Chapter 4

"But he didn’t buy me any… then who did he buy it for?

Bella sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Julian’s phone until the screen went dark. The words on that receipt kept flashing in her mind — sheer black lace, crotchless, garter straps, over a thousand dollars. She felt a sharp sting behind her eyes. Tears came fast and hot, spilling down her cheeks before she could stop them.

“So this is why he’s been acting so distant,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “All those late nights. All those quickies where he barely looked at me. This is why…”

She buried her face in her hands and let the sobs come. The hurt felt deep, raw, like something inside her chest was cracking open. She had tried so hard to be enough for him. She had ignored the little signs for so long. Now it was staring her right in the face.

A sudden loud voice shattered the silence.

“Surprise!!!”

Bella jerked upright, heart leaping into her throat. Scarlett burst into the bedroom without knocking, arms wide open and a bright smile on her face, looking like she had just walked into her own house.

Bella quickly wiped her tears, her voice sharp with shock and embarrassment. “Scarlett! Why didn’t you knock? What if I was changing? What if Julian was here?”

Scarlett laughed lightly and closed the door behind her, completely unfazed. “Oh come on, Bella. This is the family house. Why should I knock? It belongs to all of us. Besides, I texted Julian earlier and he said you were probably home alone moping around.”

Bella blinked. “You texted Julian?”

Scarlett waved her hand casually as she dropped onto the bed beside her. “Yeah, just to check if you were free. You know how he is with his schedule. Always so busy these days.”

Bella stared at her sister. Scarlett looked especially pretty today — glowing skin, perfectly styled hair, wearing a fitted top that showed off her curves. There was something different about her energy, something almost too bright.

“I found something,” Bella said quietly, her voice still thick from crying. She hesitated, then decided to tell her. “On Julian’s phone. A receipt for really expensive lingerie. The kind that’s… basically see-through and meant for sex. Over a thousand dollars, Scarlett. He bought it two days ago.”

Scarlett’s eyebrows rose. She reached over and rubbed Bella’s back soothingly. “Oh sis… are you sure? Maybe it’s a surprise for you. Julian’s been stressed with work, but he does love spoiling people when he wants to.”

Bella shook her head. “He’s never bought me anything like that. Not once. Not even close.”

Scarlett tilted her head, thinking. “Well, you know Julian. He hates when things get too routine. He probably wanted to try something new to spice things up. Men get like that sometimes. Remember when he bought that fancy watch last year? He gets these ideas in his head.”

how do you know that?

Bella asked frowning slightly. The way Scarlett spoke about Julian felt… familiar. Too familiar. Like she knew exactly how his mind worked.

“You seem to know a lot about what Julian’s been thinking lately,” Bella said slowly.

Scarlett gave a small laugh and shrugged. “I’m around a lot, you know? We talk sometimes when you’re busy or when he needs someone to vent to. That’s what family is for, right?”

The words hung in the air. Bella watched her sister carefully. Scarlett was checking her phone again, a tiny smile playing on her lips before she put it away. She smelled faintly of a rich, masculine cologne that definitely wasn’t hers.

Bella’s stomach twisted with unease, but she pushed the feeling down. She was probably just being paranoid. This was her sister. Her own blood.

Still, the doubt lingered.

They talked for a while longer. Scarlett listened as Bella poured out some of her frustrations — how neglected she felt, how distant Julian had become. Scarlett nodded sympathetically, offering hugs and all the right words. But every so often she would slip in little comments that made Bella pause.

“Julian’s always been the type who needs a lot of attention,” Scarlett said at one point. “You can’t blame him for looking for excitement elsewhere when things get boring at home.”

Bella froze. “What do you mean ‘elsewhere’?”

Scarlett blinked, then smiled quickly. “I just mean in general. You know how men are.”

The conversation continued, but Bella’s mind kept circling. Why did Scarlett know so much? Why did she defend Julian so smoothly? Why did she walk into the bedroom like she owned the place?

By the time Scarlett finally stood up to leave, Bella’s head was spinning. She walked her sister to the door, forcing a smile as they hugged goodbye.

“Call me if you need anything, okay?” Scarlett said cheerfully. “We’ll figure this out together. Julian’s probably just being stupid. Don’t overthink it.”

As soon as the door closed, Bella leaned against it, her mind racing.

What if he’s really cheating…

And what if it’s no outsider?