Chapter 2: The Hundredth Mark

Martins and Eric flinched at the same time, their bodies jerking backward as if someone had just fired a gun in the room.

For a second, nobody moved.

The dirty diaper had landed squarely on Zoe’s face. Brown stains smeared across her cheek and nose, sliding slowly downward.

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

The smell hit them immediately.

“Jesus!” Eric muttered under his breath, covering his nose.

“What’s wrong with you?!” Zoe snapped coldly.

Her voice cut sharply through the room as she wiped the mess off her face with trembling fingers. Disgust twisted her expression.

She looked at her hand. Then back at Petra.

Her face flushed with anger.

Without another word, Zoe spun around and ran out of the room, heading straight towards the restroom.

Pete stood frozen for a moment, watching her go. Then he turned slowly to face his wife.

“Petra… have you lost your mind?” he asked angrily.

Petra shrugged lightly, as if the whole thing meant nothing. “You guys are friends,” she replied calmly.

Her tone carried a strange calmness that didn’t match the storm in her eyes.

“What’s the big deal letting her get a whiff of our son’s diaper?” she continued. “Am I right?”

Pete went silent.

His jaw tightened.

He turned his face away from her as if he suddenly had nothing to say.

Petra’s gaze shifted to Martins and Eric.

Her teeth were clenched, but there was a bitter smile on her lips.

“Guys,” she said slowly, looking from Martins to Eric. “Am I right?”

Neither of them answered.

Petra started laughing but the laughter didn’t sound happy.

It sounded tired.

Broken.

Pete stared at her for a moment, frustration boiling inside him. Then he pointed a finger at her, his teeth grinding together.

But no words came out.

Finally, he turned sharply and walked away, heading toward the same direction Zoe had run.

The room fell quiet.

Martins and Eric looked at each other awkwardly before slowly sitting back down on the couch.

Neither of them dared look at Petra.

They stared at the floor instead.

The music had stopped. The smoke still hung heavily in the air.

Minutes later, footsteps returned.

Pete walked back into the living room with Zoe beside him.

Her face was damp, and Pete held a wet towel, trying to wipe the remaining stains from her cheek.

“Hmm! It still stinks,” Zoe complained irritably, slapping his hand away. “Stop touching me!”

But Pete didn’t look offended. He just sighed and tried again with the towel.

Petra stood there silently, watching them. Watching her husband carefully clean another woman’s face.

Something inside her chest twisted painfully.

The sight cut deeper than any insult.

There was a time Petra had begged Pete for that same kind of care.

When she was still in the hospital after childbirth.

Her body had been weak. Her stomach cramped painfully as the lochia flowed heavily.

Pete had been sitting beside her hospital bed, scrolling through his phone.

“Dear,” Petra had called softly from the bed. “My stomach hurts. Please help me change.”

Pete looked up at her briefly. His phone still rested in his hand.

He stared at her for a few seconds without speaking.

Then he stood up slowly and walked closer to the bed, looking down at her.

His face twisted with irritation.

“Aren’t you worried you’ll gross me out?” he said coldly. “Do it yourself.”

And just like that, he turned around and walked out of the hospital room.

Here they were today, Petra watched him carefully wiping Zoe’s face without hesitation.

'But now… you don’t even flinch from wiping Zoe’s face clean.' The thought echoed painfully inside her mind.

Her fingers clenched slowly at her sides.

“Petra.” Zoe’s voice snapped her back to reality.

Pete now stood beside Zoe with his arms folded across his chest, looking irritated.

“I said there’s nothing between us,” Zoe continued. “What exactly are you doing?”

She rubbed her stomach slightly, her face pale. “Besides, I’m a germophobe. I don’t think I can even eat dinner anymore. I’m already grossed out enough.”

Petra tilted her head slightly.

Her lips curled into a mocking smile. “I thought you were into gross stuff,” she said casually.

Zoe frowned.

“That’s why I let you have my son’s diaper.”

“Petra, enough!” Pete’s voice snapped sharply.

He stepped forward protectively, positioning himself slightly in front of Zoe.

“Zoe just threw up bile,” he said coldly. “Do you know how bad that is for the body?” He stared straight at his wife. “Apologize to her.”

The words hung heavily in the air.

Petra froze.

Her brows slowly furrowed.

For a moment, she wondered if she had heard him correctly. Then she pointed sharply at Zoe.

“She came into my house and flirted with my husband right in front of me!” Petra exploded. “And you want me to apologize?”

“What? Flirted?” Martins suddenly cut in, jumping to his feet in surprise.

Eric stood up beside him. Both men looked genuinely confused.

“Petra, you’ve misunderstood,” Martins said quickly. “That’s just how things are between us.”

He chuckled awkwardly.

Eric nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes,” he added, laughing as if the whole situation was ridiculous. “It’s true.”

They seemed proud of their explanation.

Like they had just solved the biggest problem in the room.

Petra’s gaze drifted away from them. Slowly, it moved toward the wall beside the television.

A large sheet of paper was pasted there.

Numbers were written across it in thick blue marker.

1… 2… 3… 4… All the way to 99.

Each number had a large X drawn on it.

Only one number remained untouched.

100.

Petra stared at the yet unmarked it. She had started the chart four years ago.

Every time Pete fought with her because of Zoe, she drew an X.

At first, she thought it was childish. But it helped her track the truth.

The truth Pete always denied. Today would be the hundredth mark.

Her eyes softened slightly.

Four years ago, Pete’s father, late Mr. Burton and founder of the Beta Signal – a growing tech industry in the city, had noticed Petra who was working at their company as the Project Manager. She was hard working and talented and had secured contracts more than the old could count.

The old man quickly arranged for Petra and Pete to get married. Before now, Petra had for over a year secretly being admiring Petra, hoping for one day he could notice her. Hence, this decision for marriage became a dream come true for her.

But the reverse was the case for Pete. He didn’t love her. He only accepted the marriage after his father insisted he marry Petra or lose his inheritance.

And worst still, Petra’s parents never accepted the marriage. She had to lie to the Burtons that her parents were late.

Petra and Pete were later joined as husband and wife.

********

Petra slowly walked towards the wall, lifted her hand up and peeled the paper off.

She stared at the numbers one last time.

“I’m done,” she whispered inside her heart.

“With this marriage.”

She walked toward the couch, holding the sheet in her hand.

“I’m tired,” she said quietly, enough for them to hear.

Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.

She sat down slowly, facing them. “Everyone, I won’t be seeing you off.”

“What?” Eric blurted out, shocked.

He looked around the room as if he couldn’t believe what he just heard.

“We’ve only been here for twenty minutes,” he complained. “Are you doing this on purpose?”

Martins sighed heavily. He rubbed his forehead in frustration. “Is she upset because we didn’t bring a gift?” he muttered.

Then he turned to Pete.

“Pete, when have we ever cared about that kind of formality?”

But Pete had already started walking towards Petra.

“Petra,” he said angrily. “They came all this way to see you and the baby, and you’re sending them off like that?”

Zoe stood beside him, shaking her head slowly. Her arms folded across her chest.

Petra just stared at her husband. Her eyes were full of disbelief.

“Are you trying to embarrass me?” Pete continued.

Then he gestured towards Zoe. “Zoe would never act like you.”

He nodded towards her proudly. “Now that’s my girl right there.”

Something inside Petra snapped.

Her hand shot towards the center table as she grabbed a glass filled with drink.

Before anyone could react, she hurled it at Pete.

The glass smashed on the floor right in front of his feet.

Alcohol splashed everywhere as the shards scattered across the tiles.

Everyone flinched violently. Their eyes widened in shock.

“You can get lost too!” Petra thundered.