Cheating On You

Vll

“Adda, this is all the inventory and sales report you asked for.”

“Thanks,” I said, flipping through the files one by one to go over them. I was at the flower shop now , I’d been away for a few days, so there was so much to fix. Ever since I got married, I left the business for almost a week, and I was drowning in work.

Hours passed before I finished everything. I checked the time, it was already 4 PM.

“Boss?”

“Come in.”

“Uh, sorry to bother you, but we ordered some food. You should eat first you haven’t even stood up since you got here, and you haven’t eaten yet.” It was Claire, my secretary.

“Thank you, Claire. I am pretty hungry. What’d you get?” I stood up and stretched.

“Rice, and cordon bleu.” She set the food up on the table in the mini kitchen, and I followed her over.

“Thank you so much. Ugh, I left so much work behind.”

“But eat first. Also… are you gonna head to the other branch? You could just do it tomorrow, you know.”

“I’ll get it done now so it doesn’t get in the way of everything else. It’s a hassle when you need data and it’s not ready ‘cause you put it off.” I started eating.

“Boss… quick personal question?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re married now, right?” Claire and I were close, so this kind of conversation was fine with me.

“Yep.” I showed her my wedding ring.

“How about Sir Kenji?” Kenji was the one all my employees and friends knew. He’d always drop me off at work, bring me food or gifts. When they found out I was marrying someone else, they felt bad for us because they knew how much we loved each other.

I sighed before answering. “We’re still together.”

“Really? Oh, thank God.” I looked at her. “Oh, sorry! It’s just… you two seemed so perfect together. Who knows, right? Maybe you’ll leave your husband anyway. You guys just met, didn’t you?”

“That’s the problem. He wants us to act like a married couple. It’s so confusing, sometimes he wants us to be husband and wife, sometimes he doesn’t. It’s a mess.” I told her what was going on between us. “It’s frustrating. I don’t know where I fit. They both have a right to feel the way they do… both of them are right. But I’m lying to both of them too.”

“That’s so tough.” We sat in silence for a minute before she spoke again. “You know what, finish that up we’re going somewhere.”

“Huh? Where?”

“It’s a surprise. You need some fresh air to figure out what to do with this whole situation.” I laughed, but I knew she was right. Honestly? I didn’t know who else to turn to. Who to talk to, who to be with.

I finished my food and we left. We took her car, she drove, and played all kinds of pop songs.

“We look like high school kids getting ignored by our crushes at a dance, haha!”

“Whatcha mean, Adda? Isn't it good? Lightens your mood, right?”

“Yeah. Ugh, you’re the only one who can make me feel better. Ever since all the drama with Kenji, my parents, my coworkers… up to now, you’re the one who knows everything. And you're still so formal. Just be formal in front of other people. When it’s just us, just be casual, okay?”

“Okay, okay, Hahaha, easy there you’re so mad. I just didn’t want to cross a line and be rude without realizing it. You are my boss, after all.”

“Just… casual when it’s just us.”

“Got it, hahaha!”

I didn’t even realize I’d fallen asleep on the drive I must’ve been exhausted. When I woke up, we were in Baguio.

“Whoa, we actually made it here? What time is it?”

“7:45 PM already.”

“I’m so screwed.”

“Screwed with who?”

“I need to update Elijah he’s gonna get mad again.”

FLASHBACK

“You’re looking for me because you want to use me again?!” He didn’t say a word. I was shocked by what I said, but I already blurted it out. I turned my back on him and took a deep breath.

“Don’t act like you didn’t want what happened. You had every right to stop me, but you didn’t. So cut the innocent act. You’re like a wolf trying to hide in a sheep’s skin.” He walked out and slammed the door. It felt like a slap in the face. I opened the window and let the cold air in, everything feels so heavy.

The next morning, he left early. I looked for him all over the house, but I couldn’t find him. Days passed and we haven’t talked since that night. I threw myself into work, and he’d been sleeping in the guest room. I’ll admit I felt guilty, even though I was mad at him. But I didn’t know how to face him. I was so ashamed of what I had done to both him and Kenji. In the days passed, I've been updating both of them through text messages… but neither of them had really responded, like I didn’t even exist in their world.

PRESENT

“What about Sir Kenji?”

“Of course I updated him earlier, I’ll send him another one now.”

“Ooh, two leading men, but you’ve got a favorite!”

“You’ve got really bad jokes!” I rolled my eyes, and she just laughed harder.

“Let’s go to Sky Ranch. It’s perfect, the weather’s cold, let's walk around.” She was so excited. We just booked a hotel and started exploring Sky Ranch first. We didn’t eat yet to avoid getting sick. And since Claire was my secretary, I knew my schedule tomorrow was clear, she wouldn’t have invited me here otherwise. I trust her that much, so I didn’t worry or ask too many questions.

At first, we just watched people, and walked around. Then we dared each other to go on rides and play at the booths. We bought souvenirs and took lots of photos. I had so much fun, especially on the rides, the thrill, the fear, the nervousness… plus the cold, it was a wild mix of feelings. And to make it worse, we were both still in office clothes with no jackets.

“Whoa! We look so cute here! Take another one!” I posed again, and we took a selfie. “See? You don’t look stressed anymore. Out of all the newlyweds I know, you’re the only one who looks miserable”

“Well, I really am hahaha!”

After Sky Ranch, we went to the night market, that was our dinner, street food.

“Let’s find that tempura stall with the garlic mayo dip. It’s so good,” I told her, and that’s exactly what we did.

We bought tempura, shawarma, fish cakes, and all kinds of other street foods. Then we sat down on the grass in the middle and ate there.

“It’s been so long since I’ve done this.”

“Of course it is, you’re always working. And let’s be real, you’d rather go shopping than go on a nature trip.”

I laughed. “You know me way too well, don’t you?”

“Duh I’m like your sister at this point.”

We kept eating and laughing until my phone vibrated. I checked who it was, it was Elijah.

[From: Elijah

What are you doing in Baguio?]

I thought for a second. I never told anyone I was coming to Baguio, and I knew he was busy at the office with a meeting, so he couldn’t be here. Only one thing crossed my mind.

Does my phone have a tracker?