Start from Zero

My heart clenched. Staring at the message that had just appeared, I opened my WhatsApp chat with James in disbelief.

Just half an hour ago, he had sent me a video.

"Honey, even when you're not here, I'm still keeping myself in check."

…

"Honey, I miss you."

…

"Honey, this is the hotel I'm staying at today. I'll bring you a gift when I come back tomorrow."

…

I had not opened the video earlier. Now, with trembling fingers, I tapped on it, my heart pounding like a drum as I watched the seconds tick by.

James had filmed every corner of the hotel room, leaving practically nothing out, while his cheerful voice came through the speakers.

"Honey, I'm staying in a king room tonight. If you were here with me, I'd definitely get us a suite—"

Then, I paused the video. As I zoomed in, I spotted a heat patch in the room.

I could not believe it. I took a screenshot and searched online for the same product. When an identical heat patch appeared in the search results, I completely broke down.

I sank onto the carpet and stared blankly around our home before my gaze fell on the toy and condoms in front of me.

I remembered how James had complained to me before leaving on his business trip, "I hate going on business trips. I just want to cuddle with you."

I remembered how he had video-called me the moment he got off the plane and grumbled, "The food on the plane was awful. Your cooking tastes better."

I had laughed at him for being childish, wondering how the formidable Mr. Hendrick, so decisive and commanding in the business world, could turn into a little boy whenever he was around me.

At that time, James replied, "I'm just a kid when I'm with you."

Yet, he was cheating on me.

Numbly, I called James.

He picked up almost immediately, his voice breathless as though he had just been doing something physically strenuous.

"Honey, what's wrong?" His voice was as gentle as ever.

But tears were already streaming down my face.

"James?" I called out.

"Would you ever betray me?" I fought to keep the grief from my voice before asking him again, "Would you ever betray me?"

Tears poured down my face. Then, I heard rustling on James' end of the call. There was obviously someone else there.

Before James could answer, I suddenly heard a muffled groan escape him.

I knew his reactions far too well. He was aroused.

In that instant, an overwhelming sense of betrayal swallowed me whole.

A violent wave of nausea surged up from my stomach. Unable to hold it back, I rushed to the bathroom and started vomiting. Even imagining the scene made me feel as though I could not breathe.

I heard James rein in his emotions before asking hoarsely, his voice full of concern, "Honey, what's wrong? Are you still not feeling well?"

When he received no response from me, he eventually said, "I'll come back tomorrow once I'm done here. Don't worry. I still have something to take care of, so I'll hang up first."

The sound of the toilet flushing drowned out his voice.

By the time I wiped away my tears, James had already hung up. I stared at our chat history, then at the toy still lying in the living room.

I suddenly found it all so ridiculous.

I laughed.

And as I laughed, I called my best friend, Cleo Hayes.