Valentine’s Day Betrayal

On Valentine’s Day, Ethan Scott had a last-minute social engagement and left me home alone.

Late at night, I received a message from him, telling me to meet him at a bar.

Thinking he had finally remembered me, I rushed out the door, eager to see him.

But when I came to the door of the private lounge, the scene before me froze me in place.

Taylor Winston straddled Ethan’s lap, her silk camisole slipping from her shoulders, the straps barely clinging to her elbows.

Her slender fingers traced the curve of his lips.

“You’re insatiable. Ten in one night? I’m running out of space in my bin!”

He smirked. “Oh, drop the act. Did you forget how you begged me on your knees? I’ve always taken good care of you, haven’t I?”

They indulged in their shameless intimacy as if an invisible barrier shielded them from the world.

The people around them acted as though they saw nothing.

My fingers burned against my phone as I gripped it tightly.

Ethan’s friends erupted into laughter, egging him on.

Mark Garcia, leading the charge, jeered, “No wonder Ethan abandoned his ball-and-chain at home for a life of endless conquests. Turns out his side chick is the one who truly has his heart!”

For the briefest moment, Ethan hesitated, his grip on Taylor’s hand faltering. Then, he turned his head.

“What ball-and-chain and side chick? Taylor is my savior—and the one I truly love. One is just a partner for getting through life, the other is the woman in my heart. How could they possibly be the same?

“And besides, Claire is useless in bed, and after all these years of marriage, she still hasn’t managed to get pregnant. Unlike Taylor—passionate as fire, and one day, she’ll give me children.”

Taylor playfully smacked his arm. “Ugh, stop talking nonsense! Who said I’d have your children? I’m still single, you know!”

Ethan pulled her even closer, his voice smooth. “As long as you want it, nothing is impossible.”

With a snap of his fingers, a waiter stepped forward, presenting Taylor with a Bulgari necklace worth millions.

Taylor’s eyes lit up instantly. She deliberately twisted her body, letting the strap of her camisole slip even further.

Laughter erupted around them.

“You’re being so brazen, Ethan. Aren’t you afraid Claire will find out and cause a scene?”

Ethan smirked, unconcerned.

“What’s there to be afraid of? She’s a useless, barren trophy wife living off my money. If I leave her, she won’t even know how to survive.”

A round of jeering echoed through the private lounge.

“Mr. Scott! This deal is better than making money!”

My blood ran cold. Trembling, I pushed open the door.

But before I could step inside, a box came hurtling toward me—smashing against my head.

The laughter vanished, replaced by a suffocating silence.

Every pair of eyes turned to me as if I were an uninvited intruder disrupting their farcical performance.

I instinctively glanced down.

A box lay overturned at my feet, spilling its contents—hundreds of used condoms, their sickening residue clinging to the rubber edges.

Disgust roiled in my stomach.

Ethan hastily pulled Taylor back onto the sofa, shielding her behind his arm like a precious possession.

Revulsion burned through me.

“What? Afraid to face the mess you made? You had no shame doing it, but you can’t handle being seen?” I spat.

Ethan clenched his jaw. “Watch your mouth. Taylor isn’t even married yet—she doesn’t need people gossiping about her.”

He tightened his arm around her protectively.

Mark stepped forward, attempting to smooth things over.

“Come on, don’t be mad, Claire. Taylor loves playing pranks. With so many of us here, even if she wanted to do something, she couldn’t.”

His seemingly good-natured defense only made Taylor restless.

She sighed, feigning innocence. “Don’t be angry, Claire. It was just a joke.”

Then, leaning in so only I could hear, she whispered in my ear, “This is Ethan’s favorite brand—three hundred and sixty of them. Do you have any idea how deeply he loves me?”