Chapter 3

It wasn't until the car arrived at our destination that I realized this was where Selena and Zion went on a date yesterday. What a surprise. It appeared I was the only variable in this "simulation" of yesterday's date, and I couldn't help but smile bitterly. Selena seemingly noticed my downcast mood and insisted on holding my hand and bringing me everywhere she went. For some reason, it was crowded today. I couldn't shake the feeling that I might lose her in the crowd at any moment. As I watched her expertly buy and collect the movie tickets and drinks, a sudden realization hit me—she and Zion might have come here far more times than I had ever known. Selena ended up buying a couple's seat for the movie, where two seats were connected. While sitting inside the cinema, I allowed my thoughts to run wild. I was even watching the exact movie they watched yesterday, but she seemed excited and kept commenting on the movie throughout. Whenever there was a comedy scene, she would hold my hand and laugh heartily. "Hud, the male lead is hilarious, right?" There was one part in the movie where the male lead betrayed the female lead. Selena wept continuously and murmured, "You better not betray me like he does, Hud, or I'll go insane." I concealed the sour ache I felt inside my heart, which was now practically empty. "What happens if you betray me first, Selena?" I pondered. Her reaction throughout the movie almost convinced me this was her first watch. What a performance. By then, my mind was filled with images of Selena and Zion in the couple's seat, cuddling as she begged him with tears to never betray her. Had it been exhausting to handle two men simultaneously, Selena? Was it annoying to watch the same movie twice? No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't understand why. The movie finally ended. When we headed out of the cinema, we were separated by the crowd. For the first time, I refused to hold onto her. She shouted at me from the back, "Wait for me outside, Hud. I'll be there soon." I waited outside as she asked, but I was too absent-minded to notice the car behind me. "Hud, watch out!" Selena darted behind me, and we were propelled to the ground by an electric car. Luckily, I only suffered some abrasions on my arm. However, her injuries seemed much more severe than mine. With an anxious look, she questioned, "Hud, are you alright? Did you get hurt?" I shook my head and stared dazedly at her. Eventually, a passerby helped call the ambulance. As I sat in the hospital corridor, my mind kept flashing back to Selena's panicked state. Until then, I still couldn't understand why she still acted like I was the most important person to her. Soon, the doctor helped Selena out of the room, stating, "Not a major issue, but just a mild twist on the ankle. She'll require a period of rest." I didn't know whether to be happy or not. I even had an unhinged thought that maybe it would have been better if we died in that accident earlier. At least I wouldn't be alone. For the next few days, Selena had to stay home and could only make slow, limited movements. Thus, I caringly looked after her. The second day, she woke up in tears. I asked her what was wrong, and she told me she had a nightmare where I was in danger; she couldn't find me, and her hands were full of blood. I embraced her, saying, "Don't be scared. It's just a dream." Even if that nightmare turned into reality, I supposed Zion would be holding and comforting her instead. With that said, some things always came when least expected. What truly surprised me was that the homewrecker had brazenly arrived at my doorstep. As I met Zion, who was holding a fresh bouquet, at the door, I squeezed out a stiff smile. "You're Selena's assistant, right? Come on in." I knew that without Selena's permission, he would've never come so boldly. He entered calmly and appeared familiar around the place as if he were home. All he said to me was, "Hi, Mr. Davenport." However, I perceptively caught a flicker of scorn on his face. "Who's here, Hud?" Selena's voice rang from the bedroom. A twinge of bitterness caught within my chest, as I had never seen her so eager to welcome a guest. When I brought Zion before her, she appeared mildly unsettled but mostly delighted. "Zion, are you here to drop off some documents?" He cooperatively played along. "I brought you some important details about the project, Ms. Norman…" He trailed off and suddenly paused to look at me. "Oh, am I unwelcome here? Fine, enjoy your private time together," I sneered inwardly. Granting their wishes, I eventually excused myself. Not long after, Zion was ready to leave. I even saw him out of the door, and before departing, he cast me a meaningful gaze. I didn't understand the meaning initially until I walked back into my home and saw Selena's swollen and flushed lips. Was that an open provocation from the homewrecker? Gradually, the sky turned dark. I waited for Selena to fall asleep before taking her phone again. Humans were a paradox; despite knowing it would hurt, I couldn't stop myself from discovering more. It almost felt like self-harm… or perhaps this was a crucial step before I made up my mind to leave. This time, the chat records remained. The latest message was from less than an hour ago. "How's your injury, Selena?" "Everything is fine. Hudson is taking great care of me." "I'm worried about you, Selena. I'll go see you now. Don't worry, though. I'll bring some documents over and pretend it's for work." "Okay." I peacefully read the messages until the end. In fact, Selena deserved credit for hiding her infidelity so well. Had it not been for that accident, I would've never found out about it. Suddenly, the phone vibrated. I reflexively assumed Zion texted her again, but there was nothing on her phone. A realization dawned, and I fished out my phone. As expected, an unknown number had texted me. "What's it like having your wife kiss another man, Hudson?" I didn't have to guess to know it was Zion. At last, he couldn't resist provoking me, huh? Following that were a few more texts. "Stop pretending, Hudson. I know you knew." "I saw you at the cinema entrance the other day." "What's it like being cheated on?" "You should leave before it gets worse. Sooner or later, Selena will be mine." I was unsure what he was trying to convey. Was he showing off that he had Selena's affection? Or did he want to watch me get dumped and left in disarray? It was unfortunate to him because I did not react to his provocation at all, let alone replying to his messages. With every disappointment, my love for Selena slowly faded, never mind the puny provocation Zion threw my way.