SAHABATKU MADUKU

As night fell, I could finally relax after putting my daughter to bed. I grabbed my phone and mindlessly scrolled through TikTok when a street fashion live broadcast caught my eye.

I straightened up and focused on the screen, but the host had already switched the camera angle. My heart pounded, and my hands started to feel clammy as I held my phone. I checked the time and confirmed it was a live broadcast happening in the same city.

Then I hurriedly exited TikTok and video-called my husband, Matthew Murphy.

He was supposed to be on a three-day business trip in Canta, yet I just saw him on the live broadcast with another woman in his arms. The phone rang for a long while before he finally answered the call.

Matthew’s camera shook slightly, and his handsome face appeared on my phone’s screen. He greeted me warmly, “Hey, honey!”

"Where are you?" I asked urgently as my eyes scanned the footage from his end. He looked like he was in a corridor of a restaurant, and he was wearing a white shirt and tie. However, the figure I saw in the live broadcast wore a gray windbreaker.

"I'm having dinner with a client. I came out to answer your call. What's up? Is there something wrong? Is Ava asleep?" He asked.

"Are you in Canta?" I sidestepped his question and asked again.

"Of course I am. Why? Is something wrong?" He looked at me seriously through the camera, full of curiosity.

"Oh! It's...nothing!" I mumbled absent-mindedly, then asked, "When are you coming home?"

"Soon... I'll be back once I wrap things up here. Do you miss me?" Matthew smiled affectionately at me, full of love. "I'll try to come home as soon as possible. It's getting late. Go to bed early, okay? I still have things to attend to. Bye!"

He blew a kiss to me and then hung up the call.

I held my phone, stunned and annoyed at myself for being suspicious. Matthew was an extraordinary, handsome, and doting husband, even though he was just a pauper when we first met.

Although he was from an ordinary family with a sickly younger sister from the city, I chose him among my many admirers because of his looks.

After graduation, I used my parents’ house as collateral to start a supply company with him and stayed by his side. Matthew was responsible for sourcing while I tirelessly dealt with clients to the point I almost suffered from gastric bleeding. Fortunately, the company grew and began thriving.

When I got pregnant, I decided to stop and entrusted the company to my husband while I focused on raising our child and managing our home.

Ava, our daughter, had turned four. We led a comfortable and well-off life as a family of three, which people were envious of.

Matthew felt so guilty that we didn’t have a wedding ceremony that he promised to provide for me and make up for any grievances I suffered.

How could such a husband cheat?

I pursed my lips and smiled, realizing I had watched too many TV shows that evoked such ridiculous thoughts. When I laid back in bed, I still thought about the fleeting figure on the TikTok live.

I must have been thinking about Matthew too much. Also, the windbreaker looked familiar as it was the one I had ironed for him before his business trip. That meant the man in the live stream wore the same one, which confused me.

Matthew returned early the following day and brought many delicious treats for Ava. He hugged us both affectionately, creating a heartwarming atmosphere. I rushed to the kitchen happily to prepare several of his favorite dishes as a reward.

Matthew glanced at me as we sat to eat and casually said, "There's a strong smell of oil here. Why don't you go take a shower?"

I calmly sniffed, then smiled proudly, saying, "That's the smell of good food. Don’t you like the smell of food?"

He chuckled as he lovingly ruffled my hair. Then he stuffed some food into my mouth and gave Ava a piece too. "All right, my sweethearts. Let's all eat!"

After dinner, I quickly put Ava to bed and then showered. I inched closer to Matthew and flirtatiously asked, "Do I still smell like oil?"

Matthew smiled and affectionately pinched me. "I've missed you so much, sweetheart!"

He pulled me toward the bed right away without giving me a chance to respond. Also, he seemed particularly enthusiastic today.

When we finished, I smiled and watched his tall figure approach the bathroom. As I was about to clean up, his phone on the bedside table flashed, indicating he had received a WhatsApp message.

I glanced at it and froze.