My Beloved Cheating Husband

Chapter 7

Sarah POV

It had been two days since Ryan left for his business trip.

Two days of silence.

Two days without shouting, without slammed doors, without being forced to smile when my body ached.

For the first time in months, the house felt calm. I could finally breathe. The bruise on my cheek had faded beneath the concealer, though it still burned faintly if I accidentally brushed it while washing my face.

This morning, I decided to visit the mall. I was going to Ryan’s parents’ house tomorrow, and I didn’t want to go empty-handed. I thought a simple gift might be nice — a tie for his father, a scarf for his mother. Something polite. Something that looked thoughtful.

The mall was busy, filled with people laughing and chattering, and for a moment, I felt oddly out of place among them. They looked so… normal. So free. I clutched my purse tighter and made my way to the men’s section of a*****e. The scent of polished leather and expensive cologne floated through the air.

One of the store attendants, a young woman with a kind smile, approached.

“Ma’am, is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yes,” I said softly. “I’m looking for a tie. It’s for my father-in-law.”

“Of course,” she said, her tone professional yet gentle. “We have a wide collection right this way.”

She guided me to a wall filled with neatly displayed ties — silk, cotton, wool, every color and pattern imaginable. “Would you like me to assist you in selecting one, ma’am?”

“Let me just see first,” I replied politely. “Thank you.”

She smiled and stepped away, giving me space.

I ran my fingers along the row of ties, the fabrics smooth and cool under my fingertips. They all looked elegant, but two in particular caught my attention — one was navy blue with thin red stripes, the other a simple light grey with a soft sheen.

The striped one looked bold, almost too striking, while the grey was calm and subtle. I couldn’t decide.

After staring at them for what felt like several minutes, I called the attendant back. “Could you please take these two down for me?”

“Of course, ma’am,” she said and gently lifted them from the rack, placing them neatly on the counter in front of me.

I placed my handbag beside them and picked up the navy tie, holding it up to the light. It looked refined. Maybe Ryan’s father would like it. Then I lifted the grey one—it was quiet, understated, something I personally preferred.

I sighed softly. “What if he doesn’t like either of them…” I muttered.

The attendant looked up. “If you’re unsure, ma’am, both are wonderful options. Many of our customers choose classic tones for gifts.”

I hesitated. I hated making decisions like this. What if it was wrong? What if Ryan’s father didn’t like it? What if Ryan criticized me for choosing poorly later? My hands trembled slightly as I held them both.

“I’ll… take both,” I said finally.

The attendant smiled, nodding approvingly. “Excellent choice, ma’am.”

She placed both ties in small gift boxes wrapped in fine tissue paper, then began to bag them.

I took a slow breath, feeling oddly relieved. Two ties — safe, polite, no wrong choice to make.

Just as I was about to hand over my card, I felt a light tug on the hem of my dress.

Startled, I looked down.

A little boy, maybe four or five, stood there looking up at me. He had soft brown curls, big round eyes, and a curious expression. He didn’t say anything, just blinked at me as if studying my face.

I frowned slightly and bent down to his level. “Hey there, sweetheart,” I said softly. “Are you lost?”

He nodded quickly and then reached into his small backpack. From it, he pulled out a little tablet. His tiny fingers moved across the screen clumsily, and then he held it up to me.

The writing was messy, letters uneven, but I could just make it out:

me… dada… lost…

My chest tightened. “Oh, you’re looking for your dad?”

He nodded again, his eyes glimmering with tears.

“Okay,” I said gently. “Don’t worry. We’ll find him. Do you know his phone number?”

He shook his head, his lip trembling.

My heart stuttered. I never knew how to deal with crying. My mind went blank. Then I remembered the candy I always carried for my sugar drops. I reached into my purse, pulled it out, and held it toward him. “Here, sweetheart, would you like this?”

He looked at the candy for a long moment, then at me. His eyes watered again.

Had I said something wrong?

He turned his tablet around, scribbling quickly, and then held it up again. The letters were crooked, uneven:

dada say… no candy… stranger…

Despite the situation, I couldn’t help but smile softly. “Your dad’s right,” I said quietly. “You shouldn’t take candy from strangers.” I tucked the candy away. “I’m sorry for offering.”

He blinked up at me, his lips quivering into the tiniest smile.

After a pause, he started writing again. The screen read:

dada find…

“Yes,” I said gently. “We’ll find your dad.”

I straightened up and turned to the cashier. “Could someone please take him to the lost and found center? His father must be worried.”

“Of course, ma’am,” the cashier said, signaling to another staff member. “We’ll make sure he gets there safely.”

A young woman approached with a friendly smile, crouching slightly. “Hey there, little one. Let’s go find your dad, okay?”

But as she reached out, the boy suddenly hid behind me, clutching my hand tightly. His small fingers wrapped around mine with surprising strength.

“Oh…” I looked down, startled.

He shook his head firmly, pressing his face into my leg.

I crouched down again, trying to coax him. “It’s okay, baby,” I said softly. “She’s here to help you. You can go with her.”

He shook his head again, harder this time.

The staff woman gave me a helpless look. I exhaled softly, my heart tightening. There was something about the way he held me, trusting, frightened, clinging to me like I was the only safe thing in a world that scared him.

I looked back at the woman and gave a small smile. “It’s alright. I’ll take him there myself. Could you tell me where the lost and found counter is?”

She nodded. “It’s near the main atrium, ma’am. Just down this hallway and to the right.”

“Thank you,” I said.

The little boy’s fingers were still curled around mine as we beg

an walking. He was small, his steps quick to keep up, his eyes darting around nervously.

I glanced down at him and smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. We’ll find your dad soon alright?”

He looked up at me, those big brown eyes shining, and nodded.

And for the first time in a long time, someone was holding my hand not to control me, not to hurt me, but because they trusted me.

A strange warmth bloomed in my chest — fragile, foreign, but real.