AMELIA
Rafael pulled away slowly, his hands dropping from my waist. He looked me in the eyes for a moment, searching for something. Trying to read me. Trying to figure out how much I had heard.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
I smiled like I didn't hear him tell another woman he loved her. Like I had not heard about the child.
"I just wanted to surprise you," I said softly. "I couldn't wait to tell you the good news."
My eyes shifted to the woman still standing in the room. She hadn't moved since I walked in. Her expression had gone from startled to annoyed, maybe even hostile.
"Are you not going to introduce her to me?" I asked, still smiling. "You two seem very... friendly."
Rafael cleared his throat and scratched his neck like he was obviously caught in a lie.
"Oh. Amelia, meet Camille... an old friend."
I scoffed before I could stop myself. It was small, but it slipped. Camille caught it.
"What was that?" she asked sharply, eyes narrowing at me.
"There was something in my throat," I said calmly, without even looking at her. Then I turned to her with a mild tilt of my head. "I thought you worked here?"
Camille smiled tightly. "No, I don't. But Rafael and I are partners... so, you could say that."
My throat burned. But I ignored the scorching feeling.
I turned to Rafael. "Can I wait for you at the park so we can go home together?"
He didn't hesitate. "I can't leave yet. I'll meet you at home."
I nodded and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. "Don't be late."
Then I turned and walked out of the office, closing the door behind me. But I didn't leave. I stood just to the side of the door and waited silently.
A few seconds later, Camille's voice floated out.
"You should divorce her."
I closed my eyes, trying to breathe through it. Please laugh. Please just say she's ridiculous.
Rafael laughed.
But not the way I hoped.
"I can't do that now," he said. "That would defeat the whole purpose of taking her from Ethan and getting married to her. I can't divorce her until I'm sure my father has written the will. As he promised to give half of his inheritance to the son that marries Amelia."
I felt something sharp pierce through my chest. The realization of his betrayal so layered it was hard to even process.
So that was it.
I had been a fool to think Rafael had really fallen in love with me. A fool to believe any of it, the soft mornings, the late-night talks, the way he used to hold me like I was the only person in his world, to believe his acts were real.
I sighed and walked away from the door, refusing to hear another word of his disgusting confession. He couldn't wait to be rid of me. I had been nothing but a pawn, the key to his inheritance, the leverage in some twisted game between him and Ethan.
Even when it was their family that ruined mine.
I tried to believe they had changed... I wanted to believe he had changed.
I got home, and for the first time in a long time, it no longer felt like home. Everywhere I looked, I saw traces of him. I remembered how Rafael used to make love to me in almost every part of the house, the couch, the stairs, even the kitchen counter. Was all of that just performance?
Was Camille always there? Watching from the corners while I played wife?
I let out a dry, bitter laugh and shook my head. "Rafael really needs a world's best actor award."
I took a long, hot shower. I tried to wash it off the ache, the sad truth and how it stung, but it clung to me like a second skin. Still, I told myself I had to carry on. I had to try.
Maybe Rafael was just being manipulated. Perhaps Camille was the poison, and he was just too weak to see it. Although I never considered Rafael to be easily manipulated. His actions are just an expression of his thoughts.
I went into the kitchen and started making one of his favorite dishes, grilled chicken and salad. After all, there was still a reason for celebration. I'd secured the biggest deal of my career. I wouldn't let him take that from me too.
**********
I sat at the dining table for hours.
I had tried calling Rafael over and over, but his line just kept ringing. He wasn't picking up.
Eventually, I gave up and served myself a portion. But I couldn't even finish half of it. My appetite had vanished. I stared down at the food and sighed. Such good food going to waste... it almost felt symbolic.
I packed it all carefully into containers and stored them in the refrigerator.
I went in, changed into my pajamas, and tried to sleep. I must have drifted off somehow, because the next thing I heard was a noise from downstairs waking me from my sleep.
I checked the time. A few minutes past one.
Rafael walked into the room and dropped onto the bed beside me without saying a word. He didn't touch me or try to explain why he was home so late. He just passed out.
I didn't have the energy for a conversation either. So I rolled over and went back to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up and Rafael was no longer beside me. I heard the sound of water splashing from the bathroom and stayed still, waiting for him to come out.
When he did, he acted like I wasn't even there. I watched him dry off and move around like I was invisible.
So I spoke first. "I waited for you last night."
He didn't bother to spare me a glance. "I had things to take care of."
He reached for his watch and put it on without looking up.
"You don't have to wait for me every night, Amelia. Just go to bed."
I swallowed and nodded. "I made your favorite last night. Would you like to have something for breakfast?"
"I'm not hungry."
I looked at him, really hard trying to figure out his actions. I didn't know when the words left my lips. I asked, my voice was almost inaudible. "How much longer are you going to keep pretending about this?"
