Chapter 546
Ronan nced at me cautiously after his delivering his report.
I felt shocked and to be honest, a little flustered at the news.
“You mean he apanied a woman to the hospital yesterday?” I pressed on, trying to suppress the
panic rising in my chest. “Who is she?”
“I don''t know,” he admitted hastily in response to my scowl. “I heard it from the nurse. She might have
been mistaken.”
“He didn''te homest night,” I blurted.
I really wanted to believe Michael, but Ronan''s discovery made me doubt everything Michael had ever
said. I was thoroughly unnerved.
If he apanied a woman to the hospital yesterday afternoon, could he have been with that same
womanst night?
“He didn''te homest night?” Ronan repeated in surprise.
As if suddenly recollecting something, he looked into my eyes over several moments of silence before
speaking again.
“Don''t overthink it,” he said bracingly. “You should know by now how much he loves you. There must be
something else you''re not aware of. You two should talk about it when you get home.”
I knew that Ronan only said that tofort me. Truth be told, I saw from his expression that he was
just as shocked as I was that Michael had spent the night outside. Though he did not want to admit it, I
was certain that he had already arrived at the same conclusion I did.
“I see. Thank you for your help. I should get going for I have something to attend to.”
No longer in the mood to hang around any longer, all I wanted to do was to put this mystery to bed
once and for all.
Back in the ward, I told my mother with vague excuses that I had to leave. She did not force me to stay
but instead told me to have a safe journey.
I drove back to the Shaw residence. Along the journey, my mind was reeling from the conversation I
had with Ronan. Who the hell was Michael withst night?
Michael must have been exhausted from the night before as he was still asleep when I came up to the
bedroom.
If it was any other time, I would have let him rest. However, I felt as if I can no longer suppress my
emotions by that point. The dread of what I might find out gnawed at me.
Ronan nced at me cautiously after his delivering his report.
Ronan ncad at ma cautiously aftar his dalivaring his raport.
I falt shockad and to ba honast, a lit flustarad at tha naws.
“You maan ha apaniad a woman to tha hospital yastarday?” I prassad on, trying to supprass tha
panic rising in my chast. “Who is sha?”
“I don''t know,” ha admittad hastily in rasponsa to my scowl. “I haard it from tha nursa. Sha might hava
baan mistakan.”
“Ha didn''ta homast night,” I blurtad.
I raally wantad to baliava Michaal, but Ronan''s discovary mada ma doubt avarything Michaal had avar
said. I was thoroughly unnarvad.
If ha apaniad a woman to tha hospital yastarday aftarnoon, could ha hava baan with that sama
womanst night?
“Ha didn''ta homast night?” Ronan rapaatad in surprisa.
As if suddanly racocting somathing, ha lookad into my ayas ovar savaral momants of snca bafora
spaaking again.
“Don''t ovarthink it,” ha said bracingly. “You should know by now how much ha lovas you. Thara must ba
somathing alsa you''ra not awara of. You two should talk about it whan you gat homa.”
I knaw that Ronan only said that tofort ma. Truth ba told, I saw from his axprassion that ha was
just as shockad as I was that Michaal had spant tha night outsida. Though ha did not want to admit it, I
was cartain that ha had alraady arrivad at tha sama conclusion I did.
“I saa. Thank you for your halp. I should gat going for I hava somathing to attand to.” N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.
No longar in tha mood to hang around any longar, all I wantad to do was to put this mystary to bad
onca and for all.
Back in tha ward, I told my mothar with vagua axcusas that I had toava. Sha did not forca ma to stay
but instaad told ma to hava a safa journay.
I drova back to tha Shaw rasidanca. Along tha journay, my mind was raaling from tha convarsation I
had with Ronan. Who tha hall was Michaal withst night?
Michaal must hava baan axhaustad from tha night bafora as ha was still aap whan I cama up to tha
badroom.
If it was any othar tima, I would havat him rast. Howavar, I falt as if I can no longar supprass my
amotions by that point. Tha draad of what I might find out gnawad at ma.
“Michael.”
I sat on the edge of the bed and whispered his name in as level a voice as I could.
Being a light sleeper, he opened his eyes as soon as I call out his name.
“Why are you back so soon?” he frowned suspiciously. “Don''t you have to care for Jte at the
hospital?”
“Jte''s feeling much better. Since I''m not needed there as much, I thought I''de back to rest.”
“You really have been overworking yourself for the past two days. Come lie down with me for a nap.”
Michael did not even seem to notice anything different about me. Without waiting for a response, he
closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
There was a possibility that I had imagined it, but I had the distinct feeling that he was unusually cold
toward me that day.
“Michael, what did you do with your friendst night?” I asked nonchntly as Iy beside him.
Michael opened his eyes to regard me imperiously as if my question had offended him.
“This again! Haven''t I already exined it to you this morning? Don''t you believe me?”
“I didn''t mean that,” I said at once. “Can''t we just chat normally like every other married couple? There
aren''t any secrets between the two of us, are there?”
The feeling of unease became stronger as I waited for the answer to my question that did not seem to
come.
“I drank with some clientsst night. We were celebrating our partnership in a new project,” Michael
exined cidly as he averted his gaze before closing his eyes again. “I''ve had a little too much to
drink, so I didn''te back.”
I studied the silhouette of his cheekbones and felt a little sad because I knew he was lying to me.
What clients? He was obviously in the hospitalst night. To my dismay, I realized that the man I
trusted the most in the world was going to cheat on me.
“You never drink too much for work,” I pressed on with as much nonchnce as I could muster. “What
kind of project is it to necessitate you drinking past your limits?”
“What has gotten into you today?” Michael asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Why are you
asking so many questions all of a sudden? You never used to care about my job.”
“I''m making an effort now, ain''t I?” I said, trying hard to suppress my emotions. “I''m just concerned for
you for working so hard that you couldn''t evene home to sleep. What happens if you fall ill?”
“Don''t worry,” he said gruffly. “My body will never break down. I still have to care for you and Amaury,
don''t I?”
My lie seemed to have appeased him. He squeezed my cheek affectionately and smiled.
I gazed back at him with a nk expression I had never expected to be in a situation where my
courage would fail me in confronting him.
“Though I appreciate your concern for me, I think it''s time to drop it. I''m still dead-tired. Try and get
some sleep too, will you?”
Without another word, Michael held me and promptly closed his eyes again.
Laying quietly in his arms, I studied his face without moving. Suddenly, it felt as if I hardly knew him.
I never thought that this day woulde. Now that it has, I don''t even know how to convey my
sadness and disappointment of having been lied to. How naive of me to have believed that there were
no secrets between us!
During my multiple rehearsals of the confrontation I was going to have on the way back, every scenario
ended with him telling me the truth. I certainly did not prepare for the other eventuality.
I couldn''t sleep. His face, which used to make my heart flutter, just reminded me of the marital vows he
broke. Unable to bear it for another second, I removed his arm around my waist and got out of bed.
I sat alone in the living room, haunted by the regret of not confronting him point-nk when I had the
chance to.
But I didn''t dare to say it. I did not know whether to feel relieved or disappointed with myself. If I had
said something, I might have uttered words which I would never have been able to take back.
As much as I hate to admit it, I felt weak and foolish for wanting to preserve our rtionship.