It had the address of that upscale joint where I moonlight.
A place where the bill runs into the thousands. I eyed Eric suspiciously—where was he getting this kind of dough?
It was the first time in three years I'd snooped through his phone.
I scrolled and finally found Mandy's contact in WhatsApp, but only a trivial message remained; he'd wiped the rest.
Then I stumbled upon a receipt in his texts. My hands shook as I counted the zeros—was I seeing this right?
A dress worth 1.2 million dollars? My breath caught in my throat.
There I was, next to the man I thought I knew, feeling a surge of panic.
Yet, my mind snapped to clarity, recalling my own birthday this year.
He had given me 130-dollar clearance sneakers and looked so guilty.
This towering man, with tears in his eyes, clung to me, swearing someday I wouldn't have to worry about a thing.
Just two days earlier, he had said his mom was under the weather and he couldn't make it because of work. I had wired him 10 thousand dollars.
As he held me close, he called me the best wife anyone could ask for.
Ridiculous, isn't it?
Eric couldn't manage to finance a home for us or even his mom's medical bills, yet he could fork over six figures for a dress for his high school old flame.
I lay awake all night, and as dawn broke, he pulled me close in his sleep.
I felt only revulsion and coldly turned my back. Eric, looking wounded, asked, "Mia, why so cold today?"
Normally, we'd cuddle for ages; I mean, the guy has got the looks and the body—I've always been happy to invest in him.
But now, everything's changed.
I made an excuse and got up; he suspected nothing.
He said he had a major deal to close today and might be late, telling me not to wait up.
He kissed my forehead and murmured, "Soon, we'll have our dream home."
That night, dressed as a waitress with a hat and mask to avoid recognition.
I was bracing myself, hoping it was all a misunderstanding, but right at the entrance, I overheard some snickers.
"Eric and Mandy were the golden couple back then. If she hadn't gone overseas, they'd likely be married by now."
"Man, cut it out—Eric's hitched now."
Another chipped in, "Eric's been burned before, that's why he rushed into this marriage. Without Mia Mark's eyes reminding him of Mandy, would he even bother with plain Jane?"
My heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, I texted Eric: [Where are you?]