Fake Husband, Real Affair

Chapter 2

That's when I noticed, he hadn't come home alone.

It was Mischa.

Sean held the umbrella in one hand and wrapped the other around her shoulders as they rushed inside together.

"Krystal, shut the car door!" he shouted over his shoulder.

Back in the apartment, I hadn't even taken off my raincoat when I heard his voice again, sharp and urgent.

"Grab me a towel!"

I quickly fetched one and instinctively reached up to dry him off.

But he yanked the towel from my hands.

"Why are you wiping me? Can't you see Mischa's soaked? What if she gets sick?"

Without another word, he turned his full attention to her, frantically drying her off like she might shatter if he didn't.

"Sorry, Krystal," Mischa said gently, her voice as soft as her expression.

"It started pouring all of a sudden and I couldn't find shelter, so I waited in Sean's car. When the rain got worse, he offered to drive me back. I should've told you, sorry about that."

I was about to smile and say, "It's okay."

But Sean cut in first.

"Your sister's not the type to get hung up on little things. She understands it was storming and dangerous out there. You could've gotten seriously sick."

I looked down at myself, my raincoat was clinging to my skin, half-drenched.

Then I looked at Mischa.

Despite the downpour, Sean had tilted the umbrella mostly toward her. Her clothes were barely damp, save for a few wind-blown raindrops. And yet, to him, she was soaked.

Meanwhile, Sean himself was completely soaked through. But he didn't seem to care.

He wiped her hair, her neck, even the collar of her shirt, tender and cautious, like he was tending to something fragile and precious.

"Sean, I'm wet too," I said quietly.

"Why is it always about Mischa? Am I really that invisible to you?"

I hesitated, then said what I'd been holding in.

"Back there in the rain, you held the umbrella for her, not me. Did I even cross your mind?"

Sean looked up, eyes flashing with annoyance.

"Krystal, can you not be so dramatic? Mischa's younger than you. She has a weaker immune system. She's your sister. Try being a little less selfish, would you? You should look out for her, not get jealous over every little thing."

I still hadn't changed out of my soaked clothes. The cold was sinking deep into my bones.

And in that moment, it hit me, no matter what I said, no matter how I felt, in Sean's eyes I was always the problem. Always too sensitive. Always too much.

It wasn't the first time, either.

Once, we'd planned a getaway together. Just the two of us. I was secretly hoping for something more… maybe a baby. I'd been looking forward to it for weeks.

But the second I saw the front passenger seat already occupied, by Mischa, my heart sank.

She turned, beaming.

"Hey, Krystal!"

Sean was already looking at her like she hung the moon. A small smile played at his lips as he opened the back door for me.

"Mischa gets carsick," he said casually. "She needs the front seat, it's less bumpy, better airflow."

Mischa turned around again, still smiling sweetly.

"Sorry, Krystal. Sean mentioned your trip and I just said it sounded fun. He offered to bring me along right away."

She even raised her hand, as if swearing an oath.

"But I did ask him first. He said you wouldn't mind."

They both smiled. As if I were the guest tagging along on their vacation.

No one had asked me. No one even thought to.

I tried to stand up for myself that day.

All it got me was another ugly fight with Sean.