The Husband's Mistake

Chapter 5: Anger

Elisse POV

“Let’s talk… please.”

He hugged me again. I froze, my body stiffening at his sudden closeness. I felt the warmth of his breath on my neck, the familiar scent that used to be my home—now like a fire slowly burning through my chest.

“I–I can’t stand you pulling away from me,” he said hoarsely. “I didn’t realize I couldn’t live like this. Let’s bring back what we had… let’s start over. I’ll do anything. Just tell me.”

I closed my eyes. Just for a moment. My heart was utterly exhausted.

“William,” my voice was soft but heavy, “I get tired too. Do you think this is easy for me?” I looked at him, trying to find the man I once loved. “Who was the first to walk away? Wasn’t it you? For a whole year, I had no idea what you were doing. I felt like… there was someone else. Someone other than me.”

I turned fully to face him.

He avoided my gaze. Lowered his head.

That was when something exploded inside my chest.

“What?” I asked, my voice trembling. “Why can’t you answer me? Is it true?” My chest tightened. “That you have someone else?”

I didn’t want to hear the answer from my own husband. But I didn’t want to live in the dark either—in confusion, in pretending I knew nothing.

“I’m sorry…”

I bit my lip. It wasn’t a direct confession—but it was enough. Enough to make my world collapse.

“I can’t tell you what I’ve done,” he added, his voice breaking. “I can’t hurt you like this… I—I just can’t.”

“So… there is someone?” I asked almost in a whisper.

He looked at me. For a few seconds, I hoped he would deny it. Just once.

But he didn’t.

He nodded slowly.

And that’s when I lost all my strength.

I sank onto the edge of the bed. He rushed toward me, but I immediately shook my head and pushed him away.

“Stay away from me!” I cried. “Don’t touch me! You cheated on me!”

“Elisse, please… listen to me first—”

“No!” I screamed. “I don’t want to hear your voice. Get out. Please… leave me alone.”

Tears streamed down his face. I saw the pain there, but the truth piercing my heart hurt far more.

I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to hurt him the way he hurt me. But what would that change?

Would it change the fact that there was another woman?

All his excuses. The nights he came home tired and silent. The “meetings” that lasted until late. I was so stupid to think none of it was connected.

He tried to touch me again, but I refused.

That morning, I forced him out of the house. He begged, but my heart had already hardened.

When he stepped out, I slammed the gate shut—then the front door.

I went back to our bedroom. The room that used to be full of dreams.

There, I finally let all my tears fall.

William POV

When the door finally closed in front of me, I knew everything was shattered.

“Damn it…”

There was nothing else I could do but leave.

I drove straight to my condo. Just as I stepped out of the car, my phone rang.

Sophia — calling.

My jaw clenched before I answered. What does she want this time?

I’d been avoiding her for days. Only now did I fully understand how grave my sin against Elisse was.

“Yes?” I said coldly.

“Are you avoiding me?” she accused. “You haven’t come by for days. What’s going on?”

I let out a long breath.

“Fine. Let’s meet. Just wait for me at your condo.”

I was going there not to continue—

but to end everything.

An hour later, I arrived at her condo in Mandaluyong. She was waiting downstairs, clearly restless.

She was wearing something tight—short, clinging, revealing. Nothing like Elisse. Simple. Decent.

What did I ever see in her?

“William!” She rushed toward me and grabbed my arm.

“Easy,” I said irritably. “This isn’t the time.”

When we got to her unit, I immediately pulled away.

“What’s your problem?” she asked. “Did you and your wife fight?”

“Yes,” I said bluntly. “And she knows about us.”

She went silent for a moment—then smiled.

“Really? So you’re separating?” There was excitement in her voice. “Does that mean… we’ll finally be legal?”

That’s when I saw her true intention.

“No,” I said firmly. “That’s not what’s going to happen. I’m not leaving my wife.”

Her eyes widened.

“What are you saying?”

“Let’s end this.”

“William—”

“I love my wife,” I continued, even though my chest was shaking. “I made a mistake. And I want to fix it.”

She could satisfy me in bed—but in my heart, there was only one woman.

“So everything was nothing?” she cried. “What if I’m pregnant?”

My body went cold.

I remembered the child Elisse and I lost.

“If that happens, I’ll take responsibility,” I said honestly. “But this ends here. I want to change.”

That wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

“No!” she screamed. “My child will be mine! And I’ll make sure you take responsibility for us!”

That’s when I saw the anger—so different from the woman I once believed in.

And that’s when I fully understood just how big my mistake had been.