The next few days felt like a suffocating cycle of pain and humiliation for Kezia. Each morning, she arrived at the office with her heart heavy, bracing herself for the inevitable glares and whispers that followed her every move. Ethan, oblivious to her turmoil, continued his flirtations, seemingly thriving on the attention of his colleagues and the new interns.
The office had become a stage for Ethan's games, and Kezia was the unwilling audience, forced to watch as he toyed with the emotions of women who flocked to him like moths to a flame. It was as if he relished in her suffering, each compliment to another woman a dagger aimed directly at her heart.
"Look at Kezia," a voice said one morning as Kezia walked past the break room. "Still pretending everything's fine while her husband parades around with other women."
"Honestly, she deserves it. Who wouldn't cheat on someone so plain?" another voice chimed in, laughter punctuating the air.
Kezia's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she hurried past, her hands trembling as she fought back tears. Their words echoed in her mind, fueling her insecurities. She had always been the one to prioritize Ethan's needs above her own, but the more she sacrificed, the more he seemed to take her for granted.
That afternoon, she found herself in a meeting with Ethan and the rest of the management team. They were discussing an upcoming project, and Kezia had worked tirelessly on the presentation, wanting to impress Ethan. But as he presented her work to the team, she could see the bored expressions on their faces.
"Isn't this just what Kezia always does?" he said, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Making everything pretty without any substance."
The room erupted in laughter, and Kezia's heart sank. It was as if he had stripped away all her hard work and reduced her to nothing more than a pretty face. She forced herself to laugh along with them, but the sound felt hollow in her ears.
After the meeting, Kezia retreated to her desk, her hands shaking as she tried to regain her composure. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt truly valued. The whispers of her colleagues, the way Ethan paraded other women in front of her, it all felt like a never-ending nightmare.
"Hey, Kezia! Great job in the meeting today!" one of her colleagues, Maria, said with a smile. "You always make the presentations look so good."
"Thanks," Kezia replied, her voice barely above a whisper. The compliment felt meaningless in the wake of Ethan's mockery.
As the week wore on, the loneliness began to eat at her. Each time she returned home, the silence wrapped around her like a shroud. Ethan would arrive late, often reeking of perfume that wasn't hers, a cruel reminder of the life she wished she could escape.
On Thursday, after yet another long day, Kezia prepared a simple dinner. As she set the table, she tried to push away the thoughts that plagued her. Tonight would be different, she told herself. Tonight, Ethan would come home early and maybe even offer her a genuine compliment. She clung to the hope like a lifeline.
But when the clock struck seven, he still hadn't returned. By eight, the food was cold and her heart was heavy with disappointment. It wasn't until nearly nine that the door finally creaked open, and Ethan strolled in, a woman laughing behind him. Her voice was high and musical, and it cut through Kezia like a knife.
"Babe, you should've seen the way Claire handled that client," he said, his face lit up with excitement. "I swear, I'm so glad I invited her to come with us!"
Kezia's stomach twisted at the sight of the woman who had stolen Ethan's attention. She stood there, radiant and carefree, her hair cascading in perfect waves down her back. Kezia felt like a ghost in her own home, invisible and unwanted.
"Dinner's ready," Kezia managed to say, forcing the words out as her throat constricted.
"Oh, don't worry about it! We ate out. Isn't that right, Claire?" Ethan said, turning his charming smile towards the woman.
Kezia felt her heart plummet as the woman nodded enthusiastically. "You're so lucky, Kezia! Ethan is such a great guy. He really knows how to have fun," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness.
"Thanks," Kezia muttered, her voice barely rising above a whisper. The weight of their laughter settled over her like a heavy fog, suffocating and oppressive. She turned away, her fingers gripping the edge of the table as she fought to keep her composure.
As they chatted animatedly, Kezia slipped into the background, retreating to the kitchen. The sound of their laughter felt like a hammer striking her heart. She poured herself a glass of wine, desperate for a moment of escape, the sharpness of the alcohol dulling the pain just a little.
But as she stood there, pouring out her frustration in the form of another drink, a familiar voice cut through the haze. "Kezia, come join us! You can't hide away in here!" Ethan's voice called out.
She felt a knot form in her stomach. He had always used that tone, as if her presence was an obligation rather than a desire. "I'm fine, Ethan. Just needed a moment," she replied, the bitterness seeping into her words.
But he brushed it off, his attention already shifting back to Claire, who was leaning closer to him, her hand resting casually on his arm. Kezia's heart ached as she watched them, the ease of their camaraderie a stark reminder of everything she was not. She felt a sense of urgency swell within her, a growing need to reclaim the parts of herself that she had lost in the shadow of Ethan's manipulation.
The following day, Kezia resolved to confront Ethan about his behavior. She spent the morning rehearsing what she would say, the words swirling around in her mind as she tried to steel herself for the inevitable argument. She needed him to understand that his actions hurt her, that they could not continue down this path.
That evening, when Ethan returned home, she found him lounging on the couch, his feet propped up casually on the coffee table. "Hey, babe. You'll never guess what happened today!" he began, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Kezia took a deep breath, her heart pounding. "Ethan, we need to talk," she said, her voice steady despite the nerves churning in her stomach.
He glanced up, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "Can't it wait? I just got home," he replied, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.
"No, it can't," she insisted, her voice rising. "You can't keep treating me like this! I can't be your doormat while you flirt with every woman in the office."
Ethan's expression hardened, the playful light in his eyes extinguished. "You're overreacting, Kezia. It's just harmless fun," he said, his tone dismissive.
"Harmless?" she echoed, incredulity flooding her voice. "It's not harmless when you bring them into our home! You're making a joke out of our marriage."
He stood up, his frustration palpable. "You need to lighten up. It's not like I'm doing anything serious. You're being jealous for no reason."
The argument escalated, each word exchanged feeling like a fresh wound. Kezia could feel the walls closing in on her as Ethan's dismissal crushed her spirit further. "I just want to feel respected," she said, her voice shaking.
"Respect is earned, Kezia. Maybe if you weren't so boring, I wouldn't need to seek excitement elsewhere," he retorted, the words lashing out like a whip.
She staggered back, the pain of his words hitting her squarely in the chest. "So this is what it's come to?" she asked, tears brimming in her eyes. "You'd rather cheat than talk to me?"
Ethan shrugged, a cruel smile forming on his lips. "I'm just being honest."
The weight of his words hung in the air, suffocating and bitter. Kezia felt the world tilting beneath her as she fought to stay upright, her heart shattering in the wake of his cruelty. "Maybe I should just leave, then," she whispered, the thought escaping her lips before she could stop it.
"Maybe you should," he replied, his tone cold and indifferent.
In that moment, Kezia knew that the love she had fought for was a ghost of what it once was. She stood there, staring at the man who had once made her feel cherished, but now reduced her to a mere shadow of herself.
As she turned away, the tears fell freely, and she felt the weight of despair pressing down on her. The laughter and flirtation that had once defined their lives together now seemed like distant memories, overshadowed by the realization that her marriage was not what she had hoped it would be.
In that silence, she vowed to reclaim her worth. She wouldn't continue to live in the shadows of his betrayal. Kezia was done being a people-pleaser; it was time for her to find herself again.