Cheating On You

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I heard his car enter the gate, so I quickly went out to meet him. I looked for the app on my phone again and set it down on the table.

"You're here," he said, he looked tired and stressed, but I don't t care.

"What's this?" he asked, pointing at my phone.

I frowned as he stepped closer to me. I picked up my phone and held it out to him. "Why is there a tracker on my phone?" I was really irritated.

He sighed and rubbed his temples. "It's just for your safety,stop overreacting." He turned his back on me and walked toward the bedroom.

"For my safety? This is damn stalking! Are you insane? Do you have no respect for my privacy?!"

"Can you stop nagging?! If you'd just bother to update me and not worry me so much, we wouldn't need this! You're too irresponsible for an adult!" he shot back.

"Did it ever cross your mind that maybe I don't tell you things because I don't want you to know? That maybe I don't answer your calls because I don't want to talk to you? That maybe I don't come home because I don't want to be with you?!"

He froze at my words. He stared at me for a moment before looking away. "Okay, sorry," he mumbled, then headed straight to the bedroom. I just sank onto the sofa and ran my hands through my hair. I felt so awful.

I woke up at five the next morning. When I went downstairs, I saw him in the kitchen making breakfast. I walked over and spoke to him.

"Let me take over," I said as I continued cooking. He didn't object and just sat down at the dining table. "About last night, I'm sorry," I said softly.

"It's okay. Maybe I overstepped." I nodded in agreement.

"Elijah, you know we got married even though we didn't really have a relationship, right?" I poured him a cup of coffee and handed it to him.

"Of course," he said as he took it and took a sip.

"I find it hard to adjust. I love someone else, but I'm married to you." I kept my head down, staring at my own cup of coffee as I spoke. I was so nervous and scared to see the look on his face. "Honestly, I still can't accept that I married someone else instead of my boyfriend," I said in almost a whisper.

"I understand," he replied and hope sparked in me.

"Really?"

"Yes. I'm not a monster, Adda." We made eye contact. His usual cold stare was gone, he was looking at me like a true man. "That's why you never heard a word from me even when I saw that picture frame. I was angry, I was annoyed. But I kept it to myself because I know I have no right, even if I am your husband. But Adda, we're still married. I don't expect you to like me or act like a happy wife. But you need to be a wife. Because you are Adda. You are my wife. Whether you like it or not, we're married, and you're married to me."

I fell silent at his words. He was right, he was my husband, and I had to accept that. I just nodded in agreement. After we talked, I served the food so we could eat breakfast.

"Do you work?" he asked.

"Yes, I own a flower shop."

"Really? Is that where you've been going all this time?"

"Yes. One branch is 30 minutes away from here, and the other is in Clark. If you've noticed the shop called Blooms and Brews, that's mine."

"Wait, the one that's both a flower shop and a coffee shop?"

I smiled and nodded. "Yes, are you familiar with it?"

"Yeah, I often go to the one in Clark, especially when I want to be alone. So it's yours?"

"Yes, but you don't seem like the type to hang out in a place like that. You look like you'd be at bars instead," I teased.

"Harsh! Good looking guys aren't only found in bars, you know!" I just laughed.

"So you can actually joke around? You always look so angry, hahaha!"

"Maybe that's just what you think of me, tsk tsk! You're judgmental."

Our morning was filled with teasing and chatting. After we got ready, we went our separate ways to work. Honestly, I never expected us to get along, or that he had that side to him.

When I got to the shop, I texted Kenji first to tell him I'd finally mentioned him to Elijah, and that we'd cleared things up about him not needing to invade my privacy. As soon as I walked in, my staff greeted me, and Claire was there too, to check the manager's reports.

"Good morning," I replied. She followed me into my office.

"Looks like the cold weather in Baguio worked its magic," she said with a mischievous grin.

"Oh it did!" I winked and smiled back, and we both laughed.

I took care of the work I'd left behind and gave instructions for new supplies we needed to order. It was a tiring day because we had a problem with the supplier for our second branch, the one we get our coffee beans from had sent a lot of missing items, so the staff struggled with managing inventory and explaining things to customers. Life moves fast here in Clark. People don't like to wait, especially those who are used to their routines. If they're used to having their coffee at a certain time, you need to be ready to serve it then. If not, they'll just find someone else who can keep up with their needs.

"Finally done. Let me be the one to talk to the Arabica supplier," I said as I tied my hair back and left the office. I went straight to the counter and placed an order. "Can I get one apple cinnamon muffin, one large Sagada blend, and one slice of blueberry cheesecake?" Elijah had mentioned that our Sagada blend coffee and apple cinnamon muffins were his favorites, so I wanted to bring them to him as a peace offering.

"Boss, I'm heading out now," Claire said. She was stopping by the main branch on her way, so I let her go. When I got in my car, I pulled out my phone to text Elijah that I was on my way home, but a message from Claire popped up first.

[From: Claire

Hey! Looks like you're giving someone a little treat, hihi!]

She even added a teasing emoji, so I just laughed. Finally, a day had passed where I felt a little lighter.