Chapter 1

Clyde was abruptly pulled from his slumber, his sense instantly alert and his eyes snapping open to the dimly lit room as the blaring sound of the alarm pierced through the quiet of the night. With a groan, he reached out to silence the offending noise, his hand fumbling clumsily in the darkness until he finally managed to locate the snooze button.

With a heavy sigh, he turned his attention to the woman lying beside him, her form cocooned beneath the soft embrace of the blanket. Even in the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains, Charlotte's beauty was unmistakable, her features softened by sleep, her chest rising and falling in a gentle rhythm.

Despite the urgency of his impending departure, Clyde couldn't resist the urge to linger a moment longer, to drink in the sight of her peaceful countenance, knowing that it would be hours before he saw her again. He watched her for a moment, his heart swelling with affection as he marveled at the depth of his feelings for her.

But time was not in his side, and with a reluctant sigh, Clyde swung his legs over the edge of the bed, the cool tiled floor meeting his bare feet with a jolt. He moved with purpose, his movements swift and efficient as he reached for his jeans and stood bare-chested. In no time, he wore his jeans, tugging it quickly and secured the button at the top.

However, as he picked up his shirt, Charlotte stirred from her slumber, her voice tinged with sleep as she questioned him, her eyes heavy with weariness.

“Where are you going again, Clyde?”she murmured, her tone laced with a hint of frustration. “I can't take it anymore. You, going today and coming around after two days… you need to get everything in order.”

Clyde paused and threw his arms down, his movements faltering at her words. He turned to face her, the weight of her disappointment settling heavily upon him as he struggled to find the right words to reassure her. 

“I know, Charlotte. I'm trying,” he replied earnestly. “ Just give me a little more time. Okay?” I promise I'll make things right.” He slid one arm into his shirt.

But Charlotte remained unconvinced, her brow furrowing in doubts as she regarded him with a mixture of sadness. 

“Keep on making things right until I'm no longer here for you anymore.” She folded her arms, pulling the blanket a little bit so that a part of her chest was revealed.

Clyde felt a pang of discomfort at the sight of her distress, wishing desperately that he could ease her worries and erase the pain from her eyes. With a heavy heart, Clyde abandoned his attempt to dress, his focus shifting entirely to Charlotte. He unzipped his jeans, pulled it down and without hesitation, moved closer. He reached out to gently cradle her face in his hands, his touch tender and affectionate as he sear he'd her eyes for a glimmer of understanding.

“I love you, Charlotte,” he whispered, his voice barely above a breath as he leaned in to press a soft kiss to her lips. “Remember how much you used to love it when I kissed you like this?” 

Charlotte rolled her eyes, striving not to let out the smile that was already evident on her face. Clyde chuckled and lingered on top of her for a moment savoring the warmth of her lips against his own, the familiar taste of her lingering on his tongue. With each gentle caress, he poured his heart and soul into the kiss, hoping to convey the depth of his love for her in a single, fleeting moment.

Charlotte pulled back all of a sudden and sighed deeply. “Are you trying to bribe me? You're staying the night with me, Clyde.” She said with authority. 

Clyde furrowed his brow and shrugged and immediately, Charlotte pulled him closer and kissed him tenderly, her legs crossed behind his back as she seemed to be lost in the moment.

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Clyde hit on the horn of his car, causing a blaring sound as he drove his car inside his compound and rolled to a stop in the driveway, the early morning sun cast long shadows across the pavement, signaling the start of another day. He killed the engine and sat for a moment, his hand gripping the steering wheel tightly as he took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead.

With a heavy sigh, he pushed open the car door and stepped out into the crisp morning air. The familiar sound of his footsteps echoed off the walls of the apartment building as he made his way to the front door, his mind at rest as he was less worried about what could happen.

He knocked at the door and within a few seconds, the door swung open, revealing his wife, Kristen, standing on the threshold with a concerned look on her face.

“Clyde, where have you been?” She asked, her voice laced with worry. “I've been trying to call you since yesterday, but you weren't picking up.”

