Chapter 9: Chapter 9

“Where are you coming from?" my husband's voice jolted me from my thoughts. He didn't get a reply from me so he asked again.

Well, I was confused and shocked at his question, that was why I didn't reply to his question and I was busy pondering in my head to know if I heard his words right.

“Constance?" his deep voice calls. I flinch a bit.

I swear, this man has that bid of making someone quiver.

I'm stupid to believe that my name sounds sweet from his husky voice but actually it does. I smile inwardly, I love the way he calls my name.

“I asked you a question," he added. Why do I sense anger and something else in his voice? I must be stupid to think that he's jealous. He can't be, I mean why will he be? I'm just overthinking as always.

I peeked at his face, it's rigid as always. Not wanting to get on his nerves, I quickly replied to his questions.

“I went out with a friend," I mumble.

Silence, there was at least three seconds of silence.

I can't believe he asked me a question and when I finally replied,he kept mute.

But after a few seconds, he spoke.

“A friend? You just arrived here two days ago and you already have a friend."

His voice is stiff. He always talks to me in that tone but talks sweetly to Annabelle.

The moment Annabelle's name escaped my inner thoughts. I remembered last night again. I don't think I can forget it because it hurts a lot, no matter how much I try to deny it.

Any woman in my shoes will feel the same. A woman who saw her husband half naked in a room with another woman, has the right to feel angry. Her heart has the right to burn in rage and pain. She has the right to hate the woman that slept with her husband.

I am glad that Annabelle has left the hotel, though I don't know why she suddenly left but am glad she did… I don't know if I will be able to control myself and my anger if I keep on seeing her.

I don't even know why I am angry at Annabelle. I should be angry at my husband too.

Even if Annabelle was the one that seduced him—like I thought—he should have refused her because he's married but no, he didn't, rather he… he… I feel so abashed to say that.

Only God knows what happened last night between them. I haven't slept with my husband in the same bed but last night he shared more than a bed with another woman.

Thinking about this right now makes me feel like crying. I should just get my mind away from it before I embarrass myself by crying in front of my husband.

I had my head hung down. I shut my eyes and forced back the tears inside. They are free to come out once inside my room and not here.

What hurts the most is that my husband doesn't even feel remorseful for what he did. He knows how much I'm hurting but he doesn't care, rather he's questioning me with that frigid voice of his, without any humor.

“Constance?"

His voice once again jolts me up from my deep thoughts as I am fighting to cage my tears.

“Which friend did you go out with? Is it that guy at the…."

He didn't say anything further. I stole a glance at him and found him close his eyes and took a deep breath before reopening them.

I wonder what's wrong with him, why didn't he complete his sentence and what guy is he talking about.

Could it be Darren? But how did he know that I went out with Darren and I don't think Jake told him either because I walked in with Jake but he had to stop at my suite entrance.

Is my husband keeping an eye on me or what?

Seeing how he shut his eyes after not completing the sentence, it looks like he doesn't want to say what he said.

After a few seconds, which felt so awkward to me, he spoke.

“Don't think that I'm prying into your privacy. Grandfather thrusted you in my care while coming here. If anything happens to you, I will be the one to answer to grandfather and I don't want that stress. So you should be careful and know who you go out with."

He's talking as if he has cared for me since we came here. If he cared about me, he wouldn't have let me stay in another suite. If he had cared about me, he wouldn't have….

I swallow the big lump in my throat. I don't know why I keep on remembering something that I want to forget. I want to forget Annabelle and last night.

My husband shouldn't act like he cares about me because he doesn't. Ever since we got married, he did nothing but hurt me.

Well, he's only pretending to care about me because grandfather thrust me into his care. If not, I believe he won't care at all.

“You ... you don't have to worry about me, Jake was with me. Darren is not a bad person, nevertheless, I'm careful," I replied with my mumbling voice as always.

And again, there was silence and this time it was long. I felt so uncomfortable at it, especially as I felt that his eyes were on me. I wonder what's on his mind and why he's staring intensely at me.

