260: SEEK OUT THE TRUTH OR SUCCUMB TO THE LIE

SEEK OUT THE TRUTH OR SUCCUMB TO THE LIE

Seeing her husband in the arms of the woman crushed her. She could not believe what she just saw. Could that be true?

'Oh no! This is definitely not true!' Silently, she cried. 'Where did I go wrong?' bitterness slowly consumes her, fighting the urge to believe it.

'Maybe this is just a set up. Maybe someone just hired an expert to fabricate all this!' she reasoned.

However, the picture shows the entire scenario that he and the woman were inside the hotel room, hugging each other.

Were they even kissing?

'Who is she?!' when she realized, who the woman was, 'Vanessa? Oh my GOD! What is she doing?! She had gone mad!' she cried. She knew all too well how obsess the woman is to her husband. No matter how hard she tries not to believe everything in the picture, her pain and suspicion overshadows her trust.

'Did she win this time?'

Her heart clenched upon thinking the possibilities that her husband cheated on her. She wanted to give good excuse for what she has seen, but, as of the moment, she could not find any. Forgetting all the caution her husband told her before.

"Liane.." she called her best friend. She needed her this time. The pain she feels is excruciating that she will break open if she will not talk to someone.

"Oh my.. Ingrid, what happened? Why are you crying?" Liane asked worriedly.

"Did your husband… just once… cheated on you? Or… y-you suspected him of ch-cheating on you?" she asked Liane without second thoughts even though the lump in her throat prevented her from speaking that it hurts even to open her mouth.

"Huh? What do you mean? Like having an affair… oh my… are you telling me that…" Liane could not continue her words when she heard Ingrid burst into crying.

Liane did not speak anymore. She just let her cry and cry until she sensed her to be calm.

"Where are you right now?" Liane asked.

"I am in front of the beach…"

"Don't do anything drastic, Ingrid. I am warning you,"

"Of course not." She forcefully chuckled, imagining the frown her best friend giving her right now.

"Are you certain of your claim about your husband?" The question kept her thinking, weighing things. Later, she shared to her everything that happened.

"Hmm.. I trust Clifford that he won't do such things but that leech… God forbids what I might do to her." Liane angrily lashes out.

"What must I do, Liane?" she asked almost choking the lump in her throat.

"Simply trust Clifford. We both know that he loves you very much and your children. He won't do anything to hurt or harm you in anyway. Don't conclude anything unless you see in with your very eyes. Who knows, Vanessa just fake it all so that you will lose your trust in your husband and will cause taint your relationship."

After a few minutes, when she feels that she could manage her emotions, she wearily stood up and then walked back to the car. The bodyguards immediately alerted upon seeing her and sighed in relief. They knew that something is bothering their madam and it will only make a matter of time before their boss knows it.

However, to their utter shock, she asked them an incredulous plea.

"I beg you, please, don't mention anything to my husband about what happened today." she calmly asked.

"But Madam, we will be held accountable to our boss, worse we will get fired because of your plea." One of the bodyguards implored.

"Just this once. No harm done. See, I am alive. Just don't mention to him that we went here and that I cried."

The bodyguards looked at each other and helplessly nodded at her. They winced as if someone hit them on their head. All they could do is to shake their heads and release a deep breath out of helplessness, but if given the chance they will eventually reveal it to their boss.

Ingrid just kept everything to herself, pretended nothing happened, keeping the pain to herself, but she prudently observes her husband. She noticed that he would be so tired when he reached home, but then she understood it because of his responsibilities at the empire he is overseeing. She would also check Clifford's daily schedules and see if he has some bogus meetings, but then, she ends up getting nothing.

Nevertheless, the thought of her husband cheated on her keeps ringing in her mind and she can't stand having no answers. So she decided to do something, that is, to ask him.

One evening, while she and Clifford is preparing to sleep. She mustered her strength before speaking.

"Love, I have a question…" she warily poses when Clifford was sitting beside her on their bed, preparing to sleep.

"Hmmm… what is it?" her insides started to churn and a lump in her throat started to form that she had to swallow hard to prevent it from choking her.

'Could I do it?' so she released some deep breaths before continuing.

"Did you ever, uh, thought of… like, uhm–" Clifford's phone rings.

"Just a minute, love." He gestured to answer it. "Yes, Griffith? What? Vanessa? What happened? Where? Okay, okay, I will be there!" he then ended the call and faces Ingrid.

"Love, I need to go and see Griffith, something happened to one–" he could not continue explaining because his phone rings again and he answered it immediately.

"I am on my way…"

He kissed her goodbye and left. When he was at the door, she called him.

"Clifford, what's with Vanessa?" he stopped in his tracks and faced her.

"I will explain everything to you when everything is clear. Just trust me in this, love… you know I love you, right?" she nodded and her eyes started to sting. "I got to go. And please, do not go out." With that, he hurriedly went outside.

The moment the door closes, her tears pour in, without plan on stopping. She wailed for like an hour, but she has decided.

