmer in her eyes. "What? Is that true?"

"What if he really have woman outside, what should I do?"

She took and held my hand. "Then divorce, isn't it normal if you two separate especially if Nigel doesn't really love you? What if... he loves someone else but he just can't say it?"

With this, I couldn't hold on anymore and finally burst to tears. "W-what should I do? He's my life."

Elaine sighed and hugged me while patting my back.

Elaine asked me to have fun to get rid of my boredom and sadness. We went shopping and watched a movie. While eating at the restaurant, we talked about her illness. Elaine diagnose with heart failure or heart desease and was needed a surgery, she needs a heart donor.

"It's still hard for me to find a heart donor. Maybe this is really the end for me"

I grasped her hand. "Don't talk nonsense! You're a good person and I believe as long as you don't give up, you will find the right donor eventually."

"I hope so."

After we separated, I didn't return to the apartment right away. I went straight to the hospital.

"So you still remembered you have family, huh? What are you doing here?" My brother said, he was snorted at me.

"Nico, stop it." My beautiful mother reprimanded. "Your dad's just sleeping. Do you want to wait for him to wake up?"

"No mum. I have to go home immediately, maybe Nigel return early."

"Hump! You only have your husband in your eyes."

"Nico!" My mom warned him with a look.

I ignored my brother and turned to mom. "Mom, about what I mentioned before, if dad's situation not optimistic–"

Before I could finish, my brother suddenly growled on me. "Damn Nathalie! I swear, if you don't leave, i might kill you!"

Because of his sudden outcry, my father on the bed woken up. He took his pillow and throws it on my brother. "What are you shouting at, brat? Cant you see I'm sleeping? Why are you still here?" He then noticed me and his eyes shone. "Nat, you're here! Come to daddy. I haven't seen you for a while, how are you?"

"Dad, don't be too happy that this girl visited you, she only brings bad news."

I came to the side of the bed. "Dad, do you still remember my request the last time I came here?"

With this question, I saw that everyone's mood dropped. My dad was froze while my mother frowned, and my brother throw a vicious look on me.

"See? This girl's really a bad news." My brother turned to me. "Nat, before I beat you up, you better leave. Get out!"

When my father's colon cancer was found to be in stage three, I contracted him that if he didnt make it, he would donate his heart to Elaine. But our first conversation about it didn't go well, because they thought that I was giving up on my father's life just for Elaine.

When my brother was about to drag me out of the room, my father spoke. "Nat, I know your concern and worries for your friend." He sighed. "Alright. I agree. If I can't survive, then I'll donate my heart to her."

It's already dark outside when I returned to the apartment. I was in a hurry because Nigel might have returned and he might be hungry. But when I got into the apartment, he wasn't there yet. I quickly prepared and cook dinner, but Nigel didn't come home.

As usual, on the next day, I found my husband on the living room gulping his coffee while reading a newspaper.

"Nigel, where did you really go this last two nights? because I don't believe that you really stay in the company all night." I boldly asked while eating our breakfast, but, I never thought that this would be a wrong move.

He looked at me coldy. "It's not my problem if you don't believe." He stood up and pick up his coat, ready to leave.

"W-wait Nigel!" I stood up to chase him. "I'm sorry, are you mad-"

"I know you're smart, and maybe you also know that I don't want anyone to meddle on my business. We're just have an arranged marriage so you better know your place. I don't want anyone controlling me or demanded anything on me, do you understand?" Then he left.

I slumped back on the chair. Because of this, I was more convinced that he really has woman outside.

In the evening, I went to the company and waited for Nigel to come out. when I saw him getting into his expensive car, I also got into the taxi that I contracted. I asked the driver to follow him. After a while, I found myself in the hospital. I followed Nigel all along until he reached a private room.

"Nigel, you're here! I miss you!"

I heard a happy and pleasant greetings of a woman inside the room. When Nigel closed the door, I approached and slowly opened it. I peeked inside but was surprised to see who was the woman hugging my husband on the bed.