There was a dangerous silence until they got home. Valeria had already explained to James that the kids were over with Mylene, her sister.
James heaved in a deep sigh, ready to break the silence. "My love,"
Valeria didn't hear him well. "Your love? James, what did I ever do wrong?" Hot tears was already streaming down her eyes now. "Why are you cheating on me! And lying!"
"Please, let me explain. And don't say you want a divorce again."
"Why wouldn't I? Huh! After everything that you've done to me?"
"Please let me explain. Break down your questions and I'll explain everything to you."
"You mean you'll lie to me? Like you've always been doing?"
James walked closer to Valeria but she moved further back. "Don't come closer. Start talking!"
This was his moment. He had to settle their differences right now, and the kids not being at home was a big opportunity for him.
"Let me explain myself. Firstly," he began. "They called late, about the award. I honestly didn't know the party would hold anyway! And you know because of the law, I couldn't invite you--"
Valeria knew he was lying! He invited his sister and mother, and who knows if he used to do so every other year!. And when she showed up as his wife, there didn't seem to be any problem at all. Which means James had been lying to her from the very beginning by saying that they weren't allowed to bring their family along.
"And then, I knew that once I got to work, I would call you and share the news that the company had changed their mind about the award! I swear that I was going to call you!"
"Who the fuck is Andrea! "Valeria spatted her rage freely. "Are you cheating on me, James?"
He might have thought about the rest of the issues, but he certainly didn't know how to address this one. But he had to try his best.
"Andrea is a colleague of mine." He said, showing feelings of remorse.
"Is that it? Does that give you the right to cheat on your family of four because Andrea is your colleague?!"
"Valeria, you need to calm down. You're raising your voice too much--"
"--answer me, James!" Yelled Valeria.
"Andrea and I, we were only friends at first. But--But,"
"But what, James?"
"This is hard for me to explain!" James cried out. "There was a time where we needed money for our baby boy's operation, and I didn't know who to run to. My sister, Desiree and mother claimed they had no money then. And you know you don't have any job that provides a source of income for us. I had no where to ask for help. Even the company didn't help me!"
Valeria was still flaring up, but she already knew where the story would end. "So Andrea lent you some money? Is that it? And you decided to start dating her? Why wouldn't you anyway. Since I'm now the useless stay at home wife." Valeria said bitterly.
"No, that's not what I meant! You need to go back and be my understanding wife right now, because what I'm about to explain for you is something so very delicate!" James warned.
As much as she didn't want to hear further, Valeria had to shut up and listen to what her husband had to say.
James's breath was a shaky one. "Andrea is a lady who is um, diagnosed with a mental disorder."
Valeria signaled for James to come sit beside her on the sofa, and he did, so they were now facing each other. "Mental disorder?"
James nodded. "I'm not going to lie, at first, I went to her because I needed her help financially. Then she made a suggestion that I pretended to be her boyfriend in front of her parents. And I did so, just once."
Immediately, Valeria remembered that image of James and Andrea dressed in fancy attire like they'd just gotten married. "I saw a picture of the two of you getting married!"
"You did?" Startled James asked. Then he cleared his throat. "I mean, of course. I'd actually forgotten about it all. It was all fake, Val! She wanted proof to send to her parents and that's what it was all about. I promise you."
"So after all that shenanigans, you still continued to pretend you were in love with her? Or it turned into an actual love."
"Actual love? Of course not. I just...I felt bad for her. She was not mentally fine, Val. She needed help and a friend during those moments, and I simply existed in her life to provide support for her. Even her mother pleaded with me not to let her go."
Valeria was trying so hard to sympathize with both her husband and Andrea but she just couldn't. "Okay. But you know you don't need to pretend anymore. You're a married man, so please, promise me that you'll end all of this! Huh? For our kids. For me."
James bowed his head in shame. "Yes, yes of course. I promise. I'm not in love with her, it's you I love! Believe me."
