In her house, Orena stood behind the dark curtains that covered her living room window. The curtains were made of thick black fabric, making her home look gloomy from the outside, yet they completely concealed the view inside. Orena pulled the curtain slightly and peeked toward Marlina’s house. Her eyes were filled with a mix of resentment and a small, sinister smile.
Outside, Marlina was busy cleaning her yard. With a broom in hand, she swept away the scattered leaves from last night’s wind. Unaware that she was being watched, Marlina appeared calm, though slightly exhausted after days of dealing with the oddities in the neighbourhood. But behind that calmness, the shadow of betrayal was creeping into her life without her knowing.
Inside Orena’s house, a soft male voice called out. “Darling, don’t stand there too long. Someone might see you, or Marlina might notice,” said Merilton, sitting comfortably on the luxurious sofa with a relaxed smile.
Orena turned toward him seductively, walking slowly in his direction. “Ah, they’re all too busy with their own lives. No one cares. Marlina is just sweeping dry leaves, that’s all she’s capable of, isn’t it?” Orena replied, her voice gentle but laced with certainty. She sat on Merilton’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Their secret affair was nothing new. Ten years ago, before Merilton married Marlina, he and Orena were lovers. Back then, Merilton was a young man heavily involved in his family’s business, and Orena was a spirited young woman. But everything fell apart when his mother arranged for him to marry Marlina. Merilton had no choice but to marry her, yet he never severed ties with Orena. When the opportunity to move to a new town came, Merilton and Orena took it immediately and registered for houses next to each other, without raising any suspicion from his mother or Marlina.
“Five days with you here isn’t enough since you still have to work from home,” Orena said softly, caressing Merilton’s cheek while gazing at him with sparkling eyes. “I don’t care what happens outside, as long as you’re here.”
Merilton smiled, but behind his smile, guilt lurked. Still, he chose to suppress it. “I feel the same, Orena. With you, I can forget everything. And since I work from home, Marlina… she won’t know a thing.”
Meanwhile, in the neighbouring house, Marlina finished her yard work. Her loyal cat, Kelabu, sat by the front door, staring intently at Orena’s house, its fur slightly raised. Marlina looked at her cat with curiosity. “Kelabu, why do you keep looking over there? Is something happen in Orena’s house?”
Kelabu let out a low growl. Marlina thought nothing of it, but the cat seemed to sense something was wrong.
Inside Orena’s house, Merilton took her hand and pulled her onto the sofa. They chatted warmly about their plans for the future, plans that didn’t include Marlina. Orena, who had long wanted Merilton for herself, was confident she could win him completely.
“When will we tell her?” Orena asked, referring to Marlina.
“Not yet,” Merilton said firmly. “I don’t want her to suspect anything. We must wait for the right time.”
“Wait?” Orena smirked. “We’ve been waiting ten years, Merilton. How much longer do we have to live like this? I’m tired of being the secret woman.”
Merilton fell silent. He knew Orena was right, but he also knew how complicated this was. Marlina wasn’t just his wife, she was his mother’s choice, the woman who had shared a life with him, who loved him unconditionally. But his love for Marlina had never been as strong as what he felt for Orena. Deep down, he knew his heart had always belonged to the woman before him.
At her home, Marlina was making a cup of tea in the kitchen. Her thoughts wandered, thinking about Merilton, who had been away for days. She always missed her husband when he worked far away. But this time, something felt different. It was as if there was something she didn’t know, something being hidden from her.
That night, after Marlina went to bed, Orena and Merilton decided to have dinner together. They enjoyed an extravagant meal at Orena’s dining table, the soft glow of candlelight adding a romantic atmosphere. Yet, beneath the warmth, something dark was unfolding.
“Don’t you think we’re being too reckless?” Merilton suddenly asked. “What if someone sees me coming and going from your house?”
Orena chuckled, her voice full of confidence. “Who would notice? Marlina? Everyone is too busy to realize what’s happening around them. Don’t worry, darling. Everything has been planned carefully.”
But what Orena didn’t know was that Kelabu, Marlina’s cat, had sneaked into her backyard. The cat watched the couple from a distance, its eyes glimmering in the darkness, as if it were witnessing something far bigger than itself.
The next morning, Marlina woke up with a restless feeling. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t shake it off. As she stepped into the living room, she found Kelabu sitting by the door, as if guarding something.
“Kelabu, what’s wrong?” Marlina asked, stroking the cat’s head. But Kelabu only stared at Orena’s house, unmoving.
Inside Orena’s home, Merilton was getting ready to return to Marlina. He kissed Orena before slipping out through the back door, making sure no one saw him. But he couldn’t shake off his unease. He knew their affair was becoming harder to hide.
Orena, on the other hand, only smiled in satisfaction. To her, everything was going according to plan. But she had no idea that Kelabu had been watching her every move. The cat quickly returned to Marlina’s house, as if it wanted to warn its owner of what was happening.
As night fell, Marlina sat alone in her living room, unable to ignore the strange feeling lingering inside her. She looked at Kelabu, who still seemed restless.
“Are you trying to tell me something, Kelabu?” Marlina whispered. The cat let out a soft meow, as if it understood the question.
At the same time, in Orena’s house, she sat on her bed with a wide grin. She unlocked her phone, scrolling through the pictures of her and Merilton that she had carefully saved over the years. “We’ll be together, Merilton. No one can stop us,” she murmured to herself.
Back at Marlina’s house, Merilton finally appeared at the front door. Marlina immediately opened it, her face lighting up at the sight of her husband’s return. But deep down, she sensed something different about him.
“Are you okay?” Marlina asked, hugging him.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Merilton replied, but his tone lacked its usual warmth. He gently pulled away and headed upstairs. Guilt was eating away at him, but he couldn’t bring himself to end his affair with Orena.
Marlina didn’t ask further. But Kelabu, sitting in the corner of the room, stared at Merilton with sharp eyes, as if it knew the secret he was keeping.
That night, as Marlina slept, Merilton sat alone in the living room, staring at his phone, reading messages from Orena. His mind was in turmoil. He knew he had to make a decision, but it was never as simple as he thought.
In Orena’s house, she stared at her phone, waiting for a message from Merilton. But none came. A feeling of unease crept in, but she wasn’t one to give up easily. She knew she and Merilton were meant to be together, no matter what.