ALESSIA
I decided to ignore Haven’s threats. Nothing happened in the following two weeks; Haven never showed up or contacted me again. I chose to forget about it and didn’t mention it to Claude.
That evening, I was heading home and took the elevator with my shop employees. Claude couldn’t pick me up because he had left early that morning to visit the Artisan Furnitures factory in India. He would be there for a week, so it was just Adrian and me at home.
My employees exited the elevator on the ground floor, while I continued to the basement where my car was parked. I had a new red Ford Teritoryo that Claude had bought me a week ago. I didn’t want an overly expensive car, worrying I might not use it often.
Typically, Claude will drive me around, so I didn’t need my own car much. I only used it when Claude was away.
As I stepped out of the elevator, a man approached me.
“Ma’am, can I ask you something?”
I turned to the man walking beside me. He was handsome and a few years younger than me, he was wearing a black shirt under a leather jacket and a pair of black denim pants. He also had a baseball cap on.
“Sure. What is it?”
“Ma’am, do you know where the bookstore in this building is?”
“Bookstore or bookshop?”
“Oh, the place where you can read books.”
I smiled. “You mean the bookshop. I own the shop. It’s on the second floor. But you should just probably come back tomorrow; we’re closed for the day. We’re open from eight in the morning until seven in the evening.”
“Is that so? Do you have a brochure or catalog I could see with the books available in your shop?”
“I do, but it’s in my car. Come with me, and I’ll get you one.”
“Sure, ma’am.” The man walked with me to my car, which was a few meters away.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Luther Ramsey, ma’am. And you?”
“Alessia Robinson,” I replied.
When we reached my car, I opened it and took a flyer from the dashboard. As I handed it to Luther, I suddenly felt dizzy.
“Ma’am, are you alright?” Luther asked, his tone concerned.
I looked up, but I could barely make out his face. “I’m feeling dizzy,” I said, holding my head.
“Oh no, ma’am! Let me help you inside so you can rest before heading home.”
I felt Luther grabbing my arm, as he helped me sit inside the SUV. I tried to make out my surroundings, but my vision was blurred, so I just closed my eyes.
I woke up feeling cold. When I opened my eyes, I was shocked to find myself at the backseat of my car. Why was I here? What happened that caused me to fall asleep
I checked my watch. It was already ten o’clock in the evening. More than two hours had passed since I left the bookshop. I tried to recall what had happened earlier. The last thing I remembered was feeling dizzy as I handed the flyer to the young man I had spoken to. He had suggested I rest inside my car. That meant I had been resting for over two hours. The young man had just left me here without even saying goodbye.
I checked my belongings; everything was intact, and nothing was missing. I must have just felt dizzy earlier. I looked around the parking area, seeing only a few cars left. I hurriedly started my car and drove out of the parking area, worried that Adrian might be looking for me. Only his nanny was with him at home.
Days passed quickly. Claude had returned from his visit to India. I thought everything was fine and that there would be no more problems, but I didn’t expect what happened next.
That evening, I left the shop early. Around six o’clock, Claude’s secretary had called me, saying that Claude was asking for me. I was puzzled as to why my husband didn’t call me himself. Why did Claude ask his secretary to call me? Was he too busy?
Before leaving the shop, I tried calling Claude, but his phone just kept ringing. I decided to go to his office.
“Good evening, Leia!” I greeted Claude’s secretary. I noticed Leia seemed more serious than usual, lacking her typically cheerful demeanor.
The young woman looked up and forced a smile. “Good evening, ma’am! Please go into sir’s office. He’s been waiting for you.”
After saying that, Leia avoided making eye contact.
“Is there a problem, Leia?” I asked curiously.
“Sir is in a bad mood again. I don’t know why. You should go in, ma’am. I’m about to leave as well. That’s what sir instructed me earlier,” Leia explained, still avoiding direct eye contact.
“Okay. Thanks, Leia.” I took a few steps and knocked three times before turning the door handle.
I found Claude sitting with a dark expression, staring at his laptop.
“Hi, Claude!” I greeted cheerfully.
He looked up, and I nearly stepped back upon seeing his face. His jaw was clenched, and his fists were tightly clenched on the desk.
“Lock the door!” he ordered sharply.
My eyebrows knitted together at the thunderous tone of his voice.
“Hey! What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned.
“I said, lock the door!” Claude stood up and slammed his fist on the desk, nearly knocking over his laptop.
I had no choice but to follow Claude’s order. I quickly locked the door and then returned to face him.
