After the Applause
1224 Words
ANIYA’S POV
The drive home felt longer than usual.
I sat beside Corbin, staring through the window as the city lights blurred past. Neither of us said much after leaving the award show.
My mind kept returning to the same moment.
Kenzie, thank you for being one of those people for me.
I could still hear Corbin’s voice.
I could still see the way he had looked at her.
I had spent months telling myself that nothing was wrong. I had defended him whenever people questioned the amount of time he spent with Kenzie. I had even defended Kenzie when I heard people gossiping about them.
Now I wondered if I had been the only person refusing to see what was happening.
Corbin glanced at me.
“You’ve been quiet.”
I kept my eyes on the window.
“I’m tired.”
“Is this about the speech?”
My fingers tightened around the strap of my clutch.
“What do you think?”
He frowned.
“Aniya, I was just thanking Kenzie for her contribution to the company.”
I turned toward him.
“Is that all you think this is about?”
“What else would it be?”
I stared at him for a moment.
There it was again.
That confusion.
That complete inability to understand why I was hurt.
I looked away.
“Nothing.”
Corbin sighed.
“You’re upset, but you won’t tell me why.”
“I already told you. I’m tired.”
He was silent for a few seconds.
Then he looked back at his phone.
The conversation ended there.
Just like that.
I turned toward the window again, trying to hold back the tears burning behind my eyes.
This was exactly what I had been trying to explain.
It wasn’t only about Kenzie.
It wasn’t even only about tonight.
It was about how alone I had felt for months.
How many times had I tried to talk to Corbin, only for him to become distracted by work?
How many times had I waited for him to come home?
How many times had I convinced myself that tomorrow would be better?
Too many.
When we finally arrived home, I stepped out of the car without saying anything.
Corbin followed me inside.
The penthouse was quiet.
I removed my heels and placed my clutch on the table.
Corbin loosened his tie.
“I’m going to bed.”
I stopped.
“You don’t want to talk?”
He looked at me.
“About what?”
I almost laughed.
“Nothing.”
He frowned.
“Aniya.”
I shook my head.
“Forget it.”
I walked upstairs before he could respond.
Once I reached the bedroom, I changed out of my dress and removed my jewelry.
I stood in front of the mirror for a long time.
The woman staring back at me looked composed.
But inside, I was falling apart.
I had spent the entire evening pretending everything was fine.
Pretending I wasn’t hurt.
Pretending I wasn’t embarrassed.
Pretending I wasn’t wondering whether my husband had fallen in love with someone else.
I sat on the edge of the bed.
My eyes landed on the photograph of Corbin and me on the dresser.
The same photograph I had looked at the night before.
I picked it up.
We looked so happy.
So certain.
I remembered how Corbin had looked at me back then.
There had been no doubt in his eyes.
No distance.
No hesitation.
Just love.
I pressed my lips together.
When had we become strangers?
The bedroom door opened.
Corbin walked inside.
He looked at me before glancing at the photograph in my hand.
“You should get some sleep.”
I put the photograph down.
“Do you still love me?”
The question came out before I could stop myself.
Corbin froze.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
“Of course I do.”
His answer was immediate.
But somehow, it didn’t comfort me.
“Then why don’t I feel loved anymore?”
His expression changed.
“Aniya…”
“I don’t understand what happened to us.”
I stood up.
“I don’t understand when you stopped wanting to spend time with me. I don’t understand why you barely talk to me anymore. I don’t understand why you’re always with Kenzie.”
Corbin’s jaw tightened.
“We’ve talked about this. Kenzie is my colleague.”
“I know.”
“Then why do you keep bringing her up?”
“Because she’s always there!”
My voice cracked.
I took a breath and tried to calm myself.
“I hear her name at breakfast. I hear her name at dinner. You’re always talking about work with her, meeting with her, attending events with her. And tonight, you stood on a stage and told an entire room that she changed your life.”
Corbin looked frustrated.
“I didn’t mean it the way you’re making it sound.”
“Then what did you mean?”
He opened his mouth but didn’t answer immediately.
I waited.
Finally, he sighed.
“I was talking about her contribution to the company.”
I stared at him.
“Do you really not understand?”
“Understand what?”
“I don’t want to feel like I’m competing with another woman for my husband’s attention.”
“You aren’t.”
“It feels like I am.”
Corbin rubbed his forehead.
“Aniya, you’re overthinking this.”
The words hit me harder than anything else he had said that night.
I looked at him.
“Maybe I am.”
His expression softened slightly.
“I love you.”
I wanted to believe him.
I desperately wanted to.
But love was not supposed to feel like this.
I swallowed.
“I don’t want to keep begging you to notice me.”
His eyes widened slightly.
“I never asked you to beg.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Silence filled the room.
For a moment, Corbin looked like he wanted to say something.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
I watched his expression change.
“Who is it?” I asked.
“It’s work.”
Of course it was.
He answered the call and walked toward the balcony.
I stood there, watching him leave.
A bitter laugh escaped me.
Even now.
Even after everything.
Work still came first.
I looked at the wedding ring on my finger.
For four years, I had worn it believing it represented forever.
Tonight, for the first time, it felt like a weight.
I went to bed without waiting for Corbin.
I turned away from his side of the mattress and closed my eyes.
But sleep refused to come.
My mind replayed every moment of our marriage.
The good memories.
The bad ones.
The moments when I had ignored my own feelings just to keep peace.
By morning, I had made a decision.
I couldn’t continue living like this.
I didn’t know what would happen next.
I didn’t know whether our marriage could be saved.
But I knew one thing.
I was done pretending that everything was fine.
If Corbin wanted to save our marriage, he would have to show me that he still wanted it too.
And if he didn’t…
Then I would finally have to choose myself.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD