His Perfect Wife Strikes Back

132 I Don't Like This Life

Daley didn't return until early in the morning. I was half asleep when I heard him enter the bathroom to take a shower. I closed my eyes tightly and pretended to be asleep.

I could feel his cold fingers caressing my cheek, and I opened my eyes to look at him. We looked at each other for a few seconds, and then the tension between us dissipated.

Over the next few days, Daley would take me to all kinds of business dinners, and sometimes I would meet Tommy, and every time he saw me he would mention something about Mia. He seemed interested in her, whom he had never met, and even asked about Mia's private life. I didn't tell him that Mia was going to marry Frade. I thought Mia should have told him herself.

Tommy told me that he had asked his lawyer to suspend his work on the estate. He felt he needed to see Mia in person, and if Mia's name needed to be added to the list of heirs to the estate, she would have to provide a separate paternity test. Based on the fact that my mother has passed away, it is not enough to prove that Mia is my mother's child just based on my relationship with Mia. Thankfully, my grandmother is still alive, and although she is paralyzed and delirious, the test result is enough to prove our relationship.

"Of course, if you believe that she is your sister," Tommy whispered to me, "We can dispense with the unnecessary identification process."

Trust her? I believe she's my sister, but as for other things, I'm not so sure.

"Your husband is a born businessman," Tommy said, looking at Daley in the crowd. "Sharp, resourceful, decisive."

And maybe greed, I said to myself.

He wore a mask in the crowd, and with a smile and good manners, he dispelled the prejudices of his mask from everyone who first met him. His tone was calm and amiable. On more than one occasion, I have heard other women speak in private of their admiration and affection for him.

But these women have never seen the other side of his mask, only I have seen his bloody side.

I watched him walk slowly toward me. Tommy went up to greet him. After they exchanged pleasantries, Tommy walked toward the other group.

"I want to take you to meet my future partner." He took my hand. "And Robert's wife is a talker. I think you'll get along."

"A new guy?" I asked.

After a few days of business banquets, I was familiar with the names of Daley's partners, but I had never heard of Robert.

"He only decided to buy my hotel this morning. He just hasn't signed the contract yet. He told me he needed to hear from his wife. But I hope I can get him tonight."

"So you want me to help you to persuade his wife first?"

"You just need to talk to her and make her happy, that's all."

Daley led me to a man and a woman. The man was slightly stout, while the woman standing next to him was tall and dressed in a slim dress.

Daley introduced us to each other, and soon he was leading Robert into another group of men, while Robert's wife and I found an empty table and talked over drinks.

Daley was right. She was a talkative woman. For the next hour, she told me all about her. From her work to her family and her hobbies, she even tells me about her private life, like her s.ex. Because Robert is the same age as her father, he is always out of his depth when it comes to s.ex.

"He needs to take his medicine regularly," She complained in a low voice while holding a plastic straw in her mouth. "But the doctor told him not to take those pills regularly, or it will harm his heart."

To my annoyance, she had been Robert's mistress. She had graduated from a famous university. She met Robert on a business deal, and at first, they kept the affair a secret. But their affair was discovered by Robert's ex-wife, and Robert and his ex-wife divorced, and she got the position as his wife.

"His ex-wife was his high school classmate, a woman who couldn't dress up and be stupid," said she proudly, "She only knows how to have babies and cook, and she can't read financial statements. Successful men don't want women like this. They need women who can help them in their careers."

"Like you?" I looked at her coldly.

"I'm so much better than his ex-wife, or he wouldn't have married me," She said. "I can tell you're a great wife, too. I think we're going to be good friends."

I don't think so. But I still complimented her.

"There are a lot of good women out there. Too few are as good and resourceful as you."

"Oh, I don't like that word."

"I'm sorry." I can't describe her in terms of intelligence or anything more beautiful. Perhaps words like mean, scheming, and b.itch would suit her better.

"I think I'm drunk. I need to go to the bathroom." I got up and left my seat.

I was just making an excuse to get rid of her. I really can't go on pretending to be friends with such a hypocritical woman. I'm tired of it.

So I went back to my room, went into the bathroom and washed my body. Until my fingers were white and wrinkled, I still felt the stain on my body.

No, the stain wasn't on my body, it was on my heart. Now, married life reminds me of the time I spent with Ron. I once tried to play the role of the good wife, wearing a smiling mask to everyone, waiting in the dark for my husband to return.

Jesus, what the hell is going on?

When I came out of the bathroom and found Daley standing in the living room, he asked me, "You left the party without telling me."

"Yes, I'm tired," I said.

"You can let me take you back if you're really tired." He approached me and tried to hug me, but I stepped back and refused.

"I'm tired of living like this, I'm tired of being a good wife every night, I'm tired of talking and laughing with those hypocrites." I let out all my frustrations at once, "This is not the life I want."

"You don't have to be a good wife. You're my only wife." Daley looked at me calmly. "So you don't like Robert's wife?"

"Yes, I hate her. She is a hypocritical woman."

"Me, too," Daley said. "But her husband is my future partner, and it's best not to say you hate her in public."

"I know."

"See, how fast you learn."

"Daley, I don't like this life," I sighed.

"Why don't you?" He asked.

"Because..." I stammered, "Because that's how my life used to be."

"Do you think I'm as bad as your ex-husband?" Daley sneered. "Honey, if you don't like going to parties like this, you can tell me. And I'm not forcing you to go to business parties."

"Now you know."

"I'm so sorry." He pulled me into his arms.

"What can I do to make this right? What do you want?"

"I just want to get out of here." The air in the city suffocated me.

"Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know. Anywhere will do."

"How about Paris?" Daley glanced at his watch. "You should be able to make it in time for breakfast."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. You have 10 minutes to pack," he said.

So I quickly picked out my suitcase and began to pack my clothes. Soon we took a car to the airport. A small plane appeared before me. As we sat in our seats, Daley's phone rang. He looked at it, got up and walked back.

Then a flight attendant came to check on my seat belt and told me the plane would take off in five minutes. Daley was walking back when I saw his face go dark as if something bad had happened.

My gut tells me the plane should take off right now.