The Jilted Wife's Redemption

Chapter 3

KAIA REYES

"Betrayal is a wound that cuts deepest when inflicted by the ones we trust most."

I squeezed through the crowded club, the air thick with the smell of sweat and alcohol. The pulsating music and flashing lights overwhelmed me, and I couldn't help but feel a wave of disgust.

"Why will my husband come to a place like this?" That would've been my question if I didn't know any better.. of course I now know the reason why he would be in a place like this.

Once i spotted a vacant stool at the bar and claimed it, my eyes fixed on the stage. The emcee's voice boomed through the speakers, announcing the main attraction. The crowd erupted into cheers as she made her grand entrance, and I felt my heart sink.

Alessia Moreno , the destruction of my home.

Her curves accentuated by the skimpy costume.

I watched as she moves her hips slowly, swirling them around in a circle. Her butt shakes back and forth, making her buttons jiggle. She grabbed the pole with one hand and spins around it, her legs spread wide.

She looked straight at him... My husband, her eyes locked on his, sparkling with a seductive glint. One I couldn't miss, one I didn't want to miss.

As she dances, her chest bumps up and down, her breasts bouncing with each step. She runs her hands over her body, caressing her curves, and her fingers brush against her n*****s. Her tongue darts out, licking her lips, and she blows a kiss at him.

And all he did, was sat there and smile back at her.

I watched as her legs spread even wider, and she bends down low, shaking everything. She pops back up, her hips swiveling, and her hands slide down her thighs. Her fingers tease the edge of her panties, and she gives him a sly smile.

She spins around the pole again, her hair flying out around her. Her eyes never leave his, and she seems to be drawing him in with every step.

She was a siren, luring him in with her dance.

AND THE SEDUCTRESS WHO'D STOLEN MY HUSBAND AND WRAPPED HIM AROUND HER FINGER.

I have always known Alessia to be a dancer, Caleb had told me. But I never watched her,no.. I didn't want to be that jealous wife who'd spy and stalk the woman her husband was talking to. I didn't want to be that one....

Watching her dance, all I felt was a ping of jealousy and hatred. Caleb loved watching her dance, I'd seen it in his eyes and that was all the confirmation I needed for the night.

I pushed back my stool, the metallic screech lost amidst the roar of applause. Alessia's eyes locked onto mine for a fleeting moment, a spark of mockery flashing in their depths. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I turned away, shouldering my purse.

The crowd's cheers and whistles grew louder, a deafening cacophony that seemed to close in around me. I shoved through the throng, my eyes fixed on the exit sign glowing like a beacon above the doors.

I burst through the doors, gasping in the cool night air. The sounds of the club receded, replaced by the hum of traffic and the distant wail of sirens. I took a deep breath, feeling the tension seep out of my shoulders.

_______________

I sat at D&Z Bar.... What more would I have me do than to drink it off? I've just followed my husband and watched him watch the woman he'd told me not to worry about.

Regret & disgust.

That I'd married him out of love , made sacrifices including that of being away from my family for him but he'd married me for a rebound. I don't know the whole story yet... On why he hadn't married her. Why me? Why did he married me if she was there! If he loved her that much why didn't he never met me?

"A beautiful damsel?" I heard a voice next to me,but I didn't look up. I refused to look up.

"One more glass please." I'd said to the bartender.

"Make it two." The hoarse voice said again.

I didn't need any distraction, certainly not by this gender. I need to clear my head and even though I know it wasn't working considering all I was doing was seeking answers of the unknown.

When her eyes meet with mine, I'm sure she'd been shocked... Or surprised, that I came. I will never be in that kind of place, not since I married Caleb. But she'd mocked me with that smirk on her face.

As soon as the bartender handed me the glass, I downed its contents in one swift motion. "Whoo... I was hoping we'd cheer!" he said, but I cut him off.

"Not interested. Move along." My teeth were clenched in anger.

He tried to touch me, but another voice intervened. "If the lady says she isn't interested, then she isn't. Get out!" The man hastily retreated.

I turned to my rescuer, who had taken a seat beside me. "Thank you..." I said, genuinely grateful.

He smiled and extended his hand. "Welcome. I'm Williams Harold."

I took his hand, shaking it firmly. "Kaia Je... Reyes," I replied, catching myself before saying my husband's surname.

As I looked at him, his eyes caught me off guard. They were a deep, soothing blue that seemed to hold a quiet calm. For a moment, they distracted me from the turmoil brewing inside. His eyes were like a still pond, reflecting a sense of peace that I couldn't quite grasp.

But as quickly as I was drawn in, I snapped back to reality. I'd been down this road before, after all.

My husband's eyes had once held a similar allure, and look where that had gotten me. I wasn't about to fall for it again.

Williams Harold raised an eyebrow as I signaled the bartender for another drink. "You're really knocking them back tonight, aren't you?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I flashed him a wry smile. "Just trying to drown my sorrows. Or should I say, my husband's sorrows?" I chuckled, a bitter edge to my laughter. "After all, I'll soon be single," I said, my voice laced with bitterness.

"Three years of marriage, and it was all a lie. I was so blind, so stupid. I believed him when he said she was just a friend, but it turns out, she was the one he wanted all along."

I took a swig of my drink, feeling the burn all the way down.

"He married me because he couldn't have her, but now that she's available, he's jumping ship. And the kicker? She wants him too. Can you believe it? Three years of my life, wasted on a man who never loved me."

"I'm so sorry, Kaia," Williams said, his voice low and gentle. "No one deserves to be hurt like that. Especially not by someone who's supposed to love and cherish them."

He paused, his eyes filled with empathy.

"You deserve so much better than that. So much better."

"I sure do."I reached for my purse to pay for my drink, but Williams beat me to it.

"Allow me," he said, handing the bartender his credit card.

I pushed back my stool. "Thank you then, for the drinks, Mr. Harold," I said, my tone polite but distant.

Williams Harold stood up, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. "Please, call me Williams. And it was my pleasure, Kaia."

I nodded curtly, gathering my coat. "Goodnight, Williams."

The cool night air hit me like a slap in the face as I stepped out of the bar. I took a deep breath, feeling the chill seep into my bones. The streets were quiet, the only sound the distant hum of traffic and the soft crunch of gravel beneath my feet.

I hailed a cab and slid into the backseat, giving the driver my address in a quiet voice. As the city blurred by outside, I leaned back and closed my eyes, letting the numbness wash over me.