"It's not about believing your words. It's about believing your actions too."
James brought his hands to feel her cheeks. She did not pull away. "I love you from the bottom of my heart, Valeria. And that's why I'm going to do this." He said with a strong gaze, then rose up to pick his phone, and sat down back.
He dialed her number and then, showed it to Valeria before he began to type.
_dear Andrea, please don't message or call me ever again. I love my wife and I have already told you I was married. Please leave alone from now._
"Here, see." He showed it to her and waited for her to read. "I'm going to hit send and then delete her number." James announced.
Valeria could only watch him with a hint of doubt on her face. Then she hesitated. "Wait! You know, as much as this would have warmed my heart, I think you should break up with her at work. And in person, not through text."
"Oh Valeria, you're so nice!" James exclaimed. "I was afraid there for a moment. Her mental illness is so strong, she might actually commit suicide!"
Valeria rolled her eyes at James. "Really, James?"
"I'm telling you! She's really sick." James confirmed. "Anyway, I love you so much and I promise to do the right thing from now on!" He made an attempt to hug her, but Valeria stopped him.
"From now henceforth, no lying to me." She said, and James nodded so vigorously she feared his head would fall off. "You end things with this Andrea person, permanently."
"Yes yes, I promise!"
"Because if you don't," Valeria said with a heavy frown on her face. "I'm going to tell the kids that their father has found another woman, because he doesn't love me again. And you know what happens next! Divorce!"
"Please please, don't do that! It won't ever happen again! I promise!" James said, tears already filling his eyes. He then squeezed her into a tight hug.
Valeria fought back the tears that had already gathered in her eyes.
'That's right, Valeria.' She thought. 'I know you don't believe him. But let's give him one last chance.'
James pulled away, "oh, less I forget." He said, "please, don't ever meet with my boss again. Talk less of working with him! He's a good for nothing man who likes too many women--"
Valeria stopped him, "I believe that that is my headache to face."
James's eyes were wide open. "But I'm your husband, and I don't like it."
"That would be all for tonight. Go get changed for bed." She rose up and began to walk upstairs. "Oh, I will be in my room. Don't disturb." She announced. Meaning that they would be sleeping separately that night.
James said nothing. What could he say! He had not really seen that other side of his wife before and he clearly didn't know how to calm her down. So he just kept his mouth shut.
***
Of course Valeria knew that she would never have to see Jose again! She was a married woman, and Jose was going to be out of the picture. Especially if she was the one preaching to James to stop cheating. She couldn't bare to be dating Jose or even working for him.
Out of the blue, a thought formed in her mind. She didn't like it, but she did it anyway.
She picked up her phone and opened Instagram. Typing vigorously on her screen, she searched for the name: Andrea. Of course it was a helpless search. There were millions of Andrea in the world!
She didn't know what she was looking for, or why she was suddenly interested in the Andrea girl. But she was.
The universe had a way of doing it's things. From the list of 'people you may know', the name Andrea Santiago appeared.
Valeria's heart pounded as the name popped up on her screen. After several minutes of consideration, she finally clicked it. She had a few thousand followers, a number Valeria didn't even have a quarter of. Her first picture was that of a fancy beach party, and was that... James!?
The next picture was Andrea at the orphanage home donating food to kids, and James was beside her too!
More and more pictures and James was beside her.
Then the wedding picture... It was uploaded on her page too!
Her hands began to shake, and fear crept through her insides. Slowly, the fear turned into rage. Damn you, Andrea!
How it happened, she didn't know. Accidently but painfully, she hit the like button on their wedding picture!
"Fuck me, Valeria!" Valeria groaned, then quickly, like flash, she unliked the picture immediately. But the deed had already been done.
Apparently, Andrea must have been online at that moment because Valeria soon received a notification.
It was a message from Andrea. _Hello sis, let us meet. Tomorrow evening. Choose any location and I'll meet you there._
"What have you done, Valeria? What have you done!"