𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐧

The house was unusually quiet that night.

You were sitting on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the floor.

For months, you had known about Frederick's affair.

You had seen the messages. The late-night calls. The excuses.

And when you finally confronted him, Frederick had barely looked guilty.

"It was a mistake."

That was all he had said.

He had never apologized properly.

Instead, he had told you that it meant nothing.

"She's not my wife."

"You are."

As if that alone was supposed to make everything acceptable.

You had stayed.

But eventually, something inside you changed.

If Frederick could have someone else while still coming home to you, you wondered why you couldn't do the same.

So you did.

You found someone.

Someone who made you feel wanted again.

And for a while, you thought Frederick would never know.

You were wrong.

The bedroom door opened.

Frederick stepped inside.

His suit was still immaculate, his tie slightly loosened around his neck.

He closed the door behind him and looked at you.

There was no anger on his face.

No shouting.

No accusation.

Only an unsettling calm.

"You've been seeing someone."

Your heart sank.

You said nothing.

Frederick slowly walked toward you.

"I know about him."

He stopped in front of you.

"I know where you met him. I know how long this has been going on."

His gaze remained fixed on yours.

"I know everything."

You finally looked up at him.

"You cheated on me first."

Frederick's expression barely changed.

"I know."

The casualness of his answer made your stomach turn.

"You had someone else."

"I did."

"And you expected me to just accept it."

He was silent for a moment.

"I expected you to understand that it was different."

You stared at him in disbelief.

"Different how?"

Frederick stepped closer.

"Because I'm your husband."

His voice remained calm.

"I can make mistakes."

Your jaw tightened.

"So I can't?"

"No."

The answer came immediately.

You almost laughed.

"You really think that's fair?"

"I don't care if it's fair."

Frederick's eyes hardened.

"I care that you betrayed me."

"You betrayed me first."

"I did."

He didn't deny it.

"But you weren't supposed to do the same."

Silence filled the room.

Frederick looked at you as though he genuinely couldn't understand why you were arguing.

"You were supposed to be better than me."

You shook your head.

"You don't get to make the rules after breaking them yourself."

Something cold entered his expression.

"I do when it comes to you."

He reached into his coat and pulled out his phone.

He unlocked the screen and placed it in front of you.

Photographs.

Messages.

Proof.

Everything you had tried to keep hidden was there.

Your stomach dropped.

"What are you going to do?"

Frederick looked at you for a long moment.

"Nothing to you."

He put his phone away.

"But him..."

His voice became quieter.

"He won't be a problem anymore."

You froze.

"What did you do?"

Frederick's expression softened into something almost affectionate.

"I took care of it."

He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair away from your face.

"You should have known better than to make me jealous."

His hand lingered for a moment before falling back to his side.

"But don't worry."

He looked directly into your eyes.

"You still have me."

As if he had not been the one who started this.

As if he had not betrayed you first.

As if you were the only one who had done something unforgivable.

---

*) Indonesian version / Versi Indonesia ada di slide kedua =>

Versi INDONESIA

Malam itu, rumah terasa jauh lebih sunyi dari biasanya.

Kamu duduk di tepi ranjang, menatap lantai dengan pandangan kosong.

Selama berbulan-bulan, kamu sudah mengetahui perselingkuhan Frederick.

Kamu telah melihat pesan-pesan itu. Panggilan telepon larut malam. Berbagai alasan yang selalu dia berikan.

Dan ketika akhirnya kamu mengonfrontasinya, Frederick bahkan nyaris tidak terlihat merasa bersalah.

"Itu hanya kesalahan."

Hanya itu yang dia katakan.

Dia bahkan tidak pernah meminta maaf dengan sungguh-sungguh.

Sebaliknya, dia justru mengatakan bahwa perselingkuhan itu tidak berarti apa-apa.

"Dia bukan istriku."

"Kamulah istriku."

Seolah-olah kedua kalimat itu saja sudah cukup untuk membuat semuanya bisa diterima.

Kamu tetap bertahan.

Namun, pada akhirnya, ada sesuatu di dalam dirimu yang berubah.

Jika Frederick bisa memiliki orang lain dan tetap pulang kepadamu, kamu mulai bertanya-tanya mengapa kamu tidak bisa melakukan hal yang sama.

Maka, kamu pun melakukannya.

