เป็นของคุณโดยสมัครใจ

*AURORA*

[6 AM, pick me up at the airport.]

The sudden glow of my phone screen shattered the silence in the dark room. The piercing light startled me awake. Half-asleep, I rubbed my eyes and squinted at the abrupt message.

For a moment, my heart skipped a beat, and my fingers trembled slightly. That number, that tone—was it him? My husband, Lucien?

The airport? Was he coming back? The thought alone quickened my breath, as if an invisible hand had gripped my throat, leaving me momentarily unable to breathe.

Frantically, I reached for the bedside lamp. The warm yellow light dispelled some of the darkness but couldn't chase away the unease in my heart. I stared at the message, reading it over and over, as if I could see through the screen and glimpse the man behind those words.

Just then, my phone buzzed again. Another message appeared:

[Answer me, Aurora.]

It was him—it had to be. Who else would be so imperious, disregarding the fact that it was the middle of the night, a time when everyone else was lost in slumber, to demand I comply with his wishes?

Just like three years ago, when we were newlyweds, and he had left me without hesitation to go abroad. For three years, he had disappeared without a trace, leaving me to endure endless waiting and countless lonely nights. The memories surged like a tidal wave, threatening to drown me.

I should have been furious—any wife treated like this would have been. I should have called him immediately, shouting into the phone, unleashing all the pain and resentment that had built up over these three years.

But I didn't.

Tears blurred my vision, spilling over and obscuring the words on the screen. My fingers trembled as I typed my reply:

[Okay. Welcome home.]

I admit, in that moment, all the anger and bitterness dissolved. The love and longing I had buried deep within surfaced, growing uncontrollably. If he was willing to return, to be by my side again, then everything from the past—I was willing to forgive.

***

Lucien's grandfather and my grandfather were best friends.

Their relationship was close and even when they got married to their wives, and had children and grandchildren, the two families became closer.

From a very young age, I was told that I was the perfect match for Lucien.

When we were kids, we would play together, and even go on family vacations together. We were inseparable.

Up until now, those were precious memories.

In high school, Lucien would scare all the boys away from me, telling them I was his wife. Back then,I thought he was only joking but when we graduated from high school, he officially asked me to be his girlfriend.

Of course, I agreed, I had a fondness for him since we were kids and that fondness grew to be love.

Our families were ecstatic when they heard that we were dating.

Our parents said a wedding between the Sullivan and the Diaz would strengthen both families' businesses.

Lucien and I weren't together at that time because of business. We were together because we were in love.

That was until Carla came along.

I met Carla in my second year of college. She was a quiet girl who rarely spoke but when I got to know her, I thought she was nice and humble.

We clicked so well and we became best of friends. We told each other everything. There were literally no secrets between us.

Carla was from a poor background so I always tried to help her when I could. I wasn't helping her because I felt sorry for her. I helped her because I loved her as a friend and I didn't want her to suffer.

But little did I know that all that while, she had her eyes on Lucien.

When I accidentally found the text messages on her cellphone of her trying to get Lucien with different seductive words, she even sent seductive videos of her body to him.

I had felt incredibly betrayed and I ended our friendship.

I confronted Lucien about the texts Carla had been sending him and he assured me that he wasn't moved by her.

But just two months after that, he changed.

He was no longer the Lucien I had known since childhood. He became so cold to me, he told me he had fallen out of love with me.

I had asked if he found someone else, he said no, he just said he didn't want to be in a relationship with me anymore.

I was crushed.

I couldn't accept it.

I loved him so much and then I did something stupid.

I summoned our families and vowed to kill myself if they didn't make Lucien marry me.

Our families, especially his family were furious that Lucien wanted a breakup. They couldn't accept it.

And then they threatened and forced him to marry me. I thought when I got him to marry me, he'd rekindle his past feelings for me. I thought it might make him love me again.

On our wedding night, he said to me.

"I transferred abroad, I'll go finish my studies there. When I come back, maybe we'd finally be a normal couple again."

Even if I was in total despair, I still held onto his words.

I think he just needed three years to find himself and so, I decided to wait for him.

Even if the waiting was tough.

I just couldn't picture my life without him.

And now, the waiting was worth it.

He was coming home to me.

***

I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night.

And once the clock hit 3: am. I started to get dressed, wanting to look really beautiful for him.

At 5: am, I headed for the airport.

I waited, excitedly at the terminal.

Now, I can't worry about letting go of the Sullivans. They were literally all I had.

My heartbeat accelerated when I saw him riding a luggage, out of the terminal.

"Lucien." I waved my hand at him.

He saw me and then I watched as he looked to his side.

A woman walked up to him and held his hand.

I couldn't believe my eyes and my heart fell completely when she placed her hand on the small, visible bump on her belly, as if letting me know that she was pregnant.

It felt as if I had been hit by a car.

The most shocking part of all was that the woman was Carla.

Was I dreaming right now?

This has to be a nightmare. I have to wake up.

They both walked up to me.

"Lucien...How...what..."I was in so much shock to even make a complete sentence.

"Carla and I are together."He informed me, casually.

The words made me feel like a thousand bullet had shattered through my chest.