Meanwhile, at the party, Leonel had indulged a bit too much. Arriving home, he could barely walk straight.

Alexis assisted him upstairs.

He seemed cheerful. As she tried to remove his shoes after getting him onto the bed, he rolled over and pinned her down, evidently in the mood for intimacy.

Gently placing her hand on his shoulder, Alexis whispered, "You've had too much to drink!"

His expression turned serious, and he suddenly seemed sober.

He looked at her intensely for a while, and then propped himself up against the bed's headboard, scoffing, “You're making too much of this. Do you really dislike me touching you that much? Today was supposed to be a good day for me. Still, I nearly forgot that tomorrow marks his memorial. Obviously, he means more to you than I do. Why else would you resist my touch... Am I right, Alexis?"

“What's the deal with that woman, Anika?" Alexis didn't beat around the bush.

Leonel didn't avoid the question. With an indifferent tone, he replied, "I've only seen her a few times through work. That's it! Why do you ask? Are you feeling jealous?"

Alexis looked down and said, “Her perfume, her lipstick shade, the identical dress. Leonel, she was with you that night, wasn't she?"

Leonel's expression turned frosty.

Suddenly, he tenderly grasped her chin, his tone rapid, filled with urgency and a hint of severity. "I was drunk and thought she was you. Besides, nothing happened between us. Why do you hold it against me? You don't love me and constantly pine for another. Do you even consider how that makes me feel? If it bothers me at all?"

Alexis pushed him away, asserting, “Leonel, this is different!"

"In what way is it different?"

He pinned her down on the bed aggressively, his look fierce as though he was about to explode. “Explain to me, how is it different? Calvin and you never got together? You're telling me you both acted like complete virgins? Do you actually believe that bullshit? You expect me to think nothing happened between you two in Braseovell? Just a man and a woman, alone in that house... Seriously? Nothing at all? You've never been with him?"

Alexis slapped Leonel right across his face.

Following the slap, her hand stung, and both of them were left gasping for air.

On such a supposed joyous day, he decided to dredge up past troubles in their marriage. Alexis aimed to salvage their relationship, yet he had the nerve to disrespect Calvin and involved another woman in the mix for reasons of his own.

Was this the kind of marriage she envisioned?

Their relationship was probably long beyond repairable.

He had never uttered such harsh words to her before. Yet tonight, fueled by alcohol, he let them all out... She slowly lowered her hand, her face etched with disappointment.