The End Of An Era

Chapter 1: The End of An Era.

The moan wasn't mine.

I stopped mid-step in the foyer, suitcase still in hand, heart kicking hard in my chest. The anger towards my cousin for standing me up at the airport vanished. The crazy airline that frustrated me, suddenly out the window.

That high-pitched, breathless sound was unmistakable. And it was coming from my bedroom.

Our bedroom.

I blinked, trying to make sense of it. Maybe it was the jetlag. Maybe it was exhaustion. Maybe I was hallucinating.

Then I heard it again. Another moan. Louder and dirtier. This time it was followed by a male grunt that turned my blood to ice.

Austin. My husband.

My suitcase hit the floor with a dull thud as I raced up the stairs, the bouquet of lilies that I had gotten for him were instantly trampled on.

I ran past the kitchens, and down the hall until I stood in front of our bedroom door. The moan was louder now.

I pushed the door open, dreading what I'd find inside.

But nothing could actually prepare me for the bizarre sight I walked into.

My husband, Austin, was sprawled out naked on the bed, as the day he was born.

And the very much naked woman on top of him? My cousin, Delaney. My best friend since childhood.

The one who was supposed to pick me up from the airport and left me stranded for hours.

She was on top of him, riding him like Austin and I didn't book a first-class ticket to her destination wedding in Malibu. As if she didn't know that I had plans to surprise Austin today.

But here she was, having the time of her life with my husband.

Her head was thrown back, her tits bouncing, her fingers digging into his chest, and he was groaning her name like it was some sacred prayer.

They didn't even notice me standing there.

I didn't even know how to react. This was the moment where I wished there was a handbook for angry wives.

As if my brain knew my inner turmoil, I sighted the glass vase on the dresser containing the now-wilted roses Austin gifted me few days ago and I grabbed it like a weapon.

I stood there and watched what I was still yet to experience in my five years of marriage, mouth slightly open in stunned disbelief.

“Austin,” I finally said.

His eyes flew open.

Delaney froze, then twisted to look over her shoulder, and when she saw me standing in the doorway, her eyes widened, lips still parted in the throes of forbidden pleasure.

“Oh,” she gasped then smirked.

Oh.

That was all she had.

Austin scrambled, nearly tossing her off in a rush to grab the sheets. “Serena—fuck—this isn’t—”

“Isn’t what it looks like?” I completed. “Because it looks like you’re balls-deep in my blood relative.”

“You weren't supposed to be home today.” He argued.

“Surprise surprise.”

I hurled the vase directly at him, aiming for his head. He ducked.

It shattered against the wall, glass and water spraying everywhere. Austin barely dodged the flying object as a shrad of glass found a new home for itself in his left brow.

“Rena, what the hell?!”

Delaney shrieked and clutched the sheet to her chest, like that would somehow make her less naked. “We didn’t mean for you to find out like this.”

“How did you want me to find out?” I said, voice calm in a way that scared even me. “A baby shower invite? A wedding in St. Tropez? A family barbecue?”

Delaney flinched.

Austin’s face twisted with pain and something that almost resembled guilt. “Serena, I’m sorry. We didn’t plan—”

“Save it. Call your lawyer. Or I'll call mine. Either way, I'm going to milk your cheating ass dry.”

His eyes widened. “Serena, I know you're hurt—”

“You know nothing about me, Austin Lowell.”

Austin was still examining his bleeding brow with his hand.

“Rena, I was bored… I was lonely—”

“You know, if I had caught you with a stranger maybe I would've been a little lenient. This bitch was like a sister to me.”

“I had needs, Serena! Needs you weren't capable of satisfying.” Austin exploded. “What would you have me do?”

I laughed.

“You knew how I was before you married me, Austin. I was open with you from the start. Don't turn this around on me. You said you didn’t care how long it would take.”

I caught Delaney trying to pick her clothes from the corner of my eyes.

“You go nowhere, Delaney! You stay right here!”

“Don't blame her for any of this.” Austin jumped in. “I was losing my mind, Rena.”

“Don’t,” I snapped. “Don’t say my name like you still have the right to use it.”

Delaney pulled the blanket tighter around herself. “You’re being dramatic.”

I turned to her slowly. “And you’re being a whore. I hope your daddy's real proud.”

Delaney’s smile dropped.

“Does Raymond know what his wife does for fun?”

The look in her eyes was answer enough. The poor man was probably thinking she was out shooting a skit or jumping through audition grounds.

“I think not.” I smiled, “That means Raymond and I are going to have a very juicy discussion.”

Austin stepped between us like he could fix this, like this wasn’t beyond repair. “It just happened, okay? It wasn’t planned—”

I slapped him. Hard.

None of them moved. Not a sound.

“Were you ever going to tell me?” I asked, but I didn’t wait for the answer. I already knew. “If you were tired of me, you should have just let me know.”

Austin’s face went white.

Delaney narrowed her eyes. “You were never really a wife to him anyway. You're just cold and frigid. You couldn’t even give him a proper wedding night, Rena. Stop being selfish.”

I chuckled. “You told her that too? Let me guess, pillowtalk?”

Delaney walked straight to me, her hands cradling her belly. “Wanna know a secret? I'm carrying his child.” She casually dropped the bomb.

I glanced at Austin.

“I can't do this, Serena. I thought I could…but I can't. I didn't want to hurt you.”

“Wow. Thank you for caring about me, Austin. I'm genuinely touched.” I faked. “Maybe I should fuck Raymond and get even.”

“Oh please. Raymond wouldn't touch your frozen ass for a million dollars.” Delaney joked.

I didn’t cry, I didn’t scream.

I just marched up to Delaney, smiled and looked her in the eye. “I will hurt you for this betrayal, Dee.”

“Bring it on, Ice Queen.” She snickered.

I felt it then. The last crack inside me. The one that finally split me open.

That was a nickname that haunted me till today. I never thought she'd ever use that against me. But here we are.

“You two deserve each other.”

Then I walked out. Not a single tear.

And not a single look back.