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.

gray towel wrapped around his lower half. It gave me a tantalizing glimpse of his V-line which led to other parts of his body that sparked

a handsome man after a bath. My

phone in

softly. There was a guilty feeling eating at me. I was like a thief caught in

as anger swirled in

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 welling in my eyes, and a deathly

stood in front of the mirror. Just a

a hint of teasing as he said,

body was exposed. I

the bed and held onto his waist tightly while looking up

lived, Nicholas had been the center of my life

looked away. My teenage thoughts were delicate, and I was deeply immersed in a

loved Nicholas with all my heart, and I wanted him to love me

and the hard lines of his jaw softened slightly. "I have to accompany Claudia for the time being. After that, I

did she get admitted to the

nothing. Just

hint of evasion. I felt a pang of disappointment. I knew he

it just be the two of us?" I asked

after I married Nicholas, Claudia had 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

the time, and she was wary of me. She only wanted Nicholas to accompany her. Out of consideration for her illness,

Nicholas and I never traveled alone again. I now realized how unhealthy our marriage was and how there had always been a

should try for a baby.

or perhaps he thought of the tonic his mother had pumped him with.

smooth out the hair around my neck, which caused a tingle in my heart. It was a mix of

on a smile and mimicked Claudia's delighted, pleasing demeanor. "Of course, the first stop will

my arms around his neck. I kissed

my hips,

I was able to turn him

ankles with both hands and was about to take the next step when his phone