Masuk
Gracie
My fiancé is gay. That was the thought echoing through my head as I stood there frozen, watching a scene I could never unsee. I stared at the man thrusting into my fiancé’s ass, and at Charles moaning like a goddamn whore in heat. This was my fiance, the man I was supposed to marry in five days. The man I had shared a bed, a future, a life with for five whole years. But he was there, legs spread wide, eyes rolled back in bliss I had never seen cross his face when he was with me. I couldn’t breathe anymore, everywhere felt like it was spinning. The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. My eyes stayed locked, watching as if my brain couldn’t register that this was real. “Ah, fuck, Mark… yes, I love this… fuck… you’re so big.” Charles moaned, and the words hit me like punches to the gut. My hand flew to my mouth, pressing hard to keep the nausea down. My heart felt like it had been torn from my chest and shoved down a garbage disposal. Was this a nightmare? Was I going to wake up in our apartment, beside him, with his arms around me and none of this real? “Fuck yeah, Charles, baby,” the man grunted. “Take my big boy. Take him good.” “Ah, daddy! Give me your big boy!!!” Tears burned the back of my eyes. My knees buckled slightly, and I reached out to the doorframe for support. Daddy? He had never called me anything in bed. What was I saying? He had never seemed that interested in sex with me. Two minutes. That was the amount of minutes he took before he came. Anytime I asked him for more, he would say he was tired or he would just give me a disgusted look before leaving. My mind raced, spiraling out of control. Is he gay? Bisexual? Has he always been like this? Had he been faking it with me? All these years? Every kiss, every time he said I love you, every plan we made for the future, was it all a lie? I felt humiliated, sick, and like a goddamn fool. How do women process this? How do they act when they find out their supposedly straight fiancé is getting his back blown out by another man days before the wedding? But what was I saying? Most women haven’t caught their future husband mid-thrust with another man. I felt something wet on my cheeks. My hand lifted, brushing my skin. I hadn’t even realized I was crying. “Fuck, yes, I’m close!!” Charles moaned from the bed. I shook my head slowly, like maybe if I shook hard enough, I could wake up from this twisted reality. But the sound of him panting, the sight of them tangled together was still there. I laughed bitterly. “You know what?” I said, voice hoarse, barely above a whisper. “You’re really fucking shameless, Charles.” They froze and Charles’s head whipped toward me. His eyes stretched wide in panic. He scrambled away from the man between his legs, grabbing at the nearest blanket and yanking it over himself like that could somehow undo what I’d just seen. “G-Gracie…” he stammered, his voice cracking. “What… what are you doing here?” I pressed harder against the wall, still wiping at the tears with the back of my shaking hand, trying to stay on my feet. “What am I doing here?” I repeated slowly, meeting his eyes. “That’s the first thing you have to say? After I walk in on this?” He shook his head, still clutching the blanket. “No. No, it’s not— it’s not what it looks like.” “Not what it looks like? Not what it looks like?!” I pushed off the wall, legs wobbling, hands balled into fists. “Charles, you’re cheating on me with a fucking man. In our bed. In the house we brought to live together after our wedding. You are spreading your ass for someone else, moaning his name like you have never been fucked before, and you have the audacity to tell me it’s not what it looks like? What exactly does it look like, then? He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. His face crumpled as he looked at me with shame, guilt, and mostly fear. “You’re a bastard,” I hissed. “After everything I’ve done for you. After five years of loyalty, patience, planning our goddamn future together, this is what I get in return? This is who you are when I’m not looking? How dare you do this to me!” The man who had been inside him only moments ago rolled his eyes and sat up. “Jesus,” he muttered. “How dramatic.” He started pulling on his clothes, unbothered. “I don’t want to be caught up in this mess, Charles. I’m out.” Charles turned to him, panicked. “Mark, wait— I’m sorry. I didn’t know—” Mark cut him off with a dismissive wave. “It’s fine. You were right about her, though. She is dramatic.” That did it. Something inside me snapped. My whole body shook with rage. Why were they acting like this was normal? Why were they not on their knees begging? Why was no one crying but me? He didn’t even look surprised, that meant he knew Charles was already in a relationship and still went ahead and fucked him on our bed. “You fucking asshole!” I stormed toward him, hand raised, ready to deliver the slap he damn well deserved, but before I could reach him, Charles moved fast. “Stop it, Gracie!” he shouted, grabbing my wrist and yanking me back. His grip was tight, fingers digging into my skin. “What the hell are you doing?!” “What am I doing?” I spat, eyes blazing. “Stay out of it, bastard! Wait for your fucking turn.” I jerked toward Mark, but Charles stepped in front of me again, blocking my path. “Don’t be delusional,” he said coldly. “I won’t let you touch him. Don’t even dare.” My heart dropped. He sounded so… protective of him. The man he cheated with. The man who had just mocked me, smirked at me, and walked out of bed with my fiancé like this was some goddamn sitcom. “Why?” I whispered, stunned. “Why are you protecting him? Are you seriously defending him? After what you did to me? Shouldn't you be on your knees right now?” Behind Charles, Mark straightened his shirt, not even trying to hide the smugness on his face. Then he looked at me like I was something stuck to the bottom of his shoe. “Why are you surprised?” he said, shrugging casually. “Did you honestly think he ever liked you in the first place? Use your brain, girl.” My mouth opened, but no sound came out. “If it weren’t for your families being involved,” Mark continued, “do you really think he’d even look at someone like you?” My vision blurred with anger. I could feel the blood roaring in my ears. “Let me go,” I growled through gritted