Chapter 3
After dinner, Nicola entered the bedroom, and I turned away, my back to him.
"The baby is still so fragile, and I need more space to recover. You should sleep in the guest room for now."
In the past, after Nicola returned from a business trip, I would rush to greet him, eager to spend every moment together. But now, his presence alone fills me with revulsion.
To my shock, Nicola, ignoring the peaceful slumber of our daughter, exploded in frustration:
"Sara, enough! How much longer are you going to carry this on? I've already explained everything! A week ago, Angela and I had a work meeting, and this trip was also for business! What more do you expect from me?"
"I'm working my ass off-who else is going to provide for you, for our son? Everything requires money, Sara! Do you have any idea who's the one keeping this family afloat? And yet, you're still drowning in this petty, pointless jealousy! Can't you see I'm doing all of this for us?
Right. Nicola was right. I almost forgot how foolish I had been.
A week ago, Nicola had gone completely off the radar for an entire night. That night, I suddenly spiked a high fever, and the doctor insisted I get checked, but I couldn't find Nicola anywhere.
I had no choice but to reach out to my best friend. She found Nicola wrapped in an embrace with Angela at a bar.
The next day, Nicola and I had a huge fight. His response was the same as always-growing increasingly impatient, dismissing everything as just me overreacting:
"I was drunk that night, Sara! There were countless people around, how could you even think there was something between me and Angela? You've become so damn paranoid ever since you got pregnant. Are you sure it's not some kind of post-partum madness? What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you making everything a damn issue now? You're impossible!"
"Are you going to accuse everyone of being filthy now? Seriously, Sara, even if a female pig looked at me the wrong way, I think you'd get jealous. Don't push me too far, alright?"
The moment I saw the plane ticket, I had still clung to some hope in this man. But that hope was shattered, and I realized, looking back, I had been exhausted for years.
I met Nicola's displeased gaze and responded calmly, "No, you're just imagining things."
I smiled faintly.
"What's there to be angry about? You should go to the guest room. I need to get some rest; the baby will wake up soon, and I have to settle her."
Nicola stood up, his face darkening as he turned and left the room.
The next morning, Nicola prepared a fruit platter, my favorite.
"Sara, you're awake. I made you a fruit platter-just how you like it."
I couldn't help but check Angela's social media and saw that Nicola knew her every preference by heart.
Yet, after I gave him a daughter, this was how he treated me.
Could it be true that the one who isn't loved is the one who becomes the other woman?
I had once seen Nicola look at me with those eyes full of love.
But now, all of that is just smoke and mirrors.
Nicola pulled two plane tickets from behind his back.
"Sara, remember you once said you wanted to visit France? Now that I have some free time, I thought it would be a great opportunity for us to go together. It's my gift to celebrate the birth of our daughter."
I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.
So, his trip to France with Angela was just to "scout" it out for me?
"I won't go. The baby is too small, and I have to take care of him."
"Couldn't you just send her to your dad's?" he asked.
I looked out the window at the falling leaves.
"Nicola, the most beautiful season in France has already passed."
You've already shared it with her.
Nicola paused, his face full of guilt as he murmured, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."
"You should go to work. Don't be late," I said.
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