Stings Of Betrayal..

~~Scarlette~~

I remember the exact moment I knew I’d fallen in love with Ethan Newton.

It was freshman year. Second day of college. After falling victim to directions from Jackass seniors and wandering around the halls of Brooksview the previous day, I had been ready to dish it out to the first shit head I met, and unfortunately, it turned out to be Ethan.

He’d offered to show me the way around. But I turned him down right in front of his friends, then felt bad about it later, because Ethan was an amazing person when I got to know him.

He never stopped trying to loosen me up. And with every moment we spent together, I knew there was no going back.

Ethan came from a wealthy family, and I, from an average background, but we survived the struggles and the long nights. We built our dreams into reality from nothing. Together.

So when we finally decided to get married, it felt like the perfect ending to our story. I thought his heart was tied to mine the way mine was knotted to his. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was just the only one still holding on.

I stood by the window, watching as Ethan’s car started and drove away. My chest felt so heavy I was sure my heart had turned to stone.

“We’ll always be together. Always and forever. I promise..."

Ethan’s words haunted me as I turned the shower off and stepped back into the bedroom.

My lips curled up at the way those same words that had comforted me now mocked me to no end.

I avoided the luxurious clothes Ethan had gotten and settled for something simple and unnoticeable. A comfy pair of jeans and a silk shirt. Then I packed my hair into a tight bun, before grabbing my bag.

Just as I stepped halfway toward the front door, a voice stopped me.

“Ma’am Scarlette?”

I turned around to see one of the maids there, fidgeting.

“Yes, dear?”

Her eyes swept over my outfit and hesitated before sputtering. “Are you… heading out somewhere?”

“Is there a problem?,” I replied flatly. Not in the mood for chitchat.

She stepped forward, holding out a small glass of water and a pack of pills.

“Then you should take your meds first. You didn’t forget, did you?”

Damn it! At the sight of the familiar white tablets, I felt my stomach turn aggressively. They were bitter and so unnecessary and I wasn’t going to take them anymore.

“I’ll take them when I get back,” I lied, catching the flicker of panic in her eyes as I turned away.

“But... Mr. Ethan’s mother said—”

I hurried out of the door before she could finish, already sliding into the car.

She ran after me, calling, but I didn’t care.

What I was about to find out meant more than anyone’s rules. More than pills. It was my marriage and everything I stood for on the line.

I needed the truth. And I was going to get it no matter what.

Everleigh Newton could take the damn pills herself if she liked them so much.

~

I drove straight m to the hotel. It was a well-known place, but it was classy and discreet. Of course, he’d pick somewhere like this to cheat on his ignorant wife.

I walked quickly through the hotel’s grand hall and approached the reception desk where a young lady stood behind the counter, smiling warmly.

“Hello,” I said, forcing a polite smile.

“Good day. Ma’am. Welcome to Ocean High. Are you here to book a room?” she questioned professionally.

“Uh... no.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Actually, I’m here to look for someone. A man, by the way...” I sighed heavily, not believing I was doing this. Hunting down my husband after a text message.

She nodded slowly, waiting. “Okay...?”

“His name is Ethan Thane Newton.” I continued either way. “I got a message that he’s here... in one of your rooms.”

Christ. I had to keep calm.

She turned to her system and typed something quickly. Her fingers slowed down on the keyboard as her eyes squinted at something on the screen. There was something in her eyes as they met mine. But it disappeared just as quickly as it had come.

That look. A sick feeling hit me in the gut. She was hiding something.

Her professional smile returned. “I’m sorry, ma’am. But it’s against hotel policy to disclose any guest information.”

“Right.” I scoffed, clenching my teeth so hard at the audacity of policies.

“But... if you have an appointment with the guest, you could call him and ask him to ring the room’s landline—”

“I am his wife,” I cut her off, sharply. Not willing to hear one more word supporting utterly disgusting human behavior. “Do you understand that? His. Wife.”

Her smile faded, and a helpless look replaced it.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. But we still can’t help you,” she stepped back.

Another lady behind the counter had been watching the whole time. I caught a slight glimpse of pity behind them. She wanted to say something, I could feel it, but she stayed silent.

I dragged a lungful of breath in. There was nothing more I could do?

Damn it!.

I turned around. My heels, clicked hard against the floor, as my eyes burned with brimming tears. I had almost reached the exit when I heard a quiet voice from behind—

“Ma’am...”

My feet halted as hope stirred through my chest.

"I know where they are, ma’am."

I turned fully to face the owner of the voice. It was the same lady who had been watching me exchange words with the other receptionist.

"Yes, Clara." I breathed out her name on her name tag.

They. She had said “They”. Did she mean Ethan and…

God.

She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Mr. Newton, the man you asked about… He’s in one of our rooms. If you’d like, I can take you there."

I let out a slow, shuddering breath. "I know this is against the rules, but… thank you, Clara.”

We stepped into an elevator and exited into a long corridor. Each step behind Clara felt like a march towards my death, yet I just couldn’t stop walking.

I didn’t get the chance to think before Clara paused in front of a door.

She sent me a wary glance. I gave her a single nod. Then she swiped the key card, and the door opened a bit.

Then I heard it.

Moans. Deep, raw sounds of pleasure. Skin slapping against skin.

Ethan.

Clara glanced at me, eyes filled with unspoken sympathy. Then she left.

Great. She was wise to flee.

I held my breath as I pushed the door open fully. But no amount of self assurance could’ve prepared me for what I was seeing right now.

Because there he was.

My husband. My Ethan. With his bare ass, dripping with sweat as he pounded into a naked woman on her knees.

“Oh yes, Baby. Just like that. Yes—There!”

That voice.

No. It couldn’t be.

The woman moaning beneath Ethan lifted her head to smile at him, as she extended her hands to reach his waist and push his ass even closer, and my world simply stopped.

Emelia.

My sister. My own Younger Sister.

“Fuck!” A voice exclaimed, but it sounded too foreign to have been mine.

They raised their heads at the same time. And I watched the color drain from Ethan’s face. They both scrambled and reached for the same sheet, desperate to cover themselves.

But it was too late.

Too fucking late.

Five years of marriage. Of love, of sacrifice. Of me fighting for us while he was hiding…this.

He’d kissed my tears away when the pregnancy tests came back negative. He said he’d wait, and we would try again…

And here he was. With someone else.

And what was even more fucking painful was the fact that he didn’t just cheat; He perfected the art of hiding it. Controlled his urges in front of me. Lied so well, he had me thanking him for being a good husband while he was fucking someone else behind my back!

There was another woman in my husband’s life. I just never thought it would be her. My own blood sister. With my husband.

How long has it been going on? How did I miss the signs? It was right under my fucking nose!!!

“Sister…uhm.. what are you doing here? I mean—how did you find out…” Emelia stuttered, still glued beneath the sheets.

I raised my hand. I wasn’t here for her pathetic explanation. My eyes were already fixed on the man whom I’d built my entire life around.

“Ethan…” My voice trembled, but I refused to give in to the burning at the base of my throat.

“Scar—”

Before either of them could open their mouths again, I turned around and slammed the damn door behind me.