I went out very late at night. Thomas was anxious, even though I was suspicious of his attitude, I thought it was nothing new compared to what he had been experiencing for a few months. I wanted to help him, to be a good wife, I even had to quit my job, just to stay and take care of him.
He didn't fully understand it, but from one day to the next, Thomas began to experience bouts of panic and anxiety. Sometimes he would ask me if he had something to do with his sudden paranoia; I assured him daily that no matter what happened, I would be there for him.
I put on an evening dress and prepared to go out to my parents' house. I suggested that we go out, a little fresh air could do him good, but all my efforts to get him out of his depression were unsuccessful. So, I gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek. I went outside and spotted a car parked across the street. I walked around the block and thunder shook my insides.
I decided to go back for the umbrella, but a bad feeling came over me when I reached the front door and caught sight of my husband with a girl. She that girl was wearing a tight suit and she was leaning cynically into Thomas' torso. A deep despair invaded my heart, but I mustered all the strength I had left and entered the house through the back door. I heard everything there.
—I don't know how to make you see reason, Caroline. You know very well that I am married. If your parents find out you had an affair with a married man 10 years older than you, they're going to kill my career.
—That's what you should have thought before agreeing to have an affair with me, —Caroline had a somber expression on her face and delicately mixed an imperial tea —but I'm willing to give you a few more days to think about it, the son I carry in my belly and I, we need you.
That took me by surprise. That slut was pregnant with my husband, I felt nauseous and wanted to confront them, but I held back, I couldn't afford a scandal of that magnitude.
—Caroline, you well know that son is probably not mine, even if he was he could not marry you. I really love Margaret.
—Margareth! That bitch!, she is a poor woman, she has not even been able to father a son for you. But, today I don't want us to argue, I just stopped by to visit you.
My husband took a container and began to drink the infusion that Caroline had prepared. I was so shocked that I couldn't even watch as she said goodbye to Thomas, I just waited for her to leave and instantly opened the doors wide to the unexpected astonishment of that man with whom she had been married for 5 long years.
—Margareth! I thought you were out…
—I thought our marriage was real, too. Now, however, I realize that your bouts of anxiety and depression are the result of your wrongdoing. I regret having married you, I curse the hour in which I decided to share my life with someone like you.
I stormed through the house looking for a suitcase, while Thomas chased me across the length of our room. Then, I noticed that he was sweating profusely and was touching his stomach as if he was in great pain. I took him back to the divan in the living room and laid him down.
—I don't know, but Caroline gave me some imperial tea to drink. I don't want you to go, I love you more than me. This that has happened has nothing to do with you my love, you are my life, I have not wanted to hurt you.
—Thomas, we need to go to a hospital, —I sobbed, but something inside me held me back as I watched my husband suffer the consequences of what I later learned was cyanide. I cried a lot, while he vomited and his body vibrated with spasms. I reached for his hand and squeezed it as hard as I could, until he succumbed on that divan.
I put my clothes back and hid the suitcase. I set out to clean up what I could of the vomit and left everything extremely tidy. I took my umbrella and rushed to my parents' house, I would spend the night there and return the next morning to give the report to the police. I arrived at the house in which I had grown up, I hugged my parents and a strong storm began. I walked through my old room and reflected on what had happened.
No one was going to believe me. It was my word against Caroline's. I also assumed that if the insurance found out that my husband had been murdered, I would not be able to collect the life insurance in my name, much less get rid of society's doubt. We women always had the loser.
But suddenly, Samy appeared and I knew that she would help me divert attention from me. She didn't want it to be known that Caroline was the culprit, she just wanted everyone to know what kind of a whore she was. Maybe all my plans were going to fall apart by involving Samantha. Soon my arguments would be invalidated by the expertise of that busybody.
I knew as I saw her slow walk towards me at the funeral. I disguised my stupor, but I knew she was up to something, if something went wrong, I was going to become the main suspect. That's why I started planning my escape from Georgetown.
To be continued...
Salí muy de noche. Thomas estaba ansioso, aun cuando sospeché de su actitud, pensé que no era nada nuevo con respecto a la que había estado experimentando desde hacía unos meses atrás. Quería ayudarle, ser una buena esposa, hasta tuve que renunciar a mi trabajo, solamente para quedarme a cuidarlo.
No lo comprendía del todo, pero de un día para otro, Thomas comenzó a experimentar episodios de pánico y ansiedad. Algunas veces me preguntaba si tenía algo que ver con su repentina paranoia; le aseguraba a diario que no importaba lo que ocurriese, yo iba a estar allí para él.
Me puse un vestido de noche y me dispuse a salir a casa de mis padres. Le propuse que saliéramos, un poco de aire fresco le podría caer bien, pero todos mis esfuerzos por sacarlo de su depresión fueron infructuosos. Entonces, le di un abrazo y lo besé en la mejilla. Salí al exterior y atisbé a un carro aparcado del otro lado de la calle. Di la vuelta a la manzana y un trueno estremeció mis entrañas.
