"Aurora, yesterday I saw your husband with another woman."
The woman named Aurora Harperwood immediately turned. She glanced while giving a thin smile to Velia, who seemed to deliberately walk towards her work desk."Maybe Alex has a meeting with a client or a colleague. Where did you meet him?" Aurora asked curiously.As a man who held a leadership position in a retail company, he knew that his husband's job often involved interactions with the opposite gender. Aurora was also confident that Alex wouldn't do anything inappropriate. Logically, if Alex were being unfaithful, their relationship wouldn't have lasted for two years."I saw Alex at the Kempinski Hotel," replied Velia."You met Alex at the hotel?"Aurora's forehead furrowed. She tried hard to think positively, believing that her husband didn't cross any boundaries. No, Aurora was sure that Alex was a good man."Yes, I saw him entering one of the elevators with a woman," Velia explained. From her gaze, Aurora was convinced that her friend wasn't lying about what she had just revealed."Ah, maybe they indeed had a business meeting.""A business meeting? The problem is, I clearly saw Alex hugging that woman very intimately. What kind of business associate hugs so intimately?"Aurora's heart started to beat twice as fast. Discovering that her friend saw her husband being intimate with another woman disturbed her thoughts."I'm sure they are more than just colleagues," Velia continued. "Besides, what kind of business is conducted in a hotel and only involves two people? I'm sure that Alex—""Velia..." Aurora interrupted. "Enough, stop. There's no need to continue," she pleaded, shaking her head multiple times. She asked Velia to stop what was being accused and thanked her for the information.After hearing this news, Aurora couldn't focus on her work at the hospital for the rest of the day. Despite being a pediatric specialist, she needed to stay focused to avoid mistakes in her medical procedures.After struggling with her inner turmoil for a while, Aurora finally made up her mind. She decided not to dwell on the news Velia had shared for the sake of her peace of mind. She tried her best to believe that her husband didn't betray their marriage.As soon as the workday ended, Aurora hurriedly drove home, hoping to arrive before her husband, who usually came home in the evening.Upon reaching home, after putting away her doctor's coat and the usual work bag, Aurora went straight to the kitchen. As usual, she took the time to cook dinner first so that she could enjoy it with her husband.For her, despite being busy every day with work and the numerous patients at the hospital, Aurora must not neglect her duties as a wife. She tried her best to do and prepare what her husband needed.After cooking and setting the food on the table, Aurora quickly headed to the bedroom. She cleaned herself and got ready to welcome her husband.At exactly seven in the evening, the person she had been waiting for finally arrived home. Entering the room, the handsome, tall man approached Aurora, who was sitting on the sofa reading a book.Alex appeared to be carrying and then handed over a bucket of red roses and a box of red velvet cake, which had always been Aurora's favorite. He also gave a hug and a tender kiss as usual, something he did every time he left or returned from work."I missed you," Alex whispered while tightly hugging Aurora. Loosening the hug slightly, he kissed Aurora's forehead and lips alternately before finally releasing the embrace.Aurora smiled. Seeing her husband's sweet gesture, how could she believe that Alex Wildblood would betray her? His attitude had always been warm and affectionate, even smart at pleasing her. It seemed there was no room for Alex to do anything foolish, let alone cheat."Aren't you tired of saying you miss me every day? Besides, we see each other every day, right?"Alex smiled, pinching Aurora's nose affectionately. He addressed his wife's comment. He should be grateful to have such a beautiful, intelligent, and independent wife like Aurora."Well, how can I not? You're irresistibly charming, darling.""Flattery.""Why flattery? I'm serious. You've always been irresistible. That's why even at the office, I never forget to call or send a message to you."Alex wasn't exaggerating. No matter how busy he was at the office, he never forgot to contact her, either by giving updates or just sending Aurora a short message. It was clear that he loved and cherished his wife."Okay, I believe you. In that case, go and take a quick shower. After that, we'll have dinner together.I've prepared the food you requested this morning."Alex smiled and nodded in agreement. He then took off his jacket and white shirt, leaving them casually on the bed, and walked nonchalantly, shirtless, towards the bathroom.Aurora was used to Alex's behavior. While shaking her head, she picked up the work clothes that Alex had placed on the bed. Carrying them, she moved them to the laundry basket.However, before actually putting them in the basket, Aurora's focus was disrupted. Briefly, she caught a whiff of a foreign perfume scent clinging to the shirt Alex had worn earlier.Aurora brought her refined nose closer to confirm that she wasn't mistaken. Then, she concluded that the sharp fragrance wasn't her husband's or hers.At that moment, Velia's words echoed in Aurora's ears once again. The image that her husband was truly having an affair now danced in her mind.Aurora closed her eyes. She took a deep breath while contemplating what action she should take. Should she clarify this directly with Alex? Or should she secretly investigate the man to gather all the evidence before making a final decision?