Judith’s POV: Still being human

Despite my rage, I walked into the kitchen to prepare a meal for him.

Before today, the chirping, singing, and tweeting of the birds had never bothered me. So I put down the vegetables and went outdoors to chase them away.

I returned to the kitchen, cleaned my hands, and began cooking the food after realizing what was wrong with the birds being free.

I went in to check on him after the dinner had been prepared for a few minutes and had been beautifully laid out on the dining table.

I stayed behind the door before entering so I could calm myself down because I saw him laying on the bed, surfing through his phone, but as soon as he heard me open the door, he tossed his phone across the room.

How did I figure it out? I knew he was not asleep because I had seen him. When I left the room, I unintentionally left the door slightly ajar.

I stood beside him at the bed, yelling at him to wake up.

"I noticed you weren't sleeping. Is this how you've been deceiving me all along?" I inquired, clearly distressed.

He sat up straighter after opening his eyes. His face was sallow, making him appear charming….

no, ugly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to continue our fight," he admitted as he grabbed for my hands, which I had hidden behind me so he couldn't hold.

I was ready to resume where I had left off, but Sage's comments echoed in my thoughts, prompting me to ponder the possibility that his health might deteriorate.

A horrible sensation overtook me at that precise moment. If I thought he and my cousin were together, that implied she was present for the procedure. I tried not to cry the tears that were stinging my eyes.

"It was scarcely a quarrel, what we did. Your dinner is ready, or if you want, your highness, you may be served in bed," I spat out, my hatred evident in my voice.

"Okay, so what is it that you want to do? Please tell me. I'm unaware of how I have to keep up with your allegations if I don't understand what you're saying." With a sad groan, he slumped back on the bed.

'Because I know you're cheating on me, I'm seeking a divorce.' That was what I wanted to say, but Mark had just had surgery a few months previously, and there was nothing I could do to irritate him.

"Nothing. There was nothing wrong with you," I only told, forcing a grin.

One of the things about Mark was that he had this nickname for his middle name: Alpha, which was probably one of the reasons he got away with everything.

Everyone was afraid to yell at him or correct him when he was wrong, but then also, he had never done anything to deserve a reprimand.

He was a beautiful creation and an 'A plus' guy. He was flawless and had a high IQ.

He was also loving and caring, and no matter what the problem was, he made sure I never went to bed angry. Whatever I wanted, he'd make sure I got it.

So why then?

"If you say so," came his reply. That jolted me from my trance for a few minutes. I wanted to suffocate him with my fists.

Would I have believed it if someone had told me that one day I'd strive to hate him? Despite this, I found myself hoping I could stab him.

I couldn't bear it any longer as ideas for ways to kill him started running through my thoughts.

"What's more, guess what? I haven't seen my sister in a long time, and I'd want to visit her today," I made an announcement, which I later regretted because I no longer owed him any explanations.

"Sweet Pea, do you think this means nothing to you because I just got back? Do I no longer have any meaning?" He bombarded me with questions. I quickly shifted my gaze away from him, not wanting to see his face."

"I'd be returning, but first, I'd like to clear my head. That's something I'm entitled to!" That was what I needed.

"You may always talk to me when you want to. That's something we usually do," Mark insisted, and I couldn't hold back the laughter- that burst forth from my mouth.

"It seems we are both on different pages, aren't we? You have no idea what's going on. I wish I could divorce you, but I can't because you've just returned. I wish I could easily despise you, but I can't do that.

Oh, you still want to know why I'm angry? There are so many things I wish I could do to you," I snapped, "so unless you want me to, try preventing me from leaving. I know you're having an affair. It took your journey for me to realize that."

"Is it because we didn't leave on that particular day? We had..." He abruptly stopped speaking after noticing my cold glare.

"What exactly do you mean when you say you didn't go that day?" he began to look petrified. "So you just fooled me!"

I didn't know what to feel any longer.

When I concluded on my own that they were having an affair, there was a part of me that hoped I was incorrect. Hearing Mark unwittingly say this-

"Didn't you know? I assumed you were aware of the reason for your behavior. Please accept my apologies. I didn't mean to keep it a secret from you; I just knew you wouldn't let me. I'm hungry and need to eat, so thank you very much for the meal," That was the last thing he said to me before leaving for the dining room.

"Is that all there is to it?" As he dropped the fish he had picked up from the light soup, I exclaimed, grabbing his attention.

"You've got a mistress, and you're not ashamed of it? Serena, my very own cousin! Really, couldn't you have picked someone else?" While I was ranting, he sat there, his left brow throbbing and his lips quivering.