Chapter 5 The Night of Alcohol and Secrets
The night sky slowly descended again, darkening over the house that no longer felt like home. The wall clock ticked softly. One by one, the outside noises vanished, replaced by a silence that pressed against her chest. Aveline sat alone in the living room, staring at the front door which hadn't opened since she came home from teaching this afternoon.
A cup of tea in front of her was already cold. Its steam had disappeared, like the warmth that once filled this house. She stared at it without really seeing, letting her mind wander towards a direction she didn't want to touch.
Adrian hadn't come home last night. And this morning, she had tried to ask again via text message. Still, there was no reply at all.
And now, when the clock hand was almost touching midnight, the sound finally came. Aveline tensed when she heard the sound of a car engine stopping in front of the house.
Her heart beat slowly but steadily. She stood up, took a deep breath, trying to reassure herself to stay calm. At least he came home. That was enough. That was how she calmed her trembling heart.
The door opened with a small creak. Adrian stood in the doorway, his suit rumpled and his bloodshot eyes unable to hide his drunken state. The pungent smell of alcohol immediately filled the room.
Aveline froze. Adrian glanced at her, then roughly pulled off his tie, took off his jacket and threw it carelessly onto the sofa, before walking past her without a word.
"Adrian?" she called softly.
There was no answer. Only heavy footsteps heading towards the study across the room.
"Adrian, wait." Aveline followed him, holding the man's arm before he could close the door. "Where have you been all night? I was worried."
Adrian stopped. He looked at her for the first time that night. But the gaze was empty, cold, even reflecting a hint of anger.
"I'm an adult, Aveline. You don't need to interrogate me like a child."
"I didn't mean to. I just... wanted to know."
"Just stop it." His tone was heavy, tired, but also sharp. "I need peace, not these nagging questions."
Aveline took a step back, her voice caught in her throat. Adrian walked past her and slammed the study door shut.
She stood there for a few seconds, staring at the door that had just swallowed him whole.
Her breath was shaky. Something felt broken inside her, but she was too exhausted to cry now.
She decided to tidy up the living room, just to give herself a reason not to think. As she picked up Adrian's jacket lying on the sofa, that sharp scent wafted again. This time it wasn't just alcohol, but something else. A sweet, piercing, and unfamiliar fragrance.
She paused. Staring at the jacket longer.
Woman's perfume. She was sure this wasn't the scent of hotel soap, nor the office aroma. But expensive perfume with floral and vanilla notes that was too feminine for anyone but a woman.
Her heart began to feel heavy.
With trembling hands, she opened the collar of the jacket, and her chest felt squeezed when she saw it. A faint smear of pink on the collar. Lipstick. It was clearly visible, real, and undeniable.
For a moment, the world stopped turning. The lamp light felt too bright and the air in the room seemed to lose oxygen. Aveline held the collar tightly with her shaking fingers.
No. It couldn't be. Adrian wasn't that type of man.
He was too rational, too serious, and too reserved to fool around with other women. But the evidence before her eyes couldn't be denied.
Suddenly all the memories came rushing in. The way he stared coldly since the accident, his reluctance to touch her again, the way he always came home late, and the unfamiliar perfume scent she had just discovered.
She closed her eyes, holding back the sobs that were starting to break in her throat.
If only Liam were still alive... maybe none of this would be happening.
Maybe this house would still be filled with laughter, not coldness and suspicion.
Maybe Adrian would still come home early, bringing her a small flower like he used to, and hug her from behind while whispering, "How was your day, Ave?"
But now, even his voice felt like a distant echo in her head.
Several minutes passed before she finally placed the clothing in the laundry basket.
Her hands were still trembling as she tidied the remaining clothes lying around. Every piece of fabric she touched felt like evidence of a lie. A lie that was slowly destroying the remnants of her strength.
She walked to the bedroom. The bed was just as cold. The place where Liam used to jump and laugh was now only filled with unbearable silence.
Aveline sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the small photo on the nightstand. A photo of the three of them at the beach, before everything ended. Liam with his wide smile, sand clinging to his cheeks, and Adrian with a faint smile while hugging both of them.
Aveline's tears fell onto the photo frame. She didn't know if she was crying for her son, her husband, or herself.
The night deepened. Aveline pulled up her knees, hugging herself.
She knew she should ask him everything. Confront Adrian, force an explanation out of him, demand the truth. But her body was too weak to fight tonight.
Because a part of her already knew. Whatever the answer, it would be more painful than her worst suspicion.
"Why, Adrian..." she whispered amidst the tears that finally broke free.
She buried her face in the pillow, hoping her sobs wouldn't be heard outside the room.
But no one cared anymore. The study outside remained silent. And the man she once trusted completely was now like a stranger living in the same house, yet no longer knowing her.
A few hours later, before dawn, Aveline finally fell asleep on the cold side of the bed. A dream came like a shadow. Faint, dark, but feeling very real.
She stood on the side of the road, a silver car speeding past her. Liam's laughter echoed from the back seat. Then, a blinding white light appeared. A loud crash. And after that... silence. Adrian's voice, seemingly shouting her name, faded away faintly.
Aveline woke up with a stifled scream, her body drenched in sweat. The clock showed five in the morning.
She stared at the window, then took a long breath. A new day had begun, but it felt like nothing had changed. The pain was still there. And the night had left traces that were hard to erase. The lingering scent of unfamiliar perfume in the air, and the pink stain on the shirt collar that would forever be stored in her memory.