Part 3 Asha
I woke to the soft light of the morning sun slipping through the curtains, casting the room with a warm, golden hue. The familiar warmth against my arm told me he was still there, asleep beside me. I turned to my side, taking in the sight of him. Aiden's face was relaxed and peaceful in his sleep. I let my eyes roam around every inch of his features, quietly admiring his beauty. His clear, tanned skin, marked by a day's worth of stubble, his straight, proud nose, those thick eyelashes that I always envied, concealing beautiful shades of brown that used to soften when they looked at me. My husband. My Aiden. The love of my life.
My cheeks warmed as I remembered last night. Last night was the version of Aiden that I hadn't seen for a long time. I missed it. I missed him. My mind replaying every single moment as I continued tracing his handsome face with my eyes. I rode him twice on that couch, and my climax the second time was no less explosive than the first. He came as hard too.
Last night, when I finally shoved myself away from him, seeing him splayed there—debauchedly rumpled with his pants down his ankles and his member exposed, his designer white shirt a wrinkly mess and half unbuttoned, but still managed to look like an entitled, deviant King that he was and still larger than life. I almost jumped back onto his lap and rode him for the third time.
My heart pounded inside my chest, swelling with an overwhelming love, so intense it felt like it might burst free and soar to him. I loved him so deeply, too deeply perhaps, that it teetered on the edge of being unhealthy. And he loved me. I knew he did. I knew what he had to let go to stay with me. I knew it was a very hard thing to do for him.
Aiden came back to me.
I forced myself to slip out of bed; the wooden floor felt smooth and cold under my feet. I wrapped myself in a light robe and made my way downstairs. The house was still and peaceful, a picture of calm before the bustle of the day began. I began the usual task of making breakfast for my family. My mood was good, so I was whistling.
My husband was all mine again.
I wasn't sure what that made me. I knew I should be stronger than this. I knew I wasn't supposed to be this accepting. He lied to me. He cheated on me. And he didn't know that I knew. But I always knew. At first, it was just a hunch. I noticed the change in him, subtle at first, but it grew more obvious. The quiet smile on his face when he read a text on his phone. The faraway look of longing when he thought nobody saw, and most of all, the way he spoke about her. He was so enthralled, so unaware of how his face lit up when he mentioned her name.
Then, late nights at the office became more frequent. More business trips, more client dinners, taking him away more often than he was home. Always with an excuse to be somewhere else, with someone else. The secretive calls he made from the home office became frequent, and the door would be closed, his voice reduced to a hush.
The apparent exhaustion on his face told a story of its own. It must be tiring, I thought, to live a double life. The weight of deceit etched lines of weariness into his features. But what hurt me the most was the realization that it was us—me and our children—whom he had sacrificed. We were the ones left behind, traded for stolen moments with her. It was the choice he consciously made every day just to be with her, even though he knew he had to let go of us a little more each time.
But despite the tiredness, he was so happy. It broke me to see him like that—beaming, carefree, exactly like someone falling deeply in love. He smiled more, laughed more, and carried a lightness I hadn't seen in him in a long time. I watched from the sidelines as he reveled in the joy she brought to him, a joy that had nothing to do with me. Aiden fell in love with another woman. That fact, I knew for certain. I had confirmed it. I had pictures to confirm it too.
It shattered me. But still, I stayed.
And then one day, Aiden came home a broken man. I knew right away that they broke up. I knew because the devastation was written all over his face. The brightness that had once filled his eyes was gone, replaced by silent despair. I didn't know if she had let go of him or if he had been the one to walk away, but I could tell that losing her shattered him to pieces. He was brokenhearted, and though he tried to hide it from us, his efforts were in vain. The cracks in his pretense were too deep, and the pain he felt was too raw to conceal.
I knew he cried—really sobbed—when he locked himself away in his office at home. He loved her that much. It transformed Aiden, who had always been arrogant, cold, and detached, into a pathetic, pitiful mess that I could barely recognize. There were moments when he would just sit, staring at his phone, as if waiting for it to ring or desperately hoping for a reply to his texts. He became obsessed with dealing with questionable urgent matters that conveniently arose at night, even on weekends, pulling him away from us at every opportunity. But I knew the truth. He was there, wherever she was, trying relentlessly to get her back.