Clyde's expression remained impassive as he stepped inside, his eyes fixed on some invisible point in the distance. Without a word, he walked past Kristen and into the apartment, heading straight for the couch.

Kristen followed him, her brow furrowed with concern. “Clyde, you're not even saying anything… I've been worried sick about you.” She uttered, her voice filled with desperation.

Clyde sank into the couch and loosened his tie, his jaw clenched with tension. “I'm not kidnapped and I'm here now, sitting in this apartment,” he snapped, his tone sharp and dismissive.

Kristen sighed deeply as she clasped her fingers tightly. “I know but I could at least know where you've been that made you ignore my calls.” She inquired, taking her eyes off him as his gaze was pressed on her.

“I've been at work, you should know that and I've been busy,” He hurled back and took his shirt off.

With a heavy sigh, she nodded her head, her gaze fixed on the floor as she struggled to contain her frustration and disappointment. She knew that she couldn't force Clyde to open up to her, but she could not shake the feeling that their relationship was slowly slipping away from her, slipping further and further out of reach.

Kristen looked up only to see his bare body and his widened chest. Her eyes were fixed on him in a mixture of anticipation and longing. She couldn't help but feel a surge of desires as her gaze swept over him, taking in the familiar contours of his body that she had come to know so well. Memories flooded her mind, transporting her back to the early days of their relationship when their love burned bright and fierce.

She remembered the first time she had laid eyes on his bare chest. The way her heart had raced with excitement as she traced her fingers over his skin, feeling the warmth of his body beneath her touch. 

She recalled the way he had looked at her with such intensity, his eyes filled with love and longing as he whispered her name in a voice that sent shivers down her spine. At that moment, she reached out with her hand and brushed it against his chest, feeling the firmness of his muscles beneath her fingertips. She felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her body at the contact. She leaned in closer, her lips brushing against his skin in a tender caress.

Clyde's breath caught in his throat as he felt her touch, his body responding instinctively to her proximity. He pulled her closer, his arms wrapping around her waist as he pulled her into his embrace, their bodies melding together in a passionate embrace.

“Kristen, Kristen!” Clyde screamed out, waving his palm close to her face.

Kristen was startled as she became aware of her surroundings. “Yeah, you called me?” She said, running her fingers through her hair.

“Are you thinking? I mean, you've been standing here and I've been talking until I noticed you've not been listening, huh.” He clicked his tongue and wagged his head sideways.

“Not really,” She said and immediately cut in as she noticed Clyde was about to utter some words. “Well, I prepared your favorite dish and I spent hours laboring over the cooking process. Let me go get it” She said, feeling a sense of pride and anticipation as she turned around to take her leave.

But to her dismay. Clyde barely glanced at her as his eyes were focused on his phone with a perfect smile on his phone.

“I'm okay, Kristen, you don't have to worry about that,” he said. “I just need a break and by the way, I have to catch some sleep,” He yawned and stood up from the couch.

Kristen halted and shut her eyes firmly as she felt a pang of disappointment at his words, her excitement dampened by his lack of enthusiasm. Suppressing a sigh, she forced a smile onto her lips, determined not to let her disease show. She nodded in understanding and watched him walk away.

“Just get enough sleep, okay?” She uttered, her voice descending.

She looked around and noticed his shirt draped over the arm of the couch. With a sigh, she picked it up, intending to fold it and put it away in the bedroom where it belonged. But as she flipped it, something caught her eye—a small object tumbling from one of the pockets and landing on the floor with a soft thud.

Curios, Kristen leaned down to get a closer look. Her heart pounded in her chest as she realized what had fallen from Clyde's shirt—a condom.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the tiny packet lying on the floor, her mind reeling with shock and confusion. She couldn't believe what she was seeing—Clyde, her husband, had never given her any reason to doubt his fidelity, and yet there was undeniable proof of infidelity staring her in the face.

Trembling with a mix of fear and anger, Kristen reached out to pick up the condom, her hands shaking as she held it between her fingers. She felt a surge of nausea wash over her as she imagined Clyde with another woman, betraying her trust and breaking their sacred vows of marriage.