My not-so-beautiful family.

ASTRID’s POV

“Astrid, baby, your food is ready.”

“Hey, Husband.”

He grabbed my waist and we kissed passionately.

“I need to eat, Ethan,” I said in between kisses, but he pulled me back and placed me on the table.

“I need to eat you out first.”

He stripped me naked and I opened my legs wide for him.

He placed his tongue on my clit, I moaned softly, then he placed his lips on mine and pushed two of his fingers inside my pussy and I screamed.

“Fuck me, Ethan. I want you baby.”

I caressed his dick, but then he pushed my hands away.

“I think the kid is crying.”

“What kid?”

“Astrid.. Astrid! Hey!!!”

He screamed in my ears and I woke up soaking wet.

“Ethan.. What.. Wait, was that all a dream?”

He looked so confused, and he turned off the TV.

“Stop shaking and let me sleep, Astrid.”

I moved closer and wrapped my hands around my husband's waist.

“Hey.. You wanna..”

“Astrid, Come on, it is our daughter’s party tomorrow. I am stressed and need to get some sleep, please.”

“Of course. Why didn't I think about that? So stupid of me.”

He turned around, looked at me, and exhaled lazily.

“Astrid, I didn’t mean it that way. I mean you hardly go to work, so you wouldn't understand how it feels.. Astrid, I didn't mean that..”

A tear rolled down my cheeks, but I quickly wiped it off and smiled lazily at him.

“I know. You are tired and can't have sex, I totally understand it.”

“Astrid, you are my wife, you should understand me. We have children now, and I am always working so hard..”

“Oh, and I don't work? You have been like this for 4 months! It is fine. Goodnight.”

“Astrid..”

“Goodnight, Ethan.”

“Do not turn your back on me, Astrid!!! I am your husband and head of this household!!!”

I looked back at him and I immediately narrowed my eyes.

“You will understand everything soon, Astrid, but for now..”

“I just want to sleep, Ethan. Please, can I do that?”

He threw the bedsheet cover my face and stomped out of the room in a rage.

I cried myself to sleep.

It was never like this when we first got married.

When I woke up in the morning, I stepped outside my room to my adopted daughter's room. She was turning 17 and was now a big girl.

I remembered when I and Ethan first adopted her, when she was only 7, and we had just gotten married. I had always talked about adopting a child when Ethan and I started planning our lives together.

I jumped on her bed and screamed into her ears, “Wake up!!!”

She jumped up in shock and fell to the ground.

“Oh my God, Mum!”

“Happy birthday, Phoebe.”

She hugged me tightly as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Why are you crying, love?”

“On this day 10 years ago, you and Dad walked up and took me out of the orphanage, even though I was the biggest in there.”

We both chuckled loudly and hugged again.

“Well, I am glad we did... And didn't we promise never to talk about it again?”

She nodded and I wiped away her tears.

Phoebe could easily pass off as my sister. I mean I was 30 and she was 17. Yes, I had gotten married when I was only 20 years old. That was how much I loved Ethan, but now, I didn't know what was happening. It felt like he was someone else.

I felt like he had someone else.

“Now, lets go wake up your brother,” I said to her and she happily jumped on her feet.

Before even we stepped out of the room, we saw him walking towards us.

“Happy birthday, Pheobe! Hi, mum.”

He looked so adorable in his little pajamas and messy hair. He looked exactly like me.

The birthday party started and my friend Brenda arrived earlier than everyone else.

She pulled me to my room and I locked the door behind me.

“So, tell me again, what did you say on the phone earlier when I called, huh? You said Ethan is cheating on you?”

“Brenda, keep your voice down, and I said I suspect him of it.”

“Why?”

“He hasn't touched me in 5 months! Anytime I try moving close to him, he gives me excuses and pushes me away.”

“See, that's why I told you that being single is better, right? After that bastard, Reggie, threw divorce papers in my face, I have been so free and happy!”

“Brenda, I am not jeopardizing my marriage! Stop it!”

I spoke authoritatively and she lifted her hands up in surrender.

“Well, I have this party I will be attending tomorrow. You wanna come with me?”

“A party?”

“Astrid, come on. When was the last time you went out to have fun? It will be fun, huh?”

She didn't answer my question, but I didn't mind. I nodded and agreed.

It was 10 pm, and the party was over. Brenda slept in the guest room while I tucked my kids into bed.

I headed back to my room, showered, and was ready to sleep when Ethan stepped in and hugged me.

I wrapped my hands around his neck and we began kissing. The kiss was pretty intense, and as much as I was stunned, I loved it.

How I had missed him.

He lifted me onto the table and dragged my towel off my body. His hands cupped my breasts, and I moaned into his ears.

He carried me to the bed and he was about to pull off his pants when his phone rang, and to my surprise, he answered the call and just left me waiting there.

I stood up angrily and wrapped my body with the towel.

He came back to the room after 5 minutes and tried touching me again but I pushed his hands away.

“So, was that your secretary? Nelly?”

“Astrid, I need to travel tomorrow for a business meeting.”

I turned around and looked at his charming yet annoying face with so much pain in my heart. Here I was thinking he was about to apologize to me, but no.

“Who called you?”

He closed his eyes, then swallowed heavily.

“It was Nelly..”

“I knew it!”

I exclaimed and walked over to the bed.

“Astrid, please, listen to me. Why are you being like this? I need to travel for work! Nelly is my secretary so of course she ought to remind me, right? How else are we going to survive if I do not work?”

The disrespect!!! I am not a full housewife, who does he think he is!!! I work too!!!

“Your secretary?!!! Do you mean the same secretary who you shower with gifts, go on dates with, and even travel around the world together with? The same one whose house you passed the night in countless times before?!!!"

“Astrid, I do all that with her because of work! Do you not trust me? And I have never slept on the same bed with her, stop acting like a child for God's sake.”

“Trust you? Did you just talk about trust? Ethan, please, tell me how you would react if I slept in a man’s house, huh? Tell me?!”

I screamed angrily and he scoffed.

“Astrid, you are a lady, it is different! It is in a man’s nature to cheat. We have been married for years, and we can't keep acting like kids and fooling around! Nelly is young and..”

He paused when he saw my eyes getting teary. He just called me old! I am 30!!! How is that old?

Cheating is in a man’s nature, he said.

I wrapped my body with the bedsheet and he sat down beside me on the bed.

“Astrid, you are my wife, and you should at least trust me.”

“When was the last time you told me you loved me or when was the last time we spent time together? You love Nelly because she is young, right? Oh my God!”

I bowed my head and wiped off my tears.

“We are both very busy and..”

“I will be going with Brenda to her house tomorrow. I am not sure when I will be back.”

“Well, I have no issue with that.”

“Good. Now, please let me sleep.”

I pushed his hands off my body and he walked out of the room.

When I woke up in the morning, he was already gone. I packed my bags, told the Nanny to take care of the kids, and I left with Brenda.

“I will show you a whole new world, Astrid.”