Chapter 3

Levi didn’t understand that if she divorced her husband, she would become more of a laughingstock. She would live in self-inflicted humiliation her entire life. That was the life that awaited a divorcee. Instead of understanding where she was coming from, Levi had rubbed salt deep in her wounds. With her current mental state, Gabriella knew she wouldn’t be able to stay at the hospital for the rest of the day and focus, so she filed a sick leave and went home early. As soon as her garden house appeared in sight, she felt a hand squeeze her heart. What did it take for a house to feel like home? Gabriella had no idea. Yet she was certain her house wasn’t home. It was nothing more than an empty house Izaak bought her. Never once did it feel like home to her. Gabriella stood by the window and quietly savored the peaceful picturesque landscape of her garden. She leaned her slender figure against the window frame. The garden was bare of flowers and plants but full of large patches of white Jasmine trees. She didn’t understand why she was so excited to plant those trees, which symbolized romantic love, in her once-empty garden. Maybe because she thought it would influence her marriage with Izaak. When she told Izaak about it, and he gave the dullest, most uninterested response, she lost the excitement, but she never stopped hoping. The trees were planted to give her hope, and they were deemed ineffective as days passed. Her hope was slowly fading away into despair. Droplets of rain were trickling on the glass window, and as she stared at them as they trickled, her memory sent her back to three years ago. **FLASHBACK** [Three years ago] Cake on one hand, a gift bag on the other, Gabriella rang the doorbell. Her heart swelled from excitement. She couldn’t wait to surprise her boyfriend. She looked down at the cake with fancy chocolate writing on top, which said, “Happy 4th Anniversary”. No one came to the door, so she entered the passcode herself and got in. “Babe?” she called. “Are you still sleeping?” She heard no response. She took off her shoes and put them in the shoe rack, but she halted when she recognized a woman's pair of shoes. ‘Maybe his sister is here?’ she thought to herself. “Adrian! I’m here! Did your sister visit?” When she got to the living room, clothes were scattered on the floor. Seeing a woman's undergarments hinted at something she refused to believe. Dread enveloped her as she followed the trail of clothes. They led her to the bedroom. She should’ve turned around. She should’ve stopped and left to protect her heart. But she opened the door only to see two people tangled up in bed, naked, and moaning each other’s names. “What–” she stammered, unable to gather the right words. “What is t-the meaning o-of this?” The traitors immediately halted their crime. They frantically covered their nakedness with the blanket. “Gabby.” Adrian was flustered. His hair was disheveled, and his cheeks still flushed with lust. “I can explain. Rafaella and I–” Tears streamed down Gabriella’s face. She couldn’t grasp the betrayal she felt from two people who were the closest to her. “You, of all people?” she told Rafaella. “You’re my sister!” Rafaella stood up and rushed to take her hands. She was trying hard to cover her body with the blanket. “Gabby, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Her tears of regret didn’t convince Gabriella. Her whole body was trembling, and she was still holding the cake and the gift bag. She regathered her composure and asked, “How long has this been going on?” “I know it’s wrong. I know we shouldn’t have done this. But we truly love each other so much.” Rafaella was also crying, but Gabriella could only accommodate her pain and her lover and sister’s betrayal at that moment. "I said, how long has this been going on," she demanded. Rafaella dropped her head and answered, "Over a year now." Gabriella dropped the cake, threw the gift, and ran away. She drowned herself in a bar with alcohol that night. So drowned that she lost touch with reality and ended up in Izaak’s bed. It was a one-night encounter with a stranger, yet the next day, her face was splashed on the news front page. The scandal tarnished their families’ reputations, and their families’ businesses took the hit harder than what was expected. It was also the perfect opportunity for the parents to force their children into marriage, as they had been asking for grandchildren from them for years non-stop. Before they realized what was happening, they were already stuck in their marriage with no chance of escape. It was a miracle they survived in a love-less union for three years. **END OF FLASHBACK** The memories gave her a headache. She headed to the bedroom to rest. The room was dark, so she looked for the switch on the wall. A slender finger was an inch faster than her. Click. The bedside lamp turned on, nearly startling Gabriella. Under the dimmed light, Izaak looked divine as he sat on the bed, leaning on the headboard, looking at her in a way she couldn’t decipher. “What were you doing in the dark? When did you get home?” she asked. He stood up, and as he strode closer to her, the faint scent of wine mixed with tobacco traveled to Gabriella’s nostrils. She hated the combination, but strangely, they always smelled good coming from Izaak. “It’s the eighth,” he casually answered. He took off his shirt in front of her. Then he handed it to her. Gabriella couldn’t stop her eyes from marveling at his ripped upper body. Amid the cold weather, he was smoking hot. “I’m taking a shower.” He leaned into her ears and whispered to tease her. “I don’t mind if you join.” Gabriella showed no reaction, so Izaak, with a smug smile on his face, walked towards the bathroom and left her. Gabriella held his shirt tightly. The 8th day was the only day of the month he was home. Like it was an obligation. A business meeting he had to attend every month. “Yeah, it’s the 8th day of the month,” she whispered to herself. "I should be happy, right?"