Three years of Pretend

Mike gazed at the tall, well-built man in front of him. He couldn't comprehend what a man was doing in the hotel room his wife called him to.

"Baby, who is that? Please tell me our food is here. I'm famished." Stella's voice fell into Mike's ear, causing him to furrow his brows

"Baby?" He thought and tried to peep into the room but he couldn't

"Williams..." Stella called the man's name when she didn't get a response.

"Oh honey, come over here," Williams said, causing Mike to swallow hard. He gazed at the door, waiting to see the woman's face.

"Baby, who...." Stella was stunned the moment her eyes fell on her husband. Mike couldn't bring himself to utter a word. He was still in shock.

"What are you doing here?" Stella asked abruptly, with a frown on her face.

 Mike shook his head as he took his phone out of his pocket. He quickly scrolled to her text and showed her, asking, "What are you doing here, Stella?" 

"How is that any of your business?" she sneered. 

Williams smirked and pulled Stella in for a hug. He wrapped his hand around her waist. "Honey, is this the so-called boring husband that you've been complaining about?" He asked 

Mike bit his lips as he watched Williams hold his wife closely. He clutched his fist and said in a rage, "Get your dirty hands off my wife." 

Williams laughed dryly and asked, "Between the both of us, tell me who has dirty hands?" 

"Mr. Williams, find another lady to mislead. Leave my wife alone," Mike said, causing Williams to grin.

"I've known your wife longer than you think. I knew her before you both even got married!" He paused and turned to face Stella. Smiling warmly at her, he explained, 

"I met Stella three years ago before I traveled overseas and now I'm back to claim her and treat her better than you did." 

Mike turned to Stella in hopes that she'll call everything he said bullshit, but instead, Stella just smiled lovingly at Williams.

"Stella, this man is a liar, he's only after..."

"Hush Mike! Look at me very well, don't I deserve better? Did you honestly think I would stay with you forever?" she scoffed

"But... Stella!" Mike called her name hoping that she would laugh and call this all a joke, but the look on her face spelled the word serious.

"You're so poor, and I can't spend my life with someone like you. I never loved you..." She paused and turned to Williams, "it has always been Williams," she added.

Mike felt completely weak in his knees. It took him less than a minute to understand the whole scenario, "Y... Y... You only married me because Williams left you? Now that he's back, you'd rather be with him? Someone that abandoned you for three years." Mike stuttered

"Enough with all of this Mike, it wasn't her fault that she left you. You couldn't even satisfy her. Look around you..." He paused and smirked at the expression on Mike's face.

"There's no commoner anywhere near here, do yourself a favor and leave this hotel room premises so that I can take care of her properly, better than you've ever done," Williams said, Mike noticed the smile that instantly appeared on Stella's face causing him to grow furious.

Mike grabbed Williams by the collar and said in anger, "My wife won't go with you into that room."

"You're so pathetic Mike, think about it... Why did you think I invited Stella here, huh?" Williams said causing mike to tightened his grip on his collar, refusing to let Williams's words get to him.

"Well, let me tell you for free. It was only because I knew all about your plan to surprise her with a common movie date at a hotel. We both texted her, right? But who did she come to?" Williams asked. Mike shook his head and turned to Stella who did not attempt to even deny his words.

"Argh, you son of a...." Mike punched Williams in the face. He could no longer control his temper.

"Mike, stop!" she yelled, scared that Williams would get hurt. Mike ignored her and pushed Williams to the ground before clutching his fist tightly. 

"You're a liar!" Mike said and was about launching a punch at Williams.

Thud! Suddenly, he felt a great deal of pain in his head. Like he was hit with an object. He gazed down to see pieces of glass on the ground before turning to his side to see Stella holding a broken wine bottle. 

“You hit me?” He asked, surprised.

"Don't you dare ask me such a question!" she warned. "I don't know what you're still doing in this hotel! Just face it that you don't belong here and go. If you had left when Williams asked you to, then this wouldn't have happened," she said.

Stella bent down and helped Williams up, "Argh" He winced in pain, causing her to look up at Mike before glaring at him.

 "Now, you've seen who she loves more, right?" Williams said with a sly smile on his face, he wrapped his hand around Stella's waist and turned to face her before shoving a few strands of her hair to the back of her ear, he leaned closer to her, and slowly, their lips touched.

"S... Stella" Mike stuttered. He couldn't believe his eyes. Feeling completely disappointed, Mike turned to leave when he heard Stella call his name, "Mike..." she uttered. He couldn't face her, so he just stood there waiting for her to state her reason for stopping him.

Suddenly, something small hit Mike's back and then bounced to the ground. Mike followed the sound of the tiny object hitting the ground and slowly gazed down as his eyes fell on the ring he gave to her.