Infidelity
WESTLEY
HIS SMILE seemed sincere, but I was still not buying his idea.
“I’m not gonna marry Linton tomorrow. We’re just having a good time. That’s it.” I shrugged, though deep inside, I liked Clyve, and we both knew it was more than just a good time.
At the back of my brain, it was telling me the other thing-I couldn’t rush things no matter how good we were together. I had a lot of things going on in my life right now-with my father, my family, and Keene’s condition-he remained my top priority. Then here came my complicated relationship with Clyve.
God, this is getting more complicated than I’d ever predicted.
Clyve was still in the dark about my real relationship with Keene, convenience, or not. He might not see me the same person again and would choose to run away once he figured out the truth. He would hate me once he found out that I was still married to Keene while I was having a relationship with him at the same time. And I literally cheated on both of them.
I’m such a horrible person I’d be damned.
Maybe what happened with my life right now was a part of my punishment. And everything was out of my control anymore. This time, I had to make every effort to make amends to Clyve.
“Hey, you’re making me worried. Everything will be okay, Westley.” Keene’s cooing voice didn’t even bring a smile to my face. It made me feel worse.
“I don’t think so, Keene.” I wiped my tears dry and walked toward his bed, but it stopped me mid-way when I heard faint of a voice outside the room, and without a doubt, I knew exactly who was.
Crap!
My heart thundered in my chest. I could feel the rushing of my blood through my head with the guilt I’d been harboring and the anger surging inside me. I strode outside the room to see Clyve in front of the door with my worse enemy in a heated argument.
My chest heaved. My world spun around me the moment our gazes met. All the terrible things she did came flashing back to me in a rush-how she humiliated me, how she manipulated my dad to turn against me. What they did to me was unforgivable-they shattered my life, my confidence, and my future.
Now, she did again, ruining my life and my relationship with the two persons I cared about.
Clyve seemed to disappear as I stormed toward Harlow and slapped her. Hard. The sickening sound of my palm hitting her cheek echoed throughout the hallway.
Harlow didn’t see it coming. She shrieked, and her hand simultaneously flew to her red cheek.
“That’s for what you did to my father!” I slapped her left cheek. “And that’s for coming over unannounced. If you ever come near to any of us again, I will make sure all of the cosmetic surgeons won’t be able to fix your freaking face again!” My anger never dissipated despite what I’d done.
I still wanted more-I wanted to ruin their lives just like the way they did to me for years, but I was a better person than them, and I would never step down into their horrible lives just to get the satisfaction I wanted by hurting them.
“You will pay for this.” She sobbed, trying to get Clyve’s sympathy.
“Get out of here before I will call security, Harlow.” I turned my head to see Trace walking toward us.
“I can’t believe you. You’re turning your side against me to this self-righteous whore’s side now,” she said while still holding her cheek.
“I’m on no one’s side, but what you did was wrong. You deserve more than just slaps, Harlow. You are a horrible person, and I am thankful I figured it out before I make the terrible mistake of marrying you. You can’t manipulate everyone anymore, and you better leave them, or would you rather Lyndon throws you both into the pit of hell? If he knows you came here to see Harry, you know what will happen. He warned you, but you don’t seem to understand the consequences if you defy him, do you?”
“I will ruin your life!” she cried at Trace.
“Not if I will ruin yours first. You’re nothing without Lyndon, you, and your pathetic mother! Get out of here before I will dial Harry’s father, and let his security drag you out of this hotel. Your choice.”
“This isn’t over!” Harlow ran out of our sight toward the nearest elevator.
When she was gone, I rooted in my place and was unable to think about what to do next. I could feel the color draining from my face. My chest tightened at what Harlow told Clyve. I didn’t know how would I face him right now. I didn’t know what should I tell him first-to ask for his forgiveness, to admit the truth, or deny it instead.
Trace was right. I should have told him sooner before he figured it out from someone else. And it was too late.
I felt like a cheap-a whore. I was humiliated for allegedly sleeping with Trace. I earned money for giving pleasure-I was a cam girl. Rationally, what I did was for Keene. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had to. What I had with him was just an agreement, but still, in the eyes of God it was infidelity-I slept with Clyve while I was married to him.
What worse could I have done?
I humiliated myself over and over again. This time, it was my fault. I was torn between good and lust, and I chose the latter.
The hallway went so dead silent, and I braced myself for what was about to come.
“So it is true then.” Clyve’s cold words made me shiver. By the tone of his voice, he fully knew my deepest dark secret.
And here I thought I was ready-it was bullshit. I was pretty sure I almost collapsed, and I couldn’t do anything other than took every hurtful word he threw at me.
“Hear her out, Clyve. Hear us out, please?” It was Keene.
“Harry, I should go back to my room. Call me if you need anything.” Trace looked at Keene, then he faced Clyve who was still stiff, wearing a flat look on his face. “Good to see you again, man.”
“I’ll send someone to accompany you both to the hospital tomorrow. I need some air,” that was all he said.
“Clyve, wait!” I held his arm, but he let himself loose.
“I can’t talk to you right now, Audene Westley, Harry, or who-the- fuck-ever you are.” Each word was like a knife to my heart. It hurt a lot, but I deserved every painful feeling I felt right now.
“You promised me.” My voice finally broke.
He turned to face me. I could not see any emotions on his face other than anger and disgust. “I promise to a single Audene Westley. To someone I already accepted her past, but not to Harry who is married to my only friend, and never after what I have just heard. The last thing I would ever break a rule was to sleep with a married person. I am not that desperate to be in a relationship or to get laid. I would rather sleep with a prostitute than allow someone to commit infidelity for me.”