Then, suddenly, it all stopped. Completely. He was still devastated; that much was clear, as the pain was perpetually etched into his every expression, his every movement. But the late nights, the secret calls, the unexplained absences—they all ceased. Slowly, I began to nurture a hope that the Aiden I once knew might come back to me.
I stopped crying myself to sleep, but I was still hurting.
I smiled at him, masking the pain, but my heart was still bleeding.
I should have confronted him. I wanted to confront him. But I was too terrified of losing him. Aiden was my entire life, my whole heart, and I knew I would cling to him, no matter how much he hurt me, probably until the day I died.
It wasn't because of his beautiful face, though he was a beautiful man. It also wasn't because of his money, or the mansion, or the private plane, or the holiday homes, because those things never mattered much to me.
I just loved him so much. And, honestly, I had forgotten the reason why. I just did. It was a love that defied logic, that persisted even when all the reasons seemed to fade away.
I jumped slightly when a large pair of hands encircled my waist, pulling me away from my thoughts. Warm lips pressed against the crook of my shoulder, sending a shiver along my spine.
"Morning," Aiden muttered against my skin, his voice low and husky. Then he pulled me closer, pressing me to flush against him, his grip tightening until I was almost on tiptoe. He was already showered, dressed in a suit, ready for work. "I was looking for you when I woke up. I missed you."
"You know where I always am," I replied softly, a smile spreading across my face despite the lingering ache in my chest. In this moment, I was content. Probably, I was delusional. Probably, I was deep in denial. It didn't matter as long as I had my Aiden again.
"You're supposed to be in our bed. Right next to me," he murmured against my ear, making me shiver.
I leaned back into his embrace, reveling in the warmth of his body as it seeped into mine. "I didn't want to wake you."
His hands moved up from my waist, grazing my ribs before resting just below my chest. He pulled me even closer, and I inhaled his familiar scent, letting my eyes close for a moment. I wanted to hold on to this feeling, but I couldn't shake the lingering doubt. He betrayed me in the most hurtful way. He fell in love with someone else. He neglected me, and our family, over someone else. The memories of the nights he spent away, choosing her over his family time and time again, and the pain he caused that I still felt until now, wouldn't let me forget.
And yet, here he was, holding me as if nothing had changed, as if we were still the same loving couple we had always been.
"Something wrong?" he observed, his voice softening as he noticed my silence.
I shook my head, unsure if I could trust my voice. I didn't want to break the peace of this morning with the weight of my thoughts. Instead, I turned in his arms, wrapped mine around his neck, and pulled him into a kiss. It was slow and tender, carrying all the unspoken feelings I couldn't say. Despite everything, I still loved him. I wanted to focus on the future, to forgive the past, but I wasn't there yet. Maybe I just needed more time. When we finally parted, I rested my forehead against his, our breaths mingling in the thin space between us. He was still looking at me with worry. I knew he sensed something was not right with me, but he, too, probably didn't want to ruin this perfect morning.
He smiled, that charming, heart-melting smile that had captivated me all those years ago, and still continued to do so now. "I love you, Ash," he said in a whisper. His words sounded sincere, but there was something else that seemed distant behind them that made my heart clench. I knew he meant it, but I also knew there were parts of him I couldn't reach anymore, parts that had been taken by someone else.
As he pulled me into another embrace, I closed my eyes and let myself fall into the illusion that everything was fine, that we were fine. Because for now, in this fleeting moment, it was enough.
"Ugh," came Kayden's voice, cutting through our intimate moment. He strolled into the kitchen, clearly unimpressed, and leaned against the counter. "You both still going at it, huh?" With a dramatic sigh, he dragged a highchair from the counter and plopped down into it. His gaze flicked between me and Aiden, and there was something in his eyes that made me uneasy. I had a feeling he wasn't too thrilled about seeing me get warm and cozy with his dad. "Last night wasn't enough?"
"Kayden!" I balked, felt my cheeks burn with shame as I realized my son heard me and his father having sex last night. We must have been very loud. Aiden just laughed at that, not embarrassed even a little. Instead, he kissed me passionately, a kiss that shouldn't be done in front of our kids.
"Quit it, you two," Chloe said, entering the kitchen and taking a seat next to her brother. "We're eating here."
