Chapter 10

They sat down together. Several seconds passed in heavy silence before Aling Marietta finally spoke. She didn't want to interfere, but the situation was growing more and more alarming. And in her heart, she knew—this was the right moment to say what needed to be said.

She drew in a deep breath, steadying herself. "Cherry… I know I have no right to say this. But I feel like this is something I must tell you…" her voice was gentle, almost trembling.

"What is it, Aling Marietta?" Cherry's eyes remained locked on hers, waiting anxiously for the woman's next words.

"It's about you and Alfred…" she began carefully. "I think… it might be best for the two of you to separate for a while. Take the children and focus on them. I can't bear to see the little ones dragged into the chaos between you and your husband. This… all of this… it's already a deep wound for them."

She reached out, gently holding Cherry's hand and giving it a soft squeeze. "If you truly love your children… you will choose their well-being above all. Don't waste your tears on someone like Alfred. And don't wait until something worse happens."

That night, Aling Marietta's words haunted Cherry endlessly. Sleep evaded her. Her thoughts spiraled into fear and confusion. She couldn't stop thinking about her family. Would it still be called a family if they were apart? Could she really walk away from the man she once believed in?

She still hoping naively that Alfred would change. That one day, the man she married would return to her. But what if Aling Marietta was right? What if her children were in danger because of the fights… because of Alfred?

Just the thought sent shivers through her entire body.

Five months had passed since Alfred was hospitalized due to an altercation with Cherry's brothers. Now, once again, Cherry found herself trailing after her husband, desperate to uncover the truth.

She sat in a taxi, eyes fixed on the car ahead—Alfred's. She needed to know what secrets he was keeping. She needed answers. Was there someone else? Was that why he'd changed so drastically, always blaming the past… always blaming Jared?

Eventually, Alfred's car stopped in front of a hospital. Cherry's curiosity spiked into dread. She ordered the taxi driver to stop at a safe distance. Her heart pounded.

She got out and quickly followed Alfred inside, stopping abruptly when he looked back. She hid, waited, then continued again, weaving through the maze of hospital corridors. After several minutes, she saw him enter a doctor's office.

"What is he doing in there?" she whispered to herself, her chest tightening. "Is he getting a check-up with his mistress? Is she pregnant?"

Her thoughts spiraled out of control. She began scanning the area, eyes darting around like a madwoman. Eventually, she slumped down on a bench beside the corridor.

"So long…" she mumbled, checking her watch, then her phone. No messages.

Finally, the door opened. Alfred emerge alone. She waited five seconds longer… no one followed. No woman. No companion. He walked away briskly, not once turning back.

There was nothing. Nothing unusual… nothing suspicious.

Cherry stood, defeated. She followed him again until her GPS tracker which hidden in his bag indicated that he was heading back toward his office.

It was time to go home. Her children were waiting, and she would have to cook their favorite meal tonight.

In the days that followed, she continued to observe Alfred, but still found nothing conclusive. Then, on a whim, she decided to visit his workplace. She got off at a distance to avoid being seen and walked the rest of the way. As fate would have it, she crossed paths with two of Alfred's coworkers—Patrick and Lucio.

"Oh, Cherry… what are you doing here?" Patrick asked, exchanging a nervous glance with Lucio. There was a visible tension in their expressions.

"I was hoping to bring Alfred some food," she said casually, though she held no bag. It was a lie. She had no intention of delivering anything—only uncovering the truth.

"Ah… um," Lucio stammered, looking away. Something was off.

"What's the matter?" Cherry asked sharply. She had noticed it of the way their faces changed upon seeing her.

"It's nothing, Cherry," Patrick replied, unable to meet her eyes. "We were just surprised to see you."

Lucio scratched his head and sighed. "Should we just tell her the truth?"

Cherry's heart dropped. Her pulse quickened. "What is that truth?"

"Are you crazy?" Patrick hissed at Lucio. "It's not our place. This is between her and Alfred."

Cherry snapped, her voice rising. "What is going on with my husband?"

"We're sorry, Cherry," Lucio said in calm manner. "But it's must be better if Alfred tells you about that by himself."

"He's right. It's not our place to interfere in a married couple's affairs," Patrick added. "We'll go now—our break is finished."

And just like that, the two men walked away, leaving Cherry frozen in place, her heart thundering with dread.

Then came an encounter she had dreaded, but anticipated.

Cherry met Jared again. This time, she sought him out herself—needing to face him.

"How are you?" he asked soft tone of his voice. Cherry said nothing, so he continued, "I know this might be wrong, but… I just want things to be okay between us."

Cherry looked him in the eye. "After everything? After abandoning me then ruining my marriage? And now you want things to be okay? You're so selfish, Jared."

