But the truth is that I know I'm not going to be okay, I'm not going to be happy. At least, not as satisfied as I was when we were married. I know that love like ours happens once in a lifetime.
When I enter the lobby, I see my husband and the girl he's with entering the restaurant. I don't see her face, but somehow she seems familiar.
So they decided to eat first, huh? I speed up as my sadness gives way to anger.
When I enter the room, I realize it's empty. The restaurant is closed, and there are no guests except for them. The woman is sitting with her back to the entrance, so I don't see her face.
When Josh sees me, he gets up from his chair. No, scratch that, he literally jumps up in surprise.
"Sapphire, what are you doing here?" His voice is frightened, and I see the fear on his face.
That confirms he's cheating on me with her.
"I thought maybe I was mistaken," I say, my voice trembling, "but now as I see your face, I know it's true."
I can feel the first tear falling on my cheek, and I wipe it off rapidly, hating myself for being so weak.
"What is true?" He comes closer. "Sapphire, don't cry! Talk to me!"
And then the woman finally faces me, and I freeze in place.
"Hello, Kendall," she says, getting up from her chair and extending a hand to me.
It's Lauren Conrad. We met last month when she and her husband invited us for dinner. Her husband mentioned that he wanted to work with Josh, but I don't know the details since they didn't discuss them during the dinner. We had a wonderful time together.
How can Josh sleep with her? She's like fifteen years older than him. And she's married. And he knows her husband.
My head starts to spin. How could he do this to me?
"It's not what you think," Josh starts explaining.
"Everyone says that," I interrupt before he starts.
"Oh, Kendall, dear, I'm so flattered." Lauren chuckles, waving at me. "I'm happy that you think your handsome husband could cheat on you with a woman like me, but do you really think I would do that in my husband's hotel?"
I freeze, processing what she just said, unable to believe I could be that stupid.
Conrad. Conrad West. That's the name of this hotel. Because it stands on the west side of the city. There is also the Central Conrad, the Eastern and... I don't remember exactly. There are so many of them across the country.
"Michael Conrad asked me to open a pastry café in each of his hotels." Josh starts speaking again, and I realize only then that I have been standing motionless with an open mouth. "After we discussed the details, we decided to open an entirely new type of restaurant, with not only pastry but everything else in them."
"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you lie and say you're at work?" I ask, trying to breathe normally, but my heart is popping out of my chest.
"I didn't lie, I am working." He smiles and takes a step closer. "I've spent almost every evening with Conrad in his hotels, and today Lauren met me to give me the final contract because Conrad couldn't. He left the country for business."
I gasp for air as if someone was choking me, and now he’s finally let me go.
"But why didn't you tell me?" I ask once again because his business does not justify his lying.
We’ve never lied to each other before. Or at least that's what I thought.
"Look at the wall, Kendall," he says, taking one more step and now standing against me.
When I take a look at the wall, my jaw literally drops in surprise. How didn't I notice it before? Giant letters with the name of the restaurant are written across the wall.
"Sapphire," I whisper, unable to believe what I see. "You named your restaurants in my honor?"
"Of course I did, my love," he explains as if it's obvious, and cups my face in his hands. "I wanted to surprise you on our anniversary."
It’s been five years since we got married, and I completely forgot about that, worrying that my husband was cheating on me.
"How could I be so stupid?" I shake my head, and another tear falls on my cheek, but I do not wipe it away this time.
"Because you're in love." Josh gives me his most charming smile. "And I'm in love with you, silly. I would never cheat on you because of how much I love you."
And then he leans lower and presses his lips to mine without letting me respond. I look around, searching for Lauren, but she's gone. She left us alone in the middle of this new restaurant my husband made for me.
I wrap my hands around Josh's neck and close my eyes, letting myself melt in this kiss.