Starting Over After My Husband's Lies

RACHEL:

Closure. That was what I was here for when I decided to show up at the house which once felt like a home. Deep down I knew it was wrong timing but I still turned up nevertheless.

I stood at the entrance for such a long time while contemplating on whether or not to get in. In my hand was the small velvet box which contained the sapphire pendant that Austin's mother had given me then to welcome me into the family... A family I had no place in again.

Eventually, I stepped into the house, the eerie silence hitting me. My heels clicked softly against the polished marble floor as I began to find my way to the study where I intended to drop the small box with me.

Memories of the moments I once shared here with Austin slowly built its way into my head and I found myself longing for his presence. I was longing for what we once shared and I missed every moment of that.

I shook off the nostalgia that had hit me right when I reached the study. Immediately, I placed the small box on the wooden desk, turning around to leave as soon as I was done.

"You are back."

I knew that voice too well, so much that I stiffened when it hit my ears.

I turned around to see Austin standing by the doorway to the study. He was leaning by the doorframe with an exhausted expression. As exhausted as it was, it still looked unreadable.

As much as I would want to know what was going on with him due to his disheveled appearance, I had to act like I was indifferent and that was what I showed in my expression.

"I only came to return this," I said, gesturing toward the box on the desk which his gaze dropped to.

A flicker of recognition hit his face before his jaw suddenly tightened. "You don't have to," he said.

"I do," I responded immediately.

"You really don't, Rachel."

"It was given to me as a member of your family. I would soon desist from being a member again so why bother keep it?"

I was sure I made a good argument there because the silence between us stretched for a long time after I said that. We both simply stood in our positions with our gazes not leaving each other.

Austin eventually let out a sigh and stepped closer to me. "I know I hurt you, Rachel. I am not denying the fact that I did. But you're making this bigger than it needs to be," he let out the most ridiculous thing I must have heard him say in such a long time.

Bigger than it needs to be? The audacity from this man.

I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "You let your mistress slap me in public. You defended her while she humiliated me. You've always chosen her over me, your wife. And you think I'm actually making this bigger than it needs to be?" I asked, my voice loud as I did.

"I was only trying to make things right."

"Make things right?" I repeated. "At the expense of my dignity?"

"We were in a place with dignified personalities. You didn't expect I let the situation longer on. It would have cost me a lot and I cannot afford that," he explained but it sounded like bullshit to me. And what he continued to say didn't even make sense to me, "I even wanted to fix things between us. Look, I got you something."

My brows were raised. "Something?"

Right at this moment, getting something from him was the least expected action. Not after I just returned the most important item I had with me which was given to me as a gift years back.

He walked over to the side desk and picked up a velvet box which was similar to the one I returned. He opened it to reveal a stunning diamond bracelet.

I blinked, looking from his face to the diamond bracelet which he held in his hands. "You really think jewelry is going to fix this problem between us? Is that how materialistic you think I am?" I asked in between disbelief and rage.

"I was only trying to—"

"Austin? Where are you? Are you ready?" That question cut him off. It drifted from the hallway and it was a familiar one. Chloe, no doubt.

Just in time, Chloe came into the study well dressed in a silk gown that clung to get curves, accentuating her figure. She noticed me and the smirk on her face was instant.

"Oh... You got her the same one?" Those were the first words she uttered and I had to look at the bracelet on her wrist and then back at the one Austin was holding.

I shook my head. Nothing was different with this man.

"And you really thought jewelry could fix this," I said in a rather shaky voice.