The Unseen Cracks

The arrival of a third party in a marriage is not always solely the fault of an outsider; sometimes, the seeds of discord are sown from within. This was the case in Diandra and Andre's seemingly idyllic life. Unknowingly, it was Diandra's own actions that paved the way for Selvia's entrance, a decision she would soon regret.

During a seemingly innocent dinner, Diandra casually introduced Selvia, her old college friend, to Andre. Confident in her husband's unwavering fidelity, she never suspected the spark that would ignite between them. Selvia, however, had ulterior motives. She observed Andre intently, gauging his reaction to her presence.

"Baby, this is Selvia, a friend from my university days," Diandra chirped, oblivious to the undercurrents.

"Yes," Andre responded curtly, his voice lacking its usual warmth.

Diandra felt a pang of unease. Andre had never been this distant, his demeanor sending a chill down her spine. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

"Mommy, I want that!" Keira, their youngest, exclaimed, pointing at her favorite fried chicken.

"Of course, sweetie. And what would you like, Richie?" Diandra asked her son.

"The same as Keira's, Mom."

"Sel, go ahead and take some food. Don't just stare at it, you won't get full that way," Diandra said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, Di. Sorry," Selvia replied, a hint of awkwardness in her voice.

She finally took some food, but her eyes kept darting towards Andre, who remained impassive, his face an unreadable mask.

The dinner progressed, but the atmosphere was heavy with unspoken tension. Diandra couldn't ignore the shift in her husband's behavior. She knew that Andre was uncomfortable with Selvia's presence, a realization that made her heart sink.

Later that evening, Diandra found Andre alone in their room. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, her touch seeking reassurance. Andre sighed, a sound laden with unspoken emotions. He reached back, gently grasping his wife's hands, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

"Baby... what's wrong? You've been so quiet," Diandra whispered, her voice laced with concern.

"I'm tired," Andre replied, his voice barely above a murmur.

"I know you're tired, but you're never like this," Diandra persisted, her intuition telling her that something was deeply troubling him.

Andre turned to face her, his gaze searching her eyes. He gently caressed her long hair, a silent apology in his touch.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, the words heavy with unspoken meaning.

"Sorry for what, honey?" Diandra asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Just... sorry," Andre repeated, unable to articulate the turmoil within him.

"It's okay to apologize," Diandra said softly, trying to soothe his troubled spirit.

"Is it? Sometimes, we make mistakes without even realizing it," Andre mused, his words hinting at a deeper regret.

"I'm sorry too, honey," Diandra said, her voice filled with a strange sense of foreboding.

"Now it's your turn to apologize? Why, sweetheart?" Andre asked, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"I don't know," Diandra admitted, "I just wanted to say sorry too."

"You're such a chatterbox," Andre chuckled, gently pinching her nose.

"Hey!" Diandra protested, playfully swatting his hand away.

Their playful banter was interrupted by the sound of Keira's voice, followed by the bedroom door creaking open.

"Mommy... Daddy..." Keira's voice wailed, her eyes brimming with tears.

Andre and Diandra exchanged a startled glance before quickly composing themselves. They turned to see their youngest daughter standing at the doorway, her face streaked with tears.

"What's wrong, Keira?" Andre asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Richie was mean to me," Keira sobbed, "I was playing with my dolls, and he came in with his sword and messed everything up!"

"Maybe Richie just wanted to play with you," Andre suggested gently.

"I don't want to play with him," Keira insisted, her lower lip trembling, "He always wants to play with swords. I don't like it."

"I'm sorry, Di," Selvia said, appearing at the doorway, her face etched with concern.

"It's okay, Sel. Kids will be kids," Diandra replied, forcing a smile.

"Just ask her what happened," Keira piped up, pointing an accusing finger at Selvia.

"

Selvia wouldn't do anything like that," Diandra said defensively, her protective instincts kicking in.

"Come on, Kei, let's go play with Auntie," Selvia said, extending a hand towards the little girl.

"No! I want to stay with Daddy," Keira insisted, clinging to her father's leg.

"See? The little tattletale," Richie quipped, running into the room, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Richie, that's not a nice thing to say to your sister," Andre admonished, his voice firm.

Andre spent the rest of the evening playing with Richie and Keira, trying to distract them from their squabble. Selvia watched them from a distance, her eyes fixed on Andre, a strange glint in their depths. Diandra noticed the intensity of Selvia's gaze and felt a flicker of unease.

"Why is Selvia looking at Andre like that?" she wondered, a seed of doubt taking root in her mind.

"No, it can't be. Selvia would never do anything to hurt me. We're friends, after all."

Later that night, as the house settled into slumber, Selvia found herself unable to sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed, her mind replaying the events of the day. She couldn't shake the image of Andre, his warmth, his kindness, his undeniable charm. A forbidden desire began to stir within her, a yearning for something that was not hers to have.

The next morning, before Andre left for work, Diandra decided to broach the topic of Selvia's unexpected visit.

"Baby can I ask you for a favor?" she began, her voice laced with a hint of nervousness.

"Of course, Baby. What is it?" Andre replied, his brow furrowed in concern.

"It's about Selvia," Diandra said, her gaze meeting his. "She's in a bit of a bind, and I was hoping you could help her out."

"How so?" Andre asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Well, she's recently divorced," Diandra explained,

"Her husband left her for another woman, and now she's struggling to make ends meet."

"That's terrible," Andre said, his voice filled with sympathy. "But what does that have to do with us?"

"She's trying to build a career as an insurance agent," Diandra continued, "And I was hoping you could help her get started."

"I don't know, Di," Andre hesitated, "We already have our own insurance policies."

"I know," Diandra said, "But it would mean so much to Selvia. She's really going through a tough time, and I feel bad for her."

Andre sighed, his heart softening at the sight of his wife's earnest expression. He knew he couldn't refuse her request.

"Alright," he relented, "i will do it, but just for you, sweetheart."

"Thank you, baby!" Diandra exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "You're the best!"

"I know," Andre chuckled, "but don't let it go to your head."

After Andre left for work and the children were off to school, Diandra sat down with Selvia to discuss the insurance policy.

"Sel, Andre agreed to sign up for your insurance plan," Diandra said, her voice filled with excitement.

"Really, Di? That's wonderful!" Selvia exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with gratitude. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, Sel," Diandra replied, her heart swelling with happiness.

"Di, would you mind giving me Andre's phone number?" Selvia asked, her voice casual.

"Sure," Diandra replied, "But what do you need it for?"

"Well," Selvia explained, "I was hoping Andre could introduce me to some of his colleagues. You know, to help me expand my network."

"That's a great idea!" Diandra said, her eyes lighting up. "Here his number."

Selvia took the number and thanked Diandra profusely. Diandra smiled, feeling good about helping her friend. Little did she know that Selvia had ulterior motives, a hidden agenda that would soon shatter the peace of her idyllic life.