1.

LYSSANDRA

I was standing on the edge of my balcony, one foot hanging off the edge, the evening breeze blowing the smell of citrus flowers into my nose.

I was considering stepping off the edge. It wouldn't take much, and really, no one would miss me. No one except my best-friend, Riley, and maybe, Cade.

I heard the bedroom door open, and I sighed. I smelled Riley’s perfume before I heard her voice. Riley’s voice was sultry, the voice of a vixen luring men to destruction in a 90’s movie.

“Lys? Where are you? Mrs. Nagia gave me your tea.” Riley said.

Instead of jumping the edge of the balcony, coward that I was, I chickened out again and headed into the room.

“Oh there you are,” she said, walking over. Handing me the tea, she ran her eyes over my outfit. “You look gorgeous, as always.”

“Do I?” I turned to the mirror, running a critical eye over my own figure. Unlike Riley who is tall and even more accurately gorgeous, I was…average.

Dark brown eyes, dark brown hair, and an average height. I didn't disappear in the crowd, but no one noticed me either, not even my husband.

My heart squeezed, and I pushed away all thoughts of Cade. Today was supposed to be a happy day for me.

“Yes you do. And we're going to have fun tonight. We'll make them all eat their tongue.” Riley said, snapping me back to reality.

“You don't think the dress is too much?”

Riley took my hands, both of them. Her palms were so soft that for a second, I paid more attention to them.

She's the only good thing in my life. Her and Cade. “I think you're going to steal the show tonight. I mean you're receiving an award. Now where's Cade? We should leave.”

“Um…he has to work late. It'll be just us.” I said, looking away guiltily.

After all, isn't it my fault? I'm sure Cade would love me more if I wasn't so sickly. He used to love me, when I was fun, and healthy. When I wasn't just a workaholic, hiding away in my lab night after night.

Last year was terrible for our marriage. I had lost so much weight that a bag of bones probably weighed more.

Sometimes, I thought Cade was disgusted to even step in the same room as me, but he had stayed loyal, and he still loved me. Better than most women could hope for.

“The bastard. I wonder what you see in him.” Riley's eyes narrowed as we walked to the door together. “You could have any man you wanted, any! And they'd be lucky to have you.”

I followed her to the door, sipping the tea so I didn't have to think up a reply. Nagia was in the living room, watching another rerun of her favourite show.

She took the empty cup from me, and the motherly look on her face had tears springing into my eyes. “Break a leg. Not literally of course.”

I nodded, and followed Riley to the door, and outside to the car. The driver nodded and drove us over to the event. Cade called when we were half way there.

“Lyssandra?” His voice was a bass that always made my core melt. Tonight was no different.

“Yes, Sir?” Cade preferred that I address him this way.

“Have you arrived? Remember you're not to do anything that disgraces my name, or the company’s image.” His tone was commanding without meaning to be, and I shrank into my chair.

I nodded, though he couldn't see it of course. He meant I'm not to throw up, or fall into a dizzying faint, or even soil my clothes; these were all symptoms of my disease.

“Yes, Sir. I understand.” I closed my eyes, my scalp burning. And I wondered vaguely, if I had slid my feet off the balcony and tumbled to the floor, would he have cared?

“Good. Are you and Riley still sleeping out tonight?” He asked finally.

“Yes, Sir. We will.”

“Perfect. Have a good night then.” He hesitated, and the tightness in my chest was worse before I heard the words I'm waiting for. “I love you.”

The call ended, and Riley was glaring at me. “Jesus. I really don't know how you do it.”

I didn't answer. I loved Cade, and he loved me. That was all that mattered. He was why I kept working on the medicines, why I kept testing the serums, and why I was even receiving this award.

At the event, I was so happy, suffused with warmth, that I didn't falter once till the end of the event. I was so happy that three hours later, holding the heavy award in hand, I decided to go back home.

Cade was home every day by nine, and I hoped today wasn't any different. Maybe he'd hold me and we could fall asleep together. We hadn't done that in a while because I'd been even more sickly lately. It had been a year since he last touched me. My body was hungry for Cade.

I opened the front door with my fingerprint, stepped into the house and I was hit with the worst smell.

It was the smell of sex, same as though a sex club had been magically opened in my living room.

Clapping my hands to turn the lights on, I was stunned by the most outrageous sight.

It was Cade. He was on the living room couch, and a man whose face I couldn't see was over him, hands over his throat, choking him.

What's worse? His cock was sliding in and out of Cade’s ass.

“Cade?” I managed to say before my knees gave out.