I pushed myself away from Aiden, feeling my face flush with embarrassment as he laughed heartily at the situation. I quickly started distributing the breakfast onto plates, handing them to the kids with a sheepish smile.
"I have to go. I have a meeting at nine," Aiden announced, giving me one last lingering kiss before turning to the kids. "Stay out of trouble, you two."
With that, my husband left for work, taking a piece of my heart with him.
And I worried, all over again, if he would come back to me.
*** *** ***
I stared at the new sign that was plastered in the lobby of my office building while I was waiting for the executive lift to arrive. InfiniTech. I recalled the news I read about them a few weeks ago about the company being founded by a software engineer, a genius young man named Liam Banks, who had big ideas and bigger dreams. He brought in a few friends to work with his idea and created a cloud program named InfiCloud. That product was his big break, which quickly caught the eye of major investors. In a brief span of six years, InfiniTech proudly secured a spot on the Forbes list of the world's top 100 cloud companies.
InfiniTech had moved in right across from my office, taking one and a half floors in the building. The company I worked for was one of the largest steel manufacturers in the world, and we had taken up six and a half floors. The half-floor penthouse was reserved for my office, the rest of the board of directors, and two conference rooms. InfiniTech had set up shop in the other half, which meant their executives—and, of course, the founder—would share the executive elevator with me.
I glanced around the busy lobby, half-expecting to spot someone from InfiniTech standing by my side, waiting for the executive elevator. But for now, it was just me.
The elevator finally arrived, and I stepped inside. Just as I turned around and was about to press the button for my floor, I saw someone running towards me, shouting, "Hold the door!" I frantically searched for the open button, pressed it, and watched as a tall, broad-shouldered man in a black hoodie with the InfiniTech logo on the left chest and faded black jeans ran faster and jumped into the elevator. "Thank you," he wheezed, clearly having been running for quite a while.
"You're welcome," I muttered, wondering if this young man was the famous Liam Banks that everybody was talking about.
He stood beside me and glanced at the panel on the wall, noticing that we were headed to the same floor, out of the two floors this elevator served. His eyes then returned to me, and he turned his body to face me. "Hi," he said, flashing a set of perfect teeth. "We're neighbors."
"Yes," I replied, "apparently we are."
He extended his hand toward me. "I'm Liam. Nice to meet you."
So, this was the famous founder of one of the most successful startups in the world—the man people couldn't stop talking about. I had read plenty of articles about InfiniTech, but Liam was never in the spotlight. I'd seen no pictures of him; it was always someone else from his team in the media, and he was only mentioned by name. He seemed to prefer working behind the scenes, focusing on the magic he was creating rather than basking in the attention.
He was young, likely in his late twenties or early thirties, and incredibly attractive. Sharp angles and high cheekbones defined his face, made even more striking by the buzz cut he was sporting. A pair of thick, perfectly arched brows caught my attention, making me wonder if he took the time to trim them. But it was his turquoise-colored eyes that truly stood out—unlike any I'd seen before—framed by dark, thick lashes that seemed almost too luxurious for a man.
And then there was his presence. He was intimidatingly tall, and even in those baggy clothes, I could tell he was built. The defined muscles were unmistakable, and the air of alpha-male confidence rolled off him in waves. He was the kind of person who commanded a room without saying a word.
I shook his hand, noting the firm grip. "Asha."
"Asha," He muttered my name back at me, each syllable slowly rolling out of his lips as if he wanted to test how it sounded coming from his mouth. Liam glanced around the glass walls of the elevator, his gaze wandering over the sleek, modern design of the building.
"This place is impressive, isn't it?" he said, nodding appreciatively. "I thought it might be too much for us at first, but the building management was eager to have us here. They offered us a great deal." I could understand why. His company had been in the news constantly, and having them in the building would undoubtedly boost its image.
"Yeah, it's pretty nice," I agreed. "It's been home for me for a while now."
He smiled, leaning back to the railing that protected us from the glass wall, and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes were looking at me a little too intensely. "I can see why. There's a certain charm here, even with all the glass and steel. I guess we're lucky to be in this building."
I nodded, my eyes drifting to our reflection in the elevator doors. He was looking at it too, and I noticed him sizing me up from head to toe through the mirror, completely unapologetic. His confidence was impressive. Then he met my eyes in the reflection and said, "You must be with Fortis Steelworks, since we're on the same floor."
