Before, I might’ve told myself this was love, that his cruelty came from how much he cared. But now, it just felt pathetic. Like a cheap, poorly acted play, and I was sick of watching it.
“Baby,” he said, smiling as if nothing was wrong, “you look beautiful today. What’s the occasion?”
I smiled faintly. “There’s an auction later. I’ve got a surprise for you.”
As we were about to leave, his phone rang. A strange ringtone, two long tones, one short, like a secret code.
Before he could answer, I took it from his hand and ended the call.
“Today, you’re spending time with me,” I said, watching his face closely. “Or is that call something… special?”
He looked startled, rubbing the bridge of his nose with a nervous chuckle. “Just work. Nothing special. Of course, you come first.”
But on the drive there, the phone rang again with the same tone, over and over, each time more insistent.
This time, I could see the irritation tightening his jaw.
Just before he lost his composure completely, we arrived at the venue.
I handed his phone back and said, “Go ahead. Answer it.”
He grabbed it quickly, not noticing the frost in my eyes.