Secrets

24: Distraught

Nico's POV...

Kaleah has adamantly avoided all my calls and has restricted our discussions solely to work matters ever since our last conversation which was a week ago. Since then I've been observing her from a distance, yearning for an opportunity to clarify what transpired between Sujin and me despite my hazy recollection of the events. Witnessing her distressed and ailing appearance has deeply affected me, leaving me emotionally drained.

The stark transformation in her demeanor is impossible to ignore. The vibrant and lively personality that once defined her now appears void and downtrodden. The immense smile that she used to generously bestow upon me has been replaced by an expression of pure disgust. Even her once snarky comebacks directed at Tiffany have lost their sharpness, leaving a sense of emptiness in their wake.

Furthermore, I can not help but notice the physical toll that the revelation of my involvement with Sujin, which coincided with the early stages of our relationship, has taken on Kaleah. She perpetually carries an air of exhaustion as if drained of all energy. Her appearance has also undergone a noticeable change, with a slight thinness that hints at the emotional turmoil she must be enduring. It pains me deeply to witness her in this state, knowing that my actions are the cause of her distress.

"Nico, my love, what's troubling you?" Mom's tender voice cut through the dense, shadowy fog of uncertainty, as I grappled with the fear of losing Kaleah before our relationship could blossom into something lasting, all because of my own foolishness. It was absurd of me to heed my brother's advice and conceal my mistake from Kaleah, especially when he was struggling with his own romantic entanglements. It was even more absurd for me to keep postponing the inevitable confession about my blunder with Sujin, knowing that it would eventually explode in my face.

"Nothing, Mom," I responded, taking a sip of my lukewarm coffee.

"You're lying to me. You've been sitting here, gazing at Kaleah with an expression of anguish in your eyes for the past five minutes. Are you two having problems?"

I let out a deep sigh, contemplating my response to Mom's inquiry for a few moments before finally speaking up. "Mom, I did two incredibly foolish things."

"Knowing the kind of person you are, honey, I'm sure they can't be that terrible," she reassured me with a gentle tone.

"Oh, they are," I replied, my voice filled with defeat. "Do you remember the night of my birthday party?"

"Of course I do. I was the one who planned it," she chuckled. "What about that night?"

"I... I accidentally slept with..." I paused, unable to bring myself to utter the name of the woman who would soon become the mother of her future grandchild.

"You slept with who?" Mom asked, leaning forward in her chair, her disbelief evident in her tone.

"With Sujin," I confessed.

"You mean Il-sung's wife, Sujin?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

As I braced myself for the impending verbal assault, I mustered a feeble "yes" under my breath. The values of faithfulness and commitment had been deeply ingrained in Ewan and me by our parents since we were young. We had countless conversations about the importance of loyalty in romantic relationships, to the point where I could effortlessly recite their entire lecture word for word.

Leaning forward in her seat, she questioned me with an incredulous tone, "How did this even happen?"

"The most bewildering part, Mom, is that I have no recollection of us entering my room together. I can't recall undressing or any intimate details of our encounter. All I remember is waking up the next morning with a pounding headache and finding her lying beside me, completely naked."