Female Novel
Chapter 22
Chapter 22 Who Was That Woman?
I was in disbelief because the two keys didn’t match. I doubted myself then and wondered if I hadwrongly accused Ivanna. Was Matthew seeing someone else, or did he have another trick with thosekeys?
I didn’t expect this or know if I should feel relieved or frustrated. My mind went blank as a strangefeeling crept into me. I suddenly felt the need to turn around and was startled as Ivanna calmly stoodbehind me.
“Did you find what you were looking for?” She sounded like she had planned this whole thing.
My lips trembled as I looked at Ivanna and felt I could no longer read her. Of course, I wasembarrassed when she exposed me. Still, I stood tall and locked eyes with her, saying, “What are youtrying to say, Ivanna? Why did you lie to me? What’s going on between you and Matthew?”
Her calm demeanor caught me off guard, provoking my anger and embarrassment.
“I’ve never lied to you. I know what you’re referring to. You want to talk about that day I saw Matthew at
the teahouse.” Ivanna remained composed. “I didn’t want you to get hurt. Although my words can be
harsh, I’ll never take what you love.”
After a pause, she stared at me and asked, “Is our friendship that fragile to you?”
Meanwhile, Ava must’ve sensed the tension in our voices and crawled to be. She hugged my leg asher
eyes showed panic. “M–Mommy!”
I quickly knelt and embraced Ava, reassuring her, “It’s okay, baby. Aunt Ivanna and I are discussing
something. We’re not fighting.”
Ivanna came over and knelt too. Then she gently patted Ava’s head and said, “Your mommy and I will
never fight, sweetheart. We’re best friends, after all. Don’t be afraid, okay?”
She looked at me and patted my shoulder before saying softly, “We’ll talk later. Just trust me.”
Ivanna calmed my daughter and me down, and I picked Ava up to return to the living room. I onlywanted
to know what Ivanna knew and what she kept from me.
The lunch she made us was lavish, and we tried to create a harmonious atmosphere while eating. Wemade Ava laugh non–stop to dispel the earlier tension. Ava grew excited and ran around the housewhile I
kept tearing up.
Once Ava had eaten her fill and was exhausted from all the running, she was finally starting to feel
fatigued.
+15 BONUS
Ivanna hugged her and asked, “Would you like to nap here? You can sleep on my big bed.”
Ava looked at me and cheered when I nodded with a smile.
Ivanna led us to the room, and I lay down with Ava as she hugged me. “Aunt Ivanna’s big house is
awesome!”
I almost cried hearing my daughter’s words. I hugged her tightly and firmly promised, “I will get you abig
house like this too!”
“Really?” She asked naively.
“Yes, of course!” I said firmly, clenching my teeth afterward.
Soon after, her eyes closed, and she fell asleep. Her sleeping face was so beautiful it made my heartmelt,
but her lips were still slightly swollen.
I covered her up, gently kissed her, and quietly got up. Then I left the room and saw Ivanna sipping rednovelbin
wine in the living room. Her eyes followed my every from her.
move until I sat-
She poured me a glass, and we clinked glasses in a silent understanding, both downing the wine inone
1. go.
“You start.”
“You start.”
We spoke simultaneously.
Then, we smiled at each other and thought perhaps we knew each other too well. I was the first tobreak
the silence and got straight to the point, “Did you know Matthew cheated?”
“I know. I told you I saw him the other day, right?” Ivanna was straightforward this time, “He suddenlyleft,
and I even got someone to check the footage from that day. I was scared that I’d made a mistake.”
After hearing that, I closed my eyes briefly as tears streamed down my face. I abruptly opened myeyes
and looked at Ivanna, saying through clenched teeth, “Who was that woman?”