Chapter 37

When I woke up, the bed was empty. He wasn't there beside me. I turned my head, blinking my eyes to adjust to the light to look at the time. It was 8 a.m

Oh my God, I'm late! I used to wake up at 6 a.m. even without alarm but how the hell did I sleep this late today?

I refreshed myself quickly, expecting him to be in the living room but he wasn't there. I searched the entire house for him.

Deep down I know he left for work as always, but I couldn't believe that he would leave without even a word after last night.

Maybe he didn't want to wake you up, my mind convinced me.

After that, I went to prepare breakfast, lazily since it was only me. Usually, I didn't bother, even if I was hungry, but today, I felt like eating something delicious.

I played a song on my phone while cooking. It also helped me tune out the world. I worked more efficiently and concentrated better when I listened to music.

-Someone to You by Banners was playing and I felt like it was written for me.

While listening to the song, my phone binged, notifying me about a text. I was about to ignore it, but I saw it was my husband.

I had saved his number on my phone when he left for that business trip. Immediately, I took my phone to read the message.

Coming home for lunch with friends.

It was a blunt message. No greeting, nothing about how many friends were coming and he didn't even ask if I would prepare lunch.

So much for courtesy. I would have to have a word with him about this.

I went to the kitchen and guessed at the numbers. I decided to cook for approximately six people.

I wanted this lunch to be perfect. It wasn't about his friends. It was about him... About us.

I wanted him to feel my love for him when he tasted the food. I had heard that a way to a man's heart was through his stomach.

Even if it wasn't, at least it was the first step closer to him. So I decided to cook all of his favourites.

Even if I didn't know his favourites, I had noticed him going for second helpings of a few dishes.

I had cooked for him before, but it never felt this special. It was the same kitchen, and the same food, but I could feel something had changed, and I loved it.

It feels so liberating to love someone with all of your heart...without any doubts...without being held back by your past, and without thinking about anyone or anything else.

The world seemed so beautiful. I was filled with joy and happiness and he was the reason.

He loved me passionately, made me see love differently, and freed me from the chains of my past. I could never be grateful enough, nor love him enough.

A text message interrupted my train of thought. I expected it to be him again, but it was from my cousin Sia. I am coming over to your house. I need to talk to you.

She seemed a little anxious and that made me worried.

I was eagerly waiting for him to come home when the doorbell rang. I ran to get the door in excitement, but my face fell to find that it was Sia.

"Geez... Do contain the excitement," she said, rolling her eyes.

I laughed, grabbed her hand, and dragged her in.

"Are you expecting a horde?" she asked, looking wide-eyed at the dishes on the table.

"He and his friends are coming over. Is it too much?" I asked, a little embarrassed.

"I don't know. But who is he?" she asked as if she didn't know.

"Do you have a secret lover?" she asked, winking.

I glared at her, but I knew she wouldn't stop until I said something.

"My husband," I said, finally giving up. It felt weird to say it out loud.

She said, "Oh," as if she only just understood. I playfully hit her on her head before we both slumped on the couch, laughing.

"God, I miss this!" She said my thoughts out loud.

I nodded my head in agreement.

"So, where is Ria?" I asked about her twin sister.

She opened her mouth to answer, but the doorbell rang again. I went to get the door. As expected, it was them.

Nija and Harsha were at the door, and he was standing behind them—with a girl at his side.

It took me a minute to recognize her. It was Mia, his secretary. Everyone was carrying a bag in hand like someone was moving in. Harsha smiled at me, but it was forced.

Nija went in without even acknowledging my presence. Everyone followed him.

I was confused and waited for one of them to talk. He saw Sia and they greeted each other.

He introduced her to his friends and after that, he led everyone to the table to have lunch.

What is happening here?

I was invisible to everyone in there and it angered me, but I waited for the right moment to question one of them.

Everyone sat at the table and I started serving. They talked among themselves, and even Sia was very involved in the conversation. No one paid me any notice.

My husband didn't eat anything at all. He gave everything on his plate to Mia and asked her to eat. They even played with each other, which made me burn in rage.

I cooked everything for him. I would have been happy if he even tasted it a little, but he didn't. His eyes didn't even meet mine.

On the other side, Harsha was laughing with Sia.

What the hell is going on here?

I purposefully placed a spoon on the table forcefully. The ding sound brought Harsha back to this world.

I glared at him and he lowered his head in embarrassment, concentrating on his food.

After lunch, my husband and Mia were discussing her staying in one of the rooms on the first floor.

Is she going to stay here? Why?

I caught Harsha alone when he went to wash his hands. I walked to him to ask what was going on.

"Harsha, what is going on here? Why is Mia staying here?"

"We are about to start an important project. So Abhi wants her to stay close to him to help."

Stay close? I didn't like it, but there was nothing I felt that I could do.

"Okay. So what is it that you wanted to talk about?" I asked, remembering what he said on that business trip.

"Nothing," he said, lowering his eyes to the floor. He was hiding something.

"You are my friend, right? Then tell me what it is," I asked him, pushing a little more.

He looked uncomfortable, clearly battling with himself.

"Yeah, he is, but Abhi is his friend too, and we won't let you hurt him." Nija came from the back. He said the second part looking at Harsha intently, and I knew something was going on.

I didn't understand what he was talking about, but he didn't bother to explain. He grabbed Harsha's hand and led him away.

All four of them left immediately after. He left with Mia without bothering to glance at me. Sia said something to me, but I was looking at the doorway in a daze.

What just happened?