His Billionaire Ex-Wife

Chapter 3

The consecutive knocks on the door roused Yesha from her slumber on the long sofa. She knew it was Orville. Glancing at her wristwatch, she noted it was past eleven in the evening.

Where had he been, and why was he returning at such an hour? She had been awaiting his arrival, but she hadn't anticipated it would be this late.

What was wrong with him? His demeanor seemed altered, different from who he was just a month ago. This wasn't the Orville she knew. All she knew was Orville was a responsible husband, always punctual.

His latest arrival was unprecedented, considering his duty ended at six, not in the dead of night. Now, it was almost midnight, and she couldn't help but question.

She hadn't done anything else the entire day but clean the house, do the laundry, and tend to the yard. They still didn't have a house helper. Even though they could afford one, she hadn't considered hiring help.

She wanted to handle all the chores, including cooking. She wanted to serve him. She loved Orville dearly and wanted to show it through her actions and words.

While waiting for him hours earlier, she had cooked his favorite adobong manok. But because he hadn't arrived promptly, it had grown cold, necessitating reheating.

Despite being occupied with household tasks, she couldn't shake off the memory of Orville's scent from yesterday.

She was certain it was the fragrance of a woman's perfume. And the lipstick mark on his shirt collar only fueled her suspicions.

She knew Orville's female colleagues. They seemed decent enough. They were friendly, and according to the information she had gathered from Orville, they were in relationships. So she didn't harbor any doubts about them.

Was he having an affair with a stranger? She wondered. But what could she answer herself? Nothing, nothing. She didn't want to speculate, fearing it might come true.

But a woman's intuition was often right, and some girls had confirmed her suspicions. Was she ready to doubt Orville's fidelity? Hell, she couldn't. She knew he loved her and wouldn't do anything to hurt her.

She quickly got up and approached the door as the knocking grew louder. She opened it slowly. Yes, it was Orville. He was drunk.

This was the second night it had happened. The first was last night. He came home drunk, and now he was returning in the same state. She wanted to believe something was wrong, but if there was, what was it, and why wouldn't he confide in her?

She opened the door wide, and he entered without acknowledging her. In the past, when he returned and saw her, he would immediately rush to her and kiss her cheek. This was different now. What poison had he ingested to forget her? But she didn't complain.

He sat on the sofa without acknowledging her presence. Despite his behavior, she chose to understand him. He was under the influence of alcohol, and she knew he was exhausted.

She approached him and removed his shoes. She also helped him remove his long-sleeved shirt.

"The food is cold, but I can reheat it for you," she began.

"No, I already ate earlier," he interrupted abruptly, cutting her off. His tone lacked emotion.

She looked at him, and he looked back at her, his eyes colder than ice. Had he really eaten? She wanted to inquire but lacked the courage, unable to find the words to ask. This wasn't the same Orville. Why couldn't she feel like he was her husband?

"B-but I cooked your favorite dish, sweetheart—the adobong manok. Last week you told me you're craving adobong manok," she mentioned, her voice trembling. She hoped he would eat and join her.

"I said I'm done eating," he replied, his tone slightly elevated.

He lay down on the bed, closing his eyes. She observed him, noticing the serenity in his sleeping form. Was he asleep? She wondered.

He wasn't mean; he was just intoxicated. He was a good husband, the perfect husband. He wasn't mean; he was good, wonderfully good. That's what she thought as she gazed at him incessantly.

She sighed and headed to the kitchen to heat some water. While he was alone in the kitchen, she felt a slight churning in her stomach, a vinegar-like gnawing inside her.

She was hungry because she hadn't eaten yet, waiting for Orville. She had assumed they would eat together when he returned. She was wrong.

She sat alone and ate. She had lost her appetite and desire for food, but due to her grumbling stomach, she ate anyway.

She ate slowly, as thoughts assailed her mind. After a while, her cheeks were wet with tears. She was crying while eating. Perhaps, that was the most painful part.

She finished her meal, wiping away the tears that had fallen. When she was done eating, she returned to Orville, who was lying on the sofa.

He was sound asleep, so she didn't want to disturb him and check his phone, which she retrieved from his slacks' pocket. But she couldn't open it because it was password protected. What? Since when did Orville set a password? It seemed he was hiding something from her.

She didn't hesitate to assume there was another woman. She was frozen. She was devastated. She was overwhelmed by the text message that appeared on Orville's phone screen.

"Babe? Got home?"

She felt like the earth and sky had collapsed on her simultaneously. Her tears flowed once more, each drop burning her skin. What a secret Orville had. A good husband with a babe? What a disappointment, sweetheart. She didn't find Orville despicable. What was wrong with him?

She carefully returned his phone to his slacks' pocket. She went upstairs, grabbed a blanket, and returned downstairs. She covered his body with the blanket and kissed his forehead.

She lay quietly on the soft couch, catching her tears. The drowsiness that had visited her earlier was gone. She wanted to sleep and forget what had happened. But she couldn't sleep.

She felt like she didn't belong in this world, in his world. It seemed someone else had taken her place. What was left for her? The title of being married to Mr. Orville Palmer, the marriage certificate, and the ring. Was that enough?

What could the title do if his heart no longer belonged to her? She felt suffocated. Her whole being, her entire system, could hardly believe Orville was involved with another woman. But what if that woman was just a friend of Orville's? Her heart hoped. And she hadn't confirmed it yet.

He'll break your heart. I feel it. He's a Don Juan. Believe me, Yesha. He's handsome and sexy. Do you think his angelic face is enough for you? Why are you so stubborn? You can't marry him. You can't, Yesha. He'll drive you insane and bankrupt you. He'll abandon you, and you'll be shattered. If you don't believe me, someday, you'll realize it yourself. Mom used to talk about this kind of thing. He's not for you. You're too young to live a life we never dreamed of.

She clearly remembered those words from her mother. She had vehemently opposed Yesha's relationship with Orville and their desire to marry. Yesha vividly recalled her mother's hysterical reactions. Was her mother right?

But even if she wanted to, she couldn't bring herself to heed her mother's words. She loved Orville deeply. Her mother's vehement judgment of Orville stemmed from her dislike for him, nothing more.

Yes, she was undoubtedly stubborn. Tears streamed down her face once again. Despite ignoring her mother's warnings, there was a point to what she said. Orville was indeed breaking her heart.

Her mother might have been right. But to her, Orville was decent. She was his wife, and he was her husband. That should be enough.

What could a title do if his heart didn't belong to her anymore? She felt like she was being choked. Her entire being, her very essence, could hardly believe that Orville could be involved with another woman.

But what if that woman was just a friend of Orville's? Her heart clung to hope. She hadn't confirmed anything yet.

She stared at the ceiling and everything suddenly came back to her as if each memory has its own lives.

She remembered that after a whirlwind romance, Yesha was deeply in love with Orville, decided to take the next step and get married.

Yesha used her resources to plan a beautiful civil ceremony, despite her family despised her plan. Her mother swore, she'll never accept Orville as Yesha's husband.

Her family wanted her to marry the billionaire Chinese business man, her father's business associate. But she love Orville. But now, she felt odd, it seems the man sleeping in the couch below was somehow strange.