So the reason Adrian acted strangely this morning and dragged me to do it again and again was not that he suddenly changed his thoughts, but because he wanted me to try it first for his lover.
Adrian still seemed stuck in a defiant stage, on one side not wanting me to manage him or disturb him, yet each time he teased around on purpose to let me notice.
He treated my collapse and my crying as his rewards.
I feel worn out.
I did not want to comfort him anymore or go along with this kind of behavior.
Liliana said she would take care of the divorce. After seven days, I would bring the child and go away.
Early the following morning, I got a cold and had a fever, my head heavy and spinning.
“Why didn’t you tell me when you had a fever? No surprise you didn’t answer me last night.”
In my haze, I felt a hand holding the back of my neck, pulling me into his chest.
My forehead leaned against the man’s shoulder, and the warmth of his body made me blank for a short moment.
Why was Adrian always like this, so divided?
When we didn’t see each other, he acted very harshly and pushed me in every possible way, but when we did see each other, he became softer than anyone, like his eyes held only me.
It made me think that if I gave in, ready to be a proper Mrs. Wilkinson who didn’t manage him, we could keep a close love and marriage.
A lot of people around us had this type of marriage, and even friends told me to ignore it.
But I couldn’t ever accept that, so I decided to leave.
A soft sound came from the crib.
Adrian stood up and lifted the baby, his tone very soft.
“Daddy’s here. Did baby get upset because daddy didn’t come home yesterday?”
He gently pressed his forehead to the baby’s small face, slowly moving and rocking around the room.
Watching this, my heart felt a little warm, and my face eased for a second.
At least Adrian still treated the baby well.
Noticing my face relax, Adrian caught my finger and lightly moved it.
“Sorry, wife, it’s my mistake for not coming back yesterday. I didn’t even know you were ill.”
“I’ll bring you to the hospital for a full checkup, alright?”
My mind felt heavy, and I didn’t refuse to go to the hospital.
Along the way, I stayed very quiet.
Before, in times like this, when we were alone, I would keep complaining.
Complaining about Adrian coming back late, complaining about small things in daily life, and complaining about things he didn’t do well.
But now I didn’t want to keep pushing myself forward to act like a housekeeper.
Adrian drove the car, glancing at me a few times through the rearview mirror.
He seemed a little not used to it.
He clicked his tongue.
“Wife, did you check the message I sent last night?”
I shut my eyes to rest. “Hmm.”
“Is it because you have a fever and feel unwell? If it was before, you’d have kept calling my phone last night.”
Adrian’s tone sounded relaxed with a bit of testing.
“Before, when I was only a bit close to my secretary, your calls kept coming one after another, making me answer, so what, your attitude changed?”
“Isn’t this what you always wanted?”
I spoke with a mocking tone.
“A good wife who doesn’t cause problems, doesn’t stay loud, and doesn’t try to run your life.”
Adrian paused for a short time, not expecting I’d reply that way.
After a few moments, he gave a quick smile, leaned closer, and brushed my hair, like he was petting a calm animal.
“Okay, wife, you finally got it. I told you before, those girls outside are only for fun.”
“But you aren’t the same to me.”
His voice sounded quite serious.
“You’re my wife, you’re my home, home is where you are, I’ll come back to you in the end.”
“Only for fun.”
Those few words dropped softly.
But like small grains, they quietly slid into my throat, making even my breathing feel hard.
I thought back to that day five years earlier when Adrian told me his feelings.
He went down on one knee, his voice so serious it almost felt heavy, saying we’d stay together and grow old side by side, one life, one person.
Maybe promises only matter at the moment they’re said.
In just five years, everything had already changed so much that it couldn’t be recognized anymore.
Right then, Adrian’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen, his eyes lowered a bit, but he still picked up the call.
On the other side came a woman’s voice, sounding like she was crying.
“Brother, my ankle got hurt, it hurts a lot… can you come…”
Adrian cut her off with impatience.
“Didn’t I already tell you? Don’t call me when nothing’s wrong, I need to stay with my wife.”
“If your ankle is hurt, go to the hospital. Why call me? If it happens again, don’t reach out to me!”
He ended the call right away.
When he turned to me, there was still a slight look of wanting praise.
Like he was saying, look, he didn’t treat those women outside as kindly as he treated me.
I let out a slow breath, pressing my teeth into the soft part inside my lip.
Adrian, even you didn’t notice that before; you never gave those women your personal number.
At the hospital, he stayed busy helping me sign up.
But after I completed the checkup, he was gone.
A text showed up on my phone.
[Something came up, so you handle the IV yourself first.]
[In three days, it’s your birthday, I’ll surely come back to stay with you, the baby’s full month banquet I’ll arrange together.]
I read those lines, and I didn’t feel shocked at all.
I set up the IV by myself, then noticed Amira’s post on Instagram.
The image showed her view, with her foot resting on Adrian’s shoulder, and the man looked gentle and helpless, like he was watching a playful cat.
Her text said, [Whenever it is, if I need him, he always comes to me right away.]
Warm tears dropped quietly; the ache in my hand made me react, and I slowly came back to awareness.
Then I realized the IV was done, and blood was flowing back.
The nurse quickly came over to remove the needle and said with an apologetic tone, “Sorry, miss, does it hurt very much?”
I answered in a low voice, “……After the pain passes, it will be okay.”
