Chapter 3

Fiona felt a sense of excitement as she decided to take a bold step that day. Rather than sending lunch to Daniel through the driver, she would deliver it herself. There was something special in the air—perhaps it was the lightness in Daniel's mood that morning or the fact that he had smiled before leaving for work, something rare these days. Fiona hoped this gesture of hers would be a small surprise that might help bridge the growing gap between them.

After spending extra time preparing a meal she knew Daniel liked, Fiona dressed with care. She wasn't extravagant, but she wanted to look her best. When she came downstairs, her mother, Mrs. Isabella, noticed her efforts.

"Fiona, you're all dressed up! Where are you going?"

"I've prepared lunch for Daniel," Fiona said, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.

Mrs. Isabella smiled knowingly. "Why not just give it to the driver, dear?"

"No, Mom. I want to take it myself today."

There was something in Fiona's determination that made her mother stop any further questions. Perhaps she sensed the unspoken struggles in her daughter's marriage. "Alright, dear," she said softly. "Be careful, okay?"

Fiona nodded, gave her mom a quick hug, and left the house, feeling the warmth of a new hope rising in her chest. She reached Daniel's office just before lunch, holding the neatly packed meal with both hands. She approached the receptionist, her heart racing a little.

"Excuse me, can you tell me which way to Mr. Daniel's cabin?"

The receptionist, a young woman with a polite smile, responded, "Mr. Daniel is currently in a meeting. May I know who you are?"

"I'm his wife," Fiona answered.

The receptionist's smile brightened. "Oh, Mrs. Fiona! Mr. Daniel is still in a meeting, but he'll be done in about 30 minutes. Would you like to wait?"

Fiona nodded and followed the receptionist to a quiet waiting room. "I'll inform Mr. Daniel when his meeting is over," the receptionist assured her before leaving Fiona alone with her thoughts.

Sitting in the quiet room, Fiona couldn't help but let her mind wander. What if Daniel wasn't as happy to see her as she hoped? What if this gesture wasn't enough to ease the distance between them? As her thoughts swirled, her phone buzzed. She glanced down at the screen to see a message from an unknown number. Two photos had been sent.

Fiona opened the images, her brow furrowed in confusion. The photos were blurry, but they appeared to show Daniel entering a hotel with a woman. Her hands started trembling as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. She quickly responded to the number, asking who had sent the photos and why. No reply came, but a few minutes later, two more pictures arrived—this time clearer. The man in the photos was unmistakably Daniel.

Her heart sank. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the images. Was this real? Could Daniel be cheating on her? Fiona felt numb, like the world around her had come crashing down, and she had no way to escape. Without saying a word to the receptionist or anyone else, she quietly left the building, got into her car, and drove home, tears streaming down her face.

Meanwhile, Daniel's meeting ended, and he returned to his office for a short break. He barely had time to sit down before Julie, his assistant, entered the room.

"Sir, let's go have lunch at the canteen," Julie suggested.

"You go ahead. I'll join you later," Daniel replied, distracted by the paperwork in front of him.

Julie persisted, leaning in slightly. "It'll be nice to have lunch together."

Irritated, Daniel looked up. "I said I'll come later. Don't make me repeat myself."

At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted them. The receptionist, Emily, entered.

"Sir, your wife was here about 30 minutes ago. I asked her to wait in the lounge with the lunch she brought, but now I'm not sure where she's gone."

Daniel's attention sharpened at the mention of Fiona. Julie stiffened at the same time, her smile disappearing.

"Thank you, Emily," Daniel said, already rising from his chair. He hurried to the waiting room but found only the lunchbox left on the table. Fiona was nowhere to be found. He asked Emily if she had seen where Fiona went, but the receptionist had no idea. Confused and slightly agitated, Daniel decided to call Fiona, but she didn't pick up.

Meanwhile, Fiona had already returned home, gone straight to her room, and locked herself inside. She cried uncontrollably, overwhelmed by the betrayal she felt. Mrs. Isabella, hearing her daughter's sobs, knocked gently on the door, but Fiona didn't answer. Worried but respecting her daughter's privacy, Mrs. Isabella stepped back.

Soon, Fiona's two best friends, Maya and Anne, arrived at the house. When Mrs. Isabella opened the door for them, they asked for Fiona.

"She's upstairs," Mrs. Isabella said with concern. "She returned from Daniel's office earlier than I expected."

Maya and Anne exchanged a quick look, sensing something was wrong. They went upstairs and knocked on Fiona's door.

"Fiona, it's us—Maya and Anne. Open up," Maya called softly.

After a few moments of silence, the door clicked open. The sight of Fiona's tear-streaked face and swollen eyes sent alarm bells ringing in their hearts.

"What happened?" Maya asked immediately, guiding Fiona to sit on the bed.

Fiona, unable to hold it in any longer, burst into tears again and told them everything. Between sobs, she showed them the photos she had received. The weight of her words hung heavily in the air as Maya and Anne exchanged worried glances.

Maya gently took Fiona's phone and studied the photos. "Fiona, these pictures are from an unknown number. Are you sure they're real?"

Anne nodded in agreement. "This could be someone trying to sabotage your relationship. How do you know for sure this is Daniel?"

Fiona shook her head, tears still streaming down her face. "I know it's him. How could I not? Since the day we married, I've tried everything to win his love. I didn't even want this marriage—it was my parents who insisted. But even though I've done everything I can, he treats me like I'm invisible. He doesn't tell me where he's going, he comes home late without explanation, and now, now I see this…"

She handed the phone to Maya again. "I can't do it anymore. I'm going to divorce him."

The declaration shocked Maya and Anne, but they didn't know how to console their friend. They tried to suggest that Fiona should confront Daniel and get the full story before making any rash decisions, but Fiona was resolute. She had already made up her mind.

Back at the office, Daniel couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that something was wrong. He tried calling Fiona again, but she still didn't answer. He drove home that evening, hoping to find some answers, only to be greeted by his parents' unusually solemn faces.

"Mom, Dad, where's Fiona?" Daniel asked as he stepped into the living room.

Mrs. Isabella and Mr. Thomas exchanged a look before Mrs. Isabella finally spoke. "Fiona went to her father's house this afternoon."

Daniel was taken aback. "What? Why? She didn't say anything to me."

"She didn't tell us much either," Mr. Thomas added, frowning. "But something seemed to have upset her."

Growing more frustrated, Daniel pulled out his phone and tried calling Fiona again. This time, she answered.

"Fiona, where are you?" Daniel asked, his voice a mix of confusion and anger. "Why did you leave without telling me?"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Fiona spoke. "I didn't think you'd care."

"What are you talking about?" Daniel asked, his patience wearing thin. "Of course I care."

Fiona's voice grew cold. "You're a liar, Daniel. I'm divorcing you."

Daniel's heart sank. "What? Fiona, what's going on? Why are you saying this?"

"I've seen the photos, Daniel. I know everything," Fiona said bitterly.

"Photos? What photos?" Daniel was genuinely confused.

"The ones of you with another woman at a hotel."

Daniel's eyes widened as Fiona described the photos. He quickly pulled up the pictures she had sent him and was shocked to see himself in the images. But something didn't add up. He had no memory of going to the hotel.

"Fiona, this isn't what you think," Daniel began, but Fiona cut him off.

"I don't want to hear your excuses. It's over, Daniel. I'll see you at the divorce proceedings."

With that, Fiona hung up, leaving Daniel in stunned silence.