BorderZ

39.

The day was uneventful as always at work. Coming home I found my husband sitting on our bed with yet another envelope next to his thighs.

"Please tell me these are not real." He asks desperately. I frown and move towards his crouched form. His head is held in his hands while his messy hair is being tugged by his fingers. My heart rate increases and for some reason my hands begin to tingle. I feel queasy and unsure.

What could it be now?

I take the photos from the bed and take a deep breath before looking down. What I see causes my anger and confusion to skyrocket. My hands shake slightly as I page through the photos. The first one is of me and Jim entering our workplace, talking casually. I remember this day, we had taken a walk to buy lunch and get some fresh air. This is when we came back. The second photo is of us entering his office. The shot is taken from his window. The next one is of him closing the door while I walk towards his desk. The next two cause my stomach to flip. In one, we are kissing and in the other we are having sex. It is pretty clear.

Except we have never kissed or had sex. Ever.

I page through them all once again. The first three I can admit, it was us but the last two I can't decipher.

"Zayn this is not me in these photos." I say. My voice sounding shaky even to myself.

"In none of those?" he asks. He lifts his head to look at me and I see the worry and misery written on his face. He looks so disheveled and lost.

"The first three yes, but I promise you I have never kissed Jim, much less slept with him. I swear." I explain. I look around to see an empty scotch glass sitting on a table in the room. I look back at him and see his eyes a little red.

"How should I believe half of those are you and the rest are not." He says somberly.

"Because I would never do that Zayn. I would never cheat on you. How could you think otherwise?" I ask, hurt at his insinuation.

"None of this makes sense to me and I just don't get why someone you don't even know would make up these lies." He chuckles grimly. "Put yourself in my shoes. What the fuck would you be thinking right now?" He stands up and starts to pace in front of the bed. "I get photos of you two looking cozy in a bar. You admitted those were true. Today I get more photos of you walking together and going into his office, which are true but the last two where you kiss and fuck, are suddenly not you. Oh, and let's not forget you hid these threats from me for a fucking month!" He runs his hand across his face and looks at me once again. "Does that add up?"

"No. I get why you would have trouble believing anything right now but I'm your wife Zayn. I love you. Why would I ever cheat on you? These pictures are obviously fake or edited. Is your trust in me so low that you would believe the first person who tells you I slept with a colleague?" My heart aches at this revelation.

"I don't fucking know anymore Melony." He says.

"So you don't trust me? You don't trust your own wife?" I ask with a frown. "Then why the hell are we married?" I throw the photos on the bed and shake my head. "If this was you, I wouldn't hesitate to take your side. I wouldn't dare believe fake rumors until you prove it to be otherwise. Thank you for showing me how much you think of me." He just looks at me, anger swimming beneath the surface. "I didn't sleep with him. I didn't kiss him. I didn't do anything but spend time with a friend." I don't wait for his reply as I grab my nightgown and phone, along with the charger.

I don't know where I want to go but I end up in a guest room down the hall. I get dressed in my nightgown and climb into bed. I am angry but I know that anger is only masking the hurt and disappointment I feel. Does my husband really think I would be capable of cheating on him? What have I ever done to give him that indication? Do I not show him how much I love him? I'm frustrated and mad at whoever this person is. How long have they been keeping tabs on me? How much further will they go? and what is it they want?