Chapter 1:Betrayal

   AYANNA  

  My heart raced the closer I got to the room. I could hear the moans and groans of pleasure echoing through the entire house still I refused to believe it. Alex wouldn't betray me this way, he loves me so much but as I quietly pushed the door to our bedroom open, my entire world came crumbling down.

    

    There he was, my husband f*ucking another woman on our matrimonial bed. Not just any other woman, my cousin Kate.

    

    "Oh, you feel so good. I never want this to end," Alex groaned in pleasure 

    

    "You don't have to if you don't want to, all you have to do is get rid of your wife. Our relationship would no longer have to be hidden if you do so." 

    

    "I know Kate. But I can't end things with her, not yet at least. I have a lot to lose if I divorce her, so we have to keep hiding our relationship like we've done for years."

    

    Years? 

    

    They've been doing this for years. How long? Is it two years, three years. Alex and I have been married for five years. I never saw signs of his cheating or perhaps because he treated me so well and acted like the perfect husband. He easily fooled me.

    

    Unable to bear their screams of pleasure which filled the room, I quietly pulled the door shut before either of them noticed me.

Their moans kept echoing even as I ran out of the house, completely devastated_I wasn't just consumed by pain, but rage knowing he's been playing me for a long time. 

    

By the time I reached my car, my hands were shaking so violently I dropped my keys twice.

    ... 

    

"I want a divorce father, Alex is not the man he's been pretending to be he's a liar and a cheat," I said as soon I barged into father's home office.

"You want to divorce just because you caught your husband cheating," Father replied nonchalantly, slowly raising his head to meet my gaze.

"What is wrong with you Ayanna. Do you want to ruin our family's reputation with divorce. The legacy I've struggled to build for many years? Think about the headlines_ the endorsements. Do you want your entire career dragged through the mud over this. And what about those women who look up to you, those who want a marriage like yours, you want to break their hearts?"

What about mine? 

I wanted to scream. But I was in awe. Too stunned that even as I open my mouth to speak I couldn't get the words out. 

"Men are polygamous in nature. It's not so bad if your husband cheats as long as the other woman remains a mistress. Alex and you have been married for five years you can't just throw it away because of mere cheating. Besides his relationship with Kate has been going on even before you both got married. But he chose you which means he loves you."

"No no...What!" I yelled, staggering backward. My  legs felt weak. My shocked gaze trailed after him as he stood from where he sat, sauntering toward me. 

"Father you knew. All this while you knew about his relationship with Kate yet you allowed me marry him. What kind of a father are you? No, are you even my father?"

Slap. 

Pain sliced through my cheek following father's slap.  I couldn't even bring myself to cry, probably too stunned by the betrayal or yet to comprehend the full force of it.

"Don't even think of divorcing Alex you hear me. Behave and feign ignorance like your mother has been doing all these year's. If you don't listen to me, your mother suffers the consequences," Father turned his back to me before I could utter another word.

 I silently stared at his retreating figure my fist tightly clenched beside me to avoid breaking down before him. I couldn't break down before a man who was suppose to be my father, but betrayed me so thoroughly.

As soon as I left his office, I collapsed. My body shook from how violently I sobbed, hitting my chest as if that would stop my heart from shattering. As if it would numb the pain of betrayal from both my husband and Father.

My phone rang at that moment and my best friend, Olivia's name appeared on the screen. My fingers trembled as I pressed the answer button.

"Baby," came Olivia's bubbly voice.

"Hey," my voice broke even though I tried to sound okay. Olivia sensed it immediately.

"What's wrong babe? Did someone hurt you? Who is it? Tell me right now I'll handle them."

"Li, Al....Alex...father...they..." I broke into sob again unable to speak.

"Send me your location right now, I'm coming to get you."....

Olivia pulled me into a hug as soon as I got into her car. I sobbed uncontrollably as if my world was ending. Olivia gently patted my back without questions until I was calm enough to talk.

"Li, Alex has been cheating on me. Father knew," I narrated the entire story to her.

"F*cking bastards. You see why I despise men. Aya, you have to get back at him. You can't let him play you like this_ I mean look at you, you're beautiful, you're smart, you're successful. There are so many men out there who'd kill to have you. Since you can't divorce him or expose his cheating ass, you must get your own revenge.

***

"Li, I'm not sure about this. I can't do it," I said as I look around the club.

"Baby girl, so you want to forgive him, pretend like he's not been smashing your cousin for eternity. You want to feign ignorance like your Father said?"

The words hit me hard. How could I feign ignorance or forgive Alex when the wound he inflicted was still fresh. I can't even get what he did out of my mind. I kept seeing him and Kate on my matrimonial bed. He didn't only cheat, but disrespected and humiliated me.

"I can't forgive Alex, but I don't know if I can..."

Olivia cut me off by placing a finger on my lips. 

"An eye for an eye Aya. Play his game. Cheat right back and destroy his stupid ego."

I heaved a sigh and nodded, following her as she led me to the VIP room. Adrenaline coursed through me as we sat down. Though the place wasn't as crowded as the regular floor, I still felt insecure.

"Relax babe. No one would recognize you. You're wearing a mask remember."

I relaxed a little afterwards, sipping from my drink as Olivia ordered several male escorts. Soon they paraded before us. But none caught my eyes. I couldn't even completely focus because my mind kept drifting toward Alex.

I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to humiliate him like he did to me.

"Aya pick one already or you can have all of them if can't pick one,," Olivia pulled my attention. 

I heaved another sigh, looking at the escorts again_ all tall, well built and good-looking but I wanted something more. If I wanted to get back at Alex, it had to be someone who supercedes him in every way_ looks, status and reputation.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I looked around the room, spotting a man sitting alone at the far corner of the room, dressed entirely in black, leg crossed like he owned in the place. Unlike the others he wasn't seeking attention, he didn't need to, he simply watched while sipping slowly from his glass.

As if feeling my gaze on him, he looked in my direction, eyes dark and intense. And for some reason I couldn't explain, I knew he was the one.