Kamu menemukan seseorang.

Seseorang yang membuatmu kembali merasa diinginkan.

Dan untuk sementara, kamu berpikir Frederick tidak akan pernah mengetahuinya.

Ternyata, kamu salah.

Pintu kamar terbuka.

Frederick melangkah masuk.

Setelannya masih tampak sempurna, hanya dasinya yang sedikit dilonggarkan di leher.

Dia menutup pintu di belakangnya, lalu menatapmu.

Tidak ada kemarahan di wajahnya.

Tidak ada teriakan.

Tidak ada tuduhan.

Hanya ketenangan yang terasa mengusik.

"Kamu selama ini menemui seseorang."

Jantungmu serasa jatuh.

Kamu tidak mengatakan apa-apa.

Frederick berjalan perlahan ke arahmu.

"Aku tahu tentang pria itu."

Dia berhenti tepat di hadapanmu.

"Aku tahu di mana kalian bertemu. Aku tahu sudah berapa lama ini berlangsung."

Tatapannya tetap terpaku padamu.

"Aku tahu semuanya."

Akhirnya, kamu mendongak menatapnya.

"Kamu yang selingkuh lebih dulu."

Ekspresi Frederick nyaris tidak berubah.

"Aku tahu."

Jawabannya yang begitu santai membuat perutmu terasa mual.

"Kamu punya orang lain."

"Benar."

"Dan kamu berharap aku begitu saja menerimanya."

Dia terdiam sejenak.

"Aku berharap kamu mengerti bahwa situasinya berbeda."

Kamu menatapnya dengan tidak percaya.

"Berbeda dalam hal apa?"

Frederick melangkah semakin dekat.

"Karena aku suamimu."

Suaranya tetap tenang.

"Aku bisa melakukan kesalahan."

Rahangmu mengeras.

"Jadi, aku tidak boleh?"

"Tidak."

Jawaban itu langsung meluncur dari bibirnya.

Kamu hampir tertawa mendengarnya.

"Kamu benar-benar berpikir itu adil?"

"Aku tidak peduli apakah itu adil atau tidak."

Tatapan Frederick mengeras.

"Aku peduli karena kamu telah mengkhianatiku."

"Kamu mengkhianatiku lebih dulu."

"Benar."

Dia tidak menyangkalnya.

"Tapi kamu seharusnya tidak melakukan hal yang sama."

Keheningan memenuhi ruangan.

Frederick menatapmu seolah-olah dia benar-benar tidak mengerti mengapa kalian masih memperdebatkan hal ini.

"Kamu seharusnya menjadi orang yang lebih baik dariku."

Kamu menggelengkan kepala.

"Kamu tidak berhak membuat aturan setelah melanggarnya sendiri."

Sesuatu yang dingin menyusup ke dalam ekspresinya.

"Aku berhak jika itu menyangkut dirimu."

Dia merogoh saku mantelnya dan mengeluarkan ponsel.

Dia membuka kuncinya, lalu meletakkannya di hadapanmu.

Foto-foto.

Pesan-pesan.

Bukti.

Semua yang selama ini berusaha kamu sembunyikan ada di sana.

Perutmu terasa melorot.

"Apa yang akan kamu lakukan?"

Frederick menatapmu cukup lama.

"Tidak akan melakukan apa pun kepadamu."

Dia menyimpan kembali ponselnya.

"Tapi pria itu..."

Suaranya menjadi lebih pelan.

"Dia tidak akan menjadi masalah lagi."

Kamu membeku.

"Apa yang kamu lakukan?"

Ekspresi Frederick melunak, berubah menjadi sesuatu yang nyaris menyerupai kasih sayang.

"Aku sudah membereskannya."

Dia mengulurkan tangan dan dengan lembut menyingkirkan sehelai rambut dari wajahmu.

"Seharusnya kamu tahu lebih baik daripada membuatku cemburu."

Tangannya bertahan sejenak sebelum kembali turun ke sisinya.

"Tapi jangan khawatir."

Dia menatap tepat ke dalam matamu.

"Kamu masih memiliki aku."

Seolah-olah bukan dia yang memulai semua ini.

Seolah-olah bukan dia yang lebih dulu mengkhianatimu.

Seolah-olah hanya kamulah satu-satunya orang yang telah melakukan sesuatu yang tidak bisa dimaafkan.