Later that evening, Vincent returned as promised, showing up unexpectedly at Elena's office, yet she didn't need an informant to alert her of his presence.
She could already hear the regular squeal of her coworkers as they fangirled over her good-looking husband.
It was the first time he was coming to pick her up, in months instantly knew it was because of the text.
Vincent stood with his legs crossed against his sleek black car, surrounded by his usual entourage of guards.
The handsome sight of the man, which usually caused a flutter of butterflies in her belly, only made Elena feel burdened.
No matter how she tried, she couldn't look at him the same way. How could he do that with the one person that had always been the source of their problems?
Ever since Claire returned from her study abroad two years ago, their marriage had fallen into jeopardy.
'Meet my childhood friend Elena. We've just reconnected.' Her husband had introduced but it took less than a week for her to see that their relationship meant more.
Forcing on a well-practised smile, she approached him.
"Hey... how do you know to come here?"
Vincent shrugged, leaning in to give her a small kiss, which Elena stylishly avoided.
There was no need to accept it when she knew it was for paparazzi.
If he felt offended by the action, he didn't let it show as he pulled open the door. "I want to take you out for dinner to apologise for the mix-up.
That's all.
He didn't even try to explain himself.
Why should there be a mix up at all? Do you know I got the note too?
Elena wanted to say but decided against it. His actions left her stomach in knots; she felt disgusted but she knew that was not the place to hash things out, so she quietly got into the car.
By the time they reached, it was a familiar fancy sushi restaurant—the one they had their first-anniversary celebration.
Elena felt a flutter of hope.
Was he trying to make up for missing their anniversary yesterday?
But as soon as they were escorted in, it all crashed.
Her eyes met a sly fair figure sitting prettily in a beautiful red dress as she welcomed them with a smile.
"Hi, Elena and Vincent bestie." The woman winked.
The sound of the pet name that Elena normally would overlook made her skin crawl. She couldn't hide her discomfort and glared at the woman.
"What is Claire doing here?"
Was it not enough that they were sneaking behind her back? Such a brazen act!
"She doesn't want to have dinner alone, so I invited her."
As always when it came to Claire, her husband downplayed the seriousness of the scenario and walked in. "Why don't you sit?"
"No!" She refused. "I thought you said you wanted to apologise. Shouldn't it be about what I want?"
Vincent's jaw ticked, a telltale of his upcoming irritation.
"It's just a dinner Elena. Why are you being selfish?"
Selfish?
She couldn't believe his words.
He was the selfish one for bringing his mistress here in disguise.
"Just a dinner? You really do not remember, do you?" She inquired and he frowned, confused at the underlying meaning behind her words.
However, Elena was already used to being disappointed, so when he came up short, the hurt felt natural.
In a bid to clear up the air, Claire piped up
"Vincent abandoned all work to be here for you. Don't be insensitive, Elena."
"Yes. You're too uptight." Her husband seconded the motion.
Elena couldn't stop the dry laugh that flew out from her lips.
How shameless of them? They were going to make her into 'the fool'. If this was the game they really wanted to play; so be it!
"You're right." She took a seat as the servers brought in their dishes, "I think the baby is starving anyway."
Deciding to take advantage of the situation as she hadn't had anything to eat all day, Elena stuffed herself in silence, pressing down the whirlwind of emotions that kept threatening to burst out at every laugh and giggle that came out of the two.
"Oh, Vincent. I feel stuffed." Claire loudly called after a while. "Why don't you place them on Elena's plate instead?"
Looking up for the first time since she began to have her meal, Elena saw that Vincent had been dressing the fish for his best friend. His ears flushed a bright red as he realised that his pregnant wife should've been his priority.
Another blow to the heart.
"Don't worry about me." She waved them off. "After all, this dinner is also to apologise to Claire."
Vincent let out a frustrated sigh; like she was being unnecessarily difficult again.
"What is it this time, Elena?"
She gave him a naive-looking smile.
"I got Claire's basket just as she got mine; am I wrong?"
He spluttered, unsure of how to reply to that; however, Claire did as she pulled on a smug smile.
"Oh, don't worry. I usually get it in all the flavours. The delivery man made a mistake thinking both orders were for me as before."
Elena's face paled, staring at her husband who was doing his possible best to avoid her gaze.
It took him two weeks to get her a basket she had been craving, but he had been getting it for Claire?
Did he even see her as his wife anymore?
She had always seen through Claire's fake innocent actions... her obvious spite to show off that she had all Vincent's attention.
The previous Elena would battle her with words and fight for her marriage, but she felt exhausted. All the fighting she'd been doing for years, had amounted to nothing.
Her mind was dead set.
If they wanted to be together, they were free to do so.
Done with her food, she placed a small white gift bag on the table, grateful that she had decided to take it along to work.
Elena pushed it towards her husband.
"It's for you; take it."
Vincent eyed the bag suspiciously.
"What's the occasion?"
"Our fifth anniversary was yesterday." She said like it didn't mean anything, watching as his hand twitched for a second.
He really forgot...
Nodding towards it, she encouraged.
"This is from me. Go on, open it."
Tentatively picking it up, Vincent looked into the bag, his eyes widening in recognition as they met the black lacy underwear.
The moment his gaze returned to Elena's questioning ones, he knew he had been caught.
