Chapter 2
Diego's stomach always acted up, and he was such a picky eater. When he got caught up in work, he would skip meals without a second thought.
I went to the kitchen and whipped up a bowl of soup, something gentle for his stomach.
When I got to Diego's office building, the doors were locked tight, and the whole place was pitch black, no lights on anywhere.
He lied to me.
I tried calling him on video, but he hung up after just one ring.
A minute later, he called me back.
"Esther, I'm still in a meeting at the office. Are you missing me?" Diego said, his voice a little breathless.
I stayed quiet, listening to whatever was going on in the background on his end.
"Are you mad at me?" he asked.
I replied, my voice icy, "Is work really that busy?"
He let out a muffled groan, like he was gritting his teeth, trying to endure something.
"Yeah, it's crazy busy, but knowing we're getting married in a week makes it all worth it," he said. "And I feel awful for not being there with you on your birthday.
"But hey, your presents are all set. From now on, I'll never miss your birthday again. I'll always be right by your side."
Back then, whenever he said things like this, my heart would ache for him.
But now, all I felt was my heart turning cold.
After hanging up, I sat there, staring at the thermos in my hands, that line from my dream echoing over and over in my head.
"They're together..."
I was not the type to overthink things, and I sure as hell didn't want to be lied to. So I went straight to Amara's place.
Under the streetlight, I spotted Diego's car parked not far away.
The balcony upstairs was lit up.
That feeling of being deceived hit me straight between the eyes.
All that talk about being busy, working overtime, feeling guilty? Turned out they were just busy with each other all along.
By the time I snapped out of it, I was already pounding on Amara's door.
After about five minutes, the door finally opened.
She was wrapped in a bathrobe, her hair still wet with water dripping down, and when she saw me, a flash of surprise flickered across her face.
"Esther, I was in the shower and didn't hear you knock," she said. "It's pretty late. Did Diego give you a hard time?"
My rational mind told me I had no real proof they were having an affair, so I couldn't just jump to conclusions.
I shook my head.
Amara pulled me inside, worried and a bit pissed off. "Come on, tell me the truth. Did he treat you badly?
"If he ever dares to mess with you, I'll break his legs myself."
"No, I missed you a little," I said, glancing around the room over her shoulder.
The place was spotless, the air filled with the sweet scent of body wash, and the balcony window was left half open.
"What are you looking at?" Amara asked, stepping in front of me to block my view.
But in that split second, I caught a clear glimpse. Her neck was absolutely covered in hickeys.
I hugged myself tightly, my voice tight with tension.
"The window's open. I'll go close it," I said.
"No, don't." Amara grabbed my hand, her voice trembling a bit. "It's good to let some air in."
Just then, my phone rang. It was Diego.
"Esther, I finished work early and picked up your favorite cake. I'll be home soon," he said.
For a moment, I thought maybe I was just overthinking it.
Maybe the car downstairs looked like his. Maybe it was all just a coincidence.
Amara was worried and insisted on walking me home.
When we got downstairs, the car was gone, but the window was still left wide open.
My heart finally froze over.
As soon as I got home, Diego and Amara were standing on either side of me, bickering like they always do.
"Wow, some fiancé you are. Late for Esther's birthday. Seriously?" Amara snapped.
Amara couldn't hide her usual annoyance with Diego.
"Oh please, you're no better. You said you'd be with her, but made her run over to your place in the middle of the night," Diego shot back, sounding just as fed up.
I watched them, remembering all the years we'd spent together, and suddenly, the warmth in my heart was replaced by a chill that wouldn't go away.
I sighed, pretending my head hurt.
"Knock it off, you two," I said.
They shared a look, both of them smiling slightly.
Diego hurried over with the cake. "Your favorite flavor."
The creamy scent hit me, and my stomach turned. I instinctively pushed the cake away.
"Seriously? You think you can get away with just a cake? That's so lame," Amara pouted, clearly unimpressed.
With a triumphant smile, Diego pulled out a necklace, the one I'd been dreaming about for ages.
"Now this is a real present. Unlike some people who didn't even bring anything," he teased.
He stepped closer, leaned in, and gently fastened the necklace around my neck.
As he did, I caught the scent he always had after a shower, so familiar that it made my heart skip.
"See? I told you it'd look amazing on you," Diego said, stepping back with a satisfied grin.
I caught a flicker of disappointment in Amara's eyes.
I never used to notice things like that.
But now, it was impossible to miss.
Amara snorted, not willing to admit defeat. "Esther's gorgeous. You totally don't deserve her."