The Five-Year Wife

*Elaine’s POV* “No way I’m going back there,” I muttered as I dragged my luggage behind me. It wasn’t heavy because I hadn’t had enough time to pack my things, so I just gathered the essentials. My father and mother had come to me with a ridiculous proposal. I was to get married to the young boss of the hotel where my father worked. It sounded sweet and rewarding if you were hearing it for the first time, but I knew my parents. If an offer like that were truly safe, it would have definitely gone to my sister, Tracy. The one they cherished and adored. Having lived all my life in the background, hidden in the shadow of the family, I’d learned to question anything that sounded too good. And just as I expected, the truth came out. “Save this family, Elaine,” my mother had said. After stealing from the Salvis, a mafia family. You want me to sacrifice my entire life and live with a dangerous family and a man I neither knew nor loved? No way in hell was I doing that. I dragged my luggage along, the wheels scraping against the pavement. I raised one hand over my head to shield myself from the scorching sun, but it wasn’t doing much. I had called an Uber before leaving the house, but the pickup location was at the nearest park. I didn’t want to spend another second in that house. Their words alone wouldn’t have been enough to stop me, but my dad could easily have gotten violent and dragged me wherever he wanted. Luckily, he was temporarily paralyzed. Serves him right, I thought, a small smile creeping onto my face. I finally arrived at the park, and the Uber driver was already there waiting. I confirmed the plate number, then looked around to see if anyone was following me or waiting to ambush me. Seriously, the word mafia had done a number on my nerves. I was becoming suspicious of everything. “Saint James Avenue. Should I start the ride?” the driver asked as I settled into the car. “Yes, please.” Saint James Avenue…that was Julio’s address. My boyfriend. We’d been dating for over two years after meeting in college. He had been my only source of support since I had no friends and my family treated me like unwanted trash. He had wanted me to be his plus-one at his uncle’s upcoming birthday party. “It’ll be more of a family gathering, but I’m sure they’ll love you,” he had said. I turned down the offer. I wasn’t ready to meet his family. The experiences I’d had with my own family had made me paranoid. I couldn’t bear the thought of being rejected somewhere else too. So I kept my relationship with Julio strictly between us. But now, as I sat in the car running away from home, I realized it was time to move on to the next stage. I let out a breath of relief, pulled out my phone, and checked if Julio had returned any of my calls. It was strange that he wasn’t answering, but maybe I could use this opportunity to surprise him. I looked out the rear window. My street was already out of sight. Thoughts of Julio overshadowed everything that had happened at home. The memories we’d built together were enough to make me smile as I reminisced. I glanced at my luggage, trying to remember everything I had packed. “We’ve arrived, ma’am. Your bill is $72.22,” the driver said as the car came to a stop. I quickly pushed my thoughts aside. I had enough money in my Apple Pay account, which made payment easy. I couldn’t wait to see the look on Julio’s face when he saw me. I dragged my luggage out of the car and headed toward his front door. I was about to ring the doorbell when I stopped halfway. If I wanted the best reaction, I needed to appear behind him inside the apartment. Fortunately, I knew where he kept his spare key. I walked to the side of the building where several flower pots sat in the dirt. The flowers were already wilting from neglect. I lifted the smallest pot and found the key beneath it, half-covered in mud. I’d used it a few times before whenever I paid Julio an unexpected visit. I returned to the door, unlocked it quietly, and carried my luggage inside. This time, I lifted it instead of dragging it across the floor. I didn’t want to give myself away before I succeeded in surprising him. The moment I stepped into the apartment, cool air washed over me. The air conditioner was running. That meant Julio was home because he always made sure to turn off every appliance before leaving. I left my luggage by the door and headed into the living room. He wasn’t there. The television was on, playing a children’s show. I didn’t understand why, but it didn’t matter. As I approached the bedroom, I started hearing laughter. One voice I could recognize anywhere. The other was unfamiliar. Feminine . I couldn’t understand what they were saying because they were speaking Spanish. Quietly, I blamed my Spanish teacher for not teaching me well enough. The laughter stopped. My heart began pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from my chest. I couldn’t hold back any longer. I leaned forward and peeked into the bedroom. My eyes widened. My mouth fell open. I clutched my chest as a sharp pain pierced through my heart. Julio was lying in bed with another woman. His tongue was buried deep in her mouth while his hand caressed her breasts, which threatened to spill out of her bra. They were so engrossed in each other that neither of them noticed me. Tears spilled down my cheeks. My gaze dropped to the floor. A little boy, no older than two years old, sat there playing with toys while staring directly at me. Don’t tell me… I covered my mouth as realization struck. There was no way this wasn’t Julio’s child. From his eyes to the shape of his face, he looked exactly like Julio, as though someone had made a miniature copy of him. “Elaine?” Julio jumped out of bed, finally noticing me. His face drained of color. The woman sat upright. For the first time in two years, Julio looked afraid. He rushed toward me with his underwear barely containing his penis Once upon a time, that sight would have made me blush. Now it only made me sick. “What are you doing here? I thought you said you’d be busy this week.” He reached for my hand. I jerked away immediately. I wasn’t about to let him touch me with the same hands he had used to grab another woman’s breast. “I can’t believe you, Julio. Two years, and this is how you repay me?” Tears rolled into my mouth while a sob threatened to escape. “It’s not what you think, Mami.” I found that name repulsive. I found the man standing in front of me repulsive. The cold air filling my lungs suddenly felt suffocating. “It’s not what I think?” I laughed bitterly. “Do you take me for a fool?” I tilted my head slightly to look at the woman in the bed. She shamelessly pulled the blanket up to her chest. Then my gaze shifted to the child. He had already moved behind Julio. “Dada,” he said in the cutest little voice. I couldn’t help it. I started laughing even as tears streamed down my face. “Really?” I stared at Julio with wide eyes. Then I turned around and walked away, grabbing my luggage from where I had left it. Every step felt heavier than the last. Pain tore through my chest. My vision blurred from the constant tears. I had nowhere to go. I had run to Julio for refuge only to receive the biggest shock of my life. It hurt even more than what my parents had done. I was used to their cruelty. Julio was different. He had always been there whenever I needed someone. How long has he been deceiving me? I wondered. If I was going to lose everything tonight, then I’d stop running. I wiped the tears off my eyes and pulled out my phone and ordered another Uber. My destination: The Royal Salvi Hotel.