Fatal Attraction

Chapter 2

My head became hazy as if filled with cloud. I continued to walk even though my legs felt as heavy as lead so the three of them —A man, a woman and a child —would not get ahead of me.

Was that Ken?

As I looked at the the features of man; his blond hair and muscular build, I knew for sure he was my boyfriend, Ken who was wrapping his hands around the waist of the woman who I had never seen before. The woman was using her left hand to hold the hand of the child as they walked.

It was the sight of the child that made me feel as I was going to faint right there.

The child who seemed to be only three years old looked exactly like the pictures that Ken had once showed me of himself when he was around that age from his childhood photo album.

Okay, what the hell is going on here?

I reined in all the self control I had, used my calm down technique of breathing in and out and making the countdown from fifteen to one so I would not go crazy.

There has to be an explanation for?

The Ken that had made sweet love to late last night and had kissed me goodbye this morning before I left for work could not possibly do what I was imagining right now right? I had to just be imagining things right?

Right?

Instead of dying in agony over what I was seeing without understanding any of it all, I decided to cross over and ask for clarity from my boyfriend.

If he was up to something, as his girlfriend who had been assisting him for six months that even he had been living in my apartment, I had the right to know.

So steeling myself, I walked the few steps that would lead me across the road to where they was.

They heard me approaching and turned in my direction.

I watched Ken eyes widen to saucers in shock when he saw me then he drew the woman beside him closer to him as if protecting her from me.

What? What the f**k!

"Hello, Ken," I said, trying so hard to keep any drop of emotions from my voice.

"Hey, Gee" He said casually as if we were talking about something else that was not serious. He used the tone that he usually used when he played with my hair as we sit on the same sofa and watch Netflix in the evenings.

I blinked my eyes in confusion. If I say I understood a bit of the scene playing before my eyes, I would be lying.

The woman who had her black hair packed in a bun at the back of her head and was wearing a dull coloured long sleeved gown looked so uncomfortable as she stared at me while holding the child who was looking at me with vivid blue eyes that were filled with curiosity.

It was the same eyes that had made it so easy for me to fall in love with Ken.

"Ken, who is she?" I asked, waiting for him to say something…anything for it all to make sense so we both can laugh over it later in the apartment that we shared.

"Oh. So sorry, Gee. Forgive my manners. Honey, —" he turned to the woman "This is my friend, the one I told you that helps me a lot."

What the f**k?

I was immediately doused in sweat even though the evening air was still very cool.

Shocked to my bone marrow, I watched him turn to me.

"Gee, this is my wife, Kate and my son, Luke." He said with a brief smile.

His wife? His son?

Somebody shoot me please.

I wanted to believe it was a sort of sick joke; that Ken would look at how pale I looked, see how I was soaked in sweat, noticed the waves of shock rolling around from me and then turned his head back and laughed that I had been so fooled.

I would accept that joke even though it did not make sense that he would toy with my feelings for a few laughs. In fact, I would laugh…I would do anything to avoid this reality.

But one look at Luke who was tugging on his mother arms already so she could carry him up, I knew Ken was not lying at all.

Right there and then, my world shattered.

"You bastard!" I said, blinding pain dripping from both words.

"Ken, how dare you?" I asked, willing all my strength that I could summon to fight back my tears.

One thing I would not give this asshole is the advantage of seeing me cry over what he had done for me.

His friend? His friend that helps him a lot. Is that what he had called me to this woman after eight months of dating.

When I remembered all that I had done to help this bastard, anger began to build up in me, taking the place of the pain that was tearing my insides to bits.

I would work my a*s out in King Restsurant every f*****g day besides Off days so I could get enough money to take care of both of us since he became unemployed.

I was the one paying the rent for the apartment we both shared. The taxes, the electricity bills and every other bill, I paid them with love in my heart, waiting for the time that Ken would finally get a better job than the one that had laid him off.

Thinking about the sacrifices I had made for this cheating son of a b***h made every part of me ache.

I looked at him. The fact that there was not even a single drop of remorse in his blue eyes, that attitude was so casual made me want to go clawing at him till there are bruises over him.

I wanted him to feel half the pain I was feeling. I wanted him to tremble, to know hurt of the highest gravity.

As I was about to start shouting and kicking him and make a scene, my glance went to Kate who was looking very stressed out by what was happening and was using her free hand to rub her stomach that was protruding out from the rest of her body.

I widened my eyes. She was pregnant.

Remembering how my elder sister, Emily, had had two miscarriages because she had been in a toxic marriage, I paused in mid way from hitting Ken in anger.

I was not about to be responsible for making a woman lost the child in her womb because I was angry. I knew two well how it had shattered Emily. For days, she had cried that the stress from being in constant fear of her husband emotional assault was never healthy for her unborn children to thrive.

Seeing Emily tears in my mind eye was what stopped me from making the scene I wanted to make.

I breathed in and out trying to calm my spirit.

I would cry later. I would mourn how gullible I had been falling for this cheating bastard later. I would feel all these emotions rioting in me later.

Without looking at the man who had made me fall in love with him for the two months of friendship before being his lover for the next six months and then had finally shattered me today, I fixed my gaze at Kate who grew more uncomfortable with every second my eyes were on her.

I pasted a stiff smile on my dry lips and outstretched my hands forward as if for a hand shake.

"Let me properly introduce myself here, shall I, seeing as Ken here could not do that. Or rather, should I say he was not specific."

Kate did not say anything or shook my hands. Rather, she drew her child closer to herself.

"Well, I am Gina, as Ken rightly said. But I am not his friend. I am his girlfriend. No make that was. I was his girlfriend for eight months as of two hours ago. So that means your husband has been cheating on you, maybe not just with me. Who knows he may have been cheating on another person with you. Someone he met before you. Trust me, this son of a b***h can do that. He said I am his friend who helps him a lot. Considering that I was dumb enough to literally take care of his needs because he was laid off from work for about six months now, I guess he was right. Foolish me thought I was in love. That will never happen again."

I was so damn proud of how I was speaking without my voice breaking.

I could feel Kate tremble slightly as she looked at me. I could not believe that Ken was standing there, not saying anything, not even to his defense.

I continued, "Am I angry with you even though I suspect you play a part in your husband treachery? No. Rather, I pity you and your children, both the one in your arm and in your womb. Any person who is stuck to this son of a b***h who calls you his wife is bound to be miserable."

I looked at them both when I took a pause. Shame only bloomed bright red on the face of Kate. Ken was now standing, arms akimbo.

"Is that all?" He asked calmly

"You had the gut to ask that? Man, you really have a lot of nerve, Ken. I regret the day at that studio where I had met you. I regret the last ten months of knowing you."

I wanted to start insulting him with the nastiest curses flying to my mind but I suspected that it would not shake so it was pointless. Besides, his son was there.

"I don't want you at the house until I am gone by tomorrow. I would have told you to pack out instead but the house would contain too many memories of you that would make me feel sick. So keep the house for you and your family. I doubt you can renew the rent when it is time, anyway."

I turned on my heels and left them. Since it was darkness and nobody would really see unless they come very close, I let the tears fall.