40. A Slander

Two Months Later. Arleena would call today the unluckiest day ever. Because, after two months had passed, Arleena finally met Justin. The main problem was that Arleena met Justin while holding a baby in her arms. "Arleena," Justin called in a very low tone. His gaze was dumbfounded at the baby in Arleena's arms. "Why are you... holding a baby? Is that your child?" Arleena remained silent without being able to say anything. Her tongue was on the tip of her tongue. In her heart, she wanted to refute Justin's words who immediately assumed that this baby was his child. But Arleena couldn't open her mouth at all. Damn it. Hugo wasn't beside her because he didn't go to the supermarket. Now Arleena had to face Justin alone with a strange baby. Arleena was still dumbfounded without being able to blink. At that moment, her whole body became very stiff. "Arleena?" Justin repeated the call, then tilted his head slightly. "Why didn't you answer my question?" Arleena wanted to answer. Unfortunately, she was so tongue-tied that she couldn't get the words out. As a result Arleena just stared like a fool, her grip on the soda can secretly tightening. Arleena swallowed saliva to wet her choked throat. 'Speak up, Arleena, why are you staying silent like a mute?' Arleena thought to herself in exasperation. On the other hand, Justin who didn't get Arleena's answer ended up laughing sarcastically. He straightened his head which had been slightly tilted to watch Arleena's nervous face. "Woah, is this the reason why you canceled our wedding plans?" asked Justin with a sardonic smile on his face. Arleena raised her eyebrows and almost laughed sarcastically at Justin's presumptive question. She never thought that Justin would have such a guess. Of all the possibilities, why would Justin think of such a ridiculous one? "Are you crazy?" Arleena was finally able to answer. Her tone was very sarcastic. "You should be able to think of other possibilities. Why do you think that?" Justin, with his cynical smile still curved on his face, looked at Arleena as if in disgust. Instantly there was no warmth at all on his face. It was gone in an instant. "Why can't you answer my question? You should explain if you don't want misunderstandings between us." How ridiculous. I don't know what Justin was thinking. Arleena didn't understand why he had to explain so that there would be no misunderstanding between the two of them. Also, Arleena didn't know why there had to be a misunderstanding when their relationship had ended a long time ago. "Justin, why should I care about your misunderstanding?" replied Arleena looking at Justin sharply. "I have no responsibility and no need to change your misconceptions." Justin immediately raised both eyebrows and grinned. "Of course you have to explain. I can assume that you've actually been pregnant since we've been together." Arleena glared in surprise at Justin's other assumption. She almost wanted to punch him if she didn't remember the baby in her arms. Also, she couldn't create a scene when the supermarket was quite crowded. They would think of her as a useless mom who fought without thinking about the baby in her arms. Finally, Arleena tried to refrain from reacting. She tried to suppress her emotions towards Justin, which were already overwhelming. "You mean, this is your child?" she asked. Justin shook his head. "No, it's that man's son-the man who married you." "How could you think of such a ridiculous thing?" Arleena almost didn't know what to say as she was astonished by Justin's thoughts. "Jesus, are you equating me with you having sex with the opposite sex-not your spouse?" Arleena's sarcasm didn't strike a chord with Justin. The look on his face still showed the same disbelief. For some reason the more Arleena tried to argue, the more Justin didn't believe her. "What's to believe from someone who broke off wedding plans so abruptly? Also, it turns out he already had a replacement that quickly," Justin retorted, looking at Arleena with an incredulous look. There was a sense of disdain in Justin's gaze and smile. Arleena didn't know how to explain more details to Justin. Part of her did not expect that Justin's true nature was like this. After years of being together, Justin was happy to blame others. By now, Arleena was dying in front of Justin. Not because she was scared, but because she didn't know what words to use to make Justin believe her. "I'm so confused about what you're saying. Why are you so stubborn?" Arleena asked with a rough sigh at the end of her sentence. Justin moved forward in his seat and looked at Arleena intently. For a split second he