After dinner, we were preparing to leave. Ryan walked up to me and he said in a hesitant voice, “Jenna, it's too late at night. It will not look good if we let Emily go all alone. I think I should drop her home."

He added in a concerned voice,"It's getting late, and the roads can be tricky at night."

I narrowed my eyes before asking, "You're leaving me here alone?"

He held my hands and said politely, "Just for a little while, I promise. I'll be back soon. Wait for me."

I looked straight into his eyes and asked,"Why can't she find someone else to take her home? Why didn't your friends drop her before leaving for their homes? Why only you?"

Ryan's expression softened as he requested,"Please understand, Jenna. Emily's alone, and I want to make sure she's safe."

I mumbled in a low voice,"And what about my safety? What about us?"

He looked deeply into my eyes, saying, "You're my priority, Jenna. But this is just a favor for a friend.".

"A friend?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Don't be jealous, Jenna. I love you." He added, “Don't worry, I'll come back soon and pick you up.”

“ No need. I’ll hire a ride and leave. I’m tired and want to sleep.” I replied flatly.

He hesitated for a moment, maybe wanted to coax me with a few more words. But seeing Emily leaving alone, he left me without any words and went to drop Emily. I watched them sitting in Ryan's car from afar. They left.

I hired a cab and came home. I took a shower first and came to bed. My gaze fell on the ring Ryan gifted me. I stared at it for a while and realized it was loose on my finger. I was slightly thinner than Emily. This realization of the ring not being bought for me in the first place hit me harder. Wearing it on my finger would only hurt me more. I stared at the ring for a while, then took it out and threw it aside. I recalled what my colleague told me in the office. I took a long sigh of relief and began packing my clothes. Maybe looking for my biological family was a better escape plan for me.

After a few minutes, Ryan arrived. While walking inside the room, he complained, “I told you that I would go back to pick you up. But, you just don't listen to me.”

I didn't reply to him. I noticed his cheeks being painted. He noticed my gaze on his cheeks and instantly replied, “Actually, Ned asked me to help him draw paintings. I couldn't refuse him.”

He then put his phone on the side table of our bed and went to take a shower. Suddenly, his phone buzzed with a notification and the light flickered on his phone which showed his phone screen. I couldn't help picking up his phone and look into it. He had set his picture with Ned on the phone screen. They were painting each other's cheeks, looking like a duo of father and son.

Ryan came out of the washroom and his gaze fell on me, holding his phone in my hands. He rushed up to me and immediately snatched the phone from my hands. He laughed nervously while saying, “Ned forced me to put his picture on the phone’s screen. I’ll delete it.”

“No need of deleting it. You two are looking cute together,” I said flatly, ‘Like father and son’ remained inside me.

While snatching the phone from my hands he noticed that I wasn't wearing the ring he gave me earlier. He couldn't help asking, “Why did you take off the ring?”

“It didn't fit to my fingers. Maybe it was not made for me.” I replied flatly. He was startled and quickly protested with a forced smile, “Maybe you have lost weight. You should eat more.”

I couldn't help smirking on his deceitful answer. I immediately added in a pretentious voice, “Why don't you gift it to Emily? I think it will fit on her. Besides, this ring will match perfectly with her necklace.”

His eyes turned dark. It was obvious he didn't like my remark. He turned to me and said, “Is it necessary to be sarcastic everytime? Didn't my Mom clear it to you that Emily and I are just friends? You know I don't like your over possessive attitude. You always make me lose face in front of my friends.”

“Do I?” I narrowed my eyes, “You blame me for everything. Do you ever notice what your friends talk about me? Your friend was addressing you as Emily's husband. Was that right?”

“They always do this, shipping you with her and making me feel like a third wheel.”

He sighed defeatedly and said in a tone which looked like he was admitting defeat just to avoid the argument, “I’m sorry on behalf of my friends. But, they were only kidding. You shouldn't take them seriously. Don't be jealous of Emily. It will impact your child. You don't want him to born as a jealous kid, do you?”

He then pulled me in a casual hug, placed a soft kiss on my cheeks and went to bed, saying, “Don't overthink. Just sleep.”

I remained still in my place. His words ‘It will impact your child’ continued echoing in my mind. I just realized I hadn't told him about my miscarriage. He didn't notice it either. Was my four months baby bump too little that he didn't even notice it when it was suddenly gone?

