The next morning, the tension in the house was suffocating. Christian had spent the night on the couch after Alessia had firmly told him he wasn’t welcome in the bedroom. She couldn’t even look at him as she closed the door, leaving him standing in the hallway, defeated.
Alessia barely slept, her mind racing with anger, betrayal, and confusion. The image of Christian with Ava played over and over in her mind. She wanted answers, but every time she tried to piece it all together, the pain of his apparent lies overwhelmed her.
By the time morning came, Alessia dragged herself out of bed, determined to maintain some semblance of normalcy. She went to the kitchen to make breakfast, hoping the act of cooking would distract her from the chaos swirling inside her.
She whisked eggs in a bowl, the rhythmic motion giving her a strange sense of calm. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as she plated toast and began frying the eggs. For a fleeting moment, she thought about how this was how mornings were supposed to feel—peaceful and simple.
But then she heard it. Christian’s phone buzzed on the counter, vibrating against the marble surface. Alessia glanced at it, her stomach knotting when she saw the name flashing on the screen: Ava.
Her breath hitched, and her hand froze mid-motion. What does she want? Without thinking, she grabbed the phone and answered, her voice trembling but sharp.
“Hello?”
There was a pause on the other end before a cheerful voice replied. “Oh, Christian! I didn’t expect you to pick up so quickly. I just wanted to confirm tonight. Same place?”
Alessia’s heart shattered. Her fingers tightened around the phone as she struggled to keep her voice steady. “This isn’t Christian.”
The line went silent for a moment before Ava spoke again, her tone cautious now. “Oh. Who is this?”
“This is his wife,” Alessia said coldly, her voice filled with anger. “Who are you?”
Before Ava could respond, footsteps thundered behind her. She barely had time to turn before Christian appeared, his face a mix of panic and anger. “Alessia, give me the phone,” he demanded, reaching for it.
“No,” Alessia snapped, holding it away from him. “Who is she, Christian? Why is she calling you about tonight?”
“Give it to me,” Christian said through gritted teeth, his voice low and strained.
“Not until you tell me the truth!” Alessia shouted, her voice breaking.
Christian lunged forward, trying to grab the phone. In the struggle, he knocked into her, sending her stumbling backward. Alessia’s foot caught on the edge of the kitchen mat, and she fell hard onto the floor. Pain shot through her upper arm as it hit the counter on the way down. The phone clattered to the ground, the call disconnecting.
“Alessia!” Christian shouted, his anger immediately replaced with concern. He crouched down beside her, reaching out to help her up. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to—let me see your arm.”
“Don’t touch me!” Alessia cried, her voice filled with both pain and fury. She pushed his hands away and scrambled to her feet, clutching her bruised arm.
“Alessia, I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Christian pleaded, his eyes wide with guilt. “I was just trying to—”
“Just trying to what?” she shouted, backing away from him. “Keep lying to me? Cover up whatever this is with Ava?”
Tears streamed down her face as she turned and ran toward the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. She slid down against the cool tile wall, clutching her knees to her chest as sobs wracked her body.
Christian stood outside the bathroom door, his hand hovering just above the surface as he debated knocking. His heart was pounding, his chest tight with guilt and regret. “Alessia,” he called softly. “Please… let me explain.”
Inside, Alessia pressed her forehead to her knees, trying to block out his voice. “Go away,” she said hoarsely, her voice breaking. “I don’t want to see you.”
Christian leaned his head against the door, closing his eyes. “I didn’t mean to knock you over. I swear, Alessia, it was an accident. I’m sorry. Please, just let me in so we can talk.”
Alessia shook her head, even though he couldn’t see her. “Talk? Talk about what, Christian? About how you’ve been lying to me? About how Ava is just a ‘colleague’? I saw you with her at the hospital. I answered her call. Do you really think I’m that blind?”
Christian let out a shaky breath. “It’s not what you think,” he said weakly. “I love you, Alessia. You’re my wife. Nothing has changed.”
“Everything has changed!” Alessia shouted, her voice muffled by the door. “I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Christian’s shoulders sagged as he rested his forehead against the wood. “Alessia, please… let me make this right.”
“No,” she whispered, her tears falling faster now. “You can’t fix this, Christian. Not anymore.”