CHAPTER 3
A few minutes into the silent drive, Kelvin spotted something and pulled over at a corner in the noisy street. He unbuckled his seatbelt which startled Olivia for a second.
“I’ll be right back..” he murmured before stepping out of the car. She trailed his movement closely with her eyes until he stopped in front an ice cream stall..
She couldn't hear what Kelvin was discussing with the stall owner but at a point they looked toward her and smiled. Soon, he returned to the car with the ice cream he got.
Kelvin smiled as he stretched the chocolate flavoured ice cream to her. “You loved this when we were at college..”
Forcing a smile, Olivia accepted it. She brought it to her lips taking a lick off, normally it should be tasty but all she could taste was nothing. Soon a dull stomach pain kicked in, Kelvin noticed and became worried.
“Oh dear, let's stop by at the hospital you don't look so good–
“There’s no need for that. Just take me home” Olivia declined, she handed the ice cream back to him and relaxed her back against the seat.
Kelvin didn't argue with her further even though a streak line of worries settled on his forehead. He smiled softly and resumed driving again.
Few minutes after they hit the road again, a call came in. He picked his phone up and raised it to his ear. “Uh..hello”
Whatever the person at the other end said to him made him take one glance at his wife whose attention was now on him. “Like right now..?”
“Is everything okay?” Olivia asked the second he disconnected the call. He sighed with a shake of his head.
“They need me at the office.. it's really urgent.” his eyes scanned around looking for a safe place to park the car. When he did, he attempted taking off his seatbelt.
“What are you doing?” She questioned immediately and he stopped his actions. Kelvin spared her a glance and sighed hard.
“I’m so sorry honey. I know I promised to stay all through with you today but they need me and it's urgent. You can take the car..or wait I'll call my assistant right away to come drive you home..”
Olivia smiled faintly “Don’t worry about me. Go handle your work, I'll be fine”
Kelvin unbuckled his seatbelt and so did Olivia. He stepped out of the car and hailed down a cab for her.
“There you go honey..” he opened the car’s door and watched her go in. “I’ll be back before you know it..”. Olivia smiled at him and he closed the door.
Kelvin waved at the moving cab and stopped when it was completely out of sight, he got into his car and followed the route the cab took.
Meanwhile, the cab Olivia took was parked by a corner of the street, when she saw Kelvin's black car speeding past her, the smile on her face vanished. She met the driver's gaze in the rearview mirror.
“Follow that car..” She ordered.
Few minutes Into tailing Kelvin's car, Olivia noticed this wasn't the route to his office instead it was the route leading to their pre-marriage countryside villa.
His car stopped and he stepped out approaching the familiar figure that was already waiting for his arrival. The sad reality kicked in immediately, that was her best friend Nancy.
The latter immediately threw herself at him and right out there in the open, they shared a hungry kiss. They didn't even make it indoors almost like they didn't care if anyone saw them.
Kelvin's hands were firmly placed on Nancy's butt cheeks to hold her weight up on him, he walked hurriedly to the garden to finish whatever fire Nancy has ignited.
Out there, in the opened sky, they continued their despicable act completely oblivious to the pair of cold eyes staring at them. Olivia watched it all, each movement of theirs irking her to the core. The last layer of illusion stripped away.
Olivia returned home feeling nauseous and broken. This betrayal wasn't what hurt her the most, she was most broken by the fact that Kelvin still acted like the perfect husband to her claiming that she means the world to him while in reality, he was having an affair with her best friend!.
He had no inch of respect whatsoever for her, he even took his mistress to their private villa. She settled on her bed still in deep thought until her mind wandered off to a particular thought.
She picked her phone up hurriedly and scrolled through it, the second she found the contact, she stood up and walked fowards the window.
“Mr Miller, I want you to confirm something for me. I want you to investigate into the Villa’s ownership. The particular one at the countryside..”
She disconnected the call and left the room for the terrace to receive the cool breeze. After an hour of waiting there sipping her red wine, her phone beeped. A new message from her lawyer.
‘Mrs Ashford, the villa isn't in your name anymore. It now belongs to a Nancy Gilbert..”
At that point, Olivia wasn't the least surprised at the news. Nothing could break her heart further than what happened earlier. She knew right from the instant she saw those pics and videos on Nancy's feed on Instagram, she knew her husband was having an affair.
And the lipstick and love charm on her birthday, it does belong to Nancy, favourite shade and name initials.
A cold smile fell on her lips as she raised the glass to her lips once more. Her eyes settled on the rose bushes below. The same garden Kelvin had proposed to her. He even bought the house at a ridiculously high amount just so he could plant her favourite flowers.
That was every woman's fairytale. But this fairytale doesn't include her in it.
“Scumbag” she cussed through gritted teeth.
Back then the sight below was a citywide sensation now it feels like a complete joke. She placed her glass of wine down and resumed on her phone.
She wanted to confirm with her lawyer how much of her’s and Kelvin's shared assets has been transferred to Nancy.
At the same time, Kelvin's message pops up.
‘Might return home late. Eat well and don't stay up late. Love you’
If it were in the past, this text would have swooned and sent her to cloud nine but right now, it was hitting the layered wall built around her heart. No matter how much sweet words he said to her right now, it would only get smashed up against that wall.
“Have fun banging my friend..” she murmured with a loud snort.
Her eyes fell on the rose bushes again and it made her even more upset. Especially when all she could see in this garden reminded her of Kelvin and Nancy's passionate moment. She raised her glass up in one go drinking every last drop of wine left in it.
Olivia stepped out of the building with at least four servants walking behind her. She led them to the rose bushes.
“Make sure not a single rose it spared in this garden. Plow them all out!” She ordered. The servants were confused at first because they knew how much Kelvin loved taking care of these flowers for his beloved wife's sake.
She arched a brow when they failed to react to her words on time. “I made myself pretty clear”
They resumed destroying the garden, all she had to do was to stand there and watch them do it. Her heart felt satisfied the longer
she watched them cut off every red rose and for once today, a genuine smile graced her lips.