watched Arleena and the baby in her arms. Then his forehead furrowed in astonishment. "Why don't you two look alike?" Justin asked, pointing at Arleena and the baby with a chin gesture. "Because he's not my son, asshole," Arleena retorted exasperatedly. Her annoyance was getting the better of her so she didn't control her words. "I don't care what you think, but this is not my and my husband's child now. I never got pregnant with another man while I was with you." Justin was still astonished. After a few moments of silence, Justin backed up his seat until he leaned back again. "If he's not your son, then how can you have him?" Justin asked. From the way he spoke, it was obvious that Justin was just trying to test Arleena by implication. Of course Arleena realized the intent behind Justin's question. Arleena chuckled and looked away. "I don't know why you're asking that, but one thing is for sure..." Arleena paused her sentence for a moment. "...you shouldn't interfere in our business." Having said her answer, Arleena decided to leave. As soon as possible Arleena stood up from the chair and carried a paper bag containing baby food and her own snacks. "I'm going to go. Talking to you is a waste of my time," Arleena replied as she tidied up her things. "Hey, are you just going to leave without going into details?" Justin instantly straightened up and looked at Arleena in surprise. "I haven't even gotten-" "Justin, I don't need to explain anything to you. We have nothing to do and you shouldn't care what I do," Arleena said with firmness and emphasis in her sentence. Justin wanted to grab Arleena's wrist. But Arleena immediately put her hand away so that Justin could not touch it. Arleena's gesture of rejection made Justin frown. Justin was giddy looking at his empty hand as it touched the wind. "You really want to get away from me, huh?" *** "Arleena, why does your face look so wrinkled? Is something upsetting you?" BRAK. Arleena rolled her eyes in exasperation. She collapsed onto the sofa after handing over the baby in her arms to Sherlyn-a former coworker who had quit her old job. Sherlyn deliberately wanted to replace Arleena with the baby and ease Arleena's burden. On the other hand, Sessy was watching Arleena very curiously. There was a snack that she had been eating - right when Arleena left and allowed her to take a snack from the fridge. "I can guess why you're frowning like this," Sessy said with an intense gaze, watching Arleena as if investigating. Arleena turned to Sessy and allowed herself to be looked at with interrogating eyes. "What?" asked Arleena as Sessy did not speak. "You said you knew why I was like this. Take a guess." "Justin. You just met Justin, didn't you?" replied Sessy with one finger pointed at Arleena. Sessy was right. Arleena couldn't hide her approval from her facial expression. Even though she had looked away for a second after hearing Sessy's guess, Sessy still flicked a finger. "I guessed right. You just met Justin and couldn't control your irritated expression," Sessy said, explaining her guess. Hearing Sessy's long words left Arleena momentarily dumbfounded. Arleena already knew why Sessy understood her so well. But she didn't know that her facial expressions were very legible every time she met Justin. Arleena finally let out a rough sigh. "Yes, he suddenly appeared in front of me when I was just about to eat my favorite chicken." Sessy smiled slightly amused at Arleena's complaint. Meanwhile, Sherlyn immediately sat closer to the single sofa on Arleena's right side. "What did Justin say to you?" Sherlyn looked at Arleena intensely and very curious. Arleena shook her head. "I don't want to discuss-" "Hey, you have to tell us," retorted Sherlyn who immediately restrained Arleena's wrist. Sessy was also very curious to hear Arleena's conversation with Justin. "Tell us. He always comes and sees you, even though you told him not to." Arleena hesitated for a few moments. From the look on her face, Arleena looked both resigned and annoyed. Her long sighs sounded like someone who was tired. "Gosh, I'm not in the mood to discuss people like her. I'm really upset that she accused me of having that child with Hugo!" Silence. A split second after unconsciously blurting that out, Arleena also fell silent. Arleena stared dumbfounded at the front, feeling that she had lost control. Then, Arleena spontaneously closed her mouth with a surprised expression. "Why am I telling you this?" Arleena spoke almost softly. Sessy and Sherlyn looked at each other. They both needed time to digest Arleena's last sentence. "What?! He accused you of having a child with Hugo?!"