My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 52

The sting on her cheek lingered, hot and humiliating. Lily’s mind was still struggling to catch up with what had just happened. David’s hand had actually struck her. The man who once promised—even in coldness—that he would never humiliate her in public, had done it in front of everyone.

For a few seconds, the world around her blurred. She couldn’t hear the gasps, the whispers, or Olivia’s sharp intake of breath. All she could hear was the dull pounding in her chest, the echo of that slap repeating over and over again.

When her vision finally cleared, she caught sight of Marina clutching her stomach, crying out weakly, her voice dripping with fear and accusation. Guests surrounded her like bees to honey, some helping, others only curious. And then David, without hesitation, bent down, scooped Marina into his arms, and left.

He didn’t look back. Not once.

Olivia’s face darkened with rage, her lips trembling. “How dare he… slap my daughter-in-law like that! Right in front of me!” she muttered under her breath, shaking with fury. But her words barely reached Lily.

Lily stood rooted, her cheek burning, her pride torn into pieces, yet her body refused to move. She felt as though her legs had been replaced by stone pillars.

Jacob, who had watched the entire scene unfold, finally stepped in. His eyes, full of concern and restrained anger, softened as he reached for her trembling hands.

“Come on, Lily,” he said gently, his voice grounding her. “You shouldn’t stay here. Not another second.”

She blinked, finally noticing him. His presence was steady, like a hand pulling her out of quicksand. Nodding faintly, she allowed him to guide her away, ignoring the stares and whispers that followed them like shadows.

They exited through the side door, away from the chaos, the clicking heels, and the murmurs about her humiliation. Outside, the night air felt sharp, almost cruel against her burning cheek.

Jacob led her to his car. “Do you want me to take you for a drive? Just to clear your head,” he suggested softly, as though afraid she might shatter if he spoke too loudly.

But Lily only shook her head. “No… take me home,” she whispered, her voice hollow. “I can’t… I don’t want to be seen anymore tonight. Please.”

He didn’t press further. With a nod, he opened the car door for her and drove in silence, the engine’s hum the only sound between them.

Inside, Lily sat stiffly, her fingers clenched tightly in her lap. She stared out of the window, but the lights outside blurred into meaningless streaks. She couldn’t feel anything—no anger, no sadness, no tears. Just… numbness.

When they arrived, Jacob wanted to escort her inside, but she gave him a faint smile and shook her head again. “Thank you, Jacob… really. But I just need to be alone.”

His eyes lingered on her for a long moment, reluctant, but he respected her wishes. “If you need me… call. Anytime.”

She nodded before stepping out, walking slowly to the door like a sleepwalker.

The house felt colder than usual. Empty. Almost suffocating.

She dropped her clutch onto the sofa, kicked off her heels, and sat down heavily. For a moment, she simply stared at her hands. They were trembling uncontrollably. She rubbed them together, but the shaking wouldn’t stop.

Her phone rang suddenly, startling her. The name flashing across the screen made her chest tighten.

Father.

Against her better judgment, she answered. “Hello?”

“Lily!” his voice came, sharp and filled with venom. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Do you have any shame at all?”

Her throat constricted. “Dad...."

“Don’t you dare call me that with such a pathetic tone! Do you know the news already spread? The whole city knows David’s mistress is carrying his child while you—his legal wife—stand there useless! You can’t even keep your husband’s loyalty, can’t even bear him a child before another woman does. What are you good for, Lily? Useless! Absolutely useless!”

And then… her fury unleashed.

She began pulling books off the shelves, throwing them onto the floor. She swept ornaments off the desk with a sharp shove of her arm. She overturned chairs, smashed vases against the wall, kicked over the coffee table.

Every crash echoed through the hollow house, but it wasn’t enough. She wanted to tear the entire place down.

Her father’s awards, his framed photographs, his treasured possessions—all went flying, shattering against the walls and floors.

By the time she finally stopped, her chest was heaving, her hair disheveled, her hands scraped and bleeding from broken glass. The once pristine study now looked like a battlefield.

But for the first time in years, Lily felt lighter.

Exhausted, she sank to the floor, resting her head against the wall. She stayed like that for a while, letting the silence settle around her.

Finally, she pulled out her phone. Her thumb hovered over David’s name for a long time. Then, with steady fingers, she typed out a message.

“David, I’m terminating our contract. I’m done playing this annoying charade. You can have your Marina, your child, your lies. I’m done.”

She hit send before she could second-guess herself.

The message flew away into the night, carrying with it every shred of her patience, her endurance, her love.

For the first time, Lily didn’t feel like the victim. She felt like someone who had finally broken free.