CHAPTER 002 OLIVIA'S POV My body felt heavy as I woke up the next day , the events of last night came flooding back . Adrian's cruel words echoed in my head like a noise I just couldn't get rid of . Even after I confronted him about who Dora was he just snatched his phone and left the room without giving me any explanation , leaving me with a broken heart . But I couldn't conclude yet , Adrian might not really be cheating on me , the text message wasn't enough evidence . But one thing was certain , I was determined to find out who Dora was . I sat up slowly , the ache in my chest sharper than ever . I reached for my phone and checked the time . It was 9:30 am . My heart sank . I was never one to wake up late , but I guess the emotional hurt I experienced the previous night had clearly drained me . I gripped the edge of the bed to steady myself . " You're his wife ," I reminded myself ." You made vows . You can't give up yet ." + decided to make breakfast for Adrian . I deceived my brain into thinking that if I kept on trying Adrian would one day notice my efforts . When I stepped into the kitchen , Martha , our housekeeper , was already there , humming softly as she whisked eggs in a bowl . She looked up when she heard me enter . " Good morning , Mrs. Westwood , " she greeted politely, though concern flickered in her eyes . " You're up late today . Should I prepare breakfast for you and Mr. Westwood ? " I shook my head . " No , Martha . I'll handle it . " Her brows furrowed . " Are you sure ? I ..." " 1 " I just ... I want to do this myself today . " I said softly , cutting her short with a faint smile . She hesitated but eventually nodded . " All right , ma'am . I'll be in the garden if you need me ." I turned to the stove , cooked an omelet , toasted bread , and poured coffee . Maybe Adrian would appreciate the effort , maybe he would see I was trying . When Adrian appeared , he was already dressed up for work , he didn't even glance at me . He sat at the table , scrolling - through his phone as if I weren't there . I small smile spread across my face . " I made breakfast ." approached cautiously , setting the plate in front of him . "Good mo said , a He didn't look up , but his hand reached for the fork . I stood there , watching anxiously 1/4 CHAPTER 002 as he took a bite . The moment the food touched his tongue , his expression twisted in disgust . He spat it out into a napkin , glaring at me . " What is this ? " he yelled , pushing the plate away . " It's ... " My voice trembled . " I thought I'd make you breakfast . " He stood , grabbing a glass of water and rinsing his mouth . " Don't bother next time ," he said coldly . " If I wanted to die of food poisoning , I'd let you know . " I bit my lower lips so hard in a bid to suppress the pain his words caused me . After speaking , he grabbed his briefcase and strode toward the door without another word . And I broke down in tears . My tears were the only thing that has been consistent in my marriage . I heard a footstep approaching and I knew it was Martha . I quickly used the back of my hands to wipe off my tears . I knew Martha was aware of the situation in my marriage but I still couldn't let her see me cry . I didn't want to receive pity from her , because that would hurt even more . Martha wore a sympathetic look as she approached . " Mr. Westwood told me to inform you that you should be ready by 7 pm . He'll pick you up for the gala . " I nodded , numb . The gala . Of course . That must have been why he came home last night so that we could deceive the world into believing that we were a perfect couple . It wasn't about me . It was never about me . The thought crushed me , but I forced myself to remain calm . By 6:45 pm , I was ready . Staring at myself in the mirror I noticed a slight change in my body but I shrugged it off . I wore a white gown that hugged my figure . It was Adrian's favorite color then when - we were dating , though I doubted he'd notice it this evening . When he arrived , he barely glanced at me . " Let's go ," he said plainly , heading toward the car . My heart dropped to my stomach , stupid of me to be expecting a compliment . The ride to the gala was silent , the tension in the air was so thick that I felt suffocated . I was uncomfortable and feeling a bit nauseous . I needed fresh air so I wound down the car window and stared out , clutching my bag tightly as I tried to calm the storm inside me . When we arrived , cameras flashed , capturing the image of us as the world's perfect couple . Adrian stepped out first , extending a hand to help me , acting like a perfect husband 2/4 CHAPTER 002 for the camera . What a hypocrite he is ! Everyone never missed a chance to remind me of how lucky I was to marry Adrian . Lol , only if they knew what I faced in my marriage every day . This is one of the reasons you shouldn't always envy couples who seem sweet on the internet . Inside , the ballroom glittered with chandeliers and laughter , but I felt invisible . Adrian was the center of attention , charming the guests with his charisma while I trailed behind him like a shadow . No one acknowledged me . No one asked how I was doing . It was as if I didn't exist . I was about to excuse myself to the ladies ' room when a voice cut through the hum of conversation . " Adrian ! " I turned toward the source of the voice . She was stunning , her red gown hugged her curves in all the right places . Her radiant smile lit the room and I must admit she looked like she had just stepped out of a magazine . I won't lie , I felt slightly intimidated . Adrian's face lit up in a way I hadn't seen in three years . " Dora ," he said , his tone warm , almost affectionate . My breath ceased . Dora ? Could it be the Dora from the text message last night ? The one he went on a vacation with ? My heart raced in my chest , I stared at them , my stomach churning . Adrian didn't even bother introducing me . " Adrian , " I said softly , hoping to remind him of my existence . But he ignored me completely and pretended as if he didn't hear me call out his name . He leaned closer to Dora and whispered something in her ears , and she laughed , the sound caused a sharp pain in my chest . She rested her hand on Adrian's arm in a way that made my blood boil . " You haven't changed at all , " she teased . " Still so charming ." " And you're as beautiful as ever ," Adrian replied , his smile genuine - a smile I hadn't seen or had even been directed at me in years . It was as if a knife had been driven into my chest and was continuously being twisted as I watched them chat . They chatted like lovers , her hand lingered on his arm , her gaze filled with something 3/4 CHAPTER 002 possessive . I stood there , a ghost , as they flirted openly and I couldn't do anything about it . And it hurts . Dora glanced at me , her lips curling into a sly smirk . " Oh , Adrian , I didn't realize you had company . " Huh ... She didn't notice ? Even a toddler would know I was his company . I turned towards Adrian hoping to hear his response but his response was like a punch to my face . " She's just here for the gala , nothing more ," he said dismissively . Just here for the gala ? Dora's smirk deepened . " Oh ... well , Adrian . Since you don't have any company , why don ' t we find somewhere quiet to continue our discussion ? It's so noisy here . " Adrian didn't hesitate . " That sounds like a good idea . " I couldn't believe my ears , was he going to leave me here alone ? No , he can't ! He knows I don't know anyone here so he might ask me to join them . Adrian turned to me briefly . " Book a ride home ," he said coldly . 1 felt my heart shatter into a million pieces right at that spot . And with that , he walked away , Dora's hand on his arm , leaving me standing there in the middle of the crowded room where I knew no one . Subscribed