Pausing, I looked up at him and asked, “By myself? You’re not coming with me?”
Isaac sighed lamentably and said, “I’ve got too much on my plate at work right now. I can’t leave. I’ll join you next time, okay?”
Well, there wasn’t going to be a next time, Isaac.
Bending down, I continued to bandage his hand while saying, “I might not be able to take leave from work.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle it for you.”
“But I don’t feel like going,” I insisted.
However, Isaac’s tone left no room for discussion as he said, “Don’t be stubborn. I’ve already booked everything. There’s no way to get a refund.”
Though I said nothing, I felt my heart turning cold. I had woken up in the middle of the night last night and overheard Isaac on a call with someone else.
“I don’t plan on telling her. I’ll keep it from her as long as I can. Just to be safe, I’ll arrange for her to go on a trip during the wedding.‘
The person on the other end of the line sighed and said, “What, then? Are you going to make her your mistress?”
Isaac stayed silent for what felt like ages as he slowly puffed his cigarette. Eventually, he said, “Whatever happens next, I’ll just have to take things one step at a time.”
Lying on the bed, I felt an excruciating pain in my chest. Tears pooled in my eyes. I felt like the last seven years I had spent with Isaac had all been for nothing. After all these years, I still couldn’t understand him.
If he didn’t love me anymore, why couldn’t he just tell me? Why did he choose to lie to me instead? Was he afraid I would cling onto him and refuse to give him up? Was that why he resorted to such methods to make sure I stayed away during his wedding?
He didn’t need to make life so difficult for himself.
I was going to do as Isaac wished. I was going to disappear from his life for good.
“When do I leave?” I asked Isaac.
“In two days.”
Smiling, I replied, “Alright. I’ll go.”
A noticeable exhale of relief escaped Isaac. He instinctively reached out to stroke my hair, but I wordlessly avoided his touch.
