"Our agreement stands," Kelvin replied in a flat tone. "You signed it. It Started With A Contract, it will end with a contract. You are a contract wife, yes, I know. But there will be no divorce or annulment for one year."
Kelvin's mind was a pool of many emotions as he took in her facial expression. She turned away from him, holding onto the chair as she bawled her eyes out.
First, he felt anger, then disgust, pity and fear. He was angry at her for suggesting an annulment. Disgusted by her desperateness to be with the man who nearly raped her. He pitied her because he cared but he was afraid she would leave him. Sometime along the line, he had gotten used to the stability she brought into his life and he wasn't willing to let her go. As much as she hurt him, he still cared about her.
"For this to work, we have to understand each other," he said in a voice that sounded too strange to him.
They had been married for over three months and he had never had to use this tone on her. Leila barely spared him a glance but he knew she was listening.
"It's important you're faithful to me." He shoved his hands into his pockets, throat closing as he forced the rest of the words out. When she spun, he almost ran into her arms. "I'll forgive you for this indiscretion once but there will not be a next time."
"I've been nothing but faithful to you," Leila whispered but he caught the words. Tears lined her eyes, the sight broke him but it took everything in him to stand still.
"And what did I get in return? You asked me to talk to you, to trust and confide in you but you couldn't even tell me that rapist was your cousin. You went ahead to talk to my best friend behind my back after you promised you would be patient to hear about my past from me. You don't get to talk to me about faithfulness, Kev, when you don't know the meaning of that word."
Kelvin's jaw ticked. Something was not adding up, and he was about to lose his cool again. How could she say this to him?
The fight was gone in her eyes and voice when she added, "You didn't see me for two days and you didn't even care, Kev. You didn't call. You didn't text me and the first thing you do when I walk in here is call me names. How dare you?" Her chest heaved, she paused to catch her breath. "Don't talk to me about faithfulness when you don't know the last thing about being a husband."
Closing his eyes, he clenched his jaw. The video was still fresh in his mind. He fucked up by not telling her about Charles but it wasn't enough reason for her to get together with another man. That same man.
"You were not faithful, Leilani."
"You know what?" she snapped. "I don't have anything to prove to you. Believe what you want." Her hands shook as she picked the wipes on the dresser to scrub her face clean. "I'll be here for the rest of our arrangement but do not expect anything from me. We will just be roommates."
Leila made to pass him but he grabbed her. His resolve weakened and he hugged her tight. His shirt grew wet with her tears, and he rubbed shapes on her back. The first set of tears fell from Kelvin's eyes, he couldn't hold it in any longer. Her actions broke his heart.
"Why did you kiss him? Why did you go with him?" Leila moved an inch away from him. Her crying had reduced to hiccups and she looked to his face with a cute innocence that annoyed him. How could she do that to him? He had been nothing but a good husband. Sure, he had his flaws but he always tried to do better for her, be better for her sake. "I know you were angry but it was too much, don't you think? I would never do that to you. Now, when I look at you, all I see is him. His lips on yours. You really hurt me, Leila. I didn't deserve any of that."
"What are you talking about?"
Kelvin shuddered. The phone with those messages couldn't be repaired so he had nothing to show her.
"After walking out of the hall, you left with Charles," he muttered. "You went to him."
The pad of her thumb brushed his cheeks and he almost smiled. "I didn't leave or go to Charles. He came to me." Kelvin fought the urge to sneer. Cameras didn't lie and he would show her video evidence as soon as he got it. "I needed to clear my head but I didn't get a chance to do that. He had nothing new to say to me, just an apology and a variation of the same old bullshit."
"Then you left with him."
Leila stomped her foot. "I didn't leave with him." She placed her hands on her hips. "Are you going to at least allow me to talk or defend myself?" His hands went up in defeat. He wanted her to talk, but she was saying the opposite of what he had seen.
