Returning 2

6:30 pm.

The sky was already dark outside but Nathan didn't turn on the lights inside the apartment.

He was sitting at the dining table and smoking a cigarette.

The ashtray already had at least fifteen cigarette butts.

He was absently staring at the table, lost in his own thoughts.

Kacha!

The door of the apartment was opened.

"Why is it so dark in here?" Karen said and turned on the light.

Click!

The lights turned on.

She closed the door behind her and removed her shoes before heading to the kitchen.

"Sweetie, what are you doing?" she said after seeing Nathan absently staring at the dining table.

Nathan didn't answer so she decided not to mind him and went to the bathroom to change and wash her hands and face.

After that, she went to the living room, sat on the sofa and turned on the TV to watch the news while checking her phone.

Nathan could hear the voice of the news anchor reading the news.

He glanced at her from the dining table.

'Is this really what it means to be in a relationship?'

Aside from Karen, he never dated anyone. She was his first for everything.

His only basis about what it was like to be in a relationship with someone were from movies and observing other couples, such as his parents and Vincent and Nikki.

Sure, he was aware that being in a relationship isn't like those depicted in the rom-com movies, at least for him. And based on his experience, it was mostly mundane.

It had its bad moments, but it also had its good moments.

But now that he knew that she cheated on him, got pregnant by another man and aborted it, he couldn't help but question if being in a relationship was worth it or if this is just what relationships are all about.

'Was I living a fool all these years…?'

"Sweetie, can you make me tea?" Karen said from the living room while checking her phone.

Nathan snapped back from reality and looked at Karen. There was a cold glint in his eyes.

Given that he was working online and spent most of his time at home, he was in charge of most of the household chores. And of course, this wasn't because he was forced by Karen. On the contrary, he volunteered to do it because he loved her and wanted to treat her like a princess.

He got up and started boiling water.

Time slowly passed...

After making the tea, he brought it to her in the living room and placed in on top of the coffee table.

"Thanks, sweetie," Karen said as she gave him a quick glance before resuming to look at her phone.

Nathan didn't answer and went back to the dining table and sat down.

'How long has our relationship been like this?'

He tried to recall what they would usually do.

During this time, he would be eating his fourth meal of the day at the dining table.

As a person who works out, he eats 5 meals a day and the amount of food depends on the season. In a year, there's a season where he bulks up and another season where he cuts down his carbs to lose fats.

While eating his fourth meal of the day, there are times she would eat with him at the table and there are times she would say she's full so she wouldn't eat and just watch the news. However, in both scenarios, the TV would be on and she will have her phone on her hand, looking at videos, reading posts, and chatting with her family and "friends".

'Isn't relationships like this? I mean, we've been together for so long so it's understandable that we don't need to talk that much anymore because we're so familiar with each other's company, right?'

Nathan continued to sit at the table as he scrambled his thoughts to understand things. He wanted to know how things went horribly wrong.

15 minutes passed…

Karen finished her tea and got up from the sofa to put the mug on the sink.

She saw Nathan who was still deep in thought and smoking.

She didn't mind him and went to the sink.

When she got to the sink to put down the mug, she finally noticed that Nathan hasn't cooked anything.

She turned to Nathan sitting on the table.

She walked up to him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Sweetie, are you okay? I noticed you haven't eaten your fourth meal of the day. Did you eat outside?"

Nathan looked at her. "Have I told you about the quote I read once as a kid?"

'Oh my God, I guess it's that time of the week where he goes emo,' Karen thought. "Sweetie~" she said as she massaged his shoulders.

"I passed by this bookstore once on my way home and read a quote. I can't remember the exact words so I'm just going to paraphrase it. A person has three core identities: The person who he thinks he is, the person who people think he is, and the person who he really is."

She kissed his head and said, "Of course. Don't forget to take a bath. You reek of cigarette."

As she was about to walk away, he asked, "Why did you cheat on me?"

She stopped and looked at him.

"What?"

"Vincent told me."

"I don't know what are you talking about." Karen frowned.

Nathan didn't say anything and just stared at her face, studying and etching the face of a liar on his head.

'So this is the face of a cold-hearted liar that kills babies…'

"Nathan, I don't know what you're talking about. If this is a joke, it's not funny at all!"

He looked at her face and smiled. 'Ah… This is a facial expression of hers that I know. This is the look that she gives when she's getting pissed and we're going to have a fight. I won't deny it, having sex after a fight feels great.'

However, that wasn't part of his plans tonight... or ever again.

He got up from his seat.

"I also know that you had an abortion."

She slapped him on the face.

Pah!

"I must say, despite being in a relationship with you for 5 years, I never once thought of you as a murderer. You really can't tell a person's true nature. Don't you agree, baby killer?"

Pah!

She slapped him again.

Tears started running down her cheeks.

"How dare you! You don't know anything!"

He sneered. "Oh please tell me what I don't know, cheater. Or should I just call you again baby killer?"

She started slapping him but he avoided her.

She went near the sink to grab one of the mugs and threw it at him.

Smash!

The mug missed and hit the wall, shattering into pieces.

"You don't know anything! You don't know anything…" She fell to the floor and continued crying.

He rolled his eyes.

"Oh please. How rich of you. Why are you acting like you're the victim here, baby killer?"

"Why are you doing this?! Why?! Stop this…!"

"Why?! WHY?! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?!"

"THE TRUTH, YOU FUCKING CHEATER! YOU FUCKING BABY KILLER!"

"OKAY, I ADMIT! I CHEATED ON YOU WITH VINCENT AND HAD AN ABORTION! HAPPY NOW?!"

