Chapter Two
1353 Words
002.
ARYNA
My lips trembled as the pictures flicked through. How could Ryan be so shameless?
I was here, worrying all about him, and he was out there flirting around with his best friend?
Gina had never been ill. Ryan either lied as an excuse or Gina, on the other hand, told a lie to get her husband's attention.
I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about Ryan all night. I had dialed his number countless times, but he just wouldn't pick him up and when I tried again the next morning, a lady answered.
I frowned as the call connected and she spoke. Surely, that was none other than Gina's voice.
I recognized it so well—the same venomous tongue that would taunt me when Ryan wasn't around.
My husband had been with her throughout the night, but he left me here solo and all by myself.
When would Ryan ever treat me better? To him, I was someone with not much worth. Everything that had ever mattered to him most since our three years of marriage was Gina!
Only her.
"Hello, I'd like to speak to Ryan." I clenched my fist, mustering all the self-control in me not to yell out.
"Ryan is busy at the moment, and I'm not sure whether he'd like to speak to any stranger right now," Gina replied, her voice dripping with malice.
My breath hitched in my throat. How dare her refer to me as that!
"Gina, this is Aryna. I would like to speak with my husband. Give the phone to him."
"Are you hurt, Aryna? I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you. The ID says 'Stranger', so I couldn't tell it was you who was on the line."
Ryan saved my name as that? I really meant nothing to him.
I muted the phone speaker, so Gina wouldn't listen to my sobs.
"Hi, Aryna. "Are you there?" Gina's voice was filled with mockery, and she didn't even try the least to hide it. She'd always prove to me that Ryan cherished her more than me.
I placed the phone back in my ear, sniffing. "What business do you have with Ryan? "What are you doing in his room?"
She chuckled dryly, and I could imagine the sneer on her face. "Ryan is the one in my room, not the other way. You must have seen the news, we have some business to finish and it might take time."
The last time I checked they weren't business partners. What business was Gina talking about, and why should they share a room?
"It's unhealthy, Gina." I gritted my teeth, boiling in anger. Yes, you are both best friends, as you claim, but there should be limits. There should be some privacy, especially when one of you is married."
"Ouch, are you pained, Aryna? The last time I checked, you were so excellent at bottling up your emotions, so why do you choose to rant now?"
I gripped the bedsheets, my knuckles turning white with provcaction.
Gina wasn't the least ashamed. She knew Ryan would never have a problem with her speaking to me this way; he had always showed her defense.
During our last anniversary when Ryan took me on a shopping spree as his grandma had wanted. Gina suddenly showed up and just as expected, he left me at the counter and granted his best friend the bracelets I had always wanted.
It continued and now it is no different. Whenever I was close to happiness, she would always appear and snatch it away like the b***h she was.
All she had ever been was a killjoy.
"You'd never have Ryan to yourself, Gina, no matter how hard you try."
She scoffed, determination laced in her words. "I would love to see you try, darling. Whoever wins or loses, we'll see about that."
Ryan's voice sounded next and his words got me to shed more tears.
"Come here, baby." He whined. "Let's take a quick shower together."
"Ryan, your wife is on the other end," Gina informed him, but he scoffed.
"Do I care?"
My stomach tightened with a knot. My heart bled, all hopes sinking.
He didn't even show remorse about it. He was cheating on me with his best friend, yet he was making it seem proper.
"I need you." I heard him rasp. Gina giggled, and the other end went silent.
My phone slipped off my hand, falling to the floor. My face was soaked with tears.
After all the love and sacrifice. This was the only way Ryan could pay me back?
My phone rang but I ignored it. It must be Gina. She was calling to mock me again.
She had bragged about winning Ryan to herself, and she had done it even without trying.
He fell in love with her easily but neglected me— the woman who had been nothing but faithful to him.
All I begged for was his love and attention. They seemed forthcoming, but now I had realised it was only a mere mirage.
It would never come to pass. It was never real in the first place.
The phone calls persisted, and I had no choice but to answer it. I swear to curse her this time.
"What do you want, Gina? "Haven't you done enough?" I blubbered.
"Hello, Aryna." I frowned. This wasn't Gina's voice. This was Lucy, my grandma's caregiver.
I rose to my feet immediately, there seemed to be an emergency.
"What's the problem, Lucy? "How's grandma?" I asked, worry laced in my voice.
"Her condition grew worse, Aryna and the doctor has demanded to see you."
Picking up my car keys, I left the house in a hurry. As I sped past the road, my mind thudded with guilt.
Ryan had never allowed me to see my grandma in the past four months. All of my decisions were made by him and, as he had claimed, Lucy was good enough to watch over her.
"She's old enough, Aryna. "You don't have to bother whether she dies or not. "You have your life to live." He had told me that afternoon when Grandma Grace developed a heart attack and I asked to go and see her.
I abandoned the only woman left as my mother just to satisfy my husband's selfish will.
Lucy would always call and tell me Grandma Grace asked to see me, but blinded by the utmost urge to satisfy Ryan, I'd decline and make excuses.
Her case didn't only grow worse because she was leukaemic, my absence caused it too.
"She'd be fine," Lucy assured me as I watched her through the glass walls.
I sniffed back my tears, nodding, but deep down I was breaking.
I had planned to sleep over at the hospital and wait until Grandma Grace woke up, but then, Ryan's text came in.
~Please come home, Aryna. I missed you and I'm sorry~
I tried to ignore the message, but I found myself getting pulled in.
His charms still worked on me.
Maybe Ryan still loved me. It wouldn't be a bad idea to give him a last chance to appeal for his mistakes.
I told Lucy I'd be back tomorrow morning. Afterward, I left the hospital, driving back home with a bit of hope in me.
At first, I was so sad about my Grandma's illness, but that text from Ryan lifted my spirits.
Everything would be fine. We could still celebrate our anniversary tonight and come back tomorrow to check on Grandma Grace.
I halted when I reached the doorstep. The moans coming from the master bedroom got me wondering if I had stopped at the wrong house, but it wasn't so! This was clearly my matrimonial home!
"Oh, harder baby. I want you deep in me."
Those were Gina's moans! No, Ryan wouldn't do this to me.
My hand gripped the doorknob and when I pushed the door open, my heart shattered at the sight before me.
Ryan and his childhood best friend were clad together in our matrimonial bed, their bodies all sweaty and naked.
- Writer