Decidí regresar a por el paraguas, pero un mal presentimiento me invadió, cuando llegué a la puerta principal y alcancé a ver a mi esposo con una muchacha. Aquella chica lucía un traje ajustado y se inclinaba cínicamente en el torso de Thomas. Una profunda desesperación invadió mi corazón, pero junté todas las fuerzas que me quedaban y accedí a la casa por la puerta trasera. Allí lo escuché todo.
—No sé cómo hacerte entrar en razón, Caroline. Sabes muy bien que estoy casado. Si tus padres llegan a saber que tuviste un affaire con un hombre casado y 10 años mayor que tú, van a acabar con mi carrera.
—Eso debiste pensar antes de acceder a tener una aventura conmigo, —Caroline, tenía una expresión sombría en su rostro y mezclaba con delicadeza un té imperial —pero estoy dispuesta a darte unos días más para que lo pienses, el hijo que llevo en mi vientre y yo, te necesitamos.
Aquello me tomó por sorpresa. Aquella mujerzuela estaba embaraza de mi marido, sentí náuseas y quise enfrentarlos, pero me contuve, no podía permitirme un escándalo de aquella magnitud.
—Caroline, bien sabes que es probable que ese hijo no sea mío, incluso si lo fuera no podría casarme contigo. Yo amo a Margareth.
—Margareth es una pobre mujer, ni siquiera ha podido engendrarte un hijo. Pero, hoy no quiero que discutamos, solo he pasado a visitarte.
Mi esposo tomó un recipiente y comenzó a ingerir la infusión que Caroline había preparado. Estaba tan impactada que ni siquiera pude mirar como ella se despedía de Thomas, solamente esperé que se marchara y al instante abrí las puertas de par en par ante el asombro insospechado de aquel hombre con el cual había estado casada por 5 largos años.
—¡Margareth!, creí que habías salido.
—Yo también creí que nuestro matrimonio era real. Ahora, sin embargo, me doy cuenta de que tus ataques de ansiedad y depresión son el resultado de tu mal proceder. Me arrepiento de haberme casado contigo, maldigo la hora en la cual decidí compartir mi vida con alguien como tú.
Recorrí furiosa la casa en busca de una valija, mientras Thomas me perseguía por toda la extensión de nuestra habitación. Entonces, me di cuenta de que él sudaba muchísimo y se tocaba el estómago como si estuviera sufriendo un gran dolor. Lo llevé de nuevo al diván de la sala y lo recosté.
—No sé, pero Caroline me ha dado a beber un té imperial. No quiero que te vayas, te amo más que a mí. Esto que ha pasado no tiene nada que ver contigo mi amor, tú eres mi vida, no he querido hacerte daño.
—Thomas, debemos ir a un hospital —dije sollozando, pero algo dentro de mí me contuvo, mientras observaba a mi marido sufrir las consecuencias de lo que más tarde supe era cianuro. Lloré muchísimo, mientras vomitaba y su cuerpo vibraba con los espasmos. Alcancé su mano y la apreté tan fuerte como pude, hasta que sucumbió en aquel diván.
Guardé mi ropa de nuevo y escondí la valija. Me dispuse a limpiar lo que pude del vómito y dejé todo sumamente arreglado. Tomé mi paraguas y me abalancé hacia casa de mis padres, pasaría la noche allá y regresaría a la mañana siguiente a darle el parte a la policía. Llegué a la casa en la cual había crecido, abracé a mis padres y una fuerte tormenta comenzó. Caminé por mi antigua habitación y reflexioné acerca de lo sucedido.
Nadie iba a creerme. Era mi palabra contra la de Caroline. También supuse que, si el seguro se enteraba de que mi esposo había sido asesinado, no iba a poder cobrar el seguro de vida a mi nombre, ni mucho menos zafarme de la duda de la sociedad. Las mujeres siempre teníamos la de perder.
Pero, de repente, apareció Samy y supe que ella me ayudaría a desviar la atención de mí. No pretendía que se supiera que Caroline era la culpable, solamente quería que todos supieran la clase de golfa que era. Igual todos mis planes se iban a venir abajo al involucrar a Samantha. Pronto mis argumentos quedarían invalidados por la pericia de aquella entrometida.
Lo supe mientras miraba su lento caminar hacia mí en el sepelio. Disimulé mi estupor, pero yo sabía que algo tramaba, si algo salía mal, me iba a convertir en la principal sospechosa. Por eso comencé a planear mi huida de Georgetown.
Continuará...
Another posts that may interest you | Otras de mis publicaciones que quizás te interesen:
Source of the image on the cover - Fuente de la Imagen en la portada
Translated by me & also using Deepl
Hola @franchalad, hoy pasaba por acá y me encontré con esta historia y me encanta, ahora tengo que ponerme al día jajaja. Saludos.
Hello @franchalad, thanks for continuing the story. I must say that you really like suspense and you always want to keep your readers wanting more. Things are beginning to come out clear but I would still love to see the end. I really love the plot, it's really interesting
This is quite an interesting piece. Poor Thomas. He let a little girl manipulate him to his death. I wonder why men cheat and those that do have great wives. Now she has to play smart and play fast because it is her word against Caroline's. I'd love to read more to know what happens next. Did she escape? Did Caroline get caught?
Thank u, @zyzymena. I hope You Will enjoy the last chapter.
I believe I would. Please I have a question. Does writing club allow eroticas?