CH 4

Hannah

“All of them?” I asked, putting on a surprised face.

“Yes,” April replied with a big smile.

Of course, I didn’t mind trying out all the collections from April’s boutique because her boutique was one of the famous fashion houses in Riverford.

April sat on a sofa right in front of the dressing room. For almost three hours, I tried on all the collections that April offered. According to her observation, most of the collection fit me, then she wrapped all the items and gave them to me for free.

When I wanted to pay her using a credit card that I had never used, she refused. She said she just wanted to help me get up from my problems and change for the better and be more independent.

No words can describe how I felt at that moment. When I felt down and broken inside, April was always there to support me in all conditions and I was very grateful to have a friend like her in my life.

Just before I said goodbye and went home, she also gave me a camera and told me I could collect evidence using her much more sophisticated camera. She also taught me how to operate it.

“Be careful and pretend as if you know nothing about their relationship. Remember, act as usual,” April said. I nodded, even though it was hard to pretend after I saw with my own eyes what they were doing behind my back, but I had to do it all for Jensen’s sake.

April also asked me to plan carefully so that my enemies wouldn’t know that I already knew what they were doing.

After getting in the car, I kept convincing myself that I could get through everything. I had been at the bottom of a swamp of life that was pitch black. Therefore, I could definitely get through this trial in my marriage.

After picking up Jensen from school, I took him shopping at the supermarket, then went home to the apartment. These were all activities that I usually did with Jensen during the day. While waiting for Jason to come home from work, I opened my laptop and started making a plan of what I should do first and then next.

The thought of Jason’s hand hugging Bella’s slim waist and kissing her lips covered in nude lipstick made my blood boil. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get that thought out of my mind.

“Come on, Hannah. You can do it,” I thought to myself. But the disgusting image kept popping up as if mocking me.

I hurriedly ran into the room, locked the door, and stood in front of the large mirror in the corner of my room. I observed myself carefully and thoroughly. The result was that, as a woman, I would never be attracted to my ordinary and very unattractive appearance.

Since giving birth to Jensen, my body has become fatter. My stomach, which was originally slim, became fatty, so every time I wanted to buy clothes, I had to look for a bigger size. Usually, big-size clothes have less attractive models, so as a result, all my clothes look unattractive. Because I was too busy with all the household chores, I became lazy about taking care of my skin and applying makeup.

Could it be because of my unattractive appearance that Jason had an affair? Is appearance much more important than love?

I sat on the bed while continuing to stare at the reflection of myself in the mirror. I can’t go on like this. Everything April said was true. I had to change and show Bella the power of a legal wife.

I left the room, grabbed my cell phone, and started looking for skincare and makeup that suited my skin type and face shape. Coincidentally, tomorrow afternoon, the community leader invited us to gather at a restaurant that had just had a grand opening.

I was going to astonish them all, including Bella.

After searching for and getting everything I needed, I immediately bought everything using money that I had never used before. All this time, I have always been very frugal, to the point of not caring about my appearance.

And for the umpteenth time, my intuition again made me realize that Jason always came home late for various reasons and I believed him. I never found out the truth about his reasons. Maybe it’s time for me to find out.

The same night. He came home to the apartment at nine o’clock at night. As usual, he put his bag on the sofa, hugged Jensen, then hugged and kissed my lips. His attitude seemed normal as usual. As April suggested, I acted normally, even though it felt difficult. After taking a shower, he came out of the room and sat at the dining table.

“I have prepared dinner for you,” I said while putting some food on the dining table.

“I’m full. Please, get me some water. Sorry, love. I will eat all your cooking in the morning,” he replied.

“Ok,” I replied while putting all the food in the refrigerator.

After getting the water and giving it to Jason, I went to the laundry room to wash clothes. For a moment, I saw a small stain on Jason’s shirt pocket.

I grabbed the shirt and inspected it. The stain was pink and irregular. I brought the shirt closer to my nose and smelled a perfume that didn’t belong to Jason.

It was the scent of a woman’s perfume. Could this pink stain be Bella’s lipstick stain?

I put the shirt in the basket and went to my room. I saw Jason glance at me and then ask, “Did something happen?”

“No, I just forgot to get my dirty clothes in the room,” I replied.

Arriving at the room, I took a T-shirt and my lipstick, which was also pink. Then I hurried back to the laundry room.

I grabbed Jason’s shirt, then I scratched a little of my lipstick on the inside of the shirt, then I rubbed the lipstick scratches gently and the stain was almost the same color as the stain in the shirt pocket.

They must have met earlier. Was Bella so important that Jason had to meet her after work instead of going straight home and meeting me and Jensen?

The clear liquid flowed unbearably again. I sobbed alone in the laundry room.

Maybe they met for dinner together, so Jason didn’t eat my cooking. And stupidly, it had been going on for a very long time. At first, I thought it was normal. And now, fact after fact, that has slowly been revealed seems to have opened my eyes wider.

As if the lipstick and perfume stains weren’t enough, I found new condoms in Jason’s pants pocket again.