I swallowed the rage I had been feeling since the last day and went to bed. I maintained a certain distance from Ryan and curled myself on the edge of the bed. Just then my phone beeped with a notification. Someone had mentioned me in a post. It was Emily who did this. She had posted a picture in which she and Ryan were kissing Ned on his cheeks from both the sides. All three of them had dyed their cheeks with colors and were looking cute together. It was the same picture that Ryan used as his phone’s wallpaper. At least he had the decency of cropping her out of the picture before applying it on his phone’s wallpaper.

There was also a caption on Emily’s post that read. [The guardian angel for me and my son. He loves Ned so much that he let him paint his whole face despite having an allergy to chemicals.]

I smiled ironically and typed a comment [Such a cute family]. I placed a heart emoji along with my comment and liked her post. The post was then immediately deleted.

A few days passed by. I was busy in my work while Ryan late night parties with clients and over time on their new project remained constant. He didn't have time for me but Emily continued posting their pictures of hanging out together. When I asked him about those pictures in which he seemed quite relaxed with his friends and Emily, chilling out together. He would reply it was just a small break between their long working hours.

Day by day, his arrival time got delayed. There were also a few days when he didn't come home the whole night. If I asked him about it, he would only make excuses of overwork. Slowly, I stopped asking questions.

One day I was picking his coat for laundry and I found a receipt in his pocket. A hotel bill, dated last night. Emily’s name was printed on it along with Ryan.

I had seen his friends coupling them together. I disliked Ryan for never stopping it and continuing to give his childhood sweetheart more importance than me. However, I had never caught him cheating on me. At least, he had maintained the decency of our marriage. However, seeing that receipt my world crumbled.

“Ryan, Can I talk to you?” I asked with trembling lips.

He followed me outside as he asked in a concerned voice,"What's wrong?"

I handed him the receipt.

"Last night you were with Emily? In a Hotel room?”

Ryan's eyes widened in shock, “Were you checking my pocket?”

“I was taking your coat for laundry. But, is it the only thing that comes to your mind? Don't you think you should explain anything?” I asked while narrowing my eyes.

"Jenna, it's not what you think. We were working late and It started raining. I couldn't drive and—"

"Save your excuses, Ryan. I’m fed up of listening to your overwork’s excuses again and again,” I cut him off, saying, “You should have thought of something else this time.”

His face turned pale, but I turned away, leaving him to face the truth alone.

As I walked away, I felt a strong force around my arm. He had hugged me from behind, saying, “Please don't spoil your mood. I’m sorry for the last night. I’ll make sure this thing never happens again. I’ll keep my distance from Emily. Are you happy now?”

He was looking desperately into my eyes, as if he was in a hurry and was waiting for my response for formality. The smile on his lips seemed fake and his promise as hollow as earlier. I smiled back and gave him a nod. But, I did not forgive him or believe him. I had now learnt faking a smile and stop questioning. He placed a kiss on my cheeks and left. I kept watching him from afar and busied myself in laundry. To my surprise, I didn't feel hurt.

The next day, I had been busy in my work. I was planning to wrap all my projects before leaving for Los Angeles to meet my family. The work was quite hectic these days. I was coming out of my supervisor’s cabin when my phone buzzed. It was Ryan's call. He seemed excited on phone as he said, “Jenna, my project finished today. Finally, I have time to take rest and celebrate. I heard there is a celebration in our pack. It's the birthday of Alpha’s younger son. I have invitation car for two people. Come with me.”

I had too much work to finish on the same day. I sighed, “I can't, Ryan. I’m busy today. Have too much work to handle.”

His tone immediately changed. His voice sounded annoyed and agitated as he said, “Is your work more important than me? I have been working hard for the past few weeks and have not had time for rest. Now that I’m free and want to spend time with you, you are choosing to spend this time in your office?”

I felt the familiar ache of disappointment in his voice that he made me feel all this time. I remember once I prepared his favorite dishes and went to his office to surprise him only to find him working on his laptop while Emily was feeding him with her hands. Instead of explaining to me anything or coaxing me, he accused me of being over-possessive. According to him, I found excuses to go meet him in the office to keep an eye on him. He said I was jealous of his connections with his colleagues and told me that the work is more important to him and he did not care what I think about it. He made sure he was not going to change himself for me.

I was surprised to see his audacity of blaming me for giving more importance to work. What was he doing all these days then? Didn't he gave more importance to work over our Anniversary?Then, why should I avoid my work for a mere birthday celebration in the pack?

“You can think whatever you want. I don't care.” After throwing out these words, I hung up. Just then my colleague ran up to me. She said excitedly, “I received an email from your brother. He is eager to meet you. He is asking when are you leaving for Los Angeles?”