The Enemy I Called Husband

n he wanted to charm his way out of an argument. I had listened to that voice whisper promises against my skin, comfort me through my father's funeral, and assure me that no matter wh

have you

ith something, but the moment Adrian spoke, she stopped in the middle of her sentence. I heard hurried fo

azy looking for his car keys." She laughed nervously, t

on my lap. "Your cousin? That's strange becau

an be at my apartment when he's supposed to be working? You must be exhau

own Vanessa since our university days, and I couldn't remember her ever mentioning a cousin who sounded exactly like my husb

st anything recently? Maybe something you b

linched. After a brief pause, she cleared her throat

Vanessa. I just found something interesting while cleaning." Before she coul

ur wedding photograph hanging above the dresser and Adrian's expensive watches arranged neatly beside mine. Everything around me repr

made my stomach tighten. He asked about my afternoon, reminded me about our dinner reservation, and told me how mu

om of my wardrobe. I had also taken several photographs of it, although I wasn't entirely sure why. Per

e saw me sitting on the sofa and immediately came over to kiss my forehead. "There's my beautiful wife.

my feet onto his lap, and began massaging them while asking whether I had eaten. His tenderness was so familiar that I

d closer, and

a and

t afternoon, the perfume Vanessa had worn for years. My entire bo

" Adrian asked, studying m

answering. "Did you

ssion disappeared almost immediately. "

your voice in the background. It sounded so much l

his head as though I had said something ridiculous. "Isabella, please tell me you're joking

extraordinary ability to make an uncomfortable conversation seem unnecessary. Whenever I questioned some

replied quietly. "I only asked becau

, sweetheart. I married you because you're the woman I want to spend my life w

wanted to believe every word. When he leaned forward and kissed me, I allowed

eside his car keys. Ordinarily, I wouldn't have looked because we had never made a habit of checking each other's messages. But so

unsaved number, and the

e careful. She alm

message repeatedly until a

y panties. I can't afford

, yet I still couldn't bring myself to accept what was staring me in the face. Adrian had brought my best f

and the betrayal suddenly becam

e. Once she signs those pape

ature mattered. Adrian had recently mentioned some documents relating to his company's expans

from the landing, asking whether I had seen his phone. I picked it up, intending to

age came from Vanes

bella called me earlier, and I

abe

towel around his waist. His eyes moved from my face to the phone in my h

playing in the living room, and somewhere outside, a car horn sounded.

carefully, "why are

, another message flashed across the screen.

gn tomorrow, he said we'll have to use the other plan. You

nd, suddenly rememberin

een my fingers, I realized that whatever secret