"Why are you still with him?"
Lillian's spoiled voice was soft, almost a whisper, but clear enough to pierce the ears of Selena, who stood transfixed in front of the hotel room door.
"I'm going to divorce him, darling. Believe me, I just need the right time. You know how much my mom loves that woman."
Selena's heart stopped beating. Her hand clutching the cell phone shook violently, while her legs felt weak. Her breathing was ragged, as if her chest were being crushed by something heavy.
From the corner of the slightly open door, she could clearly see the scene that shattered her world-David, her husband, with Lillian, the friend she had trusted.
Lillian rubbed David's face with her fingertips before pressing her body closer. "I'm tired of waiting, darling. I want you to be completely mine. I want Mrs. Smith's status to be mine alone."
David gave a small grin, his hands wrapping around her slender waist. "And you're going to get it, darling."
Without hesitation, David's lips kissed Lillian's neck, making her moan softly. Selena was stunned. Her vision was blurry as tears began to well up, but she couldn't tear her eyes away.
"So this is the reason he's always been indifferent to me," she thought bitterly.
All this time, Selena had tried to be a good wife. She always waited for David's return, cooked his favorite meals, and even kept smiling despite being ignored. But as it turned out, what she was striving for was just a big lie.
Someone had sent an anonymous message to her cell phone, telling her the location of this hotel and saying that David was inside with another woman. Selena hesitated at first. She wanted to believe her husband, but her heart urged her to come. And now, the reality hit her hard.
Without thinking, Selena turned around. She couldn't stand being there any longer. If she remained standing in front of the door, she might do something stupid-like barge in and slap them both in the face. But why would she do that? It would only make her look pathetic.
Her steps were quick down the hotel hallway. With every second that passed, her chest felt tighter. Anger, pain, and humiliation mixed together.
With no clear destination in mind, Selena stepped out of the hotel. The cold night air hit her skin, but she didn't care. All she wanted right now was to get as far away from that place as possible.
Her mind raced, repeating David's words that kept ringing in her head.
"I'm going to divorce her."
So, from the beginning, this marriage was just a game? Just an arranged marriage that meant nothing to David?
The tears that had been held back finally fell unstoppably. Her hands clenched into fists, and her lips trembled as she sobbed.
She was tired.
Tired of being a good woman who could only wait, hoping her love would be rewarded.
Tired of being someone who was constantly betrayed.
Selena wiped her tears roughly. If David could betray her without guilt, why did she have to be a pathetic, loyal woman?
Elena decided to go to a nightclub just to ease her mind.
***
An EDM song blared through the club, the bass echoing off the walls and floor, making Selena's heart flutter to the beat. She had already downed too much alcohol-vodka, tequila, whatever the bartender offered; she accepted without hesitation.
Her vision was blurry, her head felt light, but her heart was still heavy. The image of David and Lillian kept haunting her. They were making out in the hotel room while she, his legal wife, could only stand outside like a fool.
"Again?" The bartender looked at her quizzically, seeing Selena's condition, as she could barely sit upright.
"Just pour it," she muttered, pushing the empty glass towards the man.
The man sighed but complied. "This is the last one."