"Yes," I answered curtly, feeling uneasy under his gaze.
The elevator dinged softly, signaling that we had reached our floor. The doors slid open, revealing the hallway that led to our offices. As we stepped out, Liam turned to me with a smile. "Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other," he said.
I nodded, unsure of how to respond. "I suppose so. Anyway, welcome to the building."
"Thank you, Asha." His voice was deep and smooth like honey, and the way he huskily said my name made my cheeks flush. "Have a nice day."
He walked to his door as I walked to mine, and as I pushed the glass door open, I could feel his gaze boring into my back, propelling me to look over my shoulder. I found him standing there, his back straight, his hand holding the handle to his office, looking at me with a kind of gaze that I couldn't understand. He gave me another smile. I replied, with a confused nod. Then I went in.
The rest of the days were uneventful, marked only by the usual grueling meetings that seemed to drag on endlessly. I was exhausted—always exhausted these days—and at thirty-nine, I wondered if it was time to consider retirement. I had accumulated more wealth than I knew how to spend, and the idea of staying home, tending to my beloved garden, seemed increasingly appealing.
But then I thought about the time I'd have on my hands—time that would inevitably be filled with worrying about where Aiden might be at any hour of the day. I could already imagine myself spiraling into paranoia and doubt, driving myself crazy with endless speculation.
I glanced at the clock on my desk, noting that it was already almost six p.m. If I left now, I'd get home around six-thirty. But at that hour, the house would likely be empty. Kayden had basketball practice, and Chloe was at ballet. As for Aiden... I did not know if he'd be home. His schedule remained unpredictable, though lately, he came home in time for dinner more times than he ever did.
The idea of coming home to an empty house, not knowing where Aiden was, made me uneasy. Last night had been one of those rare moments where we really connected, and it left me torn between hope and fear. I didn't want to fall back into being ignored again. I wasn't sure I could handle it. Maybe it was better to stay at the office longer and get through the emails I still needed to read.
Or I could go to the bar across the street. But there was a strong possibility I'd run into someone I knew, given how close it was to the office. I wasn't sure I had the energy for small talk with people. The idea was even less appealing than going home to an empty house. Sighing dejectedly, unable to make up my mind, I decided I would figure it out once I was out of the building. As I stepped out of my office, I saw Liam emerging from his just across the hallway. Our eyes met, and his entire face lit up at the sight of me.
"Heading out?" he asked as he walked over to me. I didn't know how he did it, how he made his tone light when he spoke, but his stare was heady, and I found my cheeks a little warmed by the intensity.
I nodded, feeling self-conscious. "Yes."
He glanced at his watch and then back at me. "I was thinking of grabbing a bite nearby. Would you like to join me?"
That was the literal last thing I expected him to say, and all I could do was stare at him with my mouth slightly open, trying to process what I was hearing. The offer seemed so out of the blue that it took a moment for my brain to catch up.
Liam chuckled softly at my reaction, clearly amused. "What?" he said. "Kids don't do that these days? Too soon?"
"No," I said, as I was shaking my head. "I mean, how should I know?" He laughed, a genuine, easy sound, and I noticed his eyes disappear when he laughed, and an adorable dimple appeared on his left cheek.
"So, what do you say, Asha?" The way he said my name... I found that I kind of liked it. "There's a burger joint just behind this building—I'm sure you've heard of it. They have the best burger I've ever tasted." He walked over to the elevator and pressed the down button. I trailed behind him, still unsure of what was happening. "I'm really craving it right now."
"I know the place." I told him, even though I had only been there one time in the entire eight years since my office moved to this building. My lunch has always been bought by my assistant, and I always ate alone in my office, except for the lunch meetings that I had to attend.
"So, you're coming?" he asked again.
I thought about Aiden at that moment and what he would think if he knew I was going to dinner with another man. Even if it was just a burger joint, it was still dinner—and with someone else. Liam was an attractive man; any husband would feel a twinge of jealousy seeing his wife out with him.
Just then, my phone buzzed in my hand. I glanced at the screen and saw Aiden's text: "I'm going to be late, baby, I'm sorry. Don't wait for me."
I looked up at the expectant, very handsome, and very successful man in front of me. I suspected he might have glimpsed the text, seeing that he was much taller than me, but his smile remained charming and patient. "I'd love to."