HER UNRULY HUSBAND

Chapter 1 - Betrayal

THE next day, I grabbed my small handbag and keys before stepping out of the apartment. The setting sun greeted me. I hailed a cab and gave Craig’s address, sinking into the seat as the driver pulled away.

My chest eased a little. Tonight, I would see him. Craig was the one person who made me feel like I wasn’t tied down to the life I hated. He wasn’t perfect, but he was my safe place. With him, I could set aside the Fernandez name, my father, and their plans that I never asked for.

The ride was short. and soon, I was climbing the familiar staircase up to his apartment. My heart beat fast. I needed him tonight.

I reached his door and turned the knob. It opened right away. Unlocked.

That wasn’t like him. Craig never left his door unlocked.

A tightness formed in my chest. I stepped inside, and my eyes stopped at once.

A pair of red high heels sat by the couch.

What?

My hand clenched around my bag strap. My body felt cold all of a sudden.

No. This couldn’t be what I thought. Maybe someone had dropped by earlier. Maybe they belonged to a friend. I tried to convince myself, but then I heard it.

A sound. Low at first. Then clearer.

“Ahh, Craig, don’t stop!”

My stomach turned. My breath caught, but I forced myself to move. Each step down the hall felt heavier than the last. My chest hurt with every sound that grew louder.

When I reached his room, the door was half-open. Light spilled out onto the floor.

I pushed it slowly.

My heart sank.

Craig was there. His body moving hard and fast over a woman, her legs locked around his waist. Her head thrown back, her lips parted with sounds that stabbed through me. Her nails scraped down his back as he groaned.

I froze in place.

No words came out. I couldn’t breathe. My hands trembled until my bag nearly slipped.

It felt like my body wasn’t mine anymore. My chest was tight, my knees weak. Tears burned at the back of my eyes before I even realized I was crying.

Why, Craig? Why?

The man who promised me I wasn’t alone. The man who held me when I said I hated my life. The man I trusted to see me for who I was, not the daughter of a powerful name.

And this was what he was doing!

I wanted to scream, but no sound came out. I wanted to turn away, but my feet refused to move.

“Craig,” I called, my voice trembling.

He froze and looked at me, his face draining of color. Shock was written all over him.

“Loriel—”

“s**t! Who’s that, babe?!”

The woman gasped and pulled the blanket over herself, staring at me like I was the intruder. My eyes darted back to Craig.

“Loriel, please, listen to me—”

My eyes widened as my chest ached. What? Babe?

I smirked, tilting my head back so I could meet his gaze. He looked so overwhelmed by this whole situation that every reaction he gave made me sick.

“Wait, babe, I can explain—”

I slapped him immediately. I felt a lump on my throat but I am trying my best not to cry.

Three years. We are together for three years and what? He cheats on me? f**k him!

Craig held his cheek where I slapped him, his eyes wide like he couldn’t believe what just happened. I could barely breathe. My throat was tight and my hands were shaking, but I forced myself to stand tall in front of him.

The woman shifted under the blanket, her eyes flicking between us. She looked so calm, almost curious, as if she was just waiting for him to explain.

Babe. Hah! That word echoed in my head. My chest tightened again. He called her that! He gave her the same word he used to give me!

“Loriel, please—” he started.

“Shut up,” I cut him off. My voice cracked but I didn’t care. I didn’t want to hear another word from him.

Inside my head, my thoughts were screaming.

I gave him three years of my life believing that for once, I had my freedom through him! How could he do this to me? How could he look me in the eyes every day and still lie? Was I not enough for him?

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to keep them from falling, but the more I looked at him, the harder it became to hold them back.

“You think you can stand there and explain? What explanation could ever erase what I just saw?” My voice shook, but I pushed through. “You tripped and fell naked on her?!”

He shook his head and tried to hold my hand but I moved it away.

“I trusted you! I gave you everything, even when it meant going against my family. And this is what I get in return?”

Craig took a step forward, his face pale. “It’s not what you think. Please, just let me talk—”

“Not what I think?” I snapped. “Craig, I saw you inside her! What else am I supposed to think? You had a prayer meeting?”

The woman gasped quietly, her hands gripping the blanket tighter. I didn’t even want to look at her. She was nothing to me. He was the one who broke me.

My chest ached so badly it felt hard to stay upright. My heart was pounding so fast I thought it would rip out of me.

I wiped the tears from my face with the back of my hand, though more kept falling.

He reached for me again, but I slapped his hand away before it could touch me.

“You know what,” I said, my words sharp even through the sob in my throat. “You should f**k off. You are sick in the head!”

At that moment, I knew nothing he said would ever matter. He already destroyed us.

I didn’t remember how I left Craig’s apartment. My body moved on its own, my chest hollow, my hands shaking as I hailed the first taxi that passed. The driver kept glancing at me through the mirror, probably wondering why I sat there with tears running down my cheeks, but I didn’t care.

When I reached my apartment, I went straight to the sink and splashed water on my face until my skin burned. I stared at my reflection, my makeup smudged, my eyes swollen.

Fuck this life!

The pain was sharp, but beneath it was something stronger…hatred. I hated myself for believing he was different. I hated that I let him in, that I trusted him when I should have known better. I should’ve known men like Craig only wanted the thrill, not the burden of someone like me.

I threw my makeup wipes into the trash, pulled out my suitcase again, and zipped it shut with force.

If my father wanted me back in Florida, fine. If Craig could betray me like that, then maybe I was better off without him. I would go home, stand by my father’s side, smile for the cameras, play the perfect daughter. If that was all I had left, then so be it.

The flight from Florence to Florida felt endless. By the time I landed back in Florida, exhaustion weighed on me, but I refused to show it. Reporters were already waiting at the airport, flashing cameras in my face as if I had no right to breathe privately. I slipped off my sunglasses, adjusted my posture, and greeted them like I am the one running for the position.

“Miss Fernandez, is it true you’re returning for the governor’s campaign?”

I faked a smile to that reporter and nods. “Yes, I came back to support my father for the campaign. You know, family matters especially in times like this. My father’s dedication to the state is worthy of the people’s votes and I am dedicated to support him through and through.”

“Will you be staying for the auction next week?”

The question caught me off guard, but I kept my smile steady. “Of course. The auction is one of the highlights every year, and my father expects me to be there. I wouldn’t miss it.”

More flashes went off. I kept my shoulders straight, even though the bright lights stung my eyes. The reporters threw more questions at me. About my trip, about my father’s re-election, about what I planned to do now that I was back. I gave them the same polished answers I always did.

When I finally broke free from the crowd, I let out a slow breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. I kept walking, sliding into the car Micheal had waiting.

“Nice welcome home,” I muttered, tugging my sunglasses off.

Micheal gave me a nervous smile. “They missed you.”

“Yeah. Right.” I leaned back, closing my eyes. They didn’t miss me. They missed the perfect daughter.