After what seemed like eternity, he spoke.

“Pack your things, we are leaving tomorrow."

What!

I quickly glanced up at him but instead of seeing his face, I saw his back as he's walking away.

What does he mean by that? Why are we leaving all of a sudden? Just when I started enjoying the city, he wanted us to leave.

This is my first time in London and I want to relish the beautiful city. Darren has promised me that he will take me round the city, we only went a few places today, he promised to take me to more places but my grumpy husband is about to ruin it all.

It looks like he doesn't want me to be happy. I don't want to leave yet but what can I do? His words are always final.

I just walk to my room, sulking. I slump on my bed and bring out my phone.

I think I should inform Darren that I am leaving tomorrow so he won't waste his time waiting for me at the parking lot tomorrow morning as we agreed on.

I dialed his number, it rang but he didn't pick up. I called him again and he still didn't pick up. Maybe he's already sleeping. I will just send him a message, I believe he will see it tomorrow morning.

After writing a short message, I send it to him and keep my phone aside.

I feel so tired and need some sleep. I amble towards the bathroom. After a warm bath, I retired to my bed and after a few minutes, I dozed off.

When I woke up the next morning, I packed my stuff. I took my bath, ate my breakfast and then Jake took my stuff to the car. I can't believe this is how the honeymoon ended.

Like I predicted, the honeymoon brought nothing but pain to me. It is not my fault to be pessimistic from the beginning, my husband's attitude gave me no choice and besides, the honeymoon was bad.

I wonder if this is how other couples spend their honeymoon… I guess not.

Once I was at the parking lot, I heard my name from behind. I recognized the voice and as I thought, it was Darren, he's running towards me. Maybe he has read the message, is he here to bid me goodbye?

“Constance," he seems out of breath.

“You must be exhausted from running," I said, smiling.

“I just wanted to catch up on you. You said in your message that you are leaving this morning. My mind told me to come to the parking lot and that I will see you." he paused and took a deep breath. “Why are you suddenly leaving?"

I don't even know what answer to give him. Should I tell him that my husband suddenly told me last night that we are leaving today.

Firstly, I can't tell him because I don't even know why my husband wants us to leave all of a sudden. Secondly, my husband doesn't want anyone to know that am his wife. If I tell Darren why I am leaving, that means I will mention my husband to him.

“Constance?"

His cool voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I think I'm fond of this, I always seem lost in my thoughts whenever someone asks me a question that I find hesitant to answer.

“Something urgent came up, so I need to quickly rush back to America."

I know quite well that I lied but I had no choice but to give him that fake answer.

“Oh, I understand. Things like this often happen."

“Yeah," I mumble, feeling a little bit guilty from lying. I'm always like that, whenever I lie, I feel guilty.

“Actually I came because I want to give you something." He brought out a necklace with a pink doll pendant. “I want you to take this with you as a gift from me."

My eyes quickly assessed the pink doll pendant, I guess I've seen it before. After a second thinking, I quickly remembered where I saw it. I actually saw it at a small doll shop. I loved it but I was not with any money at that moment to purchase it. I waved it away with the thought that I've grown past having such a thing in my custody.

But seeing it again, I feel so happy. Guess, I really want it. I shoved it aside because I didn't have money and then consoled myself with those words.

“Wow! You got this for me," I feel excited as my mouth makes an 'o' sound from the 'wow'.

“I noticed how much you loved it."

I can't believe he was paying attention to me, even to the extent that he noticed how interested I was in the doll pendant.

“Thank you Darren," I beam as I collect the doll pendant from him.

“You are welcome. I hope we will meet again in the future and we can still be friends?"

“Yeah, I hope so too," I replied with a bright smile.

“Safe journey," he said before walking away after flashing a lucid smile. I bid him goodbye.

After he left, I started walking towards my car but my eyes subconsciously traveled to my husband who held his car door without getting inside the car. He's staring at me with that same look like yesterday night when I returned to my suite and then his eyes stare at Darren who's walking away.