Prolog

After dressing up for twenty minutes, I sat on the dining table chair to boost my confidence. The hope was still there, and I added 'not to fail' to the list this time. Hopefully, this wouldn't be like our first wedding anniversary, which failed in a way I didn't want to remember.

 

I sighed, smiling broadly as I looked down at the tarts and pasta I'd made, the expensive wine I'd gotten from my father also standing pretty in the center of the table. Butterflies fluttered in my chest and down to my stomach as I waited for my husband to come home.

 

Sebastian has been so busy lately. His title had risen to CEO after his father, my father-in-law, chose to spend a relaxing old age at home with his family and chose to control everything from the back screen as the founder and owner of their company and as the only son, Sebastian had to take on the responsibility of CEO. I know it wasn't easy for him because he had to be forced to take it on and then undergo conditions he didn't want to.

 

One of which was to marry me. Sebastian is still twenty-eight, while I was twenty-two. We were able to get married because my father became his father's business partner, and they were close friends. Like the world and rules were their own, they forced us to get married while we didn't know each other. But I already liked Sebastian the first time I saw him.

 

Like some women, I always ignore the red flags when looking at any man's handsome face. But I did that only with Sebastian. Everything clicked when I was with him.

 

He is so handsome, so beautiful, gorgeous, and sexy. Sometimes cold and sweet. He often laughs at my cheap jokes and say I'm beautiful, but he still hasn't accepted our marriage even though it's been going on for two years. Yes, I was still very young to do this severe marriage, let alone I couldn't balance my mind with his mature mind.

 

But I love him.

 

I loved him enough that I was still doing everything about our two-year wedding celebration even though it seemed that my husband had no interest at all.

 

But I won't stop trying.

 

I opened my phone and saw that it was already ten o'clock at night. He'd already said that he wasn't going to work overtime today, and he always got home under ten when he didn't do so. I dialed his contact and tried to call him.

 

It was off.

 

I sighed softly.

 

Maybe in a while.

 

>>>

 

Midnight.

 

He didn't come.

 

I sat in the living room, my skin ice cold as I watched the minutes tick by. I sighed roughly, leaning back in my chair.

 

He didn't come home

 

I stared at my phone and stopped myself from calling him again. It's been almost fifty times, and it's all redirected to voicemail. I wanted to call Reina to share, but she was on vacation in Los Angeles with her family, and I didn't want to bother her with my problems. So, I clicked on the contact of my other best friend, Killian Davenport.

 

But his name already popped up before I did. I pressed the green button and put my phone to my ear.

 

"How was your anniversary dinner?" he asked.

 

I sigh, folding my hands on the table. "He didn't come."

 

"Huh," he scoffed. "Of course he didn't come."

 

"He works overtime," I grimaced. "I think."

 

"Yeah, along with Reina, and they're working late in his private apartment. Doing God knows what."

 

I straightened up. "What do you mean?"

 

"I mean, I saw them together, hugging each other and going into that fancy apartment building. So the reason he didn't come to celebrate the anniversary of the wedding is—"

 

"That's a bad joke. I don't buy it—"

 

"How about you go there and see if it's a joke or not."

 

My heart skipped a beat, my breath caught in my throat. I coughed and chuckled briefly. "Reina didn't do that. She's my best friend."

 

"Your best friend? She's only been your friend for—what? A year? That's because she knows that you're from the Rossi family."

 

"Just shut up." I shook my head, pressing my throbbing head with my fingers. "I'll sleep rather than listen to your nonsense."

 

"Bella, listen to me this time. Come to your husband's apartment, and see if what I'm saying is true or not."

 

I swallowed. Fear came in so brutally. I stood up and almost faltered.

 

I switch off our call and sit back in my chair. I pressed Sebastian's contact and called him again. Still inactive. I pressed Reina's contact and called her.

 

It takes three seconds.

 

She switches off my call.

 

Like a jolt, I dropped my phone.

 

An echo in my head says there's no harm in me doing what Killian said. If he was wrong, then I'd throw a bottle of mayonnaise in his face, but if he was right, then...I don't know.

 

I sighed again. My emotions are already a mess, and I need to calm myself down before doing what I must do.

 

Let's hope Killian is wrong.

 

>>>

 

"Is he in the office?" I called out to the other person again, Meredith, Sebastian's secretary.

 

"Mr. Sancez has been out of the office since four in the afternoon, Mrs. Sanchez." Her answer made me pause in the lobby. I swallowed and walked back, giving a slight nod to the employee who greeted me. "Aren't you having your wedding anniversary dinner?"

 

I entered the lift, pressed the number 30 button, and leaned against the lift wall. "Yeah, I was just..."

 

"Mrs Sanchez. Did something happen?" she asked.

