His Secret Admirer

CHAPTER 8

Elijah POV

Year 2022. Twelve years later…

I catch the pillow that was thrown directly towards me. “Judith, I can explain!..” I was hoping she would give me a chance to talk, but then before I could say anything to defend myself, another thing flew towards me. This time it was a picture frame. Can you imagine that? The picture frame with our wedding photos in it. What if that thing hits my head? It shattered into a million pieces the moment it hit the wall.

This is the second time this month I’ve had a fight with my wife, Judith. Last time she got angry because I had dinner with a female client. “I’ve had enough of all this bullshit, Elijah! I should’ve known you’re never going to change!” she yelled at me, face full of tears.

“I swear I didn’t sleep with her! Rebecca was only a client in my hotel.” I told her for the third time already, but she still didn’t buy it.

Just in case you were wondering. Judith and I got married after I built my own empire at twenty-seven. I am the CEO of my own company, Penn Holding. Our company builds hotels all across America, and I could say that I am quite successful. This year I am twenty-nine already, so this is our second year of marriage.

I have to say. If you think that marriage is all rainbow and unicorn, you are very much mistaken.

“Then explain how come she had your tie? Can you imagine my feelings when that b***h turned this thing to me?” Her voice raised even higher. She then threw the tie at my chest.

“How should I know about that? I’ve never worn this tie since last month. Someone must’ve took it from me.” I argued. “Is it because I am not sexy anymore? I am like this because I was pregnant with your baby.” She said, touching her grown belly. Judith is eight months pregnant. She’ll give birth to our child by next month. I was ecstatic when I found out about her pregnancy, and I couldn’t wait to meet my son.

What she said earlier was totally absurd. I never mind her putting a bit of weight. “No, of course not! I think you’re beautiful.” I replied instantly.

“You’re a f*****g liar! I hate you.” She said, then went towards the closet. After a few moments, she came out, dragging an empty suitcase, and started packing her clothes.

“What are you doing?” I asked, grabbing her hand. “Don’t touch me! I am leaving this house… and you!” She swatted my hand away and continued to pack. “No, you’re not going anywhere with my baby!” I told her. She stared back at me with her bloodshot eyes. “Don’t act like you cared about us!? I can raise him alone by myself. I don’t want my son to be a player like his dad.” She said venomously at me, then locking the suitcase.

I took the suitcase from her hand. “No, you can’t leave this place! Not in this condition. I am the one who’s going to leave this place if you hate seeing me that much.” I said, grabbing both of her shoulders.

She stopped crying after that. It was now replaced with a shocked expression. “No, you’re the one who buys this house. I am the one who should be leaving.” She said, arguing with me.

I shook my head at her. “I might be the one who bought this house, but it was under your name. I am the one who should leave.” I said, then turned around, exiting our bedroom.

I grabbed my wallet and the car key then left the house. As I drove away from the house, I could see her watching me from the window upstairs. It breaks my heart whenever we have a fight like this.

Sometimes I got really pissed off. Why can’t she have a little faith in me?

There’s no way I am going to let her leave the house in that condition. I could never forgive myself if something bad happened to her. I took out my phone and made a phone call.

“Ezra, I want you to keep an eye on my wife. Make sure she would not leave the house today.” I told him. “Did something happen?” he asked me back.

“Someone is framing me. I need to find out who did this later. Just do as I told you for now.” I told him sternly. “Understand. You can always count on me.” Ezra replied before I ended the call.

I headed towards one of my hotels and went to the receptionist. “Mr. Penn, how may I help you?” Lara, the receptionist, looked surprised to see me in the hotel at this late hour.

“I need a room to stay for a week,” I told her. She just stared at me for a while, but when I raised my eyebrows at her, she immediately typed my information into her computer. She passed me the card to my room, and I proceeded to take the elevator.

I slid the card to open the door. I wonder how that woman could have my tie? I checked onto my phone, searching through the CCTV footage inside my room, but I found nothing suspicious. It’s just the maid, come into our room to clean up the space as usual. s**t. Where should I start?

I took off my clothes and decided to take a bath after that. Someone definitely wants to mess around with my marriage. But the question is…who?

I felt better after a long hour of bath, but I still can’t bring myself to sleep. I need to see her before I go to sleep. I grabbed my phone and checked on the CCTV inside my room.

I saw her lying on the bed alone. She turned off the air conditioner after shifting uncomfortably on the bed. If I was there, I would put the blanket over her and hug her tightly so she wouldn’t feel cold.

She was looking at her phone, but I had no idea what she was staring at, because I couldn’t see the screen. Whatever that was, she looked very focused. A pang of jealousy seeped into my chest. Is my wife seeing someone? Maybe she just acted angry and framed me earlier.

I sat up on the bed, watching her even more closely.

She looked happy for a while, and then she started to cry. I loved Judith, but sometimes it’s hard for me to read what’s on her mind. Even after many years of dating.

The next thing I saw, she was kissing the screen of her phone and saying good night to the other person on the phone. I can’t stand it anymore. She was definitely cheating on me with someone. Did she actually think I was that stupid?

I quickly made a phone call. “Ezra…I need another favor from you.” I told him. “Your wife is inside the house for the whole day. What else do you want me to do?” He asked me.

“I want you to follow her everywhere and report to me if she was seeing someone behind me,” I said over the phone.