3

Bella:

Before I could take another step toward the closet, Luke caught my wrist.

In one swift movement, he pulled me back against his chest.

His arms wrapped around me securely, holding me close as though he had missed me all day.

Once upon a time, this embrace had been my safe place.

Whenever life became overwhelming, all it took was Luke holding me like this for everything to feel right again.

Tonight, his embrace felt like a prison.

His touch didn't comfort me anymore. It suffocated me, it felt wrong.

Every part of me screamed to get away from him.

"Leave me alone!" I snapped, my voice breaking through the silence of the room.

Even I was startled by how sharp it sounded.

Luke had never heard me speak to him like that before.

For a second, I expected him to let go but he didn't.

Instead, his arms tightened around me.

I could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my back, and it only made me feel sicker.

How could he hold me like this after holding another woman?

How could these same hands touch me without hesitation after they had been all over Serena?

The thought made my stomach churn violently.

Luke rested his chin lightly against my head, completely oblivious to the storm raging inside me.

Or perhaps he simply misunderstood it.

Maybe he thought I was upset because he had arrived home late.

Maybe he believed this was nothing more than an angry wife waiting for her husband on their anniversary.

If only he knew.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he murmured softly, his voice warm.

It was the same voice that had comforted me through sleepless nights, family problems, and moments when I doubted myself.

"You know I'd never put anything before us."

A bitter smile threatened to form on my lips.

Really?

"I love you so much." He said.

The words landed heavily in my chest. Not because they warmed my heart, because they hurt.

They hurt more than I thought words possibly could.

Only minutes ago, I had watched those same lips kissing Serena.

Now those lips were whispering promises of love to me.

I closed my eyes tightly. The video replayed in my mind all over again.

How could he claim to love me while betraying me?

How could love exist beside deception?

How could someone promise forever to one woman while giving pieces of himself to another?

Love me?

I almost laughed.

You love me enough to kiss Serena.

You love me enough to lie to my face.

You love me enough to spend our anniversary with another woman before coming home to me with flowers.

What a cruel definition of love.

I bit down hard on my lower lip, refusing to let another sob escape.

Slowly, Luke loosened his embrace.

Relief washed over me, but it didn't last long.

His hand remained on my waist.

His thumb stroked my side absentmindedly, the way it always did whenever he wanted my attention.

I resisted the urge to shove his hand away. If I push him off, and shout at him, he might stop paying my mother's hospital bills.

I can't let that happen until I'm financially stable.

He smiled at me, completely unaware of the disgust building inside me.

Or maybe he noticed something was wrong but assumed it was nothing serious.

Perhaps he believed all it would take was another apology, another bouquet of flowers, another romantic surprise, and everything would return to normal.

Luke leaned forward slightly, intending to kiss me.

Instinctively, I turned my face away before his lips could touch mine.

“Stop it, Luke,” I said in a low tone.

His lips brushed nothing but air and silence settled between us.

When I finally looked at him, surprise flashed briefly across his face.

It disappeared almost as quickly as it came.

"I guess you're still angry," he said with a small chuckle. "Let me make it up to you."

His hand slipped from my waist, though his eyes never left mine.

He searched my face carefully, waiting for the familiar smile I always gave him.

Waiting for me to forgive him before he even explained himself.

I couldn't do it.

I couldn't even look at him properly.

So I lowered my gaze.

That was when I noticed it.

His scent.

Luke always wore the same expensive cologne.

I knew it so well that I could recognize it anywhere.

But tonight…There was something else mixed with it.

A soft floral perfume.

It wasn't mine.

I didn't wear perfume today.

The realization struck me so suddenly that my breathing faltered.

Someone else's fragrance clung to his clothes.

My stomach twisted painfully.

What more evidence do I need? He was really with her.

And yet he had stood here moments ago, looked straight into my eyes, and calmly told me he'd been busy at work.

The lie had rolled off his tongue so effortlessly.

How many times had he lied to me before tonight?

How many times had Serena's perfume followed him home while I welcomed him with a smile and never questioned a thing?

The thought made me feel physically ill.

Luke reached for my hand again.

His fingers intertwined with mine naturally, as though nothing had changed.

As though I still belonged beside him.

As though he hadn't shattered my heart beyond repair.

He gently guided me toward the bedroom door.

For a moment, I considered pulling away.

Demanding answers.

Throwing my phone in his face and forcing him to explain every second of that video.

Instead, I remained silent because I suddenly felt exhausted.

The truth carried a weight I had never imagined.

As we reached the doorway, I stopped abruptly.

My breath caught in my throat.

The living room has been transformed—Rose petals covered the floor, forming a path through the room.

Candles flickered softly on every surface, filling the space with a warm golden glow.

Our wedding song played quietly in the background.

The entire room looked exactly like something I'd once dreamed of.

For one heartbreaking second, my chest tightened.

If I hadn't seen that video...If tonight had unfolded the way I'd expected...I would've cried happy tears.

This would've been perfect.

Luke had remembered every tiny detail I loved.

The flowers. The candles. The music. Everything.

The decorations around me no longer looked romantic.

They looked like evidence of how convincing a liar he had become.

Luke turned to face me, his eyes searched mine carefully.

"Bella." He called softly.

I blinked slowly, realizing I'd been staring blankly at the room without saying anything.

He stepped closer. "Are you okay?"

A hollow laugh echoed inside my mind. Was I okay? How could he even ask me that?

How could the man who had betrayed me so completely still stand in front of me pretending to be the caring husband I'd fallen in love with?

How could he kiss Serena... then come home, decorate our house, buy me flowers, hold me in his arms, and tell me I was the best wife in the world?

The contradiction was so absurd it almost made me question my own sanity.

I looked at the concern in his eyes and the tenderness in his expression.

And all I could think was...How can you still look at me like you love me... when you were in another woman's arms just hours ago? That was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever witnessed.