 

"Nothing." I replied. "Thanks for the information, Meredith. I apologize for interrupting your break."

 

"It's okay, Mrs. Sanchez. If anything happens, you can call me."

 

"Sure."

 

I hung up the call and stared at the lift door, which took me to my husband's floor. I stared at my appearance there. I looked pretty; my make-up was still pretty, and I wore my knee-length pink dress. Nothing was broken, yet everyone would have no idea what chaos was happening inside me.

 

My eyes closed, trying to brace myself once again. My heart beat with frightening anticipation as my instincts knew that something terrible was going to happen. But I brushed it off, still hoping that Killian was wrong, and now Sebastian was in his apartment doing his work and forgot about our anniversary.

 

My heart beats even faster when the lift doors open. It revealed the front of Sebastian's luxurious apartment. I take a small step, swallow, and clench my fists as I walk through the first room.

 

Dim lights adorned the living room, and there was no one there, but Sebastian's black suit was perched on the sofa, and there was...

 

I almost falter when I see what's there.

 

A bag.

 

It's Reina's bag. Why would I know that? She was showing it off to me because she was too happy with her boyfriend's gift. Then... why is her bag here?

 

Quickly, I walked towards the stairs leading to the second floor, where our bedroom was. My heart was beating fast with anticipation. The pressure pressed on my chest until it felt like I didn't want to go upstairs and see what might happen.

 

But I had to do it anyway.

 

This was the determinant of my future. What I had to face, what I should decide for my own future, for my happiness, and somehow my instincts told me that this was right.

 

I braced myself when I arrived in front of the room with the dark grey door. I squeezed my sweaty fingers anxiously, then wrapped them around the door knob.

 

My eyes closed once, and I pressed it down with a gasp.

 

The door opened.

 

The sound of a small screech and a gasp greeted me immediately.

 

I bit my lip.

 

The back of my eyes felt hot. My eyes misted up as I saw what was happening before me.

 

Killian was right.

 

And I was wrong.

 

My husband and Reina were doing something disgusting here.

 

Playing behind my back.

 

"Isa..." Sebastian called out to me in surprise. His eyes widened to look at me pale.

 

While Reina sat on the bed, covering her bare chest.

 

"It's not like what you think." Sebastian continued, his tone frantic and anxious, his words like he was talking to an elementary school kid. He quickly climbs down and puts on his trousers, which are left on the floor.

 

And I looked at Reina, who looked at me without emotion, just flat.

 

"How could you..." my voice choked up.

 

Reina looked away.

 

Sebastian approached his hands, trying to reach me. I backed away while looking at him in disbelief. "I waited for you at home," I swallowed as my throat ached like a prickly ball stuck there. I looked at Sebastian with misty eyes. "I'm waiting for you at home, I've already prepared dinner for our two-year wedding anniversary. And you..." 

 

I stopped and shook my head.

 

Sebastian looked at me still with his smug face.

 

The pressure in my chest increased, my chest rising and falling with a cold, painful jolt. "If you still don't like me in our two-year marriage...you just say so, and I'll let you go. I will free you from this fuking marriage. I'll do that!" I snapped. "But you did this instead—" I looked at Reina, who was still staring at us flat-faced. "with Reina? The woman I thought was my best friend."

 

Reina rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, don't start unnecessary drama. No one wants to be your friend, or your husband. You're just a stupid spoilt woman. You're pathetic."

 

I stared at her. "So this is your real face?"

 

She raised an eyebrow defiantly.

 

"A shameless woman who takes other woman's husbands. A slut who sells her ass for money?" I retorted. "You're saying I'm pathetic? I can buy my own bag without having to spread my legs." I shook my head lightly. "You're pathetic."

 

Her face looked at me with angry expression.

 

I looked at Sebastian and Reina in turn. "Carry on with whatever you're doing. I don't care anymore." My gaze stopped on Sebastian. "I'll file for divorce tomorrow. I'll make our divorce quick so you can be with this slut." I snorted. No more tears came out this time. "You're both pathetic and disgusting." I stepped back and then out of the damn room.

 

"Isa!" Sebastian called out to me. I was already striding quickly out and down the stairs, but he caught up.

 

He grabbed my arm firmly and turned me around. "You can't do that. You can't divorce me."

 

"You've been playing behind my back, and what do you expect me to do? Stay with you? Are you fucking nuts?" I yelled.

 

"My career will be ruined, damn it!" he retorted. "Think of my family and yours. What will they do if we split up—"

 

"I don't care!!!" I shouted in front of his face. "That's what you'll get for messing with me. Deal with it!" My chest rose and fell, I staring at his handsome face flushed with emotion. "You deserve it, and I will make sure the biggest regret comes into your life. One day you will suffer and you will despair."