The Night I Caught Him Cheating on Me

"It's still too close," she insisted. "You can move further away."

"Okay," he agreed, without hesitation, as he always did with her.

I knew everything about Bobby—his routine from answering the phone, getting out of bed, to showering, and leaving. But now, it all feels suffocating. Our home, which should have been a sanctuary, had become a prison, binding us in ways I hadn’t expected.

Exhausted, I dragged myself out of bed, only to receive a message from the Evans Family’s old house. Bobby’s father was celebrating his birthday.

I sent him a message, but of course, there was no reply.

"Nicole, where’s Bobby? Why didn’t you come together?" My mother asked, her voice warm yet curious.

"Mom, Bobby…" I hesitated, unsure of what to say. I had half a mind to go alone, but then, to my surprise, Bobby appeared.

He had stayed in my bed last night, but I knew the girl was upset with him. He would have to spend hours pacifying her again.

"Mom," I heard Bobby’s voice behind me, soft yet unmistakable.

My mother-in-law paused, clearly surprised, before glancing at me several times. I turned to greet Bobby, trying to mask my thoughts.

"I didn’t think you would..." I started, but my words caught in my throat when I noticed the woman standing next to him. My stomach twisted as I swallowed what I’d planned to say. How could he have brought her along so casually? Was this how he intended to handle it—by keeping her in the open?

"Who is this…?" My mother-in-law asked, eyeing the woman with curiosity.

"Mom, this is an intern from the company," Bobby explained smoothly, his tone casual but with an underlying layer of something I couldn’t quite place. "I heard Dad was having his birthday, and she wanted to come by to see the scene."

My mother-in-law’s expression softened somewhat, but she was far from fooled. As someone who had been through her share of experiences, she could undoubtedly sense the tenderness in Bobby’s gaze when he looked at her.

"Hello, Mrs. Evans," the woman greeted, her voice identical to the one I had heard over the phone. She spoke in a soft, almost deferential tone, her eyes lowered in what appeared to be modesty.

"Hello, Mrs. Evans," she repeated, her voice carrying a sweetness that felt too practiced.

"You’re very beautiful," she added with a polite smile, her eyes lingering briefly on me. "And the perfume you’re wearing... it smells wonderful."

"Thank you, Mrs. Evans," the woman replied, her tone almost saccharine. "But this isn’t perfume, it’s actually shower gel. Since you like it, I’ll give you two bottles next time. I wouldn’t want to disturb you and Mr. Evans, so I’ll go ahead and join the others."

I didn't respond, letting her drift to the side. Bobby, as if suddenly reminded of something, awkwardly scratched his nose.

"She’s a new business assistant at the company," he explained, though the explanation felt more like an afterthought. "They think highly of her, so they brought her here to meet with the partners. It’s part of her training."

I glanced at Bobby but said nothing. "You don’t need to explain to me," I said flatly, turning away and sitting back down. The girl had already retreated to a corner, her eyes glued to her phone, but I could sense her growing restlessness.

Coincidentally, Bobby’s phone, which was placed next to her, began vibrating again. Her eyes flickered nervously in our direction, her fingers fidgeting at the screen. She was so on edge it seemed as though she might cry at any moment.

Trying to ignore the discomfort, my mother-in-law leaned over and took my hand, her voice gentle yet persistent. "Nicole, Bobby has been so busy lately. I’ll ask his father to choose an auspicious date for the wedding soon. Do you think you and Bobby can decide on one?"

Bobby looked up from his phone, his focus shifting toward the conversation. I smiled, trying to keep the tone light, though my heart wasn’t in it. "No rush. Let’s wait and see."

Bobby’s gaze lingered on me, and I could sense his frustration, even though he didn’t say anything. His eyes were sharp, filled with a mixture of disbelief and something deeper I couldn’t quite place.

I couldn’t help but wonder: was I wrong? Wasn't this what he wanted to hear?

"Oh?" My mother-in-law pressed, sensing the tension in the air. "Why not hurry? Let me find my husband to pick the date. Bobby, what do you think?"

Bobby glanced at his phone again, his expression unreadable. The question clearly annoyed him—this was a topic he’d never been fond of. But what came next surprised me.

"Okay," he said flatly, his voice was void of any emotion. It was just a single word, but it carried the weight of an unspoken distance between us.

I gently held my mother-in-law's hand, trying to soften the tension. "Mom, it's okay. The company’s more important right now. If Bobby is caught up with work, maybe we should... just forget about the wedding for now."