Susan sat on the left side of the bed staring outside the window and watching the night sky and streetlights light up on the streets. Cars and people shuffled past trying to get home to their families and Susan took another glance at the empty bed. Even though she already knew that he wouldn’t come again, she was a little hopeful in her heart. She hoped that something would happen and he would come home. But as much as she hoped; she knew better.

Her phone buzzed on the bedside drawer and she stretched her arm to reach for it. her eyebrows pulled together slowly when she realized that it was a message from an unknown number. She clicked the message open and upon seeing the picture in the message inbox, she gulped unconsciously.

Tears rushed to her eyes but Susan pressed her lips together willing herself not to let a single tear fall. She knew that she was back and that was why for the past one month, her husband hadn’t visited or slept in his own house nothing more than two times. She knew that while he stayed away from his home, he spent ample time with her but she was too scared to bring it in case she lost him. For what it was, she couldn’t afford to lose him.

She sniffed quietly while dialling his number and pressing the phone to her ears and just as she expected, her call went to voicemail. Pursing her lips again, she summoned up courage and called his assistant. The latter picked the call at the second ring.

“Hello” Susan greeted quietly.

“Good evening Mrs McConnell” the assistant polite yet distant voice retracted into Susan’s ears and Susan debated whether to ask her question or not. She didn’t know what Daniel must have told his secretary but each and every time they came into contact, the latter always treated her with a very polite but distant attitude that never failed to make her feel awkward.

“Mrs McConnell?” the assistant called when Susan didn’t say anything and Susan was immediately jolted back to the present.

“Err…. Er…. I called Darren few minutes ago and my calls went to voicemail. I wanted to ask if he was working late” Susan replied and there was a moment of silence.

“Mr McConnell is at the hospital” the assistant replied and Susan swallowed her saliva.

“Hospital? Is someone ill?” Susan asked despite knowing the answer.

“Miss Peterson is ill and Mr President is accompanying her” the assistant replied.

“Oh” Susan muttered quietly fighting every urge in her not to let any of her tears spill down her cheeks.

“Could I get the name of the hospital? I’ll like to send Miss Peterson some fruits and if possible get up on her too” Susan added; dropping the call as soon as the assistant said she would text her the address.

Sick? Accompanying her? How dumb did they think she was?

The phone in her hand buzzed again and Susan glanced at it to see that it was a message from the assistant. It was the address of the hospital. She sniffed and got up from the bed, walking towards her wardrobe while changing into a simple blouse and pants. She picked her coat and walked out of the room towards the kitchen.

Opening the fridge, she was able to collate a small basket of fruits. A glance at the desolate kitchen once again reminded Susan of how pathetic she was. She loved cooking, she enjoyed it and she loved cooking for him but not even once, had he tasted her food. Every single time she thought he would come home and made a huge dinner; he either came home too late or he didn’t even come home at all.

Susan pushed the thoughts aside while walking out of the house. She got into the car and put the basket of fruits in the passage seat and her phone started buzzing loudly in her pockets once again. She brought out her phone and immediately gulped upon seeing the caller ID. She picked the call and pressed her phone to her ears.

“Susan” a deep male voice drifted into her ears and for some reason; Susan wanted to burst into tears right there and then.

“Hey Mark” Susan greeted trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

“Don’t give me that tone Susan. I know what’s going on with you. Just because I am not in the country doesn’t mean I am oblivious to everything that’s going on okay?” Mark replied and Susan pursed her lips.

“I’ll be back in three days. They are making a move again; I have to be there” Mark added and Susan kept quiet refusing to say the words that her elder brother wanted to hear.

“Susan” Mark called quietly and softer this time.

“I’ll call you back Mark” Susan said cutting off whatever Mark wanted to say.

“Stay safe Suzy” Mark said after a moment of silence and ended the call. Dropping her phone on the seat beside her; Susan started the car and drove out of the house.

The moment Susan stepped into the ward, she already that the fact that she was ill was a total lie. No one would be ill with rosy cheeks and energetic yells. The lady seating on the bed finished her video call and turned to the door to find Susan standing there. A flash of surprise ran through her eyes but it was soon replaced with a bright smile.

“Don’t tell me Darren asked you to bring me fruits? He bought me a lot yesterday” she started and Susan unconsciously clenched her fists while the lady continued while relaxing into her bed.

“When Darren comes back from the washroom you really have to thank him for me. He’s been a real sweetheart these days. He moved me to a VIP ward the moment I said the noise from other patients was making me unable to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night and was craving ice cream, he drove out in the middle of the night to get it for me. He even paid my hospital bills!” the lady said with a huge smile on her face.

“I don’t know where else I would have seen such a sweet childhood friend you know” she continued.

“When he heard that I caught cold, he was really worried and left a meeting to run all the way here just to check up on me. C’mon, there’s no sweeter childhood friend anywhere” she added maintaining the bright smile on her face.

Wendy hadn’t even noticed that she was clenching her fists so hard that her nails were digging into her palms and were already becoming bloodied. As much as she hated to admit it; she knew that she was right. Darren had barely sent two glances at her when she fainted but just because his childhood sweetheart had gotten cold, he had left an important meeting and stayed with her for so long. She used to think that maybe Darren wasn’t affectionate to anyone but here was the evidence that he was affectionate but it was only for one person.

“At the end of the day, you are just a mistress. I am his legal wife, there’s nothing you can do” Susan said firmly trying to hide her shaky voice behind her straight face. She wasn’t going to let this bitch know that her words had gotten so much to her that her heart was in pieces. The lady on the bed sneered and chuckled.

“Don’t worry too much Susan; that title would soon be taken away from you and it would be mine” she replied and Susan staggered slightly. She knew it. She knew that as long as she had come back, it wouldn’t take so long but she had tried to ignore and pretend that it wouldn’t happen. She hoped and wished that it would come so much later that she thought. But here it was smashing her right back in the face.

“Tricia, why are you doing this?” Susan asked still keeping a straight face and Tricia shrugged her shoulders.

“You and I know better Susan that I am just taking back what belongs to me” Tricia replied with a smile and Susan swallowed her saliva turning to leave. And just then; someone walked into the ward and then Tricia yelled.

By the time Susan could turn to glance at Tricia, the latter’s hand was bleeding and he was holding onto her screaming for the nurses. Susan felt her head go blank for a minute before realizing what Tricia had done.

“How dare you?” he roared at her.