Chapter Two Denied Everything 

Eunice’ POV

  

I faked a smile at him, unwilling to let him know that I had detected a foreign perfume on him. 

My mind was still processing it, but there was no mistaking it. I was the one who always went to the mall to help Tyler choose a new cologne whenever he needed one. I knew the scent he always wore like the back of my hand. This wasn’t it. This scent on him now—it was definitely a woman’s.  

My heart clenched, sinking like a ship struck by torpedoes. The excitement I had carried moments ago, eager to share my news with Tyler, evaporated in an instant. 

We gently pulled away from the hug, and I collected his briefcase, helping him remove the long coat draped over his suit. This had always been my routine whenever he returned home. In the past, I would have done it with a bright smile, carrying his briefcase upstairs with lighthearted joy. But tonight, sadness weighed heavily on me.  

“Is that seared steak and roasted asparagus?!” he exclaimed, his excitement evident as he made his way directly to the dining room. 

That was unlike Tyler. He usually took a bath before dinner, yet tonight, upon seeing his favorite meal prepared, he bypassed his usual routine. He was going to eat before even heading upstairs.  

By the time I returned from our bedroom, I joined him at the dining table, watching as he ate with an eagerness that made it seem like he had been starving for days. 

His eyes closed in delight, a satisfied “yummy!” slipping from his lips as he devoured his food. The sight should have eased my sadness, and for a fleeting moment, it did. 

Tyler had always been a perfect husband to me—loving, devoted, making me feel like his Cinderella. He had never given me a reason to doubt him before.  

And yet, here I was, suspecting something. But wasn’t it only wise to ask him directly rather than bottling it up? He was my husband. He deserved to hear my thoughts, loud and clear.  

“Tyler?” I called, my voice calm and measured.  

He looked up at me mid-bite.

“When I hugged you earlier,” I continued, my tone soft yet deliberate, “I smelled a woman’s perfume on you.”  

The words had barely left my lips when Tyler froze momentarily. It was brief, but I noticed it. Almost immediately, he forced a smile, letting out a light chuckle.  

“Another woman?” he repeated, shaking his head. “Come on, you know I only have eyes for you! I wouldn’t even glance at another woman, let alone be with one.”  

He waved a hand dismissively. “That scent you picked up must have been from Delisha. She hugged me goodnight before I left work. You know Delisha, right?”  

Of course, I knew Delisha. She was his first and most loyal employee. More accurately, she was our first and most loyal employee. 

Tyler and I had built “Lustre & Co” from scratch, turning it into a well-known company celebrated for its expertise in men’s haircuts, women’s hairstyling, and premium makeup services. I had worked closely with Delisha for years and trusted her completely. She wasn’t the type to steal another woman’s husband.  

Relief washed over me, but only partially. A flicker of doubt remained. I distinctly remembered Delisha asking me for a perfume recommendation once. I had suggested Dark Musk, and she had loved it. Since then, it had been her signature scent. But the perfume I smelled on Tyler wasn’t Dark Musk. It was something else.  

Had she changed her perfume? It had been a while since I was last at work. For the past six months, I had been home, caring for Tyler’s sick mother, ensuring she was not left alone in her fragile state. Perhaps Delisha had switched to a new fragrance. It was possible, wasn’t it?  

I wanted to seize this moment and share my news, to declare it happily. But something held me back, urging me to wait. Swallowing my words, I forced another smile.  

“So, what are we celebrating?” Tyler grinned, reaching for the juice at the center of the table and pouring himself a glass.  

“Nothing,” I answered, my smile unwavering. Yet the realization struck me—I had just lied to my husband.  

Tyler was the one person I had never lied to. From the moment we started dating seven years ago, honesty had been our foundation. Should tonight be the first time I broke that?  

No. It shouldn’t.  

“I’m pregnant,” I declared.  

Tyler chuckled, shaking his head with amusement. Waving his hand dismissively, he picked up another bite of steak.  

“You can’t be pregnant, Eunice,” he scoffed. “We’ve been trying for two years, and nothing’s happened. Pregnant?” he repeated with a laugh. “Such a wild imagination.”  

My breath caught in my throat. His reaction blindsided me. Did Tyler truly believe I would never conceive? Had he already given up hope without telling me?  

Before I could voice my shock, he simply nodded dismissively.

“Yeah, whatever,” he said nonchalantly. Finishing his juice, he rose from his seat, walked over, and kissed my forehead.

“I’m going to take a bath now,” he murmured, smirking. “And maybe afterward, I can eat you up. Who knows? Maybe then you’ll actually get pregnant instead of making false claims.”  

He chuckled at his own words, placed a light kiss on my cheek, and walked upstairs.  

His words should have shattered me. This wasn’t the Tyler I knew. The Tyler I knew was empathetic, overjoyed at any good news I shared. He would have lifted me off my feet, spinning me around with excitement. But tonight, he dismissed my pregnancy like it was a joke. Even worse, he taunted me.  

I wanted to push his words aside, to convince myself that he was just exhausted, that a refreshing bath would clear his head. Maybe afterward, he would come back to me and realize the truth.  

But then, as he brushed past me, the scent hit me again. That overpowering perfume clung to him, loud and undeniable. A mere hug wouldn’t have left such a lingering fragrance. This was more than a hug.  

Had Delisha changed? Or had she changed in a way I never expected? Had she become someone I no longer recognized? Was she the reason Tyler dismissed me so easily?  

Pushing my thoughts aside, I cleared the dining table and made my way to Diana’s room. I checked on her, ensuring she was still peacefully asleep before stepping away quietly, careful not to wake her.  

Finally, I headed upstairs, slipping into bed. But I didn’t close my eyes. I pretended to be asleep, waiting.  

Tyler emerged from the bathroom, dressed in his nightwear. As he settled into bed, I peeked slightly through my lashes, just in time to see him pick up his phone from the bedside table. He started texting—and he smiled as he did.  

A chill ran through me. Tyler never texted anyone after coming home. Work, friends—everything waited until morning. Home was for us.  

But now, he was texting someone. And he was smiling.  

My heart clenched. Something was happening, something I wasn’t seeing yet.  

“I’m visiting the company tomorrow,” I murmured to myself. “I’m going to see what’s really going on with my own eyes.”