Chapter 63
PRESENT TIME
As Noemi walked out of her own home, the door slowly closed behind her, and did not look back.
She had just heard what she should not have. Her best friend, Lisa, got pregnant by her husband while she was away.
Noemi's heart was heavy with betrayal, her eyes clouded with tears, and the weight of what had just happened hung heavily on her shoulders.
She was not sure where she was going, but she needed to get away from the pain that now filled the walls of her home.
Jacob and Lisa stood there in silence, both of them knowing that the deed had already been done, and there was no going back.
The truth is no longer a secret, and it has ripped Noemi's world apart.
"This is all your fault, Lisa. You couldn't keep your filthy mouth shut." Jacob turned to Lisa, his voice filled with anger and regret.
Lisa, for the first time, looked a bit shaken. "I did not expect her to find out like this," she muttered, knowing the gravity of what she had done.
"What did you expect, Lisa?" Jacob snapped. "You were careless, I urge you to keep your voice low but you wouldn't listen and now my marriage is falling apart."
"I did not think it would matter to you," Lisa said defensively.
"Of course, it matters to me! Noemi is my wife. I never meant for this to happen." Jacob clenched his fists, in high frustration.
"Then why did you allow it to happen, Jacob? Why did you betray her with me?" Lisa's voice wavered, and her guilt surfaced.
Instantly, Jacob's anger grew the more, "How could you pose such at me? Were you not the one that threw yourself at me." his fits were still clenched.
"Oh spare me the innocence, I threw myself at you as a woman and as an honest man that you are, what did you do, hun?" Lisa replied angrily.
"Will you just shut the hell up?" Jacob yelled, his clenched fist hitting the wall hard.
Lisa went to have her sit, "Now I should shut up my mouth because your third leg couldn't resist a little temptation. Probably you should go after her." she chuckled.
"Tell you what, I will not stand here shouting with you and do nothing, I am going after the woman I love." Jacob
From where she was seated, Lisa laughed, "Hun! What did you say? Can you repeat that?"
"Yes, I love my wife. I cherish Noemi." Jacob responded, his gaze locked on her.
"Love my foot. She can go to hell for all I care." Lisa said with annoyance.
Considering Lisa's recent behaviours, Jacob couldn't help but ask this question.
"Please make something clear to me, is Noemi really your friend? He asked calmly.
"Am I? Does that matter now? This is no time for questioning and answering." Jacob said.
Jacob's expression shifted from anger to sadness.
"I do not know, Lisa. I made a terrible mistake, and I will have to live with the consequences."
With this knowledge, Jacob rushed out of the house improperly dressed.
He took his phone and tried to call Noemi. He placed the phone on his ear. Her first line wasn't reachable and for her second line, it was switched off.
Noemi had left them with a shattered marriage, broken trust, and a sea of questions that might never be answered.
As she walked down the street, she had no destination in mind, but she knew she needed time to heal and find a way to move forward.
Meanwhile, Jacob's footsteps echoed through the empty hallway as he hurriedly descended the stairs of the apartment building.
He clutched the car keys in his hand, and his mind raced with the urgency to find Noemi and somehow make things right with her before it was too late.
The city streets of Seattle were alive with the hustle and bustle of evening activities. Jacob spotted Noemi walking briskly ahead, her shape was framed by the city lights.
He hastened his pace, calling out her name, "Babe, please wait!"
Noemi halted but continued walking, her heart felt a tumult of contradicting emotions. Afterwards, Jacob finally caught up with her, out of breath, and desperate to bridge the growing abyss between them.
"Noemi, I know I messed up. And I can not even begin to explain how sorry I am," Jacob pleaded, his eyes searching hers for any sign of forgiveness.
Noemi stopped again, and she faced him with tear-streaked cheeks. "Jacob, there is nothing left to say. You already chose her over us."
"No, Noemi, I did not choose her. I made a terrible mistake, and I can't live with myself knowing that I have hurt you this way," Jacob confessed, his voice choking with regret.
"You should have thought about that before betraying me," Noemi retorted, the pain in her eyes cutting through Jacob's heart.
"Please baby, let me make it right. Let me fix this," Jacob pleaded, reaching out to hold her hands. Noemi withdrew them, shaking her head.
"It is too late for that, Jacob. You need to face the consequences of your choices," she said firmly and turned away.
Jacob watched her silhouette disappear into the city crowd, his heart sinking with the realization that he might have lost her forever.
He stood there, alone on the bustling street, grappling with the consequences of his actions.
A loud noise from the car horns brought him back from his thoughts. He was displaying all that in his head as if it were happening.
He had caused terrible traffic on the street, he looked back and was sorry for what had happened.
There was a man with a harsh face coming towards him when he quickly remembered he was on a quest to find Noemi and bring her back home, he accelerated and sped off.
Meanwhile, back at Jacob and Noemi's matrimonial home, Lisa made merry in the aftermath of the chaos she had instilled.
Stillness enveloped Jacob's living room, and Lisa sat on the plush sofa, a self-satisfied smirk playing on her lips.
With Noemi gone, she felt a sense of victory and reveled in the comfort of the deserted apartment.
However, she grabbed the remote control, her fingers danced along the remote control. A device that wielded the power to illuminate the large flat-screen TV that dominated the room.
With a theatrical flourish, she pressed the power button, and the room was instantly bathed in the artificial glow of the television.
Lisa flipped through the channels until she found a captivating reality show.
The screen flickered to life, revealing a kaleidoscope of colours and a booming theme song that foreshadowed the beginning of a reality show known for its melodramatic twists and turns.
The characters, carefully curated for maximum entertainment value, engaged in verbal altercations and strategic alliances against the backdrop of a tropical paradise.
As Lisa settled into the cushions, she debauched in the chaotic spectacle unfolding on the screen.
The show's host, a charismatic figure with a penchant for dramatic pauses, introduced the competitors, each vying for the coveted title of reality royalty.
The living room, once a sanctuary for shared laughter and intimate conversations, now bore witness to the discordant symphony of Lisa's delight in the misfortunes of others.
The TV screen reflected the artificial drama that echoed her own tumultuous reality.
However, the room had not always been a theatre for Lisa's solitary amusement. In the days before betrayal threaded its tendrils through the fabric of Jacob and Noemi's life, this living room had been a haven of shared joy.
Movie nights, animated conversations, and stolen glances had once defined its atmosphere.
The reality show on the screen served as a sharp contrast to the memories etched in the room's history.
The contestants on the TV engaged in contrived conflicts, their actions were scripted for utmost entertainment. The parallel between the staged drama on the screen and the genuine pain now etched on Noemi's face did not escape Lisa.
As Lisa immersed herself in the fabricated drama of the reality show, a sinister pleasure danced in her eyes.
The characters' alliances and betrayals mirrored the intricacies of her own tangled web. She reveled in the irony of finding solace in the melodramatic lives of others while chaos reigned supreme in her wake.
The TV screen flickered, casting shadows that mirrored Lisa's distorted sense of satisfaction.
The laughter from the TV show filled the big space, creating a stark contrast to the turmoil outside.