Nothing serious between us 

I left the hospital with Sophie right after she became stable. My heart had leaped into my chest because I feared something would have happened to her.

My hands were placed on the steering as I tried to concentrate on the road. Sophie laid on the back sit, her drugs clutched to her chest.

When we arrived at the house, Murphy wasn't home yet. I knew he mentioned he was busy but it was already half past eleven p.m and every married man like him should know it's time to be at home.

Gently, I unlocked the car, stepped down with the other hand rolling my skirt up, and walked over to where Sophie was.

“Sophie, we are home now. Let's go inside so you can rest.” I carried her onto my palms, kicked the car door closed and began moving inside.

She barely spoke. The illness was already eating her up and that really broke me. I had tried every possible thing to make sure she got the best doctor. I gave her pills on time, took her to the hospital for tests, and did every goddamn thing. 

“Mom, I want ice cream please." Her voice came out slowly. Her eyes were already puffy and the doctor advised against ice creams.

"I'm sorry Sophie, but you can't have an ice cream. You're still recovering.” My hands wrapped over her body, I planted a kiss on her forehead.

She quickly rubbed it off using her little palm. “You don't ever give me ice cream mom but aunty Nessa does."Here she goes mentioning that home breaker of a woman. She had manipulated Sophie's heart, making her feel I wasn't good enough for her. 

My eyes became blurred with tears, I tried wiping it off. A child I had given everything for, but now sees me as trash. Maybe it was her health condition that made her respond that way.

My hands lingered on the edge of the duvet for a few seconds before I finally turned away from her bed. The room was dimly lit, the soft yellow lamp beside her bed casting shadows across the walls.

"Goodnight Sophie.” I planted a kiss on her forehead.

She gently nodded without even saying a word. I swallowed the lump in my throat and quietly stepped out of her room, shutting the door behind me.

I walked downstairs slowly, exhaustion weighing heavily on my body. My heels clicked against the marble floor as I headed toward the kitchen to get a glass of water.

The door suddenly clicked open and Murphy walked in. He had been out all day, even as I called him concerning his daughter's health he still claimed he was busy.

“You're still awake?” he asked casually.

I stared at him in disbelief. "Murphy, where have you been?” I asked, moving closer to him." 

He loosened his tie, sat on the couch and narrowed his gaze at me. “Jane, I had a long stressful day. I'm not in for your troubles." 

I scoffed. “Oh, wow. I'm trouble right?" My hands clasped together. “Murphy, your daughter was in the hospital, she needed you, she wanted you by her side. But what did you do? You decided to stay with another woman.” A tear slipped out from my eye.

Murphy finally turned to look at me properly, irritation already written across his face. “Jane, what exactly do you want from me?”

I blinked repeatedly, trying to hold myself together.

“What do I want?” I repeated softly. “Maybe for my husband to act like he cares.”

“Oh please.” He scoffed. “Stop acting like I'm some terrible man because I couldn't come to the hospital. And I ignored one phone call." 

“One phone call?” My voice cracked. “Your daughter was in the hospital!”

“She’s fine now, isn't she?” he snapped impatiently.

Murphy rubbed his forehead frustratingly. “You always overreact to everything, Jane. Every single thing becomes drama with you.”

Tears burned behind my eyes instantly. “I overreact?” I whispered.

“Yes.” He pointed toward the stairs. “Sophie needs peace, not this constant emotional behavior from you.”

I felt my heart slowly breaking apart inside my chest. Murphy didn't care about me at all, he had changed from the loving man I married.

Before I could say another word, his phone buzzed. Murphy glanced at the screen and the harshness on his face softened immediately. A tiny smile appeared on his lips.

I didn't need to ask who it was. It could only be Nessa. He typed a quick response before walking past me like I was invisible.

“I'm tired,” he muttered. “Don't start another argument tonight.”

I wiped out the tears streaming down. My eyes landed on the lipstick stain on his cheek, and my stomach twisted instantly.

What was happening? Did they really kiss? Was Murphy truly doing something with Nessa? My fingers felt numb, tears blurred my vision.

“Murphy." My voice came out cold. “What's that on your cheek?" 

He exhaled deeply. “What is it this time? He rubbed his cheek with his hand, glanced at it and his eyes widened.

“I..I don't know how it got there, Jane." He stuttered.

My eyes blurted out. “Really? It just magically happened, right?" I asked, rubbing my hands together.

“Jane, I said I have no idea how it got there. Maybe I hit my shoulders with a woman. But I really don't know.”

“Why do you alw—" 

His phone began to ring. He stared at the screen and back at me. “Goodnight, Jane. Enough trouble for the day." 

He dashed into the room, slamming the door closed.

Was this a joke to him? In the past three years, I've managed to keep this marriage yet he never truly appreciated it. 

The times I would go to the office with him and he wouldn't introduce me to his friends saying I was a house wife, even on our anniversary he didn't show up claiming he was busy.

How did my life become this way? He promised he would be the best decision I made but at this point, he had turned out to be the worst.

I stood there frozen, trying to hold myself together while everything inside me collapsed.

My legs staggered but I still managed to walk to the couch. A small file lay beside the couch, slightly hidden under the center table. My brows furrowed in curiosity. I leaned forward, stretching my hand toward it before picking it up slowly.

I gently opened it and on it was Nessa’s full name boldly written.