chapter three —First Betrayal

I turned back to my closet, throwing dresses onto the bed. Nothing seemed right. They were either too old, too simple, or too plain. Not one of them could stand against Melissa’s beauty tonight.

My hands shook as I held a faded gown against my chest. If I show up in this, they’ll laugh. He’ll laugh. She’ll laugh.

The walls pressed in on me, my heart pounding until the sound in my ears was louder than my thoughts. I sat on the edge of the bed, clutching the useless fabric.

That was when I heard the sound of a car outside.

Dave.

The last person I wanted to see at that moment stormed right into my room without knocking.

“Dave, what are you doing here again!” I shouted, spinning on him. “How dare you come into a married woman’s room without knocking?”

He stood there, his eyes burning, his hands clenched. Then he gave a sharp laugh. “Married? You call this marriage? Rachel, your so-called husband doesn’t even buy you clothes fit for his own parties. He parades another woman around while you’re left here with rags. And you still defend him?”

“Stop it,” I snapped, my throat tightening. “If you’re here to insult me, then leave. I...”

Before I could finish, he grabbed my wrist. Firm, Hot, Unyielding. “Enough, Rachel. Stop humiliating yourself. Stop letting him humiliate you.”He said.

“Dave, let me go!” I tried to yank my hand free, but his grip only tightened. His eyes bored into mine. For a moment, the room went quiet. My chest heaved, and my lips trembled. Then I saw it, the pity in his eyes, and worse, the anger he felt on my behalf.

And all at once, my strength broke. Tears stung my eyes.

He didn’t let go. He pulled me along, dragging me out of the house. “Where are we going?” I cried.

“Somewhere that will change you.” he said.

I stumbled after him, my voice shaking. “Dave, I can’t...”

“You can,” he cut me off. He shoved me gently into his car, slammed the door, and within seconds, we were speeding into the city lights.

I pressed my palm to the cold glass, my tears smearing my vision. I wanted to scream, to tell him to turn back. But deep down, I didn’t.

We pulled up at a glowing boutique, tall glass windows showing rows of gowns, shoes, and jewelry that sparkled like stars. My breath caught.

Dave got out, came to my side, and opened the door. “Come.”

I shook my head. “I don’t belong here.”

He leaned down, his voice low and fierce. “You belong here more than she ever will. Now get out.”

Something in me gave way. I stepped out.

Inside, the shop attendants swarmed us, their smiles bright. Dave told them, “Dress her like a queen.”

I froze as hands touched me, measuring, guiding. Dresses shimmered against my skin, one after another. But when I stepped out in a deep red gown that hugged my body, the room went still. Even Dave stared.

My throat tightened. For the first time in so long, I felt… seen.

Dave walked toward me, his eyes not leaving mine. “Now you look like the woman Nathan was too blind to treasure.”

I swallowed hard. My lips trembled, but I couldn’t speak. My heart thudded painfully, every word he said, striking deeper.

He bought everything. The gown, the heels, even the diamond earrings the attendant had clipped on me at the last minute.

When we drove to the hotel, my palms sweated. My chest was on fire. “Dave, this is madness,” I whispered.

“No,” he said, eyes fixed on the road. “This is the beginning.”

The Damsel Hotel glowed like a palace, music spilling from inside, cars lined up at the entrance. People in glittering clothes moved like royalty.

And then I saw them, Nathan and Melissa, walking in hand-in-hand. Cameras flashed. People cheered. Melissa tilted her head back and laughed like she owned the world.

My stomach knotted.

Dave parked. He turned to me. “Rachel, tonight, you walk in there with me. Not as his discarded wife, but as the woman who will no longer be humiliated, so.cheer up and give me a smile.”

I couldn’t breathe. My heart pounded so loud it felt like it shook the car. I looked down at myself, at the gown, the jewellery, the heels. For the first time in months, maybe years, I wasn’t invisible.

I lifted my chin. “Let’s go.”

He smiled faintly and offered me his hand. I hesitated, then took it.

We walked into the party together.

