Trouble in Paradise by Three Way

My gaze fell on Nicholas' pants draped over the bed. The loose waistband was twisted into what looked like a crying face. The black phone peeking out from one corner seemed depressing. In our married life, I valued both love and privacy. We respected each other's personal space and never touched each other's phones.

But earlier, I had already searched through his study. Would this make a difference?

I pulled out his phone and swiftly burrowed under the covers. I hid my head as well.

I was nervous.

Nothing good ever came out of going through your partner's phone. I was scared of finding evidence of his and Claudia's dalliance, but I was also afraid of finding nothing and becoming paranoid.

My teeth were chattering as I thought of the rosary beads he liked to wear.

Nicholas, what exactly were you hiding from me?

Whether it was my trembling hands or nervousness, I entered the wrong password several times.

At last, a message appeared on the screen: "Incorrect password. Please retry in 30 seconds."

Was I naive?

I could unlock his safe but not his phone.

With my pounding heartbeat in the background, I mentally went through all the passwords I could think of. My mouth was dry, and I was swallowing air while I counted down the seconds.

Five, four, three, two...

Suddenly, the blanket covering my head was lifted.

"What are you doing?"

Nicholas stood there, and his bare upper body was dripping with water. His eight-pack abs were on display.

tantalizing glimpse of his V-line which led to other parts of his body

the sight of a handsome man after a bath.

expected me to have his phone in my hands. He scowled at me

me. I was like a thief caught

bobbed as anger

to hit me, I instinctively dodged. One of us pressed the shutter button, and there was a "click" that echoed in the room at an inappropriate time. On the screen, I had disheveled hair, tears

mirror. Just a few hours ago, I had felt like

glanced at the phone, and his expression softened slightly. His voice carried a hint of teasing as

exposed. I blushed and threw myself into his

looking up at him with pleading eyes. "Honey, I want to

had been the center of my life

distance, I had never looked away. My teenage thoughts were delicate, and I was deeply immersed in a fantasy of

want the faith in my life to crumble. I loved Nicholas with all my heart, and I wanted him to love

hard lines of his jaw softened slightly. "I have to accompany

did she get admitted to the hospital in the middle of

nothing. Just an

hint of evasion. I

be the two of us?"

fallen seriously ill, and the whole family was very tense at that time. They didn't tell me the specific cause of the illness. Back then, to show my generosity and to gain favor with the in-laws, I agreed to their request to take Claudia with

underage at the time, and she was wary of me. She only wanted Nicholas

realized how unhealthy our marriage was and how there had always been a third person in

honeymoon trip abroad? We should try for a baby. Frances is getting anxious," I pressed and upped

debts to me, or perhaps he thought of the tonic his mother had pumped him with.

He helped me smooth out the hair around my neck, which caused a tingle in my heart. It was a mix of love and

first stop will be our own country. The destination

around his neck. I kissed him fiercely as my legs

cradled my hips, and we both tumbled onto

able

both hands and was about to take the next step when