After Discovering My Husband's Affair

I explained slowly, choosing my words carefully, "I've just been feeling unwell..."

"I don’t care what's wrong with you. Throwing up in front of everyone is just plain rude. Do you think it’s easy for Leila to prepare all these dishes?"

It seemed we were on the verge of an argument.

Leila stepped in to calm things down, "Please, let's not argue on Thanksgiving because of me."

"Cadence is pregnant. It's not her fault that her emotions are a bit all over the place. I should have made something more to her liking. I’ll get it right next time."

Hearing this, Duncan felt even more sympathy for Leila. His gaze at me was filled with irritation.

"She's just pregnant; how entitled can she get?"

A sharp pain pierced my heart.

Whenever it came to Leila, Duncan would unfailingly side with her. Watching them set off fireworks together, they appeared more like a real family.

Leila came over, holding sparklers. "Cadence, aren’t you going to join us?"

I shook my head.

Still, Leila grabbed my arm, persistently trying to pull me along.

Then my hair caught fire.

"I'm sorry, Cadence! I didn’t mean for this to happen!"

"I didn’t know your hair would catch fire so easily..."

She looked at me with an innocent expression, showing no intent to help extinguish the flames.

By the time the fire was out, half of my hair was scorched.

Duncan dropped his fireworks and rushed over.

His first concern was to check Leila's hand, "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Duncan."

I couldn't hold back any longer, "Of course she's fine; it was me that got burned."

Duncan defended her, "Leila didn’t do it on purpose. Why weren’t you more careful?"

I sneered, "Is it somehow my fault?"

Leila stood there, looking as if she were the one wronged, "Cadence, please don’t be upset. It was my mistake..."

"Leila, you don’t have to apologize," Duncan said, his eyes meeting mine with a cold intensity. "I've seen through her act. She always has to create drama, needing everyone's attention."

"Just ignore her."

I never thought Duncan would see me this way.

I said nothing, turned away, and tears began streaming down my face.

In this marriage, lacking any sense of security, I constantly felt anxious and insecure.

I did things I shouldn’t have—checking his phone, following him around with other women.

I even went to hotels, hoping to catch him cheating.

But he was too good at hiding. I never found any proof.

Instead, he grew more and more repelled by me.

In his eyes, I was merely attention-seeking by any means possible.

Now, his patience with me was all but gone.

I could only lie in bed, tears silently falling, watching the fireworks outside.

But inside, I felt cold.

"Cadence."

I didn’t notice when Duncan entered the room.

He hugged me, "Why are you throwing a fit again? Walking off without saying a word?"

I couldn’t believe it; the person holding me was Duncan.

His voice was gentle, "Leila and I are just colleagues. She's a guest, so can you stop targeting her?"

I suddenly asked, "Duncan, do you still love me?"

People always obsess over what they're unsure of.

Duncan chuckled, "Why are you asking something like that?"

"We've been married three years; of course I love you."

He suddenly whispered, "The doctor said your pregnancy is looking stable."

I frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Why not give it a try? It's been a while since we've..."

He was moving to take things further when I pushed him away.

"I don’t want to!"

Duncan was annoyed, "Cadence, what's the matter with you?"

"You ask if I love you, and now, when I'm showing affection, you push me away?"

"Forget it, I’ll sleep in the study. What a complete waste of time!"

He slammed the door.

The room went silent, but then I heard noise from the guest room next door.

Leila was staying in that room.

He assumed I wouldn’t come out again.

Nor would I hear his secrets.

"She’s pregnant and won’t let me touch her. I've never met anyone so unbelievably uptight!"

"Leila, at least you understand. Her being pregnant makes me sick!"

...

It was a conversation too vile to recount.

So absurd and disgusting.

It was at that moment I truly saw through Duncan.

Turns out love isn't always forever.