"I know. I made a mistake leaving you. But not my intention breaking your marriage. I was just worrying it might…"

She cut him off. "Worrying about me? You should have thought that before you left me. You don't know what I went through—how broken I was. Alfred picked me up when I was in my saddest moment. When you were not here, he stayed by my side."

"Don't defend him. Don't compare him from who he was before or who he was seems like from now. You're still blind with the truth."

"That's called love, Jared. Real love. It means I sacrifice myself. It means I remained choosing him even when it's hard… even when my parents disagreed with us. Unlike you, who chose only your dreams and your parents' expectations over our years we spent together."

"I made a mistake, Cherry. I'm trying to make it right."

"I don't need you, Jared. No matter how much you beg, things will never be okay between us again." She looked him dead in the eyes. "You're wasting your time."

And with that, she walked away, leaving him frozen in place like a statue.

When Alfred arrived home that night, he went straight to their room. As he opened the door, the dim glow of the desk lamp illuminated Cherry's face.

She was waiting.

"Where have you been?" Her voice was emotionless, her face unreadable.

"Why are you even asking? You know I've always come home from work around this time," Alfred replied casually as he changed out of his work clothes.

"Where have you been really? Please. Don't lie to me." Cherry's voice remained calm. That was her strategy now—detachment.

Alfred smirked. "You've got a lot of nerve, talking to me like that."

"Just tell me the truth."

"I told you—I was at work. You're such a nag!" he snapped.

But Cherry knew he was lying. His coworkers had already told her—Alfred had been fired over a month ago.

"If only you had told me the truth, I wouldn't have keep asking."

"I've got nothing more to say. I'm tired." Alfred turned to lie down. "Stop accusing me of things."

Then seems like before, he pointed a finger at her forehead, accusing and blaming her. "You're the one who cheating here! Meeting with your ex-boyfriend. You still love him, don't you?"

Cherry fought to keep her composure. She couldn't let her emotions win tonight. She had to be strong.

Because the truth was beginning to unravel—and so was everything else.

"After everything… that's still what you suspect me of?" Her voice trembled—not from weakness, but from the weight of betrayal. "Fine. I won't explain myself to you anymore. Why should I?"

Cherry keeping her gaze fixed on Alfred's face—cold, unreadable, stripped of all emotion. "Go on, keep lying. And tomorrow, you won't see me or the kids again."

With that, she took a step back, then turning her back on him. There was nothing more she could do. She had given him countless chances—to understand, to change—but nothing ever came of it. She had been too kind, patient and forgiving. This is why she stayed this long in a marriage which buried in pain and heartache.

But now… this was the right thing to do.

To leave and walk away with her children as starting again, a new life without her husband. She wouldn't attach to a marriage that never been found the resolution. All she wanted now was peace, simplicity, and joy for herself and most of all for her children.

Suddenly, Alfred grabbing her arm and trying her to face him, but she didn't budge.

"Let go of me..." she said, forcing his hand off her shoulder. "If you still doubt me after everything, then go ahead. Believe whatever you want."

She yanked her arm free and spoke again, firmer this time.

"I loved you, Alfred. Whatever I had with Jared, it was already in the past . Do you really think I would choose to endure all this suffering and pain if I didn't love you? Maybe you're the person here who doesn't know how to love even your own children."

Seconds have passed before Cherry raised her finger and pointed it at him, her eyes blazing with exhaustion and clarity.

"Don't you dare touch me again. You've lost that right. I'm done trying to understand someone like you."

She ran away completely, but Alfred pulled her into an embrace from behind. His arms wrapped tightly around her, his warm breath falling against her neck.

"Please… don't go," he whispered.

For the first time, his voice was no longer filled with anger or pride. Cherry heard the faint, broken sob escape him—but she refused to be swayed. She'd seen this before. It could all just be another performance.

Then came a looser grip in one swift motion, Alfred turned her around to face him.

"Please… don't leave me," he pleaded, his voice shaking.

"You're simply pretending," she replied in cold and unmoved reaction. "It doesn't work on me anymore."

"I need you. I need the kids."

"Let me go, Alfred. Stop playing as the tragic hero."

And before she could say more words, Alfred suddenly pressed to kiss her softly at first until with a quick motion. His arms covered around her that locked her in one place. Despite everything earlier, Cherry still responded. In a meanwhile, the kiss became more deepened. His hands wandering across her body as slowly guiding her back onto the bed.

That night… it was happened again. One last time.

The next morning, Alfred woke up in a quick to find for Cherry that was already wearing dress and standing nearly in the bed. As she reaching for her bag, he gently taking her hand.

"Please… don't leave. I need you. I need all of you."

He lowered his head that uncertain how to speak his truth he hide for so long. Swallowing it harder then he finally speak that he wanted to say.

"I have a cancer to my bones."

It stopped Cherry as her body could not move. Her mind went all blank. Tears fell so did the silence between them.