Shade of Lust

“Aren’t you worried Nina will discover the truth?”

Jason Law was quiet for a moment before saying, “She won’t find out.”

“Are you sure?”

“She trusts me.” His tone was certain. “She won’t suspect a thing if I’m the one telling her.”

After another short silence, his friend said, “As long as you don’t regret it.”

Jason chuckled lightly. “I won’t.”

So that was how it was.

I stood outside the door, my nails digging into my flesh. It hurt so much, but I was going numb.

I had only come here to bring him some clothes. It was getting cold, and I was worried he was not wearing enough layers.

Now, however, I felt like my heart was being sliced open. A cold wind blew through my chest.

I stumbled home, too exhausted to even turn on the lights. My knees buckled and I collapsed onto the couch, curled up and shivering.

I felt nauseous and dizzy. Tears spilled from my eyes soundlessly, but I did not have the energy to wipe them away.

The door knob clicked. He was back.

I heard the sound of his leather shoes approaching. He walked up to the couch and bent down slightly, his voice gentle and worried.

“Why didn’t you turn on the lights? The maid said you haven’t eaten. Are you feeling sick again?”

He reached out to push the hair out of my face, his eyes filled with concern. “Nina, what’s the matter?”

He then crouched down, putting his hand over mine. His tone was gentle. “If you don’t eat, it’s bad for the baby.”

I looked straight into his tender gaze. So love could be entirely an act.

Four years ago, my fiancé and my younger sister were caught having an affair at my wedding.

My parents forced me to hand over my fiancé, saying family protected each other. They could not afford to lose face in public, so they declared that Rachel Gordon was the bride that day.

Back then, Jason had publicly proposed to me. At the time, I thought he was my savior.

After we got married, I stood behind him and silently supported him the whole time.

I used my market acumen to help him invest and expand his business. Within a few short years, his company went from a nameless startup to one of the rising stars in the investment industry.

When we went for IVF to conceive this year, everything seemed to be perfect.

He hugged me and said this baby was the gift he had been looking forward to for years. His smile was so tender I could almost drown in it.