Chapter 20-HEAVY SECRETS

We got home late from the wedding. My feet hurt, my mind was exhausted, and my body still felt the aftereffects of everything that happened in that restroom. Ryan drove in silence. I stared out the window the whole way, replaying Jake’s hands on me, his mouth, the risk of Ryan being right outside the door. Guilt sat heavy in my chest like a stone.

When we finally walked into the house, I kicked off my heels and headed straight for the bedroom.

“I’m really tired,” I said softly. “I’m going to bed first.”

Ryan nodded. “Yeah, me too. Long day.”

I changed into my biggest sleep shirt and slipped under the covers. I closed my eyes, hoping sleep would come fast. A few minutes later, Ryan joined me. He lay on his side, back turned to me. No goodnight kiss. No touch. Just the space between us that felt wider every day.

I lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling. My body was tired, but my mind wouldn’t rest. The secrets were piling up too high. Marcus. Jake. Ryan’s anger. I didn’t know how much longer I could carry all of it.

Meanwhile, in a beautiful honeymoon suite across town, Jake and his new wife lay in bed. The room was romantic, rose petals on the sheets, soft lighting, champagne on ice. His wife, dressed in delicate white lingerie, snuggled close to him, running her fingers down his chest.

“Finally,” she whispered with a smile. “We’ve talked about this night for months. I want it to be perfect.”

Jake forced a smile, but his mind was elsewhere. He was exhausted from the encounter he had with Ryan's wife Bella . He gently moved her hand away.

“Babe, not tonight,” he said quietly. “I’m really tired. The wedding was long. Let’s save it for tomorrow when we’re both rested.”

His wife pulled back, looking hurt. “Tomorrow? Jake, this is our honeymoon. We’ve been planning the perfect night… the perfect sex. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” he lied, kissing her forehead. “I just want it to be special. Not when I’m this worn out.”

She turned away, clearly disappointed. The excitement she had carried for months dimmed in her eyes. Jake stared at the ceiling, feeling guilty but unable to get Bella out of his head. The risk, the thrill, the way she had sucked him so desperately, it had drained him completely.

The next morning, Ryan left for work very early. I stayed in bed longer than usual, feeling tired and drained. When I finally got up, I went to the kitchen, splashed cold water on my face, and tried to wake up properly. My body still ached in places I didn’t want to think about.

My phone buzzed on the counter. A text from Marcus.

Marcus: Your place or mine today?

I stared at the message for a long time. Part of me wanted to see him badly. Another part felt too guilty and exhausted. I typed back.

“Can we skip today? I’m not feeling too well.”

His reply came quickly.

Marcus: Of course. Take care of yourself. Want to hang out instead? Just talk? No pressure.

I thought about it. Talking with Marcus always made me feel seen. I replied.

“Sure. No problem. Cafe near the park at 3?”

Marcus: Perfect. See you there.

Later that afternoon, I met him at the small cafe. We sat at a quiet corner table. He looked handsome in a simple shirt, his muscles still visible underneath. We ordered coffee and talked for a long time.

“How’s marriage treating you?” he asked gently, stirring his drink.

I sighed and looked down. “Not great. Ryan keeps talking about my weight. He says I’ve changed, that I’m too big now. He even refuses to share the bed with me sometimes. Calls me fat, heavy, disgusting. It hurts.”

Marcus listened carefully, his eyes soft. “I’m sorry, Bella. You’re beautiful exactly as you are. Your curves are perfect. He doesn’t deserve you if he can’t see that.”

I felt tears coming but held them back. “What about you? How’s things with Sophia?”

Marcus leaned back, looking tired. “She’s always reminding me that she’s the breadwinner. Everything has to be her way because she pays most of the bills. I feel like I’m losing control in my home. She even followed me to your house last time because she doesn’t trust me.”

We talked for almost two hours. About the pressure, the loneliness, the way our marriages were slowly breaking us. For the first time in days, I felt heard. Understood. Marcus reached across the table and squeezed my hand gently.

“You deserve better,” he said quietly. “We both do.”

I didn’t pull my hand away.

After the long conversation with Bella at the cafe, Marcus drove home with a heavy mind. The way she had opened up about her marriage, the pain in her eyes, and the way she had let him hold her hand, it stayed with him. He felt a strange mix of protectiveness and guilt. When he reached his house, Sophia’s car was not in the driveway. She wasn't back from work yet.

He changed into his workout clothes and went to the small home gym in the garage. He needed to clear his head. For the next forty minutes he pushed himself hard, lifting weights, doing pull-ups, and sweating out the tension. Every rep made him think of Bella’s soft curves, her honest words, and how different she was from the cold distance he felt at home.

After the workout, he grabbed his phone and texted his close friend who had been helping him search for a better job.

“Any update on that gym manager position?”

The reply came after a few minutes.

Mathew: Still working on it, bro. The owner is slow with responses. I’ll push harder again tomorrow.

Marcus sighed and put the phone down. He headed toward the bathroom to shower when he heard the front door open. Sophia walked in, looking exhausted in her sharp lawyer suit, briefcase in hand. Her heels clicked loudly on the floor.

“You’re back,” Marcus said, trying to sound warm. He walked over and tried to give her a hug. “How was your day?”

Sophia barely glanced at him. She dropped her briefcase on the table and kicked off her heels. “Long. Stressful. The case is draining me. Have you cooked dinner yet?”

Marcus paused. “Not yet. I just finished a workout. I can start now if you want.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Of course you didn’t. You’ve been home all day and still nothing is ready. I work twelve-hour days and you can’t even have food waiting when I get back?”

Marcus felt his jaw tighten. “I was working out and handling some job applications. I’m trying, Sophia.”

“Trying?” She laughed coldly as she poured herself a glass of wine. “You call lifting weights and sending a few emails ‘trying’? I’m the one paying the bills, Marcus. I’m the one who keeps this house running. The least you can do is make sure I come home to a decent meal and a clean space.”

She took a sip of wine and looked him up and down. “Go shower. You smell like sweat. And when you’re done, order something. I’m not cooking tonight.”

Marcus stood there, chest rising and falling. The disrespect had been building for months, but today it hit harder after spending time with Bella, someone who actually listened to him.

“Sophia, we need to talk,” he said firmly. “You treat me like I’m your employee, not your husband. I’m tired of it. I’m trying to build my training business and find better opportunities, but you act like nothing I do matters unless it brings in money immediately.”

Sophia set her glass down hard. Her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me? You’re talking back now? After everything I do for us?”

She stepped closer, voice sharp and commanding. “You live in this house because of me. You have the freedom to play as a trainer because of me. So don’t you dare raise your voice at me like that.”

Marcus didn’t back down. “I’m not your servant, Sophia. I’m your husband. I deserve respect—.”

Sophia’s hand flew up fast and landed a sharp slap across his cheek. The sound cracked through the house.

Marcus’s head snapped to the side. His cheek burned.

“Don’t you ever talk to me like that again,” she said coldly, eyes flashing with anger. “Now go shower and order dinner like I told you.”