Manipulated

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Morning rolls around eventually, and Valeire's phone beeps.
A text message from Ketza.
"Darling, I'm sorry for acting so strangely last night. It was just something that was bothering me at work. I'll see you when I get home, love."
For some reason, there remained a nagging thought at the back of Valeire's head. Some lingering sense of doubt.
The text message didn't reassure her as much as the rational part of her mind believed it should. She got up and began to pace around the room..."I have a idea" she rushed to the kitchen preparing a lovely meal for him to eat in work and would drive up there to see if he was actually at work. Valeire left the house at around midday, heading to Ketza's office to drop off some food. As she approached his place of work, she began to have doubts about her decision to investigate Ketza's trustworthiness.
Was it a breach of trust? A breach of her husband's privacy?
Was she being selfish?
Still, the doubt remained, gnawing in the back of her head with a growing hunger.
She arrived outside Ketza's place of work, hesitating in the carpark for a couple of minutes before finally heading in. She headed to the reception, "hello, is Mr.Ketza here..?""Yes, he is." The receptionist replied simply. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
It was a small office, and rather empty. Only a few people were working at their desks, and Ketza's office was at the end of the hall.
Valeire couldn't help but wonder again if she was about to make a big mistake. She sighed "Thank you." She began to walk over to his room to only notice he's not in his office.. Valeire paused for a moment.
"That... is odd," she thought to herself.
"Where on earth could he have gone?"
Perhaps he'd been in the break room? Or perhaps he was away from his office for some other reason...
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming from down the corridor.
She glanced around, and suddenly remembered her purpose in arriving here.
She stepped back toward his office, hoping that she wouldn't be spotted. The doors opened, and Ketza stepped out!
He looked completely caught off-guard.
"Valeire!" He exclaimed in shock, staring wildly at his wife. "Darling-"
His face contorted into the appearance of fear, before it took on a more sheepish appearance as he smiled nervously.
"What are you doing here?" He asked awkwardly.
"I mean, I'm not mad... Just unexpected, is all. Why are you here, darling?""Oh I don't mean to be in your hair," she chuckles. "I brought you some lovely food, hoping we could eat it together."Ketza's face lit up in a smile.
"Darling, that sounds so lovely."
He smiled warmly and reached out towards Valeire, pulling his wife into a soft hug.
"You're so kind to me, you know that, don't you?"
He gave a kiss to the top of her head and gently separated from the hug, holding out his hand for the food. Valeire is in a daze about what to do next "ding ding" ketza's phone began to ring Ketza's phone chirps, and his eyes widen slightly.
"I'd... better go and take that, Valeire," he remarks awkwardly, glancing at his phone. "Sorry."
He raises a hand to her face and looks into her eyes for a moment, before turning and stepping back into his office. He shuts the door behind him.
As she looks at his door, a sudden idea enters Valeire's mind.
*What if Ketza's phone was unlocked?*
Perhaps she could find some messages that would help ease her doubt? Ketza steps out of his office, "sorry darling, I need to head to the bathroom, we can eat after." He leaves giving her the opportunity to see who is messaging him and calling him. As soon as he leaves, a devious grin adorns Valeire's face.
Before she thinks too much about what she's doing, she steps up to Ketza's desk and takes his phone. She glances around the empty room, making sure nobody sees what she's about to do.
She taps the screen, unlocking Ketza's phone.
In only a few short seconds, she has access to his messages and calls. "Should I be doing this.." she hesitated but knew she had to..she opens messages.. She opens Ketza's messages and begins to scroll through them.
There was plenty here— dozens of calls and messages to and from colleagues and friends.
But nothing that seemed to indicate that Ketza was cheating on her.
Perhaps he was hiding something. Perhaps he'd deleted the texts he was sending to his affair partner.
Or perhaps, he wasn't actually cheating on her at all, and she'd just been paranoid. Ketza returns from the bathroom, and smiles as Valeire hands him his phone back.

"Sorry to take so long," he remarks. "I had a... uh... a bit of an upset stomach."
He chuckles a little awkwardly.
"In any case-"
He raises an eyebrow, glancing at his wife as he takes a seat at his desk.
"You wanted to speak with me... Is it important?""Never mind it flew out my brain..how funny" she laughs awkwardly "I have a call..I should answer it. She kisses him on the cheek and leaves the office. Ketza watches Valeire leave, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. The feeling in the back of his mind only grows stronger.
He sighs a little, and leans back in his chair.
What had she wanted to say to him? She'd seemed so upset earlier... Then why had she left so suddenly?
He decides to text her. He pulls out his phone, and sends her a message.
"Is everything alright, darling? Are you okay? You seemed a little upset earlier..."
He tapped the screen a few times, and sent the text to Valeire. She gazes at her phone and doesn't reply to his text and leaves hopping into her black beauty of a car Ketza watches Valeire drive off from his place of work, completely confused as to what had just happened.
*Why on earth hadn't she replied?*
Was she still upset? Had she decided to hold a grudge? Or was it something else?
He sighed, and pulled out his phone once more.
He'd keep trying to text Valeire, and hopefully, he'd eventually get through to her. He began to type once more.
"Valeire, I'm worried about you. Please let me know when you're ready to talk."Ketza watches Valeire drive off from his place of work, completely confused as to what had just happened.
"Why on earth hadn't she replied?"
Was she still upset? Had she decided to hold a grudge? Or was it something else?
He sighed, and pulled out his phone once more.
He'd keep trying to text Valeire, and hopefully, he'd eventually get through to her. He began to type once more.
"Valeire, I'm worried about you. Please let me know when you're ready to talk."She let out a frustrated sigh and replied back "don't worry everything is fine, have a good day at work"Ketza smiled at the text he'd received from his wife. She seemed to be alright, then. Whatever had been bothering her earlier, it seemed to have cleared up.
"You too, Valeire!" He responded.
As the day passed, the question remained. The *doubt* remained. But as he made his way home in the evening, he put it from his mind. He loved Valeire. That was all that mattered. And if she loved him even half as much as he loved her, then that was enough for him. Ketza was about to give a warm smile until is face dropped after hearing Valerie on the phone to someone. "I just don't understand I think he's cheating on me." "..." "yeah I guess" *She's talking about me,* Ketza thought.

And that meant she really was upset, he realised.
His heart began to sink in his chest.
*Does she suspect my infidelity?*
He turned away, so that he didn't have to watch his wife talk about him. He just didn't have the courage, he realised...
How could he keep on lying to his wife? If Valarie had suspected him for this long, then something was clearly wrong. Maybe it was finally time to fess up...