Chapter 5

The smell of the fish turned sour after I saw that message through the notification. From the photo, I could tell it was that girl from the gym. I remembered her name: Chloe.

I thought about making a scene. He had been in the bathroom for more than just washing his hands. That amount of time was enough to cool down all the anger that had been boiling inside me.

I remembered that revenge was a dish best served cold. My fish was hot; it had just come out of the oven, but to me, I had already lost my appetite for the entire meal.

George took about two minutes to return to the table, but that time felt like an eternity. He settled into his chair and picked up a plate.

"The smell is wonderful, sweetheart. You really outdid yourself today."

But deep in his eyes, without showing any kind of reaction, I wanted to grab that knife and stab the man who was cheating on me. But the knife was a kitchen knife, and it didn't even have a sharp point.

My anger wasn't that great either. I was already feeling bad because of him; that only showed how wicked George was. But it hurt. And it hurt badly.

He put the food on his plate but noticed that I was sitting motionless.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Aren't you going to eat this wonderful food?"

I had completely lost my appetite while that man smacked his lips over my food.

"Wow! You outdid yourself today. I think this is the best fish you've ever made."

I remained silent. I was thinking about how to say all of it. He had to open his phone in front of me so I could see the other messages. That one alone wasn't enough to prove anything.

But I wasn't stupid. That message was enough for me to understand what was happening, but not enough to create proof.

"I will, darling. This food must be delicious."

I picked up a plate and kept staring at him without even blinking. I wanted to knock all that food in his direction by pulling the tablecloth off the table.

With every bite, a wicked plan came into my mind about how to bring up the subject. But with every thought that came to me, I felt more pain. After all, I was being cheated on.

"I loved this food. The salad too. And dessert? Is there anything sweet?"

"No, I already closed Candy Cake."

"But isn't there anything left, my love?"

As fit as George was, he loved eating chocolate after dinner. This time, I wasn't going to sweeten his life.

"There isn't. Everything there is for orders. Every single piece has already been counted. If you want, there's sugar-free gelatin."

"Wow, you really went all in on the fitness thing today. Is all this to impress me?"

"And you think I was going to impress you after all that humiliation at the gym? I bought this because I want to change my life, not because you think I'm fat."

"You're not fat, sweetheart. You just need to take a little better care of your body."

"Stop it, you damn wolf. Wasn't today's humiliation enough?"

"Have you gone crazy, Candy? Who are you to talk to me like that?"

"I'm your wife, and you are the one who should respect me the most."

I remembered Chloe's message. It was right on the tip of my tongue, ready to come out.

But for a moment, I thought about using that message at the right time. I looked at George, and I no longer loved him the way I had yesterday.

He kept saying several things, but I wasn't listening anymore. My gaze and my thoughts were completely lost somewhere on the horizon.

"Please sleep in the living room tonight. I want to be alone in my bed."

I made George sleep on the couch without saying anything about Chloe. Better this way.

As I remembered her once again, I felt disrespected. George hadn't chosen me, and that pain returned in a way I had never felt before.

Was I too fat for someone to love me? Tears streamed down my face as George left the kitchen. I made sure he didn't see me crying. I wiped them away with a dish towel and headed toward my bedroom.

I waited for him to get the bedding, went into the bedroom, and didn't say anything else. I locked the door.

I lay down on the bed, and the world came crashing down on me. I put on some lo-fi music while changing clothes.

My shirt and pants fell to the floor, and along with them fell the mask of Candy, who had been strong all day. The tears started falling involuntarily. I cried with sobs.

The loud music drowned out my crying. I put on my pajamas and lay down in bed. I don't remember when I fell asleep, but it was somewhere between one tear and a sob.

I woke up in the morning as if I had a hangover. My head hurt, my hair was a mess, and my face was completely swollen. I was dying of thirst.

I got up and realized that George was already awake. After going to the bathroom, I walked into the kitchen and saw that man preparing breakfast.

Ever since I met George, he had never prepared any food. Only on the day he asked me to be his girlfriend had he made breakfast, just like the one he was making now.

I was completely speechless. I wanted to wake up, eat something, and avoid looking at his face while waiting for him to leave for the gym.

But that gesture put us back at the table together.

"Good morning, sweetheart."

He called from the kitchen, sounding cheerful. I didn't answer. I went outside the house and only came back after he finished making breakfast.

"It's ready, Candy. Let's have breakfast together."

I sat at that table but completely ignored George's presence. I was tired and hurt. I didn't want to look at his face. I was certain he was cheating on me with Chloe.

However, it was still too early to discover anything. I needed his phone password, but it could only be unlocked through facial recognition. My hands were tied.

Then I thought: better not chase after that. The only thing I needed to race against at that moment was time, in my quest to lose weight.

George became a secondary figure in my life, someone toward whom I had as little feeling as possible.

"You're not going to say anything, Candy? Look at this breakfast I made for the two of us."

I remained silent.

"What do you mean, my love? I'm sorry. Are you going to spend the rest of your life without talking to me?"

George insisted. I decided to confront him.

"I make coffee for you every day, and that doesn't make it a special occasion."

"Wow, you woke up really sour today. Are you hungry? Is that why you're upset?"

My husband started provoking me. I remembered Chloe. That was the perfect moment.

"I'm not. And you? Are you hiding something from me?"

George went pale. Frozen, he dropped his coffee onto the table.