Chapter 3: Who the hell is it?
After a sleepless night, I woke up exhausted and leaned against the bed. I knew Sherry would appear soon; after all, I needed to take my medicine ‘on time.’
When Sherry opened the door, she visibly paused for a moment, then flashed a gentle smile. “Mrs. Brown, you look good today! You seem quite energetic; I’m a bit surprised!”
I forced a spirited smile but observed her carefully.
As she spoke, she efficiently drew open the curtains and considerately draped me a piece of clothing. “Let’s get some fresh air by opening the window.”
I languidly leaned against the bed, intentionally responding, “I feel a bit hungry.”
“Oh, that’s a good sign. I’ll fetch your breakfast right away! It’s been a while since I heard you say you’re hungry!” With a joyful smile, she briskly walked out. “Wait a moment, I’ll be back soon.”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
As she passed by the bed, a faint but unmistakable scent of perfume lingered in the air. I have always been sensitive to smells; even the slightest hint, I could detect. She was wearing my favorite Chanel perfume.
I liked this perfume because Robert liked it. He said its subtle fragrance was reverie making.
I clenched my fist tightly, feeling a bit short of breath.
Thinking about the news where husbands conspired with mistresses to harm their wives, I shook my head, feeling that such a thing could never happen to me.
After a while, the door was pushed open, and surprisingly, Robert walked in. He looked concerned, smiling gently, walking towards me with the sunlight from the window making him look bright and warm. However, involuntarily, I thought of his words from last night, ‘Has she taken the medicine?’ My heart sank heavily.
“Baby, you look good today! Sherry said you were hungry?” He placed the medicine on the bedside table, grabbed my hand, and his warm palm felt familiar. Gazing into my eyes with deep affection, he softly asked, “What would you like to eat? I’ll make it for you, hmm?”
“No need, I won’t be able to eat much anyway. Don’t bother,” I tried to steady my emotions, pretending to be concerned. “What time did you come back last night? I didn’t even know. Is work keeping you busy?”
“It’s the peak season for orders lately. I’m indeed busy; many clients need quotations. When I came back, Sherry said she had just finished feeding you the medicine. Then I went to the study room and worked until late, so I slept there.” He answered, yawning unintentionally.
Watching his tired appearance, I suddenly felt guilty. He wasn’t lying to me; he was telling the truth. Every year during the order season, it was like this, with piles of quotation requests. He was still striving for the sake of our family. How could I doubt my husband?
Then it must be Sherry..
He picked up the medicine bowl, tasted it, and said, “It’s not too hot; the temperature is just right. Come on, take the medicine first, and then we’ll have breakfast later.”
I feigned impatience, pouting and coquettishly saying as usual,”I don’t want… It’s useless to drink so much. It even makes me nauseous. Can’t I skip it?”
“Sweetie, taking medicine on time is crucial. Look, you’re visibly improving today. When was the last time you said you were hungry? Dr. Grimm adjusted the formula the day before yesterday, and it seems to be effective. Don’t lose heart!” He spoke calmly, without revealing any flaws, still the devoted husband centered around me.
Watching him unaware, I found myself in a dilemma. If I drink it, I will fall into a deep sleep, making it impossible to find evidence or expose the hidden hand behind all this.
“I don’t want to drink it!” I said, leaning into his embrace. My mind was spinning quickly, thinking about how to distract him.
He patted my back reassuringly with one hand while offering the medicine to my lips with the other. “Be good, listen to me, quickly drink the medicine! We need to continue working hard!”
Feeling anxious, it seemed I couldn’t escape this situation.
“I’ll do it myself!” I said, reluctantly taking the bowl. I was sure that if I drank this medicine now, I would fall asleep in half an hour.
But Robert looked at me with concern, his eyes full of indulgence. In the past, I would have been easily deceived by his tender gaze, but now, I began to wonder why he insisted on me drinking it. His smile was no longer warm, as if there was a sharp dagger behind that smile closing in on me slowly, forcing me to give in.