***Two days passed. Although she continued to make an effort to be kind to Alex, her heart couldn't lie. There was a restless feeling, along with a big question mark about whether her husband was truly betraying their love.Velia, noticing Aurora's strange behavior, took the initiative to invite her friend and colleague for lunch outside the hospital. Choosing a nearby mall, the two decided to eat at a Korean restaurant they often visited."Come on, Aurora. Why do you look so upset all the time? I've noticed your face has been really off since yesterday," Velia remarked when they were both seated and ready to order their food."I don't know. Maybe it's just PMS," Aurora replied, making an excuse. She was reluctant to share what she was feeling with Velia. Aurora was afraid that her friend might escalate the situation or provoke her, making her even more upset."Alright then. Get some ice cream. Maybe it'll improve your mood."Velia might be right. Having some ice cream could help calm the boiling emotions in her heart. Perhaps her mood would truly improve after this.However, before they could even order the ice cream, Aurora's eyes unintentionally caught sight of her husband passing by in front of the restaurant. Initially intending to call out to him, her lips suddenly felt dry and froze.From her eyes, Aurora clearly saw Alex walking alone at first, then suddenly being approached by a woman. The two of them didn't hesitate to hold hands intimately. What was more painful, Aurora knew who the woman walking with her husband was. She was Alex's personal secretary and also Aurora's cousin.Aurora: Alex, where are you? Can we do a video call now? I miss you.Alex: I'm in a meeting outside the office, darling. I'll call and video chat with you once it's done.Aurora smiled wryly as she reread the short message she intentionally sent to Alex while enjoying lunch with Velia.Despite Alex's claim of being in a meeting, Aurora had seen him clearly walking intimately hand in hand with Amanda Nicole, her cousin and Alex's personal secretary.Alex was clearly lying. He wasn't out for a meeting; instead, he was enjoying his break by walking with another woman."No wonder Alex rarely invites you to have lunch together. Turns out, now he has a new partner to have lunch with. Or maybe... a partner who can accompany him in other things. Like, sleeping, for example."In Aurora's office, when she was back at the hospital, Velia's voice was heard provoking.Since the beginning of her relationship with Alex, Velia had never liked the brown-eyed man. Especially when in a relationship with
Before deciding to get married, Aurora believed that Alex was the chosen man who would complete her life. His nature, polite behavior, and the caring and attentive qualities of Alex made Aurora feel deeply content. She eventually became convinced that Alex was the man who deserved to accompany her and be the leader in her future life.Everyone else agreed that Aurora should be in a relationship with Alex. Only Asher, Aurora's half-brother, seemed skeptical from the beginning and even doubted the sincerity of Alex's serious intention to propose to Aurora as soon as possible."Some of my friends know Alex. They say that, from the old days, Alex was famous for being a playboy and frequently changing partners. I'm worried that after marriage, he might play around or intentionally cheat."Aurora threw a smile. In the end, she understood that it was this concern that made her brother reluctant to let her marry Alex, a man she had known for only a few months."Everyone can change. You can't
Aurora seemed focused as she packed and arranged some of her clothes into the suitcase. Meanwhile, Alex, who had just returned from work and immediately entered the room, appeared to be staring absentmindedly. The man intentionally approached, getting closer to Aurora to find out what his wife was actually doing in front of their wardrobe."Sweetheart, what are you doing?"Aurora turned. Seeing Alex standing beside her, the woman then threw a smile as usual."I'm packing."Alex's forehead immediately creased. His handsome face clearly displayed a questioning expression."Packing? Where are you going?""I have a last-minute assignment for a seminar in Bandung on Saturday. So, I'll leave on Friday night. I might come back to Jakarta on Sunday evening or Sunday night. Are you okay with me being away for a bit?"Alex remained silent for a moment. He thought it was unusual for his wife to travel suddenly. But, not wanting to ask too many questions, a few seconds later, he nodded."Two days
