3. How dare you kiss me with the same lips you kiss her with?

Ella POV

“I can’t believe Mark Carter actually did this. He seems to love you so much,” Amanda Harper said in a lamenting tone. She was my cousin and my best friend.

“Yeah, he did, and he’s still doing it shamelessly,” I sighed, taking another sip of my drink. I didn’t know what to do. The moment I caught Mark making love in the car with his mistress, I couldn’t hold myself together. Everything was spinning, and I felt lost, so I called the first person I trusted—Amanda—and she came to pick me up right away.

Now, we were at a pub. She swore I’d only have a coffee, but I ended up ordering something stronger because it was the only way I could talk about Mark’s betrayal without crying like a wreck. Though, apparently, the drink wasn’t going to stop me from crying, since I was doing just that.

“God, you really can’t trust men, can you?” Amanda commented, her kind face always understanding, her red curls framing her head. Amanda had been my safe haven since our school days, and now she was stroking my hand, sympathizing with my situation.

“I was the fool for trusting one, even after what happened to my mom,” I sniffed, tears escaping my eyes.

Amanda offered me a tissue to wipe my tears. “Oh, honey. It’s not your fault.”

“Of course, I just can’t compete with a freaking magazine cover model,” I said with a bitter smile. With Mark being a billionaire, it was obvious he’d attract attention in the media world. It was easy to imagine how he and Vanessa met—she could’ve literally modeled for an advertising campaign for one of my husband’s companies. I was realizing now how naive I’d been to trust Marcus. Of course, he’d be a jerk and cheat on me without a second thought.

“God, I hate him. He had no right…” I mumbled, my voice full of anger.

“Oh, honey…” Amanda hugged me from the side, stroking my hair. “I’m so sorry for all of this. But what are you going to do now?”

I looked at her, helpless. “I don’t know, Amanda. I never thought I’d be in this position. I thought Marcus and I would be together forever, you know…” I cried harder, feeling like an idiot, angry at myself.

“Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. I wanted to wear that dress you helped me pick out, to look sexy and just enjoy the moment with him. But I couldn’t even put on that damn dress because I found out he’s a piece of shit… I loved him so much, but now just thinking about him makes me sick… It hurts so much.”

“I understand you so much, and I think whoever sent you that evidence just wanted to destroy you,” Amanda said.

But I laughed bitterly. “Screw whoever sent it. It turned out to be true, didn’t it? I was the one being made a fool this whole time, living a lie, thinking my marriage was perfect with a husband who loved me, when in reality, he’s a bastard who doesn’t deserve me.”

“Honestly, screw Mark, seriously. Look at the mess he’s left you in,” she said, worried about me.

I wiped my face and lifted my chin. “But I’m not that kind of woman. I’m going to show him he picked the wrong woman to mess with,” I said decisively.

---

That same afternoon, I was in Dr. Biscop’s office, accepting his proposal.

“Seriously? You’re really accepting?” The man across the desk couldn’t hide his delight.

I nodded. “Yes, I’m accepting, Dr. Biscop. I think it’s more than time for me to take this leap in my career.”

“My God, I really thought you’d need more time to think about it. But if you’ve already decided, then all I can say is welcome to our training program.” He extended his hand with a smile, sealing our agreement.

---

That same day, I met with my lawyer to sign the divorce papers for my marriage to Marcus Vaughn, the man I thought would be my husband forever but who had disrespected me so deeply. Of course, I was strong and in control of the situation, but the moment my lawyer handed me the pen to sign, a tear rolled down my face onto the paper, my fingers still frozen over it.

Images flashed through my mind like a movie—memories of the beautiful moments I’d shared with him over these three years of marriage, moments destroyed by his vanity because he couldn’t love me without succumbing to the temptation of sleeping with another woman.

“If you need more time to think, remember there’s no rush, Ella,” my lawyer said, seeing my state.

I shook my head, composing myself. “No, it’s fine. I just have to do what needs to be done,” I said, then quickly signed the divorce papers.

Marcus deserved a surprise, didn’t he? So when I got home, and he greeted me with kisses and hugs as always, embracing me with the same arms that held his mistress, kissing me with the same lips that kissed her, I just smiled and pretended everything was fine.

“Hey, I brought something for you,” I said cheerfully, handing him a decorated box.

“Oh, really? A gift?” He held the box, smiling curiously.

“I’m a bit late, but it’s a gift for our wedding anniversary,” I said sweetly.

“Oh, my God, you’re so adorable, I love you,” he said, touched, planting a quick kiss on my lips. “Shall I open it…” He was already opening the box, but I quickly grabbed his arm.

“No!” He shouldn’t open it now. I softened my words immediately. “It’s just… it’s a surprise. You’ll have to open it in a week.” A week was enough time for me to organize my trip to Venice, so he’d open the box when I was long gone, and he’d know I was far from a woman to be toyed with.

“Oh, God, you and your little surprise schemes,” he said, rolling his eyes dramatically.

“I learned from the best. After all, you’re the master at surprising me,” I said with a smile. It was true that he always went out of his way to spice up our relationship with sweet surprises, but when I said those words, I meant the most unexpected surprise he’d given me—finding out about his betrayal.

He pulled me by the waist, setting the box on the couch. “Of course, I have to work hard to deserve a flawless woman like you, mi amor,” he said, all romantic, giving me that kiss, which I returned for the sake of appearances.

So we enjoyed our movie night as planned, eating crunchy popcorn and having fun, but he didn’t suspect a thing about what was in that gift box I’d given him, and honestly, I’d pay to see his face when he opened it.