5: Anniversary

Madison had heard the words clearly.

“I love you.”

For a few seconds, she simply stood there.

Her hand remained on the bedroom door, her body frozen as though moving would somehow make what she had heard real.

She knew Evan had been making a phone call.

She knew those were the last words he had spoken.

And yet, she refused to believe what her mind was trying to tell her.

She just couldn't believe it all.

When it came to her loving husband, it was almost as if her eyes were covered by some sort of veil.

'Maybe he was talking to a friend' she thought.

'Maybe a family member.'

'Maybe someone who needed comfort.'

But none of that made any sense.

But to Madison, it could be just about anybody in her mind. Anyone but a mistress or some lover.

Madison swallowed hard and forced herself to breathe.

She wasn't going to accuse her husband based on two words.

Not Evan.

Never Evan.

But something inside her had changed.

Their anniversary was only two days away, and she hadn't even had the time to think about it ever since that visit with Vivian.

It was as if Vivian had laid a curse on her marriage. Madison thought about this alot, even if she didn't believe in things like curses.

Madison barely recognized herself during the two days leading to their 4th anniversary.

She didn't go to work.

She ignored calls from her employees and kept her phone on silent for most of the day.

She barely ate.

She spent hours sitting on the couch, staring at nothing while her mind fought against itself.

Vivian had called her several times just to ask if she was okay, but she ignored everyone.

She just needed time to think for herself.

Whenever doubt became too loud in her mind, she reminded herself of the man she knew and took sleeping pills just to shut them up.

She was slowly loosing herself to the madness of infidelity.

Evan couldn't be the man she was beginning to fear he was.

So she pushed the thought away.

Again.

And again.

Evan on the other hand leaned back in his office chair, his eyes were fixed on the documents scattered across his desk.

He had been staring at the same page for several minutes without reading a single word.

His mind was somewhere else.

Madison.

For the past two days, he had noticed the change in her.

She barely spoke.

She had stopped going to work, which was unlike her. Madison loved her boutique and rarely stayed away from it unless she was sick.

Even when he asked if something was wrong, she always gave him the same answer.

“I'm fine.”

But she wasn't.

Evan knew his wife well enough to recognize when she was pretending.

He had tried talking to her yesterday.

He had sat beside her on the couch and gently asked what was bothering her.

But she only smiled.

That same small smile she used whenever she didn't want him to worry.

“It's nothing, Evan.”

He didn't believed her.

And that worried him more than anything.

Evan rubbed his forehead and sighed.

What was going on inside her head?

Had she found something?

The thought made him uncomfortable.

His phone buzzed on the desk.

He glanced at it but didn't reach for it.

Instead, his thoughts returned to Madison.

Their anniversary was tomorrow.

He had planned something special for her.

The morning of their anniversary finally came.

Madison woke up to find Evan already gone.

She stared at the empty side of the bed for several seconds before slowly getting up.

She expected herself to feel excited.

Instead, she felt empty.

By evening, she was sitting in the living room when Evan suddenly walked in with several familiar faces behind him.

“Surprise!”

Madison's eyes widened.

For the first time in two days, genuine happiness finally appeared on her face.

Evan had arranged a small anniversary celebration for them.

Their friends filled the room, laughing and congratulating them.

Mia was there.

So was Vivian.

Madison smiled as Evan pulled her into his arms.

“Happy anniversary, Mia Cara.”

She closed her eyes briefly.

She wanted to believe that everything was still perfect.

She wanted to believe that she had imagined the things that had been haunting her.

Maybe tonight could prove her fears wrong.

Maybe this was still the marriage she had believed in.

She spent the next hour talking with Vivian and Mia.

Vivian was unusually quiet, while Mia seemed distracted.

Madison studied her for a moment.

“Mia, are you okay?”

Mia immediately smiled.

“I'm fine.”

But somehow that answer bothered Madison.

She couldn't explain what it was.

Mia looked nervous and uncomfortable.

But before Madison could ask anything else, someone called her from across the room.

The conversation ended.

Later that night, Madison suddenly felt the need to use the bathroom.

She excused herself and walked upstairs to their bedroom.

The moment she stepped inside, the noise from downstairs became distant.

She was about to walk toward the bathroom when she heard it a buzz.

Madison stopped.

Her eyes slowly moved toward Evan's briefcase.

Her heart began pounding.

The second phone.

She stared at the briefcase for several seconds.

She knew she shouldn't touch it.

She knew this was wrong.

But another vibration came.

Madison's breathing suddenly became shallow.

She walked toward the briefcase and her fingers trembled as she opened it.

The phone was there.

The screen lit up as she picked it up.

A contact name appeared at the top.

M, with a heart emoji.

Madison stared at it.

Her chest tightened.

Her thumb hovered over the notification.

She could put the phone down and she could pretend she had never seen it.

She could continue believing.

But something inside her finally broke through the fear.

She finally had the courage to open the messages.

There was only one unread message.

The newest one.

Madison's eyes moved across the screen.

And then she stopped breathing.

M: Evan, what are we going to do about the baby?