ReinaThe moment Ethan told me about Japan, my heart sank. I thought I was finally getting somewhere, that I was settling down and growing in my career in this new country that I found myself in. And now, he wanted us to relocate. Again?I sat in the bedroom, staring at my phone, the conversation with Ethan replaying in my head. My fingers traced the edge of my coffee cup on my side table and I felt weak, as I tried to process his words. I didn’t want to admit it, but a part of me felt betrayed. How could he even think about this?I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts inside of me. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe he was right, and we should at least consider it. But… What about everything I had worked for? What about Andrew’s new school? What about me?This was definitely going to take a huge troll on all of us or is it that he didn't think about all thatmMy phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was a text from Leonard.“Dinner tomorrow? Let me know
ReinaI could not hold it in anymore no matter how hard I tried. If I laid down to sleep, the same thought about relocating to Japan kept creeping in. I knew Ethan was excited about the opportunity that he had gotten. This was a possibility and a chance of getting something bigger. But, I could not pretend that I wanted this. As I stood in front of the mirror, brushing my hair absentmindedly, I rehearsed what I would say to him. My stomach felt like it was tied in knots. How could I tell the man I loved that I was not ready to relocate at this point in my life?The door to our bedroom creaked open, and I saw Ethan’s reflection in the mirror. He looked tired, his tie loosened around his neck, and his eyes was dim with so much tiredness. “Hey,” he said softly, coming up behind me. He pressed a kiss to my shoulder as his hands settled on my waist. “You look beautiful.”“Thanks,” I responded. I turned around to face him, leaning against the dresser. I took a deep breath, my heart
Reina’sI stared at my reflection in the mirror, feeling a little conflicted within myself. It had been days since my conversation with Ethan about his decision of us relocating to Japan.Ever since then, things between us have become so cold. He had barely spoken to me since, and I could not shake the feeling that we were drifting apart again. For the utmost time. I was genuinely tired of everything that was playing out. Maybe that’s why I have not completely shut Leonard down. I bit my lip, remembering the last time I saw him. His eyes were always so intense, so filled with admiration, and it felt good, too good. I don't think Ethan had looked at me like that in a long time. Not since we moved to this new country. Not since he became consumed with his work. I knew I should not let Leonard’s attention get to me, but part of me craved it.The buzz of my phone interrupted my thoughts and I glanced down at the screen, and there it was a text from Leonard. It was as if he knew tha
ReinaThe next few days felt like walking on a very thin ice which was going to break soon. Every time I glanced at my phone, I half expected to see another message from Leonard. Part of me dreaded it, but another part… well, I could not lie to myself. A small part of me wondered what he would say next. It was safe no say that I always anticipated his text nowadays and now, He hasn't texted since that night at the dinner. Well, maybe that was for the best. I would not know. I kept myself busy, throwing myself into work and spending more time with Andrew. Ethan was still focused on his business, and after his brief trip out of the country, he seemed even more distant to me and he didn't seem to care about me. I had refused to tell him about Leonard lingering advances anymore. I would do whatever I wanted to do. I told myself I was protecting him, but deep down, I knew it was more than that.I was protecting myself.It was late afternoon, and the house was quiet. Andrew was at a
ReinaLeonard’s message still occupied my heart and I could not get over what I had just read from him. I had barely slept and I was tossing and turning as my thoughts spiraled inside of me. The sunlight shone through the window, but I couldn’t find any peace in it. I knew what I had to do. I sat up, glancing at Ethan’s side of the bed. He was already gone, as usual, leaving early for another busy day. I could not remember the last time we had had breakfast together. Our lives felt like they were running on parallel tracks, barely intersecting.This has gone from bad to worse and I hated it.I needed to talk to him. Tell him the truth. But the fear of what that conversation might unleash kept me frozen. What if he didn’t trust me anymore? What if it made things even worse?I shook off the thought. No more avoiding it. Today was the day.Andrew was still asleep, so I went downstairs, making myself a cup of coffee to help me think properly. My phone buzzed on the counter, and slow
Ethan I stood by the window, staring out at the city that had become our home, but my mind was far away. My mind was in Japan. The word felt like it was stuck in my head, echoing over and over again. I rubbed my temples, trying to shake off the pressure building inside me. The offer was still fresh in my mind. It was too good to ignore, too impossible to walk away from.The man at the meeting had not even blinked when he laid the terms out. A multi-million-dollar deal, a fresh start, everything I had ever worked for within my grasp. All I had to do was relocate my family to Japan, and it was mine. But Reina...She had made it clear. She didn’t want to move. She was settling in here, building her career, making waves in the fashion world.I could see the light in her eyes every time she talked about her latest projects, the way she was finally coming into her own. And Andrew, he was getting used to school, making friends. They were happy here. But me? I was restless. I was so res
