The door of the black Mercedes closed with a soft, final thud, separating Elara from the outside world—the world where Kael still stood. The world where her life had just been turned upside down.
"Wow, small world, huh! Who would have thought Kael would be at that event," David said cheerfully as he drove, completely unaware of the storm raging within his wife. "We were in the same tennis club back in the day. He was always the smartest, but also the laziest." He chuckled.
Elara could only nod, her mouth feeling dry. She stared out the window, watching her pale reflection blend with the passing city lights. Every glimmer seemed to mimic the intensity in Kael's eyes.
"So, how did you know Kael, anyway?" David asked casually, his eyes still on the road.
The question hit Elara like a blow to the gut. Her heart hammered against her ribs.
"Ah...back... back in college. We were in the same class, I think. It was so long ago, I almost forgot," she replied, straining to keep her voice even. It was the first direct lie she had ever told her husband. It tasted bitter on her tongue.
"Pretty impressive, he's a partner at a top consulting firm now. I heard his wife is beautiful, and his kid is cute," David added, his tone still friendly.
Every word from David felt like a needle prickling Elara's skin. His wife is beautiful. His kid is cute. The image of Kael's perfect life should have given her closure, should have helped her move on. But all she felt was a crushing jealousy and a disgusting admission: she wished she was the one by his side.
Arriving home, everything felt different. Their majestic house, which usually felt like a palace, now felt like... exactly what it was—a cage. The expensive paintings, the luxurious furniture, they all seemed to stare at her, whispering, "Fraud."
She went into her daughter Alisha's room, watching her sleep peacefully. Seeing her daughter's innocent, serene face, tears finally fell. An immense guilt washed over her.
"What kind of mother am I?"she whispered to herself, gazing at Alisha. Her love for Alisha and David was real, she was sure of it. So why could memories of Kael stir up such a storm?
---
The following weeks were torture. Every time David's phone was late, every time he mentioned a sudden meeting, Elara's mind raced, "Is he meeting Kael?" Every time her social media showed alumni reunion photos, her eyes searched for one face. She became paranoid, and most torturous of all, she became a stranger to herself.
One Saturday afternoon, she went to an upscale supermarket for her monthly grocery run. It was one of her routines, one she usually enjoyed. But today, she just wanted to get it over with. Her mind was still in disarray.
She was deciding between an Italian brand of pasta or an imported French one when her gaze landed on a painfully familiar figure at the end of the baby aisle.
Kael.
He wasn't alone. Beside him, a little boy of about three or four sat in the shopping cart, clutching a toy car tightly. Kael was reaching for a box of milk, placing it carefully in the basket. He wore a simple t-shirt and training pants, looking so... normal. So domestic. But to Elara, the sight was more intimate and alluring than his polished appearance at the charity gala.
She wanted to leave, but her feet felt rooted to the spot. And that's when Kael looked up.
Their eyes locked again. This time, there was no crowd, no music, no social masks. Just the two of them, in the brightly lit supermarket aisle, with all the complexity and guilt they carried.
Kael didn't smile. He just looked, deeply, as if asking, "How have you been, my love?"
The little boy, whose face was a miniature of Kael's, broke the silence. "Daddy, who is that?"
Kael looked down at his son, his voice soft but clear enough for Elara to hear. "This is... Daddy's friend, Son."
He pushed the cart closer. Each step made Elara's heart pound faster.
"Elara," he greeted, his voice low, meant only for them.
"Kael,"Elara replied, her voice trembling. She looked at the boy. "Your son... he's very handsome."
"Thank you. His name is Bimo." Kael stroked his son's head. "Elara, this is... Bimo."
He didn't introduce her as "Daddy's best friend's wife." Just "Elara." An intimacy that made her feel nauseous yet exhilarated.
"Shopping alone?" Kael asked, his eyes scanning Elara's full cart.
"Yes.David's playing golf with a client." She replied. Why did she mention David? As if she needed a shield.
A pause. The hum of the AC and the supermarket's cheesy music made the situation feel even more surreal.
"I... should go," Elara finally said, gripping the handle of her cart until her knuckles turned white. She couldn't handle this. Seeing Kael as a father... it was simultaneously too painful and too beautiful.
Kael nodded, his gaze filled with understanding and something else... a regret?
"Okay.Take care, Elara."
As Elara turned and walked away, she heard Bimo ask in his loud, innocent voice, "Daddy, why does your friend look so sad?"
She didn't hear Kael's answer. But she didn't need to. She hurried towards the checkout, with one life-altering realization: their meetings were no longer coincidences. This was the beginning of something she couldn't stop. And her perfect life, strung together like a pearl necklace, was now, bead by bead, coming undone and scattering uncontrollably.