Before, when Rayyen suddenly gave her some surveillance cameras, Aurora was confused. She immediately asked and continued to discuss with Rayyen, seeking her younger cousin's opinion on the right way to trap Alex into her scheme.Truly, Aurora was not skilled at matters like this. She was nervous and worried that her plan might fail, yielding no results at all."For things like this, you should discuss it with Asher. He's quite adept at setting traps for enemies or solving problems without exerting too much effort."Aurora actually thought the same. In family matters or anything related to work issues, Asher always stepped forward to resolve them. He always successfully handled problems until they were resolved satisfactorily."The problem is, from the beginning, I ignored Asher's warnings, Ray. Just so you know, he was the only one who didn't approve of me marrying Alex."Rayyen burst into laughter. He completely understood Aurora's current position. If he were Asher, he would do the
That's why Aurora pretended to have an out-of-town assignment when she was actually staying in one of her apartments. In order to give Alex more freedom and make him believe the situation was even safer, Aurora also intentionally gave a break to her two household assistants, claiming that they were borrowed briefly by her mother who needed assistance.Although Aurora's house was already equipped with CCTV, as Rayyen pointed out, Alex might temporarily disable the surveillance cameras. Or if their illicit activities were recorded, Alex would certainly not be foolish enough to leave it as is.For this reason, Rayyen provided Aurora with mini surveillance cameras. These could be placed in various hidden spots to record clearly what Alex was doing in Aurora's absence.From the surveillance cameras that she had hidden in specific locations, Aurora could see all the activities that Alex was engaging in at their home.For the evening, Aurora believed that Alex's situation was still under con
"For anything, if I were you, I wouldn't waste my precious time going back or giving a chance to a guy who clearly cheats!"Such lengthy and sarcastic sentences almost every day greeted Aurora's hearing. Her ears seemed immune. In fact, sometimes she even memorized them because for the past month, Velia had repeatedly uttered them whenever the opportunity arose.Aurora's friend looked annoyed, slightly frustrated too, actually. Let's say she didn't accept seeing Aurora willingly give Alex a second chance to fix himself and his marriage with Aurora.For Velia, Aurora was just a waste of time. She also believed that a cheater's repentance was similar to someone repenting after eating something spicy. It stops momentarily. Later, once the spiciness is gone, it will be tasted again.However, for some time now, Alex had shown significant changes. But, once damaged, it remains a minus in Velia's eyes."I dare you to bet. There will come a time when Alex will relapse and do the same thing ag
"Darling, when I come home, should I pick you up from the hospital?""No need, I'll bring my own car," replied Aurora on the other side."Or how about we go for dinner together tonight? It's been a while since we went out for a romantic dinner.""Sorry, tonight is not possible. There's a patient who just gave birth. The baby is in critical condition and needs monitoring. So, the specialist and I have to be on standby. It seems like I'll be coming home a bit late tonight. Maybe some other time.""Alright then. Just make sure to come home safely. Let me know when you're done. I'll wait for you at home."After ending the call with his wife, Alex seemed to take a deep breath repeatedly. A sudden tightness gripped his chest as he faced the cold attitude Aurora displayed.Since getting caught bringing another woman to their bed, Aurora's behavior had changed drastically. Despite forgiving and giving a second chance, she seemed unwilling to be approached or even touched.Alex understood; per
The black Audi that Alex was driving pulled into the Medika Hospital courtyard. Spotting Aurora standing in front of the lobby, he pulled over. He hurriedly got out, opening the door and gesturing for his wife to enter before taking her to his parents' second residence.Tonight, there was a scheduled visit and gathering with the extended Wildblood family. Whatever the occasion, Alex and Aurora were obliged to attend.If she could be honest, Aurora was personally reluctant to participate in the large family gatherings held by her mother-in-law. Not because she didn't want to socialize or blend in, but simply due to laziness, as it would inevitably become a topic of discussion and gossip, as it always did."If you feel uncomfortable or don't want to attend, I can turn back."In the middle of the journey, realizing Aurora's discomfort, Alex dared to reach for her wrist, which was initially resting on her thigh, and gently held it. Glancing briefly, he then urged his wife to compromise be