Bianca's POV
"He cheated on me." I stuttered as my voice was clouded with sobs.
Natalie shrieked through the phone. "He did what?"
I held the phone tighter, my hand trembled. "I saw them. She was on top of him like I didn't exist."
"Oh my God, Bianca." She went quiet for a moment, then her tone roughened. "Come over to my place."
"I can't. I need to prepare a meal for the boys."
"Just come over. If anything happens to you, those boys will still be alive like nothing happened. You shouldn't be alone after what that monster did."
"Okay," I muttered.
When I arrived at Natalie's place, she opened the door before I even knocked. She pulled me into a tight hug, and my cheek pressed against her shoulder.
"You didn't deserve that from him." She whispered, her voice thick with disgust.
I didn't reply. My body trembled in her arms as I tried hard to hold back another round of tears. I felt like my chest could split open from all the pain I had swallowed.
Natalie guided me to her couch and handed me a glass of wine. "Drink a little. It will calm your nerves."
I took a sip and stared at the wall.
She folded her arms and sat beside me. "So that bastard had been cheating on you all this while, and now he's bold enough to do it in your house."
I nodded slowly. "I slapped her and he made me kneel to apologize to her."
Natalie's eyes widened. "What?"
I took another sip of the wine. "He told me to do it or the marriage ends, and reminded me that he gave me and my family a life."
Natalie's eyes burned with fury. She shook her head in disbelief. "Bianca," she called out, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "That's not marriage. That's torture."
I looked at her helplessly. "What do I do Nat? I can't keep living like this, but I also can't walk out."
"You can start by seeing that you're not the problem. You've been trying to please a man who stopped seeing your worth a long time ago."
I shook my head, staring down at the half-empty glass. "It's not that simple to forget everything."
"Maybe it is. What about Brandon?"
"Brandon?"
"You said he's been texting you right?"
I frowned. "I told him I'm married."
"And where's the marriage now?" She snapped. "Come on girl. That man humiliated you in front of another woman."
"That doesn't mean I should jump into another man's arms."
Natalie gave me a tired smile. "It's not about you jumping into Brandon's arms. It's about feeling wanted. You're still beautiful and desirable."
I went silent and stared at her. The truth struck me deeply. I couldn't keep putting up with a husband who abandoned me for years. Never in my life did I imagine that I'd cheat in my marriage, but here I was.
"I don't know what to do," I whispered.
"You need to text Brandon or call him." Natalie said softly. "Tell him you want to meet. It's not like he's a stranger. He was your high school friend."
I gave it a lot of thought. Did two wrongs really make a right? Finally, I reached for my phone, swiping through Brandon's chat.
Me: "Do you still want to meet?"
His reply came almost immediately. "Of course dear."
I turned towards Natalie. "He's fast."
She gave me a go ahead nod. Before I could reply, Brandon already texted.
"We can meet at the Windsworth hotel by 8pm."
I took a deep breath, before finally responding with an okay. I knew Brandon since high school. He had always been a playboy and I knew he wanted nothing other than to get between my legs. I was going to let him do that, just for this night. Just one night to feel what intimacy tastes like after years of denial.
I kind of felt like a cheap slut. Natalie smiled faintly as if reading my mind. "You're not selling yourself B. You're just satisfying your cravings."
"I hope so," I murmured.
When evening arrived, Natalie's bedroom looked like a boutique. Clothes were spilled over her bed and perfumes lined up on the vanity table.
"Try this one," She handed me a deep red satin dress.
I scanned the gown. "It's too skimpy."
Natalie winked. "That's what you need right now."
I rolled my eyes but took the fabric anyway. When I slipped it on, it felt like a second skin. The neckline was deep to reveal my cleavage.
She clasped a gold necklace around my neck and smiled proudly. "You look perfect."
I stared at my reflection. My puffed eyes from crying were hidden by the mascara. After I wore my heels and picked a bag, I left Natalie's house for the hotel.
My heart raced as I entered into the hotel. I called Brandon and he directed me to come to suite 503.
I knocked once.
The door opened, and there he was. With a casual shirt, a little unbuttoned at the top, his sleeves rolled up too. His cologne was intoxicating, already drawing me to him.
"Wow," he murmured. "You look breathtaking."
A tint of red crept to my cheeks. I hadn't received compliments in years. "Thanks."
He stepped aside. "Come in."
The suite was softly lit with blue lights. There was a bottle of wine already on the table. He poured two glasses and handed one to me. "I didn't think you'd come. I almost thought your text was a prank."
"I almost didn't," I admitted, taking a sip.
"What changed your mind?"
"Maybe I was tired of feeling invisible."
His gaze lingered on me for a moment, I followed it to see that he was staring at my cleavage. "Whoever made you feel invisible is a fool."
"That fool is my husband."
"I know," He said in a raspy voice. "I want to make you smile again." He leaned closer to me, and placed a kiss on my cheek. I blushed as I felt tingles all over my body. It was just his mouth that fell on my cheeks, I wondered how it would feel when he placed in on my boobs.
He held me closer to him on the couch and didn't rush me. He listened to me telling him the raw truth, how Steve changed, how I became a stranger in my marriage. He didn't interrupt, and his gaze never left me.
At some point, I stopped talking and began crying. He reached my face and brushed the tears from my cheek.
"You deserve to be loved right." He whispered.
His hand lingered on my skin, and my heart thudded with guilt. "I shouldn't be here." I said with a trembling voice.
"You should." He rasped and before I could say anything, he silenced me with a kiss.