04

4

"Get out of here! What are you thinking?" Clayton hissed quietly, his words cutting but restrained.

"I've been missing you," Odessa whispered with a slight grin, her eyes flicking suggestively towards me before she sashayed away.

Clayton stiffened, his face tightening. He paused briefly, but upon seeing my lack of response, he let out a relieved sigh.

"Irene, my stomach's acting up. I need to use the restroom."

"Don't go far. I'll be back shortly."

I glanced down, a sardonic smile playing on my lips. "Sure, go ahead."

Without another word, he dashed off as if fleeing an invisible danger.

Barely sixty seconds later, I rose and headed towards the restroom.

As I neared, I could hear faint scolding whispers through the door, the underlying tension unmistakable.

"Are you trying to get caught? Why would you show yourself to my wife on purpose?"

The sound of a belt cinching around wrists followed.

The girl whined, her voice quivering with pain. "You've been with her this whole time. I waited so long for you, but you never came. I had no choice but to check on you..."

"Plus, I was dressed as a waitress. Your wife wouldn't have recognized me. She won't suspect anything."

Clayton let out a cold, dismissive chuckle.

Soon, her begging voice turned soft and weepy.

"I'm sorry... I promise I won't appear in front of your wife again..."

Their voices blended, low and intimate, filling the quiet.

I leaned against the wall, anguish gripping my heart as tears flowed down my cheeks.

"Are you using it?" her playful voice suddenly cut through.

Clayton's sneer was audible through the thin wall. "No need. If she gets pregnant, she'll keep the baby."

Odessa laughed victoriously.

"Clayton, I knew you loved me. Why else would you never use protection?"

Clayton's voice lowered, sharp and scornful. "Irene is scared of the pain. That's why I didn't let her have kids. Otherwise, none of this would be happening with you."

A bitter smile formed on my lips, the sting of betrayal overwhelming. This wasn't the man I thought I knew.

Separated by just a thin wall, he used our anniversary as a cover to steal moments with his mistress.

Was he so captivated by her youth? Or was it the excitement of the forbidden that kept him hooked?

I shook my head, heartache tearing at my chest, and turned to leave. As I pivoted, I was suddenly pressed against the wall.

Matias, his eyes blazing with emotion, held me firmly in place.

"Irene, why do you keep putting yourself through this pain?"

It turned out he had been quietly observing me from the shadows all along.

"If he's cheated on you, why not get even? I wouldn't mind being your instrument for revenge..." he said, his voice lowering as he leaned in to kiss me.

But I pushed him away before he could make contact.

A flash of hurt crossed his eyes before he masked it with a wry smile. "I knew it, Irene. You still love him, don't you?"

I shook my head, my voice steady. "Not right now."

His gaze lingered on me, searching for something unspoken.

I let out a cold laugh. "I might consider going out with you, but only after I've divorced him."

Matias looked stunned. "You mean it?"

"Alright. I'll wait for you."

"Walk with me. I need to clear my head," I said.

Thirty minutes later, Clayton emerged from the bathroom, looking smug and satisfied. But when he returned to the suite, I was nowhere to be seen.

He panicked.

"Irene! Where are you?"

His calls came through, but I muted them, letting his desperation go unanswered.

When he finally found me, I was walking towards the suite door with Matias beside me.

"Irene, where have you been? I called, but you didn't answer. I was so worried!" he cried, pulling me into an eager hug, his relief evident.

"There's a good girl, don't wander off like that again. You really scared me."

"Thanks, Matias. You're such a dependable brother. I owe you a meal for bringing Irene back."

He clung to his illusion, preferring to believe I had simply gotten lost and that Matias had been my rescuer rather than face the truth of his own infidelity.

As we made our way back, I broke the silence. "If I ever truly disappeared, would you be this concerned?"

Clayton pulled me closer, his tone sickeningly sweet. "Of course, Irene. You're everything to me."