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the wall. My heart felt like it was being squeezed, and I could not breathe right. Ethan’s words never left my mind even for a second. I was stressed and now. All I could think of was Ethan going to Japan alone.It was my fear. But can he actually think of that?After everything we had been through to settle here, to build something stable for Andrew? And me? And us?I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to make sense of it all. I didn’t want to be angry, but I could not help it. How could he think that money, no matter how much, was worth tearing our family apart? I knew Ethan was ambitious. He had always been but this felt different. It felt like he was willing to leave us behind for an attractive opportunity used to lure him in. One thing I could not quite understand was his sudden interest in that. We were far from being poor so it was disgusting that he still wanted more. I sighed heavily, reaching for my phone on the bedsi
Reina It was late, past midnight. The house was unusually quiet, with only the faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen breaking the stillness. I could not sleep. My mind kept circling back to the conversation Ethan and I had earlier. It felt unfinished, like we were stuck at a crossroads, neither of us willing to move forward, but also not ready to back down.I decided to get up and get some water. As I walked toward the kitchen, I heard faint noises coming from our bedroom. My steps slowed, and I strained my ears to listen. It was the unmistakable sound of drawers being opened and closed.Filled with so much curiosity, I turned back and headed toward our room. I pushed the door open gently, not wanting to make a sound. The sight that awaited me made my heart drop.Ethan was standing by the wardrobe, pulling out clothes and laying them on the bed. His suitcase was open, half-packed, with his shirts neatly folded on one side. I froze at the door, trying to make sense of what
EthanI couldn’t focus on anything anymore. Not work, not Andrew, not even the endless distractions I used to drown myself in. My mind was consumed by Reina. Her sudden indifference towards me, her mysterious outings, and the unsettling confidence she carried these days. It was as though she had transformed into someone I didn’t recognize, someone who didn’t need me anymore.The change that I saw in her made me mad and angry. She used to plead, cry, and beg for my attention. Now, she barely looked at me. She left the house dressed to kill, and returned late at night without a single explanation. When I asked where she had been, her replies were casual and almost dismissive.“It is none of your business, Ethan,” she said one night, brushing past me as though I were invisible.And that smile, she smiled more these days, but never at me. Always at her phone. One evening, I heard the door close softly behind her as she left. I sat in the living room, staring at the television, but I
ReinaTaking your friend's advice? That was a good thing to do. I sat at the dining table, absently twirling the spoon in my cup of tea. Ethan was seated across from me, but I didn’t dare look at him. I could feel his eyes on me, as though he was waiting for me to break the silence. A month ago, I would have. I would have pleaded, begged him to talk to me. But not anymore. I had decided to follow Celia’s advice. If Ethan wanted space, he would get it, more than he bargained for.“You are not going to say anything?” he asked finally, breaking the silence between the both of us. I looked up briefly, then shrugged, giving him a neutral look. “What is there to say?”His brows furrowed. “You have been quiet lately. It’s…unlike you.”I shrugged again and stood, carrying my cup to the sink. “If you have something to say, Ethan, say it. Otherwise, I have work to do.”I walked out of the kitchen without waiting for a response. My hands trembled slightly as I made my way to the livin
ReinaA divorce? A fucking divorce!!!Did I hear right or was I dreaming? Has it come to this now that he was suddenly asking for a divorce? No, no. He has to be joking. He has to be seriously joking about this. He will come around soon. I hit my head with my hand countless times as the days passed in a rush. The once vibrant and intoxicating energy that filled our home had been replaced with a heavy, suffocating silence. Ethan barely spoke to me unless it was about Andrew or something essential that he felt I should know about.Even then, his words were short and straight to the point and his tone was cold. It was like talking to a stranger.I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the framed photo on the nightstand. It was from our honeymoon. Ethan and I were on a beach, laughing at something I could not even remember. We looked so happy, so carefree. That version of us felt like a distant dream, a life that didn’t belong to me anymore.How did all these disappear in the blink