“What is really the problem?” I asked calmly.
“I should ask you the same question, Sia. What’s the meaning of this?”
Claude immediately turned his open laptop towards me.
I covered my mouth in shock when I saw the video playing on his laptop. My knees buckled, and my entire body went cold. I grabbed the edge of the desk for support before collapsing weakly into the visitor’s chair.
“Answer me, Sia! Am I not enough for you? Is my love not enough? Is my effort to make you happy not enough that you need to find another man?”
I shook my head vigorously as tears began to fall. I admitted I had been bullied throughout high school and college and had many boyfriends, but I had never cheated on anyone. How could I deceive Claude? I loved him deeply. Even during our long separation, my love for him never faded.
But why was the woman in the video someone who looked just like me?
The woman was naked, with a man kissing her shoulder and squeezing her breast. Then the man lay down, and the woman climbed on top of him, inserting his member and moving up and down. Loud moans escaped from the couple.
I blinked several times, trying to recognize both the woman and the man. The man’s face seemed familiar, but I couldn’t remember where or when I had seen him. The woman looked exactly like me, with the same face, body, skin color, and hair. But it couldn’t be me. I couldn’t betray Claude!
“That’s not true! That’s not me, Claude! Believe me!”
“I want to believe you because you are my wife! I love you so much! But that woman looks exactly like you! You can’t deny that it’s you!” Claude shouted, veins bulging in his neck. He pounded the desk repeatedly.
“Claude, I’m not cheating on you! I haven’t done anything wrong. Even during our five years apart, I never looked for anyone else. Why would I cheat on you now? What reason would I have? I can’t destroy our family,” I pleaded, wiping away my tears, but they kept falling.
“No! You are lying! Do you know that video is spreading on social media? Caelan and Jenson are trying to stop its rapid spread. Your friends might have already seen it!”
I was speechless. All I could do was sob.
Claude leaned closer, his face inches from mine. “Why did you have to do this to me? Why, Sia?” He grabbed my shoulders and shook me.
“I didn’t do it. Believe me!” I sobbed.
Suddenly, Claude released me. “Get out, Sia! I don’t want to see your face!”
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Claude is kicking me out?
“I don’t have a car, Claude. How will I get home?” I pleaded.
“I don’t fucking care! Just get lost!” my husband shouted again. Claude’s entire face and neck were red with rage.
I stood up slowly. When I glanced at the laptop, the video had stopped. It had been a few intense minutes of the woman who looked like me and her male partner.
I couldn’t believe we were facing such a problem. When I looked at Claude, he had turned his back on me, his shoulder was shaking. Maybe he was crying, just like me.
Tears continued to stream down my face as I walked robotically towards the door. When I grasped the door handle, I looked back at my husband one last time.
“I’m telling the truth, Claude. I have no idea about that video. I love you way too much to deceive you like that. I love you and Adrian so much, I would never destroy our family.”
I finally left Claude’s office. I walked silently until I exited the building, not even noticing how I got into and out of the elevator. As I waited for a ride, I kept crying. I felt utterly alone. If Claude didn’t believe me, who would?
I made it home despite my confused mind and cried myself to sleep. When I woke up, I noticed Claude’s side of the bed was untouched. Had he not come home? Where did he sleep?
I was preparing to go to work when I received a call from Maven.
“Hello, Maven! You’re calling early,” I greeted.
“Alessia, what happened? Your scandal is going viral! Did you really do that?”
I rubbed my forehead. The video had reached my friend. “Let me ask you. Do you think I could do that?”
I heard nothing for a few seconds. I thought Maven had hung up. I checked my phone. She was still on the line.
“I-I don’t know, Sia. I don’t know what to believe. I remember what you did to Jaime back in high school. But I want to believe you wouldn’t do what I saw.”
I closed my eyes, feeling the corners start to warm with tears. “Okay, I’ll be honest with you, Maven. Maybe I could do what’s in the video, but not to Claude. I love my husband and our son. Why would I destroy our family? My husband has never lacked anything for us, so why would I repay him with such cruelty?”
“I’m sorry, Sia, if I doubted you. I am shocked by what I saw. I hope you and Claude work things out.”
“I hope so too, Maven. I hope so.”
“Just a gentle reminder, Sia. It’s better if you stay at home for now. People are talking about you. The video has been spreading since last night. I’m sure millions have seen it by now. For your safety, stay at home and avoid interacting with people for a while.”
“Thank you for the advice, Maven. Thank you for believing in me.”
“You’re always welcome, Sia.”