Always The Second Choice

3. A Long-Due Confrontation

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Deafening chaos ensued in Nicola's unexpected statement.

Nobody was really surprised about the affair even though they pretended to be. What surprised - or most certainly shocked - them was how bluntly Nicola admitted to knowing it. 

"What are you talking about?" Dominic hissed as he grabbed the mic from her hand and forced her to face him. "I am not having an affair!" He knew that he was screaming this to another set of deaf ears. 

"What makes you think I care?" Nicola chuckled wryly before repossessing the mic. "Natasha, maybe you should reattach yourself to your 'business associate'?" She air-quoted before handing the mic back to the staff.

Dominic glared at Nicola, seeing some personality in his wife for the first time and not appreciating it the teeniest bit.

Nicola heaved a breath and gathered her skirt in her hands, hauling the heavy material up and hurrying down the podium.

She had been daunting in her confrontation but the chronically-exhausted-with-life woman was drained by the pain she hid behind her taunts.

Nicola made her way out of the ballroom and she picked up Stacia calling out for her but the footsteps that followed her were not the click-click of her sister's heels but the tap-tap of a man's dress shoes. 

As soon as they were away from the prying eyes and ears of the onlookers, he grabbed her hand and spun her to face him.

Dominic glowered down at his wife.

"What the fuck was that, Nicola?" His voice came out strained as if all his energy went into controlling his rage.

Nicola, unfazed, shrugged. "It is what it is."

"It is not what it is." He let go of her hand and took a step forward. "You blew the whole situation out of proportion. It was an accident, and I was going to apologize."

"Save it. I am not going to forgive you." She said, her eyes dead.

"And I am not going to forgive you because you humiliated me and Natasha in front of all those people." Dominic's voice had started to rise but Nicola remained calm.

She smiled. She did. It almost stumped Dominic because he had not seen that expression on her face in almost a decade. "What about all the humiliation and pity that I had to face?"

"I told you it was an accident." Dominic knew he was wrong. But his mind neutralized his botch with the bitchy move Nicola made.

"My words were no accident, though," Nicola said. "I know what I said, I stand by it, and I won't apologize for it."

Dominic had to double-take. Was this really his wife? And if she was going to show her bitchy personality finally, did she have to do it in front of all those people?

"Nicola-"

"Nicola!" Dominic turned as Natasha reached his side, interlinking her arms with his as if it were her birthright.

"We are really sorry about the situation. I know you must feel humiliated to have  our relationship come out in the open." Dominic's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "It is understandable that you would lash out."

"What?" For once, Dominic did the right thing. He pulled away from the other woman. "What relationship?"

Natasha stared at him dumbfounded.