The moment I stepped into the hall with Dave’s hand in mine, the whole place froze. Heads turned.The instant his eyes found me, I saw rage spark in them. He was standing with Melissa, her hand shamelessly looped through his arm, her face glowing with pride as people praised her beauty. She looked untouchable, like she already owned the night. But Nathan’s gaze burned through me the second he saw my hand in Dave’s.

In a flash, he stormed toward me.

Then it happened.

The slap landed before I could even breathe. A sharp sting exploded across my cheek. The sound cracked through the silence of the hall. Gasps filled the air. I didn’t move, I didn’t blink, I just stood there, my face tilted from the force of his hand.

Nathan glared at me, his lips twisting in fury. His hands moved in sharp, violent gestures, sign language I had read for years. How dare you cheat on me? Of all people, him? Don’t you know he’s my rival? Rachel, you must be out of your mind!

My throat locked. My chest rose and fell too quickly. My shame burned as eyes pierced me from every corner of the hall.

But he wasn’t done. His hands cut through the air again, his expression filled with pure disgust. I see you now. You were always trash. Then he turned to Dave and said, "I can see you’re picking up the leftovers." You can have her. I never loved her. If not for the kidney she gave me when we were dating… if not for the bullet she took for me… do you think I would have married a useless, deaf liability of a woman?

The words those cruel, slicing words hit me harder than the slap.

My world spun. My ears buzzed. My knees almost gave way, but somehow, I managed to stand. Tears blurred my sight, hot and uncontrollable.

I stepped forward before my body could think, my hand shaking, and I slapped him back. The sound echoed, louder than his. Louder than my heartbeat.

Nathan looked in shock.

The hall gasped again.

My voice cracked through the air, broken but fierce. “Yes, i heard what you said. So this is what you think of me, Nathan? After everything? My voice trembled, but it was loud, louder than I thought I could ever speak. My hands were shaking, but I kept them raised because I wasn’t going to cower anymore. “Nathan, I gave you my world. I gave you my body. I gave you my health. I gave you everything. Why? Why, Nathan? Why would you do this to me?”

After my world was yours? Why, Nathan? Why are you this wicked?” “Yes, you are wicked,” I whispered, and then louder, screaming now, my voice cracking with every syllable. “You are wicked for doing this to me!”

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, though more kept pouring. My chest heaved as every word dragged itself out of me. “I gave you everything. My love, my trust, my body, my soul. I gave you my health. I gave you my silence. And this is how you repay me?”

He stared at me, his jaw tight, his face twisted in rage. Melissa smirked behind him like the devil she was. I felt her victory in the curl of her lips.

But I didn’t care anymore.

Something inside me broke free. Something I had buried under years of pain and humiliation. I stood taller, though my voice trembled.

“This ends tonight.” I pointed at him with a shaking hand. “Our marriage ends tonight. Let’s get this sham, this nightmare, this betrayal terminated once and for all.

The hall went silent. You could hear a pin drop.

Nathan’s eyes widened for a second. He didn’t expect me to fight back. He didn’t expect me to have a voice. He didn’t expect me to be me.

Tears streamed down my face, hot and uncontrollable, but I didn’t hide them. Not tonight. Not anymore.

The crowd gasped. Melissa laughed softly behind him, but even her smirk faltered when she saw the storm rising inside me.

I wiped the remaining, my tears running down my cheeks with the back of my hand, forcing my body to stop trembling. My chest hurt like it had been ripped open, but my spine straightened.

“This, Nathan,” I said, my voice steadier now, heavy with finality, “marks the end of our marriage. I want a divorce.”

His eyes widened. He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off, holding my hand up in his face.

“No. Don’t. Don’t say another word. You’ve already said enough to last me a lifetime.”

Silence. Every pair of eyes in the ballroom was locked on us. I felt exposed and raw, but I also felt alive for the first time.

The words hung in the air like smoke after a fire. For a moment, Nathan just stared at me, his face a mask of shock and fury. Then slowly, his jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing like daggers. Melissa smirked again, reaching out to touch his arm, but I didn’t care anymore.

I turned, my hand found Dave’s, and I gripped it like a lifeline. My heart pounded, and I walked away. Each step felt heavy, but each one also felt like freedom.