CHAPTER 3
Nova's POV
I dig my hands into the soft material of the white couch, nearly ripping them apart with my long nails. The erratic thumping of my heart fills my ears as I try to steady my breathing. I close my eyes, hoping to fall into a deep sleep and never wake up when Cassie's resounding voice fills the room.
"Nova. What is going on?" She asks, the dip of the couch alerting me of her sitting down.
I blow hot streams of air, my nose flaring at the movement. This is getting out of hand and if I don't do something, I may end up going crazy.
Why was he doing this?
What happened to him?
"Nova, can you tell me what's happening? What happened to Tristan? I mean, it's not like one can change overnight or are you hiding something from me?" She questions, curiosity dripping from her words.
"No. I'm not hiding anything." Which is the truth. I could never hide anything from her anyways.
"Right but I still don't believe Tristan would cheat on you. He is such a gentleman."
"Well he did, and you confirmed it today." Annoyance is obvious in my voice.
"Do you think he might-"
"He isn't. He admitted to it twice. I saw him, the lipstick stains on his shirt and today? You saw it too. He went to our favourite spot with the same woman. What more do I need?" My voice cracks towards the end, pain clutching at my sanity.
"Hey. I'm so sorry" Cassie says, wrapping her arms around me and slowly pushing my head to her bosom.
She holds me tight, letting me sob into her chest as Every resolve I have left in me breaks, my heart pulsating with rapid breaths as I cry.
I lift my head after some minutes of silence, wiping my face with a paper towel as Cassie watches me.
"I think I know what you should do." She breaks the silence.
"It's no use, Cassie. He already made up his mind." I say in defeat.
"Well, you can still change his mind. Besides, you haven't even signed the papers. I'm pretty sure he is playing some sort of pranks here."
" No Cassie, this is too much of a prank for Tristan to play. Do you know how much he despises cheating? I just can't believe it." I counter, waving my hands in disbelief.
She strolls to the bar station and picks up a drink, gesturing a cup towards me. I nod in approval.
"I know but still, you can't just give up. He cheated on you and now he's asking for a divorce? It doesn't add up, Nova. Think about it." She hands me a glass of red wine and sits opposite me.
I lean back into the couch and take a sip as she continues.
"He has never spoken to another woman the way he does with you, neither have you seen him being romantically involved with another woman and yet, out of the blues, he's been unabashedly unfaithful."
I glance at her with thoughts whirling through my mind at the truthfulness of her words. She is right, Tristan has never been romantically involved with another woman since we met.
"But I saw him. Right in front of me." I say.
She gulps down the remaining content of her glass and circles her hand on the rim.
"I know. Still, one moment of infidelity doesn't warrant a divorce, does it? What if he may have been cheating on you but you just didn't know about it?" She questions, curiosity dancing in her eyes as she stares at me for an answer.
My lips are set in a firm line as I shake my head sideways. Tristan has never cheated on me until last night, I am sure of it.
"You wouldn't know." She counters.
"I trust him." I say, certain that I no longer do.
She scoffs in annoyance as she strolls back to the bar counter to grab another bottle of wine. "And what did he do with it?"
I grind my teeth together at her words, dropping my glass with a loud bang.
"Nova, I know you love Tristan alot but you never should have trusted him. Men love to hurt the vulnerable women that love them at any chance they get."
A migraine begins to form as she continues.
"You know how many women want him and yet, you believed he was loyal to you? Pfft. You're so gullible, dear. He's rich, handsome and a ladies man. You should have known better than to trust a man of his caliber."
Her words stab my heart in realisation. Tristan is truly a ladies man, he has everything to lure a woman to his bed. A charm that I had fallen for. How stupid of me to have thought he was going to be loyal?
"Did you ever go through his phone?" She asks with a curious glance.
"No. Why?"
She raises a brow. "Why not? How would you know if he's being loyal?" Her voice is now a little above normal.
"Because I trusted him. He was as open as a book and I didn't see the need to doubt him, not even once." I retort, wishing I could go back in time.
"Listen Cassie, I still love him. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding and he may not have even cheated. Can you help me talk to him? He wouldn't listen to me." I plead with no shame.