Nathan knelt down and raised his hands up the air, "Oh thank God! Thank you! This cheating baby killer finally spoke the truth!"

He got up and shook his head in disbelief.

"To think that even after all these years… You still want Vincent, not me."

Karen got up.

"Don't even go there! You know how much I love you! How much I sacrificed for you!"

Nathan scoffed.

"Yeah, right. And yet here we are."

"Don't think this is all my fault! You're the one who forced me to cheat!"

Nathan's jaw dropped.

"What? Forced you to cheat? I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LOYAL TO YOU!!!"

"Do you really know what's it like being with you?!"

"Oh please tell me! It's always my fault anyway! Please enlighten this stupid man who forced you to cheat, you who could never sin!"

"You're a selfish, whiny and cowardly boy! Everything is all about you! When things don't go your way, you whine! And just because of your experience in your internship, you chose to do online jobs. Get a fucking real job! I have bigger balls than you!"

"I'm selfish? I'm whiny? Please! I'm doing all the household chores here and you don't hear me say anything! You call me a coward? Online is what's hot right now!"

"Oh, he's not selfish! When was the last time we did something that I want?! When was the last time we went out to travel?! Oh, I forgot! You're always busy from working out, dieting, getting proper sleep, reading those stupid novels and working on that fake job of yours!"

Nathan face-palmed himself so hard.

"What are you even fucking talking about?! Every Saturday night I accompany you to those clubs to drink!"

"To which you begrudgingly go and it's only once a week for 3 hours! And even when we're there, you do nothing but sulk!"

"Oh excuse me if I find places like those worthless! I really don't see any point in going to places like that! It's crowded, full of drunks and it smells of piss and puke!"

"Then what about vacation, what about doing other things, Mr-I'm-Too-Good-For-Clubs?!"

"Oh, forgive me if I'm so busy working to earn money!"

"Working?! Your job is fake, a joke! I have a real job and even I have time for vacations!"

"Oh, I get it now! You're still and will always be fucking gold-digger!" Nathan face-palmed. "I'm sorry I'm not rich like Vincent! I'm sorry I don't have a car like Vincent! I'm sorry I can't take you to expensive restaurants! I'm sorry I can't buy you expensive things! I'm sorry I can't take you on a vacation! I'm sorry I am not good enough for you even after all these years! How blind was I!"

She rushed up to him.

"Is that how you've always seen me? Someone who's only after money? To think that I even loved you and stayed with you for 5 years! You really don't know me!"

"Oh please! Stop twisting words! For all we know, Vincent and I aren't the only ones you're sleeping with which is why you killed that baby, you cheating, baby-killing, gold-digging slut!"

"FINE! FINE!!! IF THAT'S HOW YOU WANT IT! FINE! YES! I SLEPT WITH SO MANY MEN AND I LIKED IT! YOU WANNA KNOW WHY? THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT ME TO SAY, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY WERE BETTER MEN THAN YOU WILL EVER BE, RICHER THAN YOU, ESPECIALLY VINCENT! THEY FUCKED ME SO HARD AND GOOD THAT –"

Nathan raised his hand and was about to slap her but stopped just a few centimeters away from her face.

In their 5 years of relationship, although they had their fights, he never once hit her. He would just avoid her strikes. And when he already had enough, he would break things.

And plus, hitting women is against the law.

"GO ON! HIT ME! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! GO ON! I'M NOTHING BUT A CHEATING, BABY-KILLING, GOLD-DIGGING SLUT, AREN'T I?"

He leaned forward closed to her face.

"I won't stoop down to your level. But know this. Although I wasn't a better and a richer man than them, than Vincent, at least I was never unfaithful to you, not even once. Know that there was a time I used to love you with ALL my heart and it sickens me. But now… you're dead to me and I'm glad. I never want to see your face ever again. Go! Get the hell out of this apartment and run to Vincent or whoever rich asshole you're fucking!"

He walked away and was headed to the bedroom.

As he was headed to the bedroom, Karen grabbed another mug and threw it at Nathan.

Thud!

It hit his side, causing him to stop and lean against the wall from the pain.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I SACRIFICED FOR THIS RELATIONSHIP?! YOU KNOW NOTHING! I FUCKING HATE YOU! I HOPE YOU FUCKING DIE!"

Nathan turned to look at her.

"Sacrificed for this relationship?" Nathan scoffed. "Come to think of it, you're still 21 years old. If you had a baby now, you won't be able to enjoy your youth even if you spread your legs to all the rich men in the world. Good strategy, I must admit. No wonder you're a gold-digging baby killer."

Karen grabbed a knife and charged at Nathan.

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!"

Seeing the knife in her hands and charging towards him, he ran to the living room to grab the pillows on the sofa and threw it at her.

When he threw the third pillow at her and she got distracted, he immediately charged forward and took the knife from her hands.

"GIVE ME THAT KNIFE!" Karen growled and lunged forward.

Nathan threw the knife away. He grabbed her wrists and pushed her away, causing her to trip and hit her head on the edge of the coffee table.

Bam!

Thud!

She was unconscious.

All of a sudden, someone was knocking on the door.

Knock!

Knock!

Knock!

"This is the police. We received a call for a public disturbance complaint. Please open the door."

Nathan's eyes widened in horror.

'Such fucking timing!'

He forgot that there was a nearby police station in the apartment building they were living in.

*********************************************

Author's thoughts:

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading!

Now, you could argue that even if there was a nearby police station at the apartment they were living in, it would still take time for the cops to respond. Please just ignore it because I didn't want to make this mini-arc to be more than 3 chapters. Sorry and thank you for understanding.

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