The rain was still pouring heavily when Clara peered out the window. Seeing Kael still asleep in the car, her heart felt as if it were being shredded. Despite the pain and disappointment, she couldn't bear to leave her own husband outside in such a state.
Umbrella in hand, Clara approached the car. The rain soaked her feet, which were only clad in sandals. She tapped on the car window, hoping Kael would wake up. But there was no response. Kael was fast asleep, his head resting on the steering wheel, his face looking utterly exhausted and full of suffering.
Clara tried opening the car door and found it unlocked. As she opened the door, the glow from the still-lit phone immediately caught her attention. The phone was held loosely in Kael's hand, and on its screen—a photo that made Clara's breath catch.
It was a picture of a young Kael and Elara. They were laughing freely, their arms stretched toward the sky as if challenging the world. Kael's face in the photo was so different—the light in his eyes, the genuine, carefree happiness that Clara had never seen in their marriage. Elara, with her hair flowing, smiled in a way that made Clara understand instantly: this was the woman who had stolen her husband's heart, not just in the past, but perhaps until this very moment.
With a pounding heart, Clara placed the phone back exactly where it was. Her hands trembled. She wanted to scream, to get angry, to shake Kael and demand an explanation. But she didn't.
Just then, Kael stirred and his eyes slowly opened. He was startled to see Clara standing there, drenched by the rain.
"Clara? What—"
"Come inside," Clara said, cutting him off. Her voice was flat, controlled. She pretended she hadn't seen anything, didn't know anything. "You'll get sick sleeping here."
Kael nodded slowly, his eyes full of remorse. "I... I'm sorry, Clara. I'm truly sorry."
Clara simply turned around and walked ahead toward the house, leaving Kael confused and guilt-ridden. She didn't want Kael to see the tears that finally fell, mixing with the rainwater on her face.
As Kael followed behind her, Clara realized something: that photo wasn't just a memory. It was a confession. And now, she was the keeper of the most painful secret—the secret that her husband was still in love with another woman, and she was too afraid to confront it.