Edward was jerking off!
He ditched me to get off to a picture of Anne!
I couldn't tell if I was more embarrassed for myself or trying to save Edward's dignity, but something made me hide behind the door. Soon, I heard some pretty suggestive noises coming from the closet.
Standing there barefoot, a chill ran through me, freezing me in place like I was under some spell.
I heard Edward grab a few tissues, thinking he was done, but nope, he was gearing up for round two.
My heart shattered; this time, it really hurt. Every moan from Edward felt like a dagger to my chest.
I went back to my room and shut the door, trying to block out the world. The silence was deafening, with only my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision.
I sat on the edge of the bed, feeling utterly defeated, tears flowing freely, filled with disappointment and anger towards Edward. I replayed all of Edward's weird behaviors in my head. My heart felt like it was being sliced open, the pain washing over me like a wave. I wiped my tears away, determined not to just sit there. I needed to find proof of his betrayal.
Only then could I get more assets in the divorce! Honestly, it wasn't about the money, but I didn't want Anne to get a dime of it! I quickly washed my face and put on some makeup; I had to get to the hospital to see Anne before Edward did.
I walked into the hospital room, and there was Anne, glued to her phone, looking like she couldn't care less about the world. She seemed fine, but when she saw me, her expression changed.
"Diana, what are you doing here?"
Anne always called me by my name. I used to think it was a sign of our closeness, but now I see it's because she couldn't stand calling me "Mrs. Howard."
"Anne, are you feeling okay?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
Anne looked up, her face turning red, rubbing her face against my palm, then giving me a shy smile. "Edward is such a pain, I told him not to tell you, I didn't want you to worry." Her voice was soft, like a kitten's purr.
"Do you want something to eat?" I asked.
"I want an apple." Her eyes lit up like a kid's on Christmas morning. She kept acting cute, covering her heart with her hand and pouting at me.
"Alright, I'll peel one for you." I nodded, grabbed a fruit knife, and started peeling the apple, the blade making a crisp sound as it cut through the skin.
Before coming to the hospital, I was all set to find proof of Edward's cheating and didn't want to be nice to Anne. But hearing her talk to me like that, and thinking about our past, I couldn't help but soften up.
After all, I did care about Anne. We lived together for four years, and I treated her well; whatever I had, she had too. She could take anything she wanted from my room.
If Anne really did cheat, it would be like stabbing me in the back, right under my nose. "You're so good to me." Anne looked at me, smiling, her eyes sparkling.
"Of course, I'm your sister-in-law." I cut the apple into small pieces and handed them to her, "Here, try it."
Anne took a bite, her face lighting up with a satisfied smile. "So sweet! Only Diana can peel apples this good."
She ate the apple while showing me photos on her phone. "Look at these pictures I just took, aren't they pretty?" In the photos, Anne looked rosy and healthy under the beauty filter, more like someone pretending to be sick than an actual patient.
Anne kept swiping through her photos, showing me each one. "Edward is so bad," she said, pouting. "I sent him these, and all he said was 'pretty.'"
Suddenly, it hit me—Edward must've been looking at these photos when he was jerking off. I glanced at their chat history, and Edward's replies were so gentle.
Anne: [Do I look good?]
Edward: [Yes, you do.]
Anne: [Edward, why aren't you here yet?]
Edward: [On my way.]
Anne: [Which one do you think looks best?]
Edward: [The second one.]
Edward's messages to Anne were way more frequent and tender than anything he'd ever sent me. How had I missed this?
"He's busy," I mumbled, lost in thought.
Just then, the door swung open.
"Diana, what are you doing here?" Edward barked.
"Edward! You're here!" Anne's voice was full of joy.
Their voices overlapped, and before I knew it, Edward had yanked me out of the room. My shoulder slammed into the door frame, and I bit my lip to keep from crying. In the hallway, Edward rolled up his sleeves, speaking slowly but seriously, "What's going on with you today?"
"I came to see Anne. I was worried. Since you're here, I'll leave," I said.
"What did you expect to find? I told you, it's just her old condition," Edward snapped.
"Why are you so worried about me being here? Are you..." I began, but my words were cut off by Anne's loud cries from within the room.
"Edward!" Anne's cries made Edward jump like he'd been electrocuted. He rushed back into the room, and I instinctively grabbed his sleeve. "Honey, then I'll..."
Edward cut me off, "Alright, we'll talk about this at home. I need to stay here to take care of Anne."
His anxious expression left me momentarily stunned, and I forgot to let go. Edward yanked his arm, and the cuff button scraped my thumbnail. The pain made me let go quickly, and I looked down to see my nail bed a bloody mess.
But Edward's eyes were only on Anne.
I watched him fuss over another woman, feeling my twenty years of admiration crumble bit by bit.
The pain in my thumb surged, and looking at the broken nail, I felt a wave of unease.
Despite this, I decided to head to the emergency room myself. The smell of disinfectant was strong, and people were bustling around, everyone busy with their own problems. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
After a long wait, I was finally called into the emergency room. The doctor examined my hand carefully, frowning slightly. "This will need minor surgery. It's best if someone is here with you."
"I can handle it myself," I said, trying to stay calm but feeling a bit flustered inside.
"You're very brave, but you'll need care after the surgery," the doctor said gently, as if encouraging me.
I nodded, but my mind was on Edward. Would he come? I took out my phone and dialed his number, only to hear the cold busy tone.
A wave of disappointment washed over me, but I knew I couldn't hesitate any longer.
"I'll go to the operating room myself," I said firmly to the doctor.
"Alright, let's proceed." The doctor smiled slightly, seeming to appreciate my courage.
Outside the operating room, I took a deep breath, my heart pounding. The nurse opened the door, signaling me to enter. The operating room was brightly lit, instruments neatly arranged, the air filled with the smell of disinfectant.
"Relax, the surgery will be over soon," the doctor said beside me, his tone gentle. I nodded, trying to relax.
As the surgery began, I felt a bit tense, but the doctor comforted me, "You're very brave, keep it up."
As the surgery progressed, I closed my eyes, silently repeating to myself, 'Everything will be alright.'