She looks at me in disbelief.
"Really, Nova? You want to keep begging a man that cheated on you and asked for a divorce? He humiliated you for heaven's sake!" She screams at the top of her voice.
"I know Cass, but for some reason, I still can't believe he's in his right mind. Tristan would never hurt me and you know it too. Maybe he's trying to punish me for something I did."
My best friend gives me a bewildered look, one that screams utter shock.
"Are you crazy? I can't believe you right now. What could you have done that would warrant such heart wrenching punishment? Tell me."
I didn't have an answer to that. Even when I'd kissed another man before in anger, Tristan always loved and cherished me.
"Please. I promise I'll leave him alone if this doesn't work out." I beg.
"Gosh, this is crazy!" She exclaims, sitting down and folding her hands over her chest.
I exhale, glancing at the clock and counting the minutes until he gets home.
Few minutes later, I hear the roar of his engine and I shoot up, wiping my sweaty palms on my skirt as I await his arrival.
His angelic face comes into view and I pause, taking in his angular jawline and handsome features. It feels like I'm seeing him for the first time since we got married.
I clear my throat.
"Tristan." I call out as he makes for the stairs.
"Yes?"
"If you don't mind, can we sit and talk?" I ask coyly, inwardly hoping that he gives me a chance.
He opens his mouth to say something but Cassie's voice interrupts him as she greets in a high pitched voice.
"Hello there, Tristan! Been a while."
An emotion I can't decipher flashes across his eyes, gone as soon as it had come.
"Cass. Sure has been. I didn't know you were coming in today." He responds in a very weird tone, a tone he's never used with Cassie.
If I hadn't lived with him for years, I would have argued if he was my husband or someone else.
"Surprise visit. Actually, I came in to see you." Cassie states, her gaze unwavering.
Tristan cocks his head to the side and nods, sitting on the sofa opposite Cassie, gesturing for her to begin.
"I think we should talk over wine. Care to pour us a glass?" Cassie asks.
"Very well." he says as he stands up to go grab a drink.
Cassie winks at me, gesturing for me to sit before he heads back.
I take a seat beside Cassie as Tristan returns back with a bottle of red wine and three wine glasses.
Fixating on him, I scrutinize his features as he pours us the drink. His honey blonde hair that's the softest I've touched, his blue eyes that captivated me the first day I saw him, his rippling muscles that have pinned me down to the bed countless times.
Flashbacks of him thrusting into her flashes across my mind, breaking me out of my thoughts as pain courses through my veins.
He hands me a glass and I take it, my finger lingering on his before he withdraws his.
"Go ahead Cass." He clink his glass to Cassie's, my gaze quickly moving to his Adam apple as he chugs down a large amount of the drink.
"Actually, it's me who wants to talk." I begin, searching his eyes.
His shoulders tense, annoyance creeping up his face.
" I don't want a divorce, Tristan. What have I done to deserve that?" I ask, seeking a clear answer.
He opens his mouth to speak but a buzz sound on his phone catches his attention. He excuses himself to take a look.
Still staring at the screen of his mobile, he clenches his jaw as he curls the phone tightly in his hands, breaking the device into pieces.
Fear grips me as I and Cassie stare at him in shock. His eyes are bloodshot red with a vein popping out his temple.
He pushes the papers to me with a pen, his eyes never leaving me.
" Sign them." His tone is commanding.
"Tristan, n-" I'm cut short by a searing pain that attacks my abdomen, causing me to double over.
"Sign it." He repeats, this time standing up.
Cassie rushes to my side, hoisting me up with concern written all over her face.
"Nova. Are you alright?"
"Nngh. T-ristan. P-lease." My voice cracks as the pain intensifies, shooting through my entire body.
He crosses the room, lifting up my hand and placing the pen inside.
I struggle with little strength as he signs the paper with my signature.
"N-. No!" I cry out, barely able to keep my eyes open.
Strength dissipates from my body as the pain intensifies by folds.
Cassie picks up the car keys, circling my arm around her shoulder to support me as she walks us to the car.
The thing I see as I lose my consciousness is Tristan's satisfied grin from across the window.