Two days later, he was standing inside a hotel elevator.
She was wearing a dark dress.
Underneath he was wearing the same red lingerie that my husband had barely noticed.
My hands were shaking when I got to Eric’s room.
I was about to turn around.
Then the door opened.
Eric watched me for several seconds.
“Wow…
Just one word.
But suddenly I felt like a woman again.
I could still have left.
I should have left.
But I didn’t.
When he kissed me, I stopped thinking about Robert.
I stopped thinking about my age.
I stopped thinking about what I would bring in the morning.
During those few hours, I wanted to forget everything.
The night was passionate, reckless, almost overwhelming for a woman who had spent years forgetting what it felt like to be desired.
I laughed more than I had laughed in months.
Eric kept telling me she was beautiful.
“To,” I whispered, almost ashamed.
“Why?” he asked. Because your husband forgot to tell you?
Those words hurt.
But at the same time, they brought me even closer to him.
At one point, Eric kissed the side of my neck much more strongly than I expected.
I shuddered and walked away.
“Carefully.
He stopped immediately.
Did I hurt you?
“No… it was just a little too strong.
We even laughed at it.
At the time, it didn’t seem important.
I had no idea that just a few minutes later, the whole night would end up in panic.
I got up to get some water.
Say two steps.
Suddenly, a strange buzz filled my ears.
The room seemed to be sloping.
—Eric…
He’s back.
“Linda?”
I took my hand around my neck.
Then my legs stopped holding me.
Everything turned black.
The next thing I remember was the constant sound of a monitor hospital.
I opened my eyes.
He had an oxygen tube under his nose.
A doctor was standing next to me.
“What happened?”
He explained that fainting could have been linked to strong pressure on a sensitive area of my neck, and that exhaustion and dehydration had possibly made the situation worse.
I immediately held my hand around my neck.
Is there a mark?
The doctor hesitated.
“Yes. And it will probably be visible for several days.
I felt my stomach sink.
Where is the man who was with me?
He called the ambulance.
I closed my eyes.
But the doctor was not finished yet.
He seemed uncomfortable for a moment before saying:
“Ma’am, we also had to contact her family.
I opened my eyes suddenly.
With whom?
The doctor replied quietly:
“With her husband.
