CHAPTER 4

THE SCENE AT SKYBOUND

The moment I step out of the car, I know I don’t belong here. The glass doors ahead reflect a version of me I barely recognize ,bare face, oversized T-shirt that hangs past my thighs, bathroom flip-flops smacking against the tiled floor as I walk. My hair is still damp from the shower, sticking to my neck. I look… undone. everyone inside looks like they belong on a magazine cover , polished, pressed, perfect .

I got very curious stares as I storm into the reception area. My flip flops slapping against the polished tiles as I storm through the doors . The receptionist’s eyes go wide the moment she sees me. “Uh… ma’am, can I help you?”she asks. “ I’m here to see Daniel,” I say, voice firm, steady or at least I try to make it sound that way , “ma’am, I’m sorry, but you can’t just walk in like that ”“I said , I need to see Daniel ! ,” I cut her off. She blinks, clearly confused. “I understand that ma’m , but you would need to book an appointment for that, he’s in a meeting right now , you can wait….”

“No!” I slam my hand on the counter, the sound sharp enough to make nearby heads turn. My chest heaves, anger bubbling so close to the surface I can taste it. “You don’t understand. I need to see him. Right now!! ”She glances at the security guard, then back at me.”ma’am..”before she could finish I mutter “Tell him his wife is here.” Her eyes widen slightly, confusion flashing across her face. The receptionist lowers her voice, nervous now. “Please, ma’am, if you could just wait a little..” impatient , I push her to the side , and walked past her.

The sound of my flip-flops echoes across the marble floor as I push through the hallway, ignoring the stares, the whispers. The receptionist walking fast behind me like a shadow “please ma’m if you can just wait a little, he is about to seal a really important deal “ she says “Wait?” I laugh bitterly. my heart pounding like a drum. I can feel everyone looking, wondering who this half-dressed woman is barging into Skybound’s top floor like she owns the place.

Through the glass walls of the conference room, I see him , sitting there in his perfect suit, laughing with people in tailored blazers and glossy shoes. For a second, I freeze. He looks so calm, so untouched. Like the morning never happened. Like I don’t exist. “Ma’am! Please You can’t go in there!” The receptionist calls after me. Too late. I push open the door.

“Daniel!” I shout, the word tearing out of me. My voice bounces off the walls. Everyone turns. The room goes quiet instantly. He looks up. Our eyes meet. His smile falters as he looks at me from head to toes in bewilderment . he stands, straightens his jacket, still puzzled “what is this?” he says, his voice low but sharp with warning.

The receptionist rushes in behind me, whispering frantically. “Sir, I told her to wait…” I pull out the condom , and lift it up high enough for him and everyone to see “Who is she….. !!” I say cutting her off, “….you bastard !, you’ve been fucking someone else !!!” Someone gasps. The air shifts.

He glances at the people in the room, then back at me. “Emma , Now’s not a good time.” he says quietly, the way someone might talk to a wild animal. “Now’s the perfect time,” I snap, stepping forward. “Because apparently, I don’t get your time anymore , you spend it fucking some other woman… is she in this office ? … !” I say now turning and looking at the faces of everyone in the conference room and the people watching, like I knew who it was . Everyone’s watching.

Daniel’s jaw tightens. “Emma, not here,” his tone low, controlled. That calm voice that used to soothe me , now it only makes me angrier. “Not here? Why not here?” He looks away. Just… looks away. That silence hurts worse than any word could.“Because you don’t want them to see what kind of man you are?” I ask as I take more steps forward, now waving the condom packet in the air. “You lied to me! You said there was no one else!” A murmur runs through the office.

“Emma, stop!!.”. “Don’t tell me to stop!” My throat burns, my voice rising higher. “You said I was enough! You said we didn’t need this anymore!” . Daniel’s eyes darken. “Put that away!.” I hold it higher. “No. Tell me, Daniel. Who is she?”

Phones lift into the air. I can see people recording already, and whispering. “Stop,” he says through clenching his teeth. “You’re embarrassing yourself”. “No, you embarrass me!” I shout, my voice breaking. “You make me think I was crazy, you make me think I am the problem, when whole time you are the problem ”

I can feel tears sting my eyes, but I keep shouting, my voice trembling. “Who is she, Daniel? Who is she?! You think I wouldn’t find out?!” “Enough!” he snaps, stepping forward now, his voice raised. “You’re making a scene.” “You think I wouldn’t find this? You think I’m stupid?” I cry . “You said we didn’t need this anymore!” I shout, shaking it in front of him. “We stopped using these years ago!” He closes his eyes for a second, jaw tight.

“We’ll talk about this at home. ”“Home?” I laugh bitterly. “We don’t have a home, Daniel. You stopped coming home a long time ago.” The room is silent except for my voice and the sound of someone’s phone camera clicking.“You lied to me,” I whisper, tears finally spilling down. “You lied when you said you loved me.”

Daniel’s expression softens for half a second , “step outside, we’ll talk later” he says now looking at the receptionist. I can see the receptionist rushing toward me now, whispering to security. “Ma’am, please, please calm down.” “Calm down?” I laugh, a sharp, broken sound. “You want me to calm down?” “Please, just go” he adds .

I shake my head slowly, voice trembling. “after everything we went through together .” He doesn’t move.The whole room feels like it’s holding its breath. Security tries to step in, but I twist away, my heart pounding so hard I can barely breathe.

The packet slips from my fingers and lands on the glossy floor with a soft thud.I hear someone whisper, “Is that… a condom?” I turn, my eyes burning, as I stare at the group of strangers gawking at me like I’m some kind of spectacle. “You all think he’s perfect?” I ask, my voice shaking. “He’s not. He’s a liar !!”