That day when I went home, it was already late evening. I was still grinning from ear to ear after carrying that dress for tomorrow’s award ceremony. I was so happy that I didn’t even realize that I hadn’t told my husband about it.
So when I went home, I found him working in the kitchen wearing an apron. I had already seen him cooking in the kitchen many times already. I wasn’t surprised after seeing him cooking after so many days. These days, I was always the only one cooking in the kitchen since he would be out in search of a job outside.
He was a great cook. I had seen him cooking many times in the last two months. When I walked toward the bedroom with an intention to hide the dress in the cupboard, Lewis suddenly asked me, “What’s that in your hand?”
I glanced down and smiled. “It’s my dress!”
“For your award?”
I was surprised. “How did you know?”
He shrugged. “Vampire had given me a heads-up about it.”
I nodded, still surprised that my husband and Vampire were talking. Even though I knew that Lewis had decided to befriend my editor, it still surprised me to see that my husband could be so calm when talking about Vampire. Didn’t he suspect me at all? Didn’t he feel sad by my actions?
I sometimes felt that my husband was a cold hearted man who would never be able to love another soul in years.
I couldn’t help but feel disappointed at this. I was so happy outside when I was still with Vampire. But when I came home, I could only feel disappointment and anxiety eating my heart. Sometimes my husband would act like he knew everything that was going on with me and Vampire, but even after this, he didn’t do a thing.
I had expected in my heart for him to shut me in the bedroom and ask me questions about my editor that I would never be able to answer. But the reality was different. Lewis didn’t live up to my expectations. Not only did he ignore my actions, but he also acted calm and collected when talking about Vampire.
Just what was this person planning? I could only feel anxious and try to suppress my emotions in the depths of my heart.
The two of us didn’t say another word. But Lewis suddenly left the kitchen and walked toward the bedroom before coming out a second later with another bag at hand. “I have something for you.”
I tilted my head at that. Something for me? The last time he brought something for me was that locket. And now, this….
I didn’t know what to feel about this anymore. I pursed my lips and opened the bag only to find dazzling glass slippers with high heels. I stared at the shoes for a long time before I shook my head and glanced at my husband. “Just how much did this cost?”
“A few hundred.” Lewis answered with a poker face and went back to the kitchen without giving me another glance.
This action of his gave me another headache. He would always do this. Even when he was supposed to share his emotions, he would have a poker face while saying a few words and then he would escape from the situation by using work as an excuse.
This time, he went to the kitchen after giving me this gift. Of course, I should feel happy with such a nice gesture, but I only felt a mixture of anxiety and anger in my heart. The grip against the bag tightened as I stared at the shoes. Clearly, these shoes felt very expensive, but in reality, they were cheap. In front of the dress I have, they felt as if a poor man was standing in front of a rich person wearing sparkling clothes. Even though a poor man would wear such clothes, his actions would show his real face.
I knew that it wasn’t the fault of these shoes my husband bought for me, I still didn’t want to wear them anymore. I felt my heart getting even more depressed. Vampire had chosen a dress that was a lot more expensive. He had to spend thrice the amount of what he actually earned! And compared to that, my husband’s gift felt cheap. We were getting money at home these days thanks to the novel I was writing on the website. So he could have gotten me a costlier one.
It wasn’t like I was greedy for sparkling and expensive things. It was just that Vampire’s actions had touched my heart. Every time he would feel something, I could see it on his face. I wouldn’t have to stop and think about what he might be feeling to act further. But with my husband, it was completely different.
I could never tell what that guy was feeling! And at this moment, I couldn’t help but feel frustrated. What if he had already decided to seek revenge against me for spending the night with Vampire that night?
I felt like I was living in a horror movie where I was waiting for my husband to react and burst out his volcanic anger on me. I couldn’t help but feel anxious in my heart. These days, coming home only means facing the emotions like frustration, guilt, and anxiety. I didn’t even want to come home at all!
Just then, I heard my husband’s voice. “How much did it cost?”
I still hadn’t shown my dress to Lewis, and I was afraid that after seeing it, he would be able to see through the price. So I placed the dress in the depths of my cupboard and lied. “A few hundreds….”
My husband didn’t say anything else, and I released a sigh of relief. It was good that he didn’t ask me any further. Otherwise, I didn’t know how I would have answered.
After a few minutes, Lewis called me for dinner. Both of us sat on the dining table facing each other.
The atmosphere at home felt awkward, nothing like I felt with Vampire. I couldn’t help but feel depressed again when I thought of him. I wanted to eat dinner with my editor too!
“When’s your award ceremony?”
My hands paused. I didn’t glance at him, but my heart jolted at the thought. I could barely spend time with my husband at home in anxiety these days, especially since the night of the bar. And if Lewis would appear before me at the ceremony and see me walking on the stage with Vampire, my day would be destroyed!
I could barely face my husband without feeling guilty and worried if he would lash out on me the next second. And at the ceremony, I wanted to feel happy and blessed! How could I let myself enjoy it if I could continue to see my husband’s face even at the ceremony?
So I instantly shook my head before I realized what I did. then I lied to cover up my actions. “You should go search for a job. It’s more important, you know?”
I didn’t see Lewis’s reaction, but I heard a sigh before he said, “Fine. I’ll do as you say.”
My shoulders relaxed instantly. I wouldn’t have to face my anxious and depressed emotions anymore at the award ceremony that could make me feel blessed and loved for once! I wanted to walk in front of everyone with Vampire right beside me! This was the dream that I wanted to fulfil ever since I heard that I had reached the topmost level among the authors on Webpad.