My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 388

Her mother kept talking, gently, carefully, as if afraid to hurt her.

“Riyana… if you want to go see him, you can. Or if you want me to come to you....”

“No.”

The word came out fast. Too fast.

“No, mum,” Riyana said firmly. “I’m not going to see him.”

Her voice sounded steady even to her own ears.

“You don’t need to worry about me,” she continued. “He has been dead to us for years. This doesn’t change anything. I’m fine.”

Her hand was trembling badly now, but she held the phone tighter, making sure her voice didn’t shake.

“Riyana, are you..." her mother started.

“Mum,” Riyana interrupted softly but firmly. “I’m really fine. Please don’t worry.”

She swallowed hard.

“I have something to do. I’ll call you later.”

Before her mother could say anything else, Riyana ended the call.

The phone slipped from her hand and landed on the bed beside her.

She sat there, completely still.

Her mind went blank.

No thoughts, no image, just emptiness.

For a long moment, she didn’t feel anything at all.

Then slowly, feelings began to surface. Not all at once. One by one.

Shock, Confusion.

A strange heaviness in her chest.

No matter what he had done to her, no matter how much pain he had caused, Robert was still her father. She had never felt his love. Never felt his protection. His presence in her life had always been fear, distance, and wounds.

But still…

He was her father.

There was sadness there. A quiet, distant sadness. Not sharp. Not overwhelming. Just a dull ache.

And beneath that sadness was something else. That was relief.

That realization made her chest tighten even more.

She didn’t have to look over her shoulder anymore.

No more threats.

No more fear that he would use her mother against her.

No more past reaching out to pull her back.

That chapter of her life… it was finally closed.

A painful chapter.

A chapter she had never asked for.

Tears blurred her vision before she realized she was crying.

She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, wiping her cheeks quickly with the back of her hand. She didn’t sob. She didn’t break down.

The tears fell quietly.

For the child she once was.

For the fear she had lived with.

For the man who had failed to be a father.

And for herself.

She took a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes. The room was still quiet.

Still empty.

The other side of the bed remained untouched.

Her jaw clenched again, but this time, the anger felt different. Heaviness mixed with disappointment. She was facing something this big alone.

She sat there for a long time, letting the tears dry on their own, letting the reality settle in her bones.

After while she desided to make something to eat.

Riyana stood in the kitchen, staring at the plate in front of her.

She had made a simple breakfast. Nothing fancy. Just something quick, something warm. Normally, she would at least try to eat.

Today, even the smell made her stomach tighten.

She lifted the spoon, brought it close to her lips then stopped. Her hand hovered in the air for a few seconds before slowly lowering again. The food looked untouched. Exactly the same as when she had served it.

"I'm sorry" he said.

He stepped forward, lifting his arms as if to pull her into a hug.

But Riyana reacted without thinking.

She stepped back.

It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t loud but it was clear, clear enough that Jabco stopped mid movement.

His hands hung in the air for a moment, awkward and helpless, before he slowly lowered them.

Something flashed across his face. Hurt and Regret.

She didn’t look away.

"If you were that busy" she said, her voice steady but sharp, "you should have told me"

She met his eyes fully now.

"I never asked you to leave your work for me"

The words were simple, but they cut deep.

Jabco’s expression darkened. His jaw tightened, then loosened again.

"I know" he said quietly. "I know, I’m sorry"

He hesitated, then reached for her hands again. This time, she didn’t pull away. Her fingers stayed still in his grip, though her body remained tense.

“The situation was really bad,” he continued. “Everything went wrong at once. I didn’t even realize how much time passed"

He took a breath.

“If you want, we can still leave today.”

For a brief moment, the idea tempted her.

But the moment passed just as quickly.

She pulled her hands free.

“I have an important meeting,” she said, exhaling slowly. “So let’s drop the trip.”

She adjusted her bag on her shoulder.

“I’ll take my leave.”

Before he could say anything else, she stepped past him.