ReinaI had expected that when Ethan dragged me out, we were going to have a conversation like two normal humans. But, no. That was not the case. Ethan dragged me out and left me standing after raining insults on me. The stupid me swallowed whatever I received from him and stormed back to the house. I was deeply hurt by everything Ethan was doing and I was quite sure he was doing this deliberately to hurt me. I was seated in the house and the only thing that engulfed the house was silence. It was deafening and the only thing one could hear was the ticking of the clock on the wall.I sat in the living room with my arms wrapped tightly around my knees, staring blankly at the empty coffee table in front of me. The argument from the club was still fresh in my mind. Every word, every glare, every moment of humiliation played repeatedly inside my mind. Finally, Ethan came back home. I had been expecting him all this whole time since he refused to come home. When he finally stepped in
ReinaThe house was silent, save for the occasional ticking of the clock on the living room wall. Ethan had once again left without a word, and it was already past midnight. My heart ached, and the silence felt suffocating. I could not sit still anymore. My mind was racing with every worst-case scenario. Where was he? Who was he with?Celia’s words echoed in my head. “If he can stay out all night, why can’t you? You need to breathe too, Reina. Come with me. Let’s go out, let loose. Maybe seeing you have fun will remind him what he is losing.”“I can't believe he is doing this to me. Celia. He is acting all tough and hard towards me. I hate that he is making me feel this way,” I complained.“Look, Reina. If I were you, I wouldn't bother myself about him anymore. He is not a serious man. How can a man who has a child behave that way? Are you sure he is not sleeping around with different women?” She asked and my heart kept pounding against my chest. “He has cheated on me before, Celi
ReinaI don't understand love.At the beginning, it makes you feel all good as if that was the only thing that mattered at some point. It makes you feel like you don't want it to end but then, when everything goes wrong. Your world comes crashing down.Was this how mine was going to be for the rest of my life? I know that I was still as attractive as hell but would I be able to find a man who would get married to me at this age?I might find a good number that would satisfy me in bed and make me a baby mama but I doubt if any of them would want to get married to me. I sighed loudly as the clock ticked endlessly. Each passing second felt like a hammer to my chest. Ethan had been gone for three days. Three days of unanswered calls, ignored texts, and sleepless nights. I could not focus on anything else. Not work, not Andrew, not anything. The house felt empty without him. It was cold and lifeless.Tonight, though, something felt different. There was tension in the air. It was a diff
ReinaThat was a big flop. Ethan just told me all of that to make me feel better, I guess. It looked like forgiveness was far from him at this point. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, searching for the woman Ethan once loved.I looked the same, but everything felt different. The cracks in my marriage were now wide, and no matter how hard I tried to patch them, they just kept spreading.I had no idea what to do. My marriage since day one has not been all rosey. Now, it was worse. Were there not women having it good in their marriages? Why was mine different?I pressed my palms against the table, taking a shaky breath. This could not be the end. I would not let it be. I was not going to lose my family because of a silly mistake. I heard Ethan’s footsteps downstairs. The sound of his footsteps on the floor was heavy and loud and it felt like he did it deliberately. Every time he moved around the house, I felt the tension in the air. It was thick and suffocating. He had been di
ReinaI had made terrible decisions in my entire life on earth and this is definitely one of them. I paced back and forth in the living room with my hands trembling. The weight of what I had done pressed heavily on my chest. Ehan’s words from earlier echoed in my head: "You made your choice, Reina." His voice was cold and broken. I had never seen him like that, never felt this level of dread.I was feeling this guilty even though I thought I was repaying him back in his own coin. I mean, he cheated on me. The pictures were sent to me. Everyone knows that I am a wife to a cheat and he came in here and acted normal. I sank onto the couch, burying my face in my hands. How did it get this far? I knew I had crossed a line, but at the time, I justified it as harmless. It was not like I was having an affair, at least not in the traditional sense. But now, looking back, I knew better. Emotional infidelity was just as damaging. Maybe worse. My phone buzzed on the table. I hesitated, afr
Ethan’s POVI sat in the car for a long time, just staring at the dashboard. My knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel too hard, and my chest felt tight, like I could not catch my breath. My phone buzzed again on the passenger seat, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at it. Not now.I already knew what I would see.I was heartbroken from seeing those messages. I could still hear her voice in my head, laughing at something I didn’t understand.I thought I was going crazy when I first noticed how much she smiled at her phone. How often she stepped out of the room to take calls. I brushed it off, told myself I was just thinking too much. But then I saw them.They are being Flirtatious, playful, and secretive. Words that used to be ours, now shared with someone else. And the worst part? It wasn’t just any man.It was Chris.Chris, a man who she told me started to work with her in the office. Chris, who had just been around her for a few months. Now, suddenly he has beco