"You're Late."

Chapter 9: Cat Out of The Bag

Chapter 9.3: You're gonna wanna be my best friend baby

We beat around the bush for a long time,

Jung-woo began his debrief on his business trip, his voice strained with tension as we awkwardly avoided the elephant in the room. Asking each other about work and how much we missed each other.

I nodded, feigning interest in the mundane details of our lives while inwardly bracing myself for the inevitable confrontation.

He had gotten home at 3 am, while I was dazed asleep,he continued, his tone tinged with bitterness. I left for work at 5.

I winced, guilt creeping into my chest as I recalled the late-night messages from Haerin that I had tried so desperately to ignore.

We don't make it to finishing setting the table when he says, his gaze piercing into mine with an intensity that made my heart race. "I saw a message last night."

My breath caught in my throat, my hands trembling as I placed the glasses down on the table. "A message?" I echoed, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded solemnly, his expression unreadable as he uttered the words I had been dreading. "Last night was one of many. You looked so pretty under me," he said, each word a dagger to my heart. "Remember Friday evening, and don't be late."

I felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room, the weight of his accusation crushing down on me like a ton of bricks. In that moment, I was paralyzed, unable to move or speak as the full realization of being caught in my betrayal washed over me, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable.

As Jung-woo's words hung in the air, a suffocating silence settled between us, broken only by the steady rhythm of our breathing. My mind raced, desperately searching for a way to explain away the incriminating message, but the truth lingered heavy on my tongue, impossible to deny.

"I..." I began, my voice faltering as I struggled to find the right words to justify my actions. But no excuse could erase the undeniable betrayal that had transpired.

Jung-woo's gaze bore into mine, his eyes filled with a mix of hurt and anger that mirrored the turmoil within me. The trust that had once bound us together now lay shattered at our feet, fractured by the revelation of my infidelity.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, the words tasting bitter on my lips as I finally admitted to the depths of my deceit. But even as the apology slipped from my tongue, I knew that it could never undo the damage that had been done.

A heavy silence descended upon us, punctuated only by the distant sound of our racing hearts. In that moment, the gulf between us felt insurmountable, a gaping chasm that threatened to swallow us whole.

And as we stood there, two strangers masquerading as husband and wife, I couldn't help but wonder if our love had been nothing more than an illusion, a fleeting mirage that had vanished in the harsh light of truth.

I braced myself for the eruption, the inevitable storm of anger and accusations that I deserved. But instead, Jung-woo surprised me with his calm demeanor, his voice steady and composed as he spoke.

"It's okay, I don't blame you," he said, his words washing over me like a balm for my guilt. I furrowed my brows in disbelief, unable to comprehend his forgiveness in the face of my betrayal.

As he took a seat across from me, his expression softened with a sad resignation. "We spend more time away from each other than actually together," he continued, his words heavy with a sense of inevitability. "There's no denying we'd fall out of love."

I opened my mouth to protest, to argue against the bleak future he painted for us. But Jung-woo pressed on, his gaze fixed on the empty void of the plates before us.