I didn’t respond. I simply leaned back against the couch and quietly observed the two of them. Apparently, my presence added to their thrill. That was because just minutes later, they were done.
Ruby rested in Austin's arm. Her eyes filled with love and her fair neck was adorned with a trail of crimson marks. Among the hickeys, a striking blue agate necklace caught my eye.
It was the same necklace that was specially custom-made for me by Austin. He told me that it was one of the kind. It was a unique necklace that could match the unique Sally.
However, now, that one of a kind” piece dangled on someone else’s neck, just like his feelings for me. The faithfulness that he once had for me had gone.
Under Austin’s firm warning, Ruby reluctantly retreated upstairs. He then sat beside me and pulled me into his arms from behind.
"Why are you so quiet, Baby?" Austin asked. "Are you feeling unwell? Or just upset? Tell me, your husband, won’t you?"
I lifted my gaze and locked eyes with him.
Noticing how sharp my gaze was, for a fleeting moment, I caught panic flashing in his eyes. He then waved a hand in front of me, testing my reaction. When I remained motionless, he sighed in relief.
"If one day I left you, what would you do?" I asked softly.
Panic gripped him again. He seized my hand tightly, his palm damp with sweat.
"Why are you asking this? Did I do something wrong? Are you upset with me?" he asked. “Don’t think like that, okay? I can’t live without you ...."
The panic in his voice, the unease in his expression and the worry in his eyes seemed genuine. However, I had seen with my own eyes that he and Ruby had sex in front of me. Was it really that hard to stay loyal to someone you love?
A sudden chime broke the tension. Austin’s phone vibrated on the table.
Instinctively, my eyes shifted to the screen. A message notification popped up, the sender was saved as “Ruby Baby.”
[Haven't you succeeded coaxing that blind woman yet? I'm dying to see you.]
My chest tightened as my gaze lingered on the next two images. It was a photo of Ruby sprawled provocatively on our bed. She was clad in scanty lingerie, her poses both suggestive and shameless.
Austin’s expression darkened, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly as he swiftly tapped out a reply.
[Impatient, aren’t you? Don’t worry, babe. Your husband will be there to satisfy you soon.]
Her response came almost instantly, accompanied by a playful emoji.
[What we did earlier was so exciting! When she opened her eyes, I almost couldn’t hold back!]
[You’re so bad ... What if she finds out?]
Austin glanced at me and he murmured with affection, “My precious baby,” before resuming his typing with an indifferent expression. [What’s there to fear? She’s been blind for six months. Every potential retina match that’s come up? I’ve made sure it never reached her. Let her stay blind forever and we’ll keep this going. Isn’t it exciting?]
The next message came quickly. [What if she finds out about this someday?]
He paused for a brief second before kissing my forehead. His lips lingered there as he typed his reply. [As long as she stays blind, she’ll never leave me. Ever.]
I froze. A chill surged through my veins and my body became cold and I trembled.
Is this truly the man I’d loved for five years? The one who used to look at me like I was his entire world? The man who would get panicked over a mere scrape on my hand?
He must have forgotten about the fire six months ago. That day, I’d used every ounce of strength to shove him to safety, only to be trapped inside myself and burn my eyes.
That same day, he knelt by my hospital bed, his tears falling freely as he gripped my hand. He’d sworn, with a fervor that shook me, that he’d do everything possible to find me a compatible retina donor.