"NO! I will fight for my husband. That leech won't get an upper hand, not ever! As long as I live." She immediately changed her nightclothes into black jogging pants, hoodie and running shoes. Takes her keys, her phone and went to one of their cars, and speedily sets off, unmindful of the bodyguards who were trying to stop her.

Nevertheless, no one can stop a furious wife. She sped away and vanished from their sight. They immediately checked if the car she's driving had some tracking device, unfortunately, there was none.

While on the road, Ingrid slowed down when she realized that she has no idea where to find her husband.

"Just great!" she screamed in frustration particularly that the car is almost out of gas. She looked for some gas station and luckily, found one. She waited for her turn when she saw Sheldon coming out of the cashier. She immediately hid herself, but it was too late.

"Ingrid, hi! What are you doing here at this hour? And…" he looks at from her head to foot, puzzled, "wearing that?" unbelief and amusement is written all over his face.

"None of your business, of course." She said rolling her eyes, but Sheldon just chuckled. She pumps the gasoline and went inside the car to get her wallet, but to her dismay, she could not find it and it is only then she realize that she forget to bring the wallet with her.

"What's the matter, Ingrid?" Sheldon asked. She has no choice but to ask for his help even though she loathes the idea.

"Uhm.. can I borrow some cash with you? I forgot to bring my wallet."

"No problem, I'll just go back to the cashier to pay." She nodded. She was tempted to leave him but then it would be so shameful on her part. Therefore, she has no choice but the wait for him before she leaves.

"Thanks for this, I'll surely wire you the payment." She politely said, "I have to go.."

"It's nothing Ingrid, wait –"

Suddenly Ingrid stopped when she heard her phone rings.

Private number calling…

"Hello," it took several moments before the voice on the other line speaks.

"It's been a while, Mrs. Briggs." Ingrid's eyes flare in anger.

"Stop messing with me! Leave me alone!!" she said gritting her teeth.

"Ingrid, where are –" Sheldon interrupted her, so she raised her hand to stop him from interrupting her.

"Oh no, I can't do that. I have what you need. I sent a video to you just now." Ingrid immediately went to her mail and opens spam message. To her horror, she watched as her husband approached Vanessa who was running to his arms, embraced him and cried on his shoulder. She could not deny the video because the clothes he wore was the same clothes he wore before he left earlier.

Her tears straight away fell from her eyes.

"WHERE ARE THEY?!" the caller mockingly laughs at her.0

"I'll send you the location, make sure no one is with you." the line went dead and then she received a notification of the location.

"Ingrid! Where are you going? Hey! What is going on? Let me come with you! You look like you're in trouble."

Ingrid ignored him so he just went to the passenger seat without her consent, but Ingrid no longer care because her focus was to catch them red-handed. Her anger, frustration is seething that she does not care whom she is with or if she's following the instruction.

"How can you all do this to me! It's the third time. Third time! And the pain is so unbearable, I think I can't recover after this." She painfully ranted.

"Ingrid, hey! Just calm down! You're over speeding. What exactly happened?" Sheldon suddenly interrupted her.

"Shut up! Why are you here, anyway? Leave me alone!" she screamed at him. She thought of displacing her anger to Sheldon by shouting at him or kicking him just to release her emotions.

"Hey, hey! I am here to help you. Where are you going?" he asked but his voice almost squeak out of panic when he notice the unstable swerve of the car.

"None of your damn business! Men are liars! Cheaters! May you all rot in hell!" Ingrid suddenly sobbed and unconsciously released the steering wheel, which caused their car to swerve to the other lane almost sending them to their early death. Luckily, Sheldon immediately held the handlebar.

He tried to manoeuvre the steering wheel to the side of the road.

"Are you out of your mind?!" he almost scream, but Ingrid just cried and cried.

"Can you please just take me to this location?" Sheldon felt powerless to her request.

They switched places. He did not speak or ask her anymore and just listened to Ingrid's burst of sobs to the point that she could hardly breathe. He wanted to bring her to the hospital but she stopped him with her deadly glare.

He had no choice but to follow her.

"Ingrid… is this the place?"

They parked in front of an old house, with no neighbours near. The place looks well maintained: an exact place where forbidden lovers would choose to meet. Quiet and out of reach. Another pang of pain struck her upon the possibility of getting them caught.

The pain she felt added when she saw a reflection of a man and a woman in one of the windows at the second floor, embracing each other: the woman leaning on the chest of the man. For that reason, she immediately opened the car's door and rushed to get inside the house.

"Ingrid! wait," Sheldon silently called her and carefully followed her, checking if there's anyone around. When he's satisfied that no one is around, he followed her and stood beside her.

"Ingrid! I think this place is not – ugh!" Sheldon fell down and before Ingrid could react, someone covered her nose that caused her to fell unconscious.

"Sir, one of the bodyguards called and the Madam went out of the house after you left and as of the moment, they could not locate her… and when they went to your room, they found this…"

He handed an envelope that contains the pictures of him and Vanessa on the hotel room.

Clifford's phone then notified of a picture message. Ingrid lying on a bed, unconscious, both her hands and feet are tied.

Finally! I caught you.

Damn!

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