CHAPTER 2 - Meeting his mistress

Clara's Pov

I braced myself for the hit, the airbag in my car puffed out to save my life but I was already well buckled in my seat with the belt. Holding the wheel tight, I breathed hard, pushing the air bag back in to see the damage.

"Are you alright?" Someone called out to me and I turned.

His brows were furrowed but not in anger, in concern, his voice wasn't reprimanding me, it was catering for me.

"Are you fine?" His deep baritone sounded again and I nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry if I hit your car, I was—"

"It's fine,"

"No, I'll pay for the damage please, I wasn't—"

"No," he shook his head and blinked, a small smile played on the side of his lips and that was when I noticed how ethereal he looked.

His light brown hair fell slightly on his face as he bent to slightly above my eye level, I had driven the red Bently.

"There was no damage done, good thing my brakes worked perfectly." He flashed a simple smile at me and my stomach churned.

My breath got hitched and a naughty thought crept up my mind.

"I'm sorry, goodnight." I started my car and zoomed off, for a second I felt a pang of guilt, like talking to that stranger meant betraying Adrian just then my phone beeped.

I opened the messages from an anonymous sender and every bit of guilt turned to rage.

It was a picture of a woman whom I presumed was Elena with Adrian sleeping soundly in her arms, something he never did with me, his wife.

I immediately regretted not jumping at that stranger and going home with him. I wasn't going to keep deceiving myself. Two years trying and hoping that if I played the role of the perfect wife, he'd develop feelings for me.

I had clung to my mother's advice, "Love grows honey. Give him a little time and space and he will adapt to loving you soon."

But she was wrong Adrian’s heart only ever belonged to Elena and I was tired of playing chase with a man that had no interest in me at all.

"Welcome ma'am, should I heat a lit—"

"Don't do anything. I'm fine, thank you." I dismissed the maid that approached me and headed straight to my room.

Adrian and I never even shared a room, "I'll give you everything you want. Just know your place and don't cross your boundaries."

I had stayed within my boundaries and played wife for two years but all that was water under the bridge, I was ready to reclaim my life, start all over and let go of a love that was never meant for me.

My phone beeped with more photos and videos of their intimate night. I grabbed my phone, blocked and deleted the number for the sake of my sanity.

****

"Sweetie, is your husband not coming?" Mother asked for the millionth time that night, her eyes never leaving the entrance.

I had arrived early at my parent's house to help with the finishing touches of the party, my sisters had arrived too—with their husbands my brother showed up with his girlfriend as well but I had come solo.

"Clara," mother's voice made me flinch a bit.

"What's wrong? Did you have a fight with Adrian?"

"No mum, why will you think that?" I immediately wore a smile carved from plastic.

"I thought the Hollingsworths would be here and your husband..." she sighed as though disappointed.

"I thought he'd at least accompany you here, Lisa and Vera came with their—"

"Mother, you know how busy Adrian gets. He'd be a little late. He's working on a new project that's been taking up his time lately." Project Elena, I wanted to add but I held my tongue.

Mother looked at me in a pitiful way like she didn’t buy the story, even I didn't believe the lie.

"Sweetie, you can talk to me if you're having challenges in your marriage. You father and I have been married for thirty years and I can tell that you're making excuses for him." She put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it lightly.

I wanted to hug her and tell her everything, tell her Adrian had a mistress, cry on her shoulder and tell her how tired I was but I knew better.

I rubbed my temples lightly.

"Mum Adrian is actually..." I heard commotion at the entrance and I turned, it was Romeo Hollingsworth in all his glory—Adrian’s grandfather.

Age had barely taken a toll on him, asides his hair that was all grey, he still walked upright and commanded the same authority, closely behind him was his lookalike Adrian.

Neatly styled black hair, square shoulders and that calm sophistication that always unsettled the butterflies in my stomach.

"I told you he'd be a little late." I let out a breath I didn't realize I held unto all the while.

"Happy Birthday Gloria," Grandfather with mother well followed by all the other members of the family.

Then Adrian walked straight to me stunning everybody as he slipped one hand at the small of my back and pulled me closer to him. His hot breath fanned my face, I could see mother smiling like a little child from the corner of my eyes. It was what she always wanted—a happy married life for all her children.

"Hi Darling," he said in a low husky voice, the perfect actor. I was going to protest when without warning, he covered my lips with his, gently tugging on the bottom as he pressed me against his chest right there, in front of everyone.

Gasps rose from the crowd, my heart stopped, he kissed me with a tenderness and passion that I couldn't explain.

For a moment I was lost in his kiss, maybe we could make it work somehow.

"Elena! I didn't know you'd returned to the country." I heard someone say and my heart froze.

I flattened my hand on his chest to push him off but his grip was strong and I ended up getting more mushy sounds from our audience.

Finally he pulled away so I could catch my breath.

The kiss was longer than expected and had turned us to the stars of the night stealing the spotlight from my mum the celebrant who didn't mind at all.

My ears were red but I wasn't blushing, I was furious and before I could ask any questions, the goddess appeared, long legs, flawless skin and the perfect figure.

"Elena, you came." Adrian’s sister greeted her casually.

"Yes Adrian invited me," my eyes doubled their size at her response as I looked at Adrian.

"Did he invite his mistress for my mum's birthday party"