Chapter 3 Doesn't bring happiness

Damian slammed the car door roughly, venting all the anger that had hit him today. His upset and overflowing emotions seemed insufficient to patch up the problems that plagued him day after day. His smile was gone. Just as he entered his bedroom, Isabel, who was sitting and applying makeup, was knocked out of her chair by her husband.

"Damian is home." Isabel asked. She took off the mask on her face and rushed over to her husband, who was standing in front of his wardrobe.

"Prepare some warm water. I'm going to take a shower," he said curtly. Isabel nodded. She ran into the bathroom and immediately prepared a bathtub for her husband. This was Isabel's daily duty as a good wife. But not even five minutes in, Damian shouted, and Isabel almost fell backwards. "Hurry up! I want to take a bath."

"Yes, one moment." Isabel answered Damian's shout.

Damian, who was impatient, forced himself into the bathroom shirtless. Isabel turned her head and looked at him until she didn't realize that she was staring at him. Damian ignored Isabel's condition and looked at him adoringly. He was more concerned with the bath that his wife had prepared.

"Prepare the food. I'm hungry and want to eat dinner as usual," Damian ordered, to which Isabel immediately nodded. "Don't forget the drinks in my favorite glass."

Isabel was silent. Her chest trembled slightly, as if she wanted to spill something out of herself. It wasn't impossible that she wanted to pretend to be strong right now, but reality told her to scream. Isabel took a deep breath and then exhaled softly. Patting her chest, she answered Damian's command, "Yes."

As a good wife, of course, Isabel wanted to be appreciated by her husband. From cooking and cleaning the house to serving other needs, Damian was not the romantic type of man who would praise his wife every day. He was the cold type of man whose every action had to fulfill his wishes. Even for the smallest things.

After finishing his shower and getting dressed, Damian followed Isabel to the dining room. He pulled out a dining chair and sat next to Isabel. He devoured the portion of food Isabel brought him without much complaint. He only repeatedly sipped warm water because his tongue was spicy.

"The day after tomorrow, you go to the office. There is the inauguration of the new building, and the office is holding a Thanksgiving event," Damian said quietly while chewing his favorite omelet.

Isabel's eyes lit up with happiness. This was the first time she had been invited and introduced to Damian in his office. Previously, he had never invited her even once since they got married.

"Yes. Can I wear the dress I bought yesterday?" Isabel asked. Her eyes were still sparkling when she looked at Damian, who was still busy munching on food. Damian nodded, and that brought a smile to Isabel's lips. Her heart warmed slightly at how he slowly replied to her words.

"Don't be too conspicuous," Damian added.

"Not really," Isabel replied, smiling sweetly.

Suddenly, Isabel's senses were distracted by the scene in front of her. Damian sipped his warm milk with a smile and occasionally pecked the glass. Realizing that he was being stared at, Damian glanced sadistically until Isabel gasped and lowered her head.

"Why did you look at me like that?" snapped Damian. Isabel shook her head slowly and shook her hand.

"Do you like that glass? I saw you smiling the whole time," Isabel pointed at Damian's favorite tall glass. It was a red glass with the words 'I love you' and lip marks on the rim. Damian lifted the glass and tapped it gently while showing the writing.

"This was a gift from Evelyn on my birthday. Three years ago, and it's very special. Usually, I display this glass on my desk, but for some reason, I miss this glass lately," Damian said at length. Indirectly, he said he missed Evelyn, who gifted him the glass.

"Evelyn?" muttered Isabel softly. Her heart felt crushed to hear her husband praising and longing for another woman. Even though it was a former lover, couldn't Damian keep it to himself?

Ignoring Isabel, who was silent while mumbling, Damian took a glance and asked, "You didn't eat?" Damian asked casually. Isabel shook her head. The hunger in her stomach suddenly disappeared. "You'll blame me for getting sick."

"Sis, can you understand my feelings? Just one time, please. I am your wife," Isabel protested. She ran while holding back the tears she had been holding back. Her chest was so tight that she was jealous and angry.

Isabel dropped her body on the bed. Her body was tired of Damian's attitude; he never noticed her presence. Isabel cried so hard that her tears soaked up the blanket covering her. Let her be called a drama queen; in reality, it was her husband who made her like this.

Not only once, but even every time Damian talked to her, there would be sentences that praised Evelyn and compared her to him. Damian, it turns out, still harbors longing for another woman who is his former lover. Can't her husband just glance at her without any past frills?

"Why does it have to be Evelyn? Every day, he only talks about Evelyn, missing her, and even keeping the items she gave him. How great is Evelyn in his eyes?" Isabel ranted. She repeatedly wiped the tears from her cheeks. Her hands clenched into fists, hitting the pillows and blankets and punching them repeatedly. She hated this situation.

"Have you had enough anger?" Damian's voice suddenly interrupted Isabel's thoughts. She turned around. Damian was standing right behind her with his hands stuffed into his pants pockets. Isabel spluttered.

"I just want you not to be like that anymore, sis. You know that I'm jealous. I don't want you to mention another woman's name in our household, even if it is Evelyn," Isabel cried. She got up from the bed, walked over to Damian, and hugged him from the side. "You love me, right?"

Damian frowned, looking lazily at Isabel, who was clinging to him. He wanted to let her go, but he couldn't. "Whatever you want," Damian replied bitterly.

In the warm embrace, Isabel smiled as she closed her eyes. She was sure that someday her husband would change.

The clock on the wall reads one o'clock at night. Isabel had fallen asleep and entered her dreams five hours ago. The hug ended with their usual nightly activities before bed. Although Damian did not love Isabel, he did not forget his obligation to provide for his wife.

Damian could not close his eyes. His mind was still wandering somewhere. One thing that still made him uneasy was Evelyn's decision to leave him and force him into a relationship with Isabel. He couldn't figure out what was on Evelyn's mind to break up with him after five years together.

Damian moved to leave Isabel. He covered his wife's body so she wouldn't get cold. He walked to his office and sat in his proud chair while staring at a beautiful frame with a photo of him and Evelyn smiling sweetly. The last photo he took was right when he got engaged to Evelyn.

"Evelyn. I still love you," he murmured.

He stroked the picture and kissed it for a moment. Imagine that face in front of him right now. He really missed Evelyn. His chest suddenly tightened. He put the picture down while his hands covered his face. Damian cried.

"How can I get rid of these feelings for you if every day only your image fills my head?" he scolded himself.

"How can I leave the memories we've made?" she raged. Damian hit his desk, causing the picture to bounce around. Damian continued to cry until he didn't realize that behind the door of the room was a figure whose heart was also screaming in pain at his cry.

"What should I do?"