Perfect disguise by Elizabeth A (speld decodable readers .txt) 📗

Dominic.

Her sobs muffled into a sniff. She ducked her head to the sink and rinsed her face—ruining her battered makeup in the process. 

"Are you feeling better now?"

Without looking at me, she nodded. "Yeah." She said softly. "But can you take me somewhere quieter?"

I wasn't used to seeing her in this condition and her question was disturbing. 

Somewhere quieter?

I studied her. I wanted to see if she was just putting on an act so as to gain my attention. Her eyes were crimsoned and her cheeks shimmering with tears. Those tears looked so genuine. There was no way Chloe could carry out  such a great act. I exhaled deeply. I should stop thinking she wanted to get in my pants and get her out of the restroom. 

Outside the restroom, the crowd was getting crazier and loud music boomed through the hall. We jostled our way through the crowd and I drove her to a peaceful and quiet cafe. The cafe looked very simple from outside, but was magnificent. It had colorful chandeliers and nicely tiled floors.

 Chloe was no longer crying, but her face was already puffy and crimsoned.

"Do you want a drink?" I asked gently.

She shook her head and stared down at her hands which were on the table. How she had switched up still baffled me. She had appeared more cheerful at the party when her husband had approached me. 

Out of curiosity, I wanted to know what was bothering her. But I didn't ask her. Chloe might seem close to me, but we weren't actually that close. Most of the time I was always trying to get her out of my hair, not the other way around.

Suddenly, she looked at me. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes," I nodded. "You can ask me anything."

She pursed her lips and fiddled with her hands for a second. Then, she took a deep breath and asked, "what will you do if your wife can't have sex with you?"

I blinked, dumbfounded. My expression was almost comical.

The question was out of the blue and I found myself thinking of what would happen if I ever found myself in that condition. It was hard to find the right answer because I wasn't married and I had actually had sex with my girlfriend.

"I don't know," I admitted. "Why did you ask?"

"My husband is impotent."

I gaped at her. "Mr Rodriguez?"

She nodded "Yes."

I blinked once. Twice. Thrice. 

I could tell I looked like a wooden dull with the way my eyes kept fluttering. I didn't expect that revelation. It was something serious and confidential. And it made me wondered why Chloe told me such a secret.

"Why are you telling me this?" I inquired. 

She shrugged. "We might not be close, but I feel comfortable around you. You know how to tolerate me," she said. "And you also make me feel like a woman."

I darted my eyes to her. "I didn't mean to create the wrong impression."

She shook her head. "Don't say that," She said. "It was something about you that pulled me to you and made me realize it had been so long since I had felt like a woman," She smiled at me. "Maybe it was the way you treated me."

I blinked again. I didn't think I had ever treated her nicely. Her statement made me question how her husband was actually treating her behind closed doors. 

"Chloe… "

"Don't worry. I'm not saying this to get you to have sex with me." She cut in. "I've been keeping it in for so long that I might explode if I didn't tell someone."

This had nothing to do with me, but I found myself apologizing. 

"Sorry."

She sniffed and shook her head. "It's not your fault," she said. "It's just my fate."

I didn't know what to say or do. 

So, I shrugged. "I guess so."

We remained at the cafe until it was twilight. The sun had crept behind the dark clouds and paved a way for the moon to shine through. The busy street was basking in the warmth of the blazing streetlights. Despite the noise from the honking of cars and the stampede of passers by, I could hear the squeaking of mice skittering around the Dustin bin of the cafe. 

I led Chloe to my car. 

I glanced at her as she sat in the front seat. "So, should I drive you home?"

She leaned on her seat and looked sideway at the cafe. "I would rather be anywhere else at the moment."

"Where should I take you to?"

She turned and locked her eyes on me. "Take me to a hotel."

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Also, I have just one question: do you think Chloe is genuine or just up to something?

Let me know in the comments :)

Until the next Friday!