Chapter Two

The next day, Emma woke up to find the food and expensive champagne she had prepared untouched, even after staying up late, waiting for trevor so they could have dinner together, talk about what's going on and renew your vow of love to eachother, but Trevor's still nowhere in sight. She mentally reproached herself for not paying attention to these signs. Now, everything was becoming clear - something was wrong with Trevor, and it had nothing to do with her or her job.

She had tried to reach out to him numerous times, but his secretary always answered his calls and gave excuses as to why he couldn't speak to her. Emma thought about going to his workplace but remembered how much Trevor disliked surprise visits.

That had caused their first fight when she showed up unannounced for lunch; she had passed by the secretary's office, hoping to inquire if Trevor was in a meeting, only to find her office empty. She furrowed her brows as she made her way to his office, and upon entering, she saw him and his secretary standing way too close to each other.

Now, she could clearly remember how alarmed the both of them were when they saw her standing at the entrance of his office. Trevor had cleared his throat and masked his surprise as he took a step back from his secretary, but Emma was too bothered about if he would be displeased to see here in the company after telling her he hates surprise visits and surprises in general.

Why hadn't she asked about the fading hickey on Trevor's neck? They had never been rough with each other during intimacy. And it had been a while since they had actually made love.

Just two days ago, she had perceived a foreign scent on Trevor's white shirt when she was about putting his clothes in the washing machine, clearly not her preferred vanilla perfume. It smelled like chocolate, a musky chocolate scent, and something else she couldn't put her finger on, Emma thought Trevor had changed his perfume choice and never bothered asking about it.

Unmatched was her affection for vanilla fragrance, a fact acknowledged by both her and Trevor.

The lingering memory of that peculiar and captivating scent she had detected on Trevor's shirt now resided in her nostrils, intensifying with just the mere thought of it. It differed from her usual scent; Emma walked into their bedroom as she hastily checked on their perfume collection, nothing new has been added, and there was nothing like Chocolate or a mixture of chocolate musk in any of Trevor's perfume collection, and she knew her boyfriend was not accustomed to using feminine perfumes.

Yet, this was not the sole epiphany that dawned upon Emma. She felt a sudden dizziness as her mind grappled with the realization: Trevor was undeniably heterosexual. The only logical explanation she could conjure for his feminine scent was if he was revealing his true self, though this seemed absurd given that the Trevor Maddox she knew, whom she had been in a relationship with for five years, had never shown any interest in men.

Emma knew the chocolate musk perfume she had perceived on Trevor's shirt could mean only one thing, just one thing she silently prayed would be a lie, she sincerely hoped that when Trevor returns back from work, and she confronts him, he would give her a reasonable and convincing response as to how his perfume smells of chocolate musk.

A tense atmosphere enveloped the room as Trevor's words hung in the air, causing Emma's stomach to twist in knots. Anxiety surged through her, her heart breaking with each passing second. Tears welled up in her eyes as she gazed at him.

"I can no longer continue this," Trevor finally uttered as Emma confronted him, his voice laden with gravity, filling the room with an oppressive silence. The tension in the air unsettled Emma's stomach, accentuated by the rising temperature that added discomfort to the room.

"What do you mean?" she inquired, attempting to mask the situation with a slight scoff, although her efforts fell flat as Trevor maintained his silence.

He did not offer a smile or even meet her gaze with confidence.

"I need space, Emma, time away from us," Trevor persisted, his hands firmly clasped and resting on his lap while perched at the edge of their bed. "Tonight, I will be staying with a friend, followed by a two-week trip to Thailand."

"What?" Emma's shock transitioned into a knot in her stomach. "When did you decide on all of this? How could you have overlooked mentioning a trip or this abrupt plan to me?" She knew Trevor always shared his plans with her, whether they pertained to work or their relationship. Observing him retrieve two pre-packed suitcases from their closet only intensified the ache in her heart.

Emma was beginning to hate where their discussion was heading to. The only thing she asked was an explanation from how he smelled completely from his perfume, and now he wants a break all of a sudden?

Had she given him the free passage?

Had Trevor been waiting for the right moment to drop the bomb on her?

"I arranged this a couple of weeks ago," he responded icily, tossing a pillow from his side of the bed. Trevor exhaled deeply and regarded her before resuming, "I require a break, a vacation."

Emma was taken aback by the news she heard. "Are you really going alone?" she questioned, her voice filled with a mix of pain and confusion. The fact that Trevor had decided on this trip without involving her in the decision-making process made her doubt his regard for her feelings and opinions.

"What about the visit to your father? You assured me that you would introduce us and possibly help me secure a better job," she interjected, feeling uneasy about the way their discussion was heading.

"I think it's best if I go by myself. I need some time away from us, from everything that binds us together. Emma, I know you're intelligent enough not to overreact," Trevor replied bluntly, his lack of emotion and cold gaze sending a shiver down her spine.

"Who are you going with?" she probed, trying to mask her growing apprehension.

Her heart sank as Trevor hesitated before responding, causing her world to crumble before her eyes.

"I'll be going with Caleb," he finally disclosed.

A wave of relief swept over Emma as she realized the unnecessary worry she had been carrying about Trevor embarking on this impromptu journey with someone else. It seemed acceptable for him to accompany Caleb, considering their longstanding friendship.