Chapter 21

My Best Friend’s Keys After touring around her house, I felt a bit disappointed. There wasn’t even a pair of men’s slippers in her place.

I suspect she had tidied up since it took her two hours to come and pick us up to hide any evidence. I figured she had thought things through.

It was enough time for her Ivanna prepared a few snacks for Ava, perhaps because she sensed how distracted I was. She then turned on the TV, played a cartoon, and sat beside me. Soon after, she began to scrutinize me, making me feel uncomfortable.

Then, she patted my hand, saying, “Let it out.”

My heart raced, and I looked at her defensively while withdrawing my hand. “Let what out?”

“Share what’s on your mind,” Ivanna encouraged as if trying to coax me.

I sneered before saying. “What’s on my mind? What do you mean?”

I saw her mouth twitch. After a moment of silence, she stood up abruptly. “You stay here and play with Ava. I’ll make something for you two to eat.”

After removing her coat and changing clothes, she went into the kitchen.

I sat with my daughter absentmindedly and gazed at the large screen, pondering whether my thoughts were headed in the right direction. Suddenly, her phone rang, and my senses heightened immediately. I suspected it was Matthew calling.

I stood up and sat on the nearest sofa to the kitchen. I heard Ivanna’s voice softly speaking on the phone, her tone tender and different from when she was with me. Though I couldn’t make out the content of her conversation, it felt like a thousand needles pricking my heart.

I rose and headed to the kitchen, but as I approached, I noticed that Ivanna had already ended the call and placed the phone in her apron pocket.

She looked surprised at my sudden appearance. “Go and keep Ava company. You’re my guest, so I’ll take care of everything. Just wait for the food.”

I smiled and didn’t move, leaning against the kitchen door frame. “Did you buy this house yourself?”

“I don’t have that much money. It’s the company’s,” Ivanna chuckled while looking at me.

“Your company is something else, huh? Not many companies provide housing for employees these days,”

A terrible feeling crept over me, and I wanted to check the savings account I shared with Matthew.

“I’m just living like a celebrity,” Ivanna replied while cleaning the crabs, “Several talents from my company live in this neighborhood, and the security and management here are top–notch. Random people won’t be disturbing us. You know how celebrities value their privacy.”

I countered bluntly. “The privacy of ordinary people is just as important, you know? Mistresses can be afraid of being exposed too.”

“You’re right. There are people like that here, too.” Ivanna remained remarkably composed. “However, it’s not necessarily the mistress who fears exposure sometimes. I guess it depends on how sophisticated they are.”

I snorted at the word ‘sophisticated and thought about how bold mistresses had become these days since they dared to flaunt their affairs openly. I didn’t want to argue or continue with this topic, so I turned and left the kitchen while glancing at the shoe cabinet at the entrance.

I saw her bag with the keys and walked toward mine before fumbling around for my keys. Then I looked back at the kitchen and heard the bustling inside. Soon after, I got up, pretending to be calm, and approached the door.

I glanced at the kitchen again and quickly reached into Ivanna’s bag to grab her keys. I then searched for the one Ivanna had used to open the door. My hands trembled, not knowing if it was nerves or fear of knowing the outcome.

I placed her key and my duplicate side by side for comparison, unable to believe what I saw. An inexplicable feeling crept over me, and I slowly turned around.