Nicholas had his phone propped up on the watch display cabinet and nestled between two watch boxes. One hand gripped the edge of the cabinet, while the other moved swiftly below his waist.
Not far from him lay the gray bath towel he had kicked aside. Although most of his body was obscured, it was easy to guess what he was doing.
Soon, the walk-in wardrobe was filled with the unmistakable sounds of groaning. It oozed sensuality.
My toes curled against the wooden floor. A cold wave washed over me and froze me in place as if by some spell. I couldn’t move a muscle.
Nicholas quickly grabbed a few tissues. I thought he was done, but to my dismay, he started all over again.
Only now did the real pain set in. Every motion of his arm felt like a knife to my heart.
Claudia’s few photos could pull my husband out of our bed and make him jerk off to them over and over again while ignoring me, the living, breathing woman right here with him.
At that moment, a deafening realization hit me: Nicholas was cheating on me!
His actions shattered my world and confirmed my worst fears. I was betrayed by the one I loved most. My dignity had been trampled on, and it all became painfully clear.
I didn’t understand why I was smiling even as tears streamed down my face.
I didn’t confront him. Instead, I returned to our room alone, shut the door firmly, and had a quick cry. Then, I quickly washed my face and put on makeup.
I needed to get to the hospital and see Claudia before he did.
The court wouldn’t grant me more in the divorce simply because my husband masturbated to another woman's photos. I needed more concrete evidence.
In the hospital room, Claudia was playing on her phone. When she saw me, a range of emotions flickered across her face. Her emotions seemed more vibrant than a traffic light.
"Ariana, you're here!"
She had always spoken with me casually. I used to think it signified closeness, but now it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
I smiled faintly as I walked over and sat beside her bed. I gently stroked her cheek. "I heard from Nicholas that you were in the hospital. I wanted to check on you. What happened? Tell me."
If I couldn't get answers from Nicholas, Claudia would be the weak link.
Claudia blushed as she was likely too embarrassed to mention anything so private. She nuzzled her cheek against my palm and assumed her usual coy behavior.
"Oh, Nick is so annoying! I told him not to tell anyone. I didn’t want you to worry."
She giggled and continued her playful antics. She clutched her chest and started whining, "Ariana, my heart hurts. I want to eat an apple."
I had come to the hospital to find evidence of Nicholas’ infidelity, and I didn't intend to be kind to Claudia. But as she spoke to me this way, memories of the affectionate time we'd spent together made my heart clench.
After all, we'd lived together for four years, and I genuinely cared for Claudia like my own sister. I shared everything with her.
She could walk into my room and take anything she liked without me batting an eye. Whether it was food, clothes, or anything else she wanted, I provided it without hesitation.
And yet, these two people I trusted the most had both betrayed me right under my nose. I couldn’t believe I had been so blind for so long.
Holding an apple in one hand and a knife in the other, I thought if I had to choose between stabbing the apple or Claudia, I’d choose myself. I felt so foolish.
"Ariana, you’re the best," Claudia said as she watched me peel the apple for her.
Then, she picked up her phone to show me a photo. "I just took this. Do you think I look pretty?"
In the photo, Claudia looked vibrant and healthy thanks to a beauty filter. Dressed in her hospital gown, she looked more like she was participating in a trendy cosplay than recovering from an injury.
"Yes, Claudia, you always look great in photos," I replied absentmindedly.
Claudia swiped through her photos and showed them off one by one. She commented, "Nick is such a jerk. Look at this. I sent him these photos, and all he replied was 'Yes.'"
Nicholas was usually so indifferent, but with Claudia, he always seemed patient and responsive. He would always answer her messages despite being terse.
"Do I look good?"
"Yes."
"Nick, why aren’t you here yet?"
"Almost there."
"Which photo do you like best?"
"The second one."
…
I thought about my text conversations with Nicholas. His replies to me probably didn't even add up to a tenth of what he responded to Claudia.
"Your brother is busy," I muttered. I was distracted.
"Ah…"
"Ariana, what are you doing here?"
"Nick! You’re here!"
I never imagined a small hospital ward could erupt with so many voices at once.
As Nicholas stepped into the light, the sound of my tears hitting the floor seemed deafening. Suddenly, I felt a tight grip on my wrist. Nicholas leaned in and dragged me out of the ward.
My shoulder slammed into the doorframe, and I gritted my teeth against the pain. He adjusted his sleeves and spoke slowly but sternly. "What’s going on with you today?"
"I came to check on Claudia. I just couldn’t stop worrying. Now that you’re here, I’ll leave…"
"There’s nothing to worry about. I told you it's just an old ailment. She’ll be fine in a few days."
He wouldn’t let me see her, yet he stayed by her side day and night.
Wasn’t that a sign of guilt?
"Why are you so afraid of me coming here? What are you hiding—"
"Nick!"
A loud cry came from the ward.
Nicholas flinched and was ready to rush back. Claudia had accidentally cut herself while trying to peel the apple I hadn’t finished peeling.
I grabbed his sleeve. "Honey, I’ll leave now—"
Nicholas cut me off. "Enough! We’ll discuss this at home. Can’t you see Claudia’s hurt?"
His anxious expression left me momentarily stunned, and I forgot to let go. He yanked his arm free, and his cufflink ended up tearing off my thumbnail.
The pain made me lose my balance, and I fell to the floor.
But his eyes were only on Claudia.
As I watched Nicholas busy himself with another woman, I felt my 20 years of love and admiration crumbling bit by bit.
Hugging my bloodied hand, I turned away and slammed the door. I shut out their voices.
I registered myself at the front desk. The nurse told me all the surgeons were called up to the VIP ward and that I would have to wait. I nodded and thanked her.
I’d been waiting for years. How much longer was I supposed to wait?
Later, the doctor explained that my nail was still attached to the nail bed and suggested removing it. "It’s a minor surgery. Still, you should ask a family member to accompany you."
I glanced at my mangled nail. The flesh was still attached, and blood seeped out of it. It certainly looked like it required surgery.
Would Nicholas feel any pity if he saw this?
But he was in the hospital and still wasn’t answering my calls.
"It’s fine, doctor. I can manage on my own."
I entered the operating room alone. As the doctor injected local anesthesia around my finger with a large needle, I didn’t utter a sound.
He looked at me with admiration. "This injection is very painful. Even grown men find it hard to endure. Just now, I was bandaging a minor wound for a young girl, and she cried her heart out while clinging to her boyfriend. But to be fair, her boyfriend was very caring and concerned."
Calmly, I replied, "If my husband were here, I’d cry too."
The doctor, who was trying to lighten the mood, joked, "Then we should wait for him to come."
I shook my head. "My husband might be that very caring boyfriend you just mentioned."