"I didn't leave with Charles. He came to me and we talked for a few minutes. After he left, I stayed back to collect my thoughts but the next thing I remember is waking up in a hotel room. My clothes were gone, my shoes. Everything was gone. I didn't go anywhere with him. I didn't touch him. I would never touch him or let him willingly touch me. I didn't even know where I was."
"Oh."
"Yeah. All you had to do was ask me."
Logic fought with emotion in Kelvin's head. The video showed something else. The video showed his wife with Charles. But here she was, saying another thing. If Leila was right, then he really fucked up this time.
His fingers raked his hair. He didn't know what to believe anymore. "But I saw you get into his car, Leila. You pecked him. I saw you kiss him, and he kissed you back."
"You saw someone else, Kev."
"But she had a birthmark, your birthmark."
A sigh left Leila, she marched to the dresser and pulled out a black eyepencil from her makeup bag. His brows knitted when she dragged him to the mirror, she forced him to sit and began work on his face. Kelvin was still confused but he let her be so he could gather his thoughts.
The pencil pinched his jaw twice with a vengeance. Leila swiped something dry and powdery over his face and cocked her head to the side to inspect her handiwork.
"Okay." She wiped her hands on her shirt, leaving an uneven patch of brown. "Look in the mirror." His eyes flitted to the mirror. The first thing he noticed was the mark on his jaw, so identical to Leila's. He touched it and some of the powder came off. Fuck. "With a little makeup, anyone can have my birthmark."
His heart dipped. He was at fault. He fucked up. Shit. "It wasn't me, Kev. Charles never touched me. You saw someone else." Her eyes filled with tears and she hugged herself. "I wish you had asked me first."
"Leila."
She pried his hands off her and created some distance between them. Her response hurt his heart but he accepted the punishment. He deserved it and more.
"Look, I'm tired. You locked me in here all day." His heart clenched, he did that in a moment of panic but forgot about it after because he assumed she had her own keys. "I've not had anything to eat or drink. I just need space. Space and food. We can talk about this later."
"I can make noodles for you," Kelvin volunteered.
Leila shook her head. "No. I can feed myself. You wouldn't want to cook for a cheap whore."
"Leila."
But she was already walking out of the room. Kelvin followed her like a lost puppy, she paused when they were almost into the kitchen.
"Can you sleep in the guest room?" she asked him. "Just for tonight. Please."
The lump in his throat made it harder to swallow. It took a few deep breaths for him to be able to reply, "Sure."
In the kitchen, he stood awkwardly in the centre while his wife tried to reach for the peanut butter in the top drawer. She gave up after the third attempt and he stepped in to help. Kelvin offered the jar to her without meeting her gaze. He brought out the toaster she would need after she shuffled to the fridge to get some bread.
Leila stared at the toaster he dropped on the counter and placed her bread inside. He was there when she spread some peanut butter on her toast. He was the one who pulled out a chair for her to sit. He was the one who pushed a glass of water to her when she choked on her meal.
"Thanks," she murmured. He poured her another round from the jug and she downed it. "Thank you."
His wife barely ate but he didn't comment on that. He wasn't in the position to pass judgements on her. After today, he wasn't sure he could pass judgements on anyone. He was a complete asshole for hurting her.
"Will you ever forgive me?" he asked after she cleared the table. "I know I fucked up and I deserve every thing you throw my way but I'm sorry, Leila." There were not enough words to express his sincerity. She sidestepped him and he followed her. Sleeping alone was enough punishment, he couldn't add a silent treatment from her to that. "Please forgive me, Leila."
"You really hurt me, Kev. I would never cheat on you. Did you ever think of that?"
His emotions had blinded him. He allowed himself to be controlled by his anger. Leila smiled sadly.
"Why would I cheat on you with someone I hate? Someone who almost raped me? It makes no sense. What do you think of me? I'm disappointed. I'm hurt. I'm angry at you." He opened his mouth to defend himself. "Don't say anything, Kev. You have said enough for today. For the entire year." He winced at the reminder of his harsh words. Leila pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Goodnight."