Betrayal As A Present.

Presents were meant to come in the form of gifts, not betrayals—and never would Lily Aldridge, have thought that her happy delusion of a marriage, would come crumbling in the worst way possible. 

After having spent the past four hours preparing the perfect meal for her wedding anniversary—covering the dining table with different varieties of food, her husbands’ favorite foods—Lily felt her phone vibrate inside her pocket.

Pulling it out, her expression brightened in a heartbeat the moment she saw it was a text message from her husband. 

He rarely called or texted her, heck, he rarely ever talked to her or looked her way. So, seeing a message from him, on the night of their anniversary, made a seed of hope blossom in Lily's heart.

Without hesitation, she clicked on the text message, accessing it. 

[Come to The Bellamy Hotel – Room 1802. I have a surprise for you. Can’t wait to see you.] 

The message was simple, but its contents made Lily's heart flutter. 

The Bellamy, that was a luxury hotel she had mentioned to her husband, William Aldridge—just once, in the passing. It was a year after their marriage—when they still shared a bed…a room—she remembered trailing her fingers along a travel magazine photo that night, whispering how beautiful it was, and how she’d love to stay there just once. He’d barely looked up from his tablet then. 

But now… he remembered?

Lily felt her heart thump against her chest—excitement, happiness, and hope crashed over her all at once, washing away the growing resentment, anger and tiredness.

After so many years, William was finally taking the initiative. He was finally seeing her and her years of effort were finally paying off! 

With a smile tugging at her lips, she shoved the phone back into her pockets and quickly rushed upstairs, changing into a soft rose-colored silk dress. Her hair was already curled at the ends, a habit she’d formed just in case William ever came home and looked her way again. She applied light makeup, just enough to brighten her already beautiful face that had lost its glow over the years. 

She took one last look at the mirror, examining her expression before walking out of the room. However, as she reached downstairs, her gaze fell on the present she had picked for William. 

Unlike her previous presents, this one was different; a white stick with two lines that held the potential of fixing her marriage.

A positive pregnancy test. 

Picking up the wrapped gift, she hesitated for a second before placing it in her handbag and then, she proceeded to rush out of the house.

Less than an hour later, as her car pulled up in front of the Bellamy, Lily's nerves kicked in, her heart raced and her stomach filled with butterflies.

The Bellamy stood tall and regal against the night sky, its gold signage gleaming like a promise. Lily couldn't help but admire it once again as she walked in.

"Room 1802," she murmured, stepping into the elevator.

Her reflection in the mirrored walls stared back at her—wide-eyed, breathless, radiant with hope. She clutched the handbag tighter.

This was it; she thought. This was the night when everything finally changed. When all her effort finally results in something.

The sound of the elevator dinging pulled her out of her thoughts, signalling she had reached the eighteenth floor. When she stepped out, her heels clicked softly against the plush carpet as she made her way to the room.

With every step she took, her heart pounded in her chest, anticipating growing more by every passing second. Soon, a door with the designated numbers came into view.

Lily felt her heart skip a beat, but, just as she reached it, her brows creased in the center of her forehead.

The room door had been slightly ajar, giving a golden sliver of light the opportunity to peek through coating the carpet below.

Was this William’s way of inviting her in? She wondered. Her pulse fluttered, and despite the unfamiliar feeling stirring in the pit of her stomach, she slowly pushed the door open, a soft smile playing on her lips as she stepped in.

"William?" she whispered.

Her voice was swallowed by the soft hum of music. Jazz, unlike her ‘unrefined taste in music’ as William would always mutter.

The suite was dimly lit, like her dining room at home, except more lavish. Rose petals lined the floor in a trail leading toward the bedroom. Her breath caught in her throat. Her husband had never done anything like this.

Tears of joy slowly filled her eyes as she followed the petals, a shaky laugh bubbling in her throat. She reached the doorway of the bedroom and paused.

"Will—"

His name died right on the tip of her tongue and all feelings of hope, anticipation and happiness she had been feeling since receiving William’s text, disappeared and was replaced with something else…

Confusion, hurt and disbelief. The reaction came immediately as through the narrow crack of the door, she witnessed the scene in front of her.

In the center of the romantically designed king size bed, was William. His shirt was unbuttoned and his hands tangled in the hair of the woman sitting on his lap.

And not just any woman.

Lily felt her legs tremble underneath her.

No, the woman sitting on William's lap, her fingers tangled in his hair and her lips pressed against his, was her very own best friend, the one person she had trusted with her life, and the only person she had opened up about her relationship with William.

Isabella!

Her heart plummet instantly and like searing hot iron pressed against skin, it burned and ached.

How could they do this to her? How could Isabella betray her like this? Her husband?

She felt her legs become noodles. She stumbled backward, her body frozen as the handbag slipped from her shoulder and hung loosely around her fingers.

She couldn’t move. Couldn’t scream. Couldn’t breathe. It was as if her brain had gone into a reset, trying to find an easier way to handle and process what it had just witnessed.

Everything around her blurred except for the image seared into her mind—the man she loved for years, the father of her unborn child was tangled in bed with her best friend, the very person she trusted…took as her own sister, in the very hotel she had dreamed of staying in with him.

A wave of nauseous crept over Lily and she quickly slapped her hand over her mouth, preventing herself from puking out the breakfast she had barely managed to eat.

Suddenly, Isabella's laugh reached her ear. Her voice rang out, sultry and teasing as she asked, "She still doesn’t suspect anything, right?"

She? Was Isabella talking about her? Lily wondered as her eyes travelled back to the sight in front of her.

It made her nauseous, but she had to keep her eyes on it…on him, awaiting a reply she knew would make or break something.

When it came without hesitation, it was a dagger to her heart.

"That stay at home bore? She’s too naive to notice even if I rubbed it in her face. And so what if she noticed?”

Lily’s stomach churned and her heart twisted as she watched William place another kiss on the woman's neck, passionately leaving a hickey—something he had never done for her, his own wife.

Then, he continued. “She is nothing more than a name on a legal document. You, Sammy... you’re the real deal. The one I want….the one I desire."

The world tilted the moment she heard those words. She staggered back, her mouth dry, eyes filled with tears. The room spun. The candlelight flickered behind her like the flames were mocking the love and devotion she had until now.

She felt her legs automatically take a trembling step back, and another.

Then, with unsteady feet, she quickly spun around, stumbling out of the suite, with tears blurring her vision as the sound of her husband and best friend moaning and panting for breath rang in her ears.