Blessed-Cursed (#2 of Polaroid Love) 

Chapter 13: I Need a Break

With shaking hands, you opened the door to your apartment and walked inside with trembling steps. No matter how much you tried to be mentally prepared, you knew it would be hopeless.

Your eyes landed on Riki, sitting at the table with his arms crossed and staring at his computer. A thin was shown on his mouth.

"Hey, Riki," you said.

But your husband didn't say anything back and continued to stare at the computer with crossed arms. You went closer to him, putting your hand on his shoulder, and turned your gaze to the bright screen. You gulped.

It was an article with a picture of you and Sunghoon on stage, and you were in his arms with a smile. The title read, "BE:Lift Lab CEO Park Sunghoon announces new girlfriend, denouncing 'past' ways."

"Riki, it's not what you think," you quickly said.

Riki sighed. "Y/n, I know you've been going out to model at Sunghoon's company at night. I've been following you for a while now."

"Wait, what?"

"Y/n, I know you model for BE:Lift Lab."

You opened your mouth but closed it right after. Riki sighed again. "I had a feeling this was going to happen, from the type of man Sunghoon is."

"You know the article isn't true, Riki!" you cried. "Sunghoon knew I was married, but I was forced to be by his side at all the events and play his pretend girlfriend! I didn't have a choice, or he would've destroyed both me and you!"

"So why didn't you quit?" Riki asked, with a pinch of anger in his voice. "You know I warned you about Sunghoon already, yet you followed him like a lost dog!"

"I didn't want to quit! The modeling job made a lot of money, and I wanted to make more money to start a family with you!"

"Y/n, what's wrong with the jobs we have? We don't need the extra money!"

"Because I..."

You couldn't come up with a good answer. Yes, you took the modeling job because you wanted money for a family, but was that in your head the whole time while attending those photoshoots?

Riki stood up from his seat and began to walk to the bedroom. You grabbed his arm, making him stop. "Riki-"

"I take your silence as you finally realize the truth. Y/n, you've been cheating on me."

Riki pulled his arm out of your grip and finished his journey to the bedroom. There he had an opened suitcase filled with clothes sitting on the bed.

Riki zipped the suitcase and dragged it off the bed. Then, rolling it on the floor, he walked past you and to the front door.

"Wait, Riki, where are you going?" you asked, running to him.

"I don't need to tell you since you never told me anything," he replied.

"But what about your school? Don't you have the teach?"

"I asked for a week off. I'm glad my boss understood because she saw the articles as well. She told me to take as long as I need."

You froze. Of course, more people have seen the articles, not just your husband.

"Riki, please don't leave me!" you begged. "At least tell me where you're going. You won't be gone for long, right?"

Riki laughed sarcastically. "Do you not hear yourself, Y/n? You're asking the same questions I asked while you were with that man. Every day, I wondered where you were going and when you were coming back. You barely answered my texts, leaving me in the dark. Of course, I was suspicious. If not for Jungwon, who told you to quit first, I wouldn't have known about your little modeling side gig."

Once again, you didn't know what to say. Riki continued.

"You know, if you would've opened your eyes and ears, you would've figured out what type of person Sunghoon is. He's an evil person; everyone in the public knows that. Get on his bad side, and he'll take you down. I know all of this because we were best friends in the past."

Riki opened the door and looked over his shoulder at you. "Think about your photography studio and your customers, Y/n. How will they react after they see the news?"

You swallowed. "Um-"

"That was a rhetorical question."

RIKI turned around and strolled outside, slamming the door. You wanted to run after him and call his name, but your legs wouldn't move.

You heard the car engine starting and let out a quivering breath. Of course, Riki would take the car; you told him you didn't need it.

"I messed up real bad," you whined. "I should've listened to him and Jungwon."

Even though your eyes felt warm, you couldn't do anything else, no matter how much you begged Riki to return. You had something else to do.

Your purse was still hanging on your arm, and you unzipped it, taking out the pregnancy test. Taking a deep breath, you walked to the bathroom.

***

Riki held the phone to his ear, waiting for the caller to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Mom, I need you to send that plane ticket to Okayama," Riki told his biological mother, Naori Rei.

"Wait, hold on," said Rei. "Slow down a bit."

"Send me a plane ticker for Okayama, please."

"What, Riki? What's going on? What happened?"

Riki didn't even want to talk about you right now. "Mom, you saw the news about Y/n, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. Why would she do something like that?" Rei knew you weren't that type of person, but she couldn't tell Riki that.

"I don't want to talk about Y/n right now. Please send over the plane ticket. I need a break from South Korea."

"Ah, okay then. I know how desperate you sound right now. Just drive to the airport; I'll send a plane ticket for Okayama for 10:00 PM. Think you can make it?"

Riki looked at the clock and read 7:01 PM. He chuckled. "You know I will."

"Okay, Riki, I'll work on it after we get off the phone. And when you get to Okayama, we have a bunch of talking to do."

"I know, Mom. I'll talk to you when I get to your house."

"Okay, then. See you later on tonight."

After saying bye, Riki hung up the phone. Though he didn't act like it towards you, he was more disappointed than angry. However, sadness was beginning to creep over his heart.

The more he listened to your explanations, the more he couldn't believe you. Why would Y/n work for Sunghoon despite the warnings? Or did Sunghoon have it plan all along?

Being friends when they were younger, Riki knew Sunghoon always fought to get his way. Riki learned to never get on his nasty side.

Yet deep inside, Riki still loved you very much. He just needed some space, and being with the only other person he trusted was the best route for him to go.

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Oh no no no! Will everything get worse (only I know hehe)??
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