Chapter 3
As soon as those words left her mouth, the room erupted in laughter and praise for Mildred’s boldness.
Outside the door, I gripped the hem of my dress, my body trembling.
Yesterday was our five–year wedding anniversary. I had cooked all of Keith’s favorite dishes myself.
I heated the food again and again, only to get the message that he had to stay late for a meeting.
To keep me from suspecting, he even arranged for his secretary to pretend to be with him.
I remembered the day five years ago when he married me.
8:44 AM
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I remembered the day five years ago when he married me.
He had raised my hand high, tears in his eyes, and loudly announced to the world, “I married Cynthia! She is my wife!”
That day, he laughed and cried as if he had finally achieved his long–awaited dream.
But in just five years, the boy who had made me feel like I had won the world now made me feel like I had lost everything.
I couldn’t bear to watch anymore, so I turned and left.
As I turned, I bumped into the waiter who was bringing the next dish. I signaled for him to stay quiet.
“I don’t want anyone in there to know I was here.”
Afraid he might blurt something out and ruin my plan, I slipped a few bills into his hand, feeling relieved once he took them.
I wiped away the tears from my eyes and composed myself before walking out.
The driver noticed Keith’s jacket still draped over me and looked puzzled.
“Mrs. Beltran, haven’t you seen Mr. Beltran? You can wait in the car. I will take it to him. You look a bit pale.”
C
I waved him off and tossed the jacket into the car. “He’s too hot right now for that jacket. I’ll take it back later. You can drive another car. I need
to use this one.”
I started the engine and drove toward the university, where Keith and I had spent our wonderful college years.
For a moment, I could almost see that young, ambitious man again, holding my face in his hands, making a promise for a lifetime.
He had said, “I’ll only love Cynthia in this life.”
He had said, “Cynthia, I can’t live without you.”
Keith, the one who broke his promise, deserved to swallow ten thousand needles.
So, I would punish him. After a month, he would never see me again.