teeth, yanking at my arm. “Let me go this instant, Charles!” “No!” he barked. “Stop it, Gracie!” I shoved him hard enough to make him stumble back a step. I charged toward Mark, ready to slap the smug off his goddamn face but Charles lunged between us and in a flash, his hand shot out and slapped me hard. My head jerked to the side, cheek burning at the sudden impact. “Don’t you fucking dare lay a hand on Mark!”GraceI looked at Apollo for a moment, my heart pounding so hard in my chest.I swallowed, but my throat was painfully dry. Oh my God. This man. This was exactly why I didn’t want to sit beside him. It wasn’t because I was afraid of him. I wasn’t scared of Apollo anymore, but I was still nervous around him. Anytime I stayed too close, my heart raced, my skin warmed, and my thoughts dissolved into an absolute mess.I felt like a high school girl falling in love all over again, painfully aware of every fleeting touch and stolen glance.The real reason I didn’t want to sit with him was simple, I knew exactly what kind of man Apollo Reed was. He would never let me have a peaceful dinner without touching me, without doing something that made my body react before my mind could catch up.The food wasn’t even on the table yet, and his hand was already on my thigh. And fuck, why was he like this? Why did he always have something seductive to say, something that made my legs feel weak and my
Apollo I sat at the table with my arms crossed, my posture relaxed, my gaze briefly falling on the neatly arranged food before shifting indifferently to the other side of the room.Grace was there, standing with her friend, looking utterly lost.She nodded along to whatever her friend was saying, her brows drawn together in confusion, her hands fidgeting as if she was trying to keep herself sane. She looked overwhelmed, and unsure, as though she couldn’t quite process everything happening around her. I leaned back slightly in my chair, letting my eyes linger on her longer than necessary as I studied her in silence.I loved it when she reacted like this.Every time we were close, she seemed torn between staying and running, like a cautious little rabbit caught between instinct and desire. Always searching for an escape route. It was amusing, and endearing, because there was no escape. She was already caught. She just didn’t realize it yet.I can’t stop loving you.Her words echoed in
Grace Eleanor stared at me for a long moment, her eyes scanning my face. Then, without warning, she burst into soft laughter. She covered her mouth, shoulders shaking slightly as she tried to contain herself.I frowned immediately and turned toward her. “Eleanor, I’m serious,” I said, my voice low and strained.She smiled at me, still clearly entertained. “I know you’re serious, I can tell. Whenever you’re serious, you get this frustrated little crease between your eyebrows. So relax, Grace. Nothing is wrong.”Nothing is wrong?I almost scoffed out loud. Nothing was wrong, if you ignored the fact that Apollo Reed was sitting in our living room like he belonged there. Nothing was wrong if he wasn’t my boss, or the most powerful man in the country. Nothing was wrong if he wasn’t teaching the kids like a personal tutor.I let out a long exhale, rubbing my temples as if that might make reality rearrange itself.“Do you even know why he’s here?” I asked quietly.Eleanor blinked at me, the
GraceI didn’t linger in the bathtub after he left. I washed quickly, stepped out, and pulled on the first clean clothes I could find, a loose white top and soft shorts. Nothing special. Considering Apollo Reed was downstairs, I should’ve tried harder, but I didn’t have the time to waste.My hair was still damp, so I ran my fingers through it and tied it into a ponytail, doing my best to look at least somewhat human.Without thinking twice, I spun around and rushed out of the room.Going down the stairs felt like walking straight toward my execution. Each step was too fast, and clumsy, my heart was pounding so violently it felt like it was lodged in my throat, stealing my breath away. I nearly tripped over my own feet.God. This was going to be a disaster. A bigger disaster than anything that happened in the bathtub.I knew I said reckless things when I panicked, but Eleanor and Liana were worse. Those two didn’t have a filter between them. If a thought existed in their heads, it came
GraceThere are moments in life when you don’t need a functioning brain cell to realize you’re screwed.This was one of those moments.My body realized it before my mind could catch up. My heart slammed against my ribs. Heat rushed up my face, every passing second growing more unbearable as the reality sank in.I was a dead woman.Apollo Reed leaned casually against the tiled wall, as if he owned the entire world. His eyes dragged slowly down my wet skin, following the path of the droplets that slid across my collarbone before disappearing beneath the milky bathwater. He watched like he was studying something rare, and forbidden. Something he was deciding whether or not to devour.That look alone made my breath stutter.My face burned hot as I sank deeper into the tub, trying to hide myself even though I knew it was useless. Water wouldn’t save me. Nothing could save me. Perfect, what a way to go to hell, Grace. God, why did those words leave my mouth? Why didn’t I turn around the
Grace I opened my eyes slowly, blinking away sleep. For a long moment, I just stared at the ceiling, my breathing slow and steady. Then I turned my head and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. 9 p.m. I sighed and covered my face with one hand. God. How stressful. Two days had passed. Ever since the fever knocked me down, I’d barely been able to stand. The doctor had come two days ago, given me an injection and a pile of medication, and since then Eleanor, Wyatt, and the twins had practically taken shifts guarding me. They closed the restaurant. The twins skipped school. Eleanor barely slept. They fed me, wiped my sweat, sat beside me, talked to me even when I could barely respond, then I’d fall asleep again, over and over. I was used to taking care of myself when I was sick, but this time the fever must’ve been brutal, because if they weren’t here, I didn’t want to think about what could’ve happened. I pushed the blanket off and sat up slowly. My body ached everywhere,







