The Price of Betrayal

Chapter 3

Anita’s POV

I never expected to see Alex at the club today. All I wanted was to have fun with my bestie, Precious. Is that too much to ask?

“Of all places to go, why would my soon-to-be ex come here? And not just alone—he also brought his slut,” I lamented.

Precious saw me pacing and tried to calm me down, being the good friend that she is. “I’m sorry this happened, but don’t let this little drama spoil your mood. We came here to have fun, remember?”

“My mood is already ruined. That b***h succeeded,” I said, my fingers curling into fists.

Thank goodness Precious is a great listener. I couldn’t hold back—I kept lamenting. “I can’t believe these people. They aren’t even married yet, and they’re already going out together. I feel like a fool right now.”

“You don’t have to be hard on yourself, my friend. Alex doesn’t deserve you, trust me. You’re too good for him. Let’s look at the bright side—you landed Linda a big slap,” Precious said.

“Oh my! I don’t regret it at all. I’d do it over and over again if I got the chance. I’m happy I did it.” That thought made me smile a little.

“Reporters were everywhere, though. I think they captured the moment,” she added.

“I don’t care if they did. In fact, I’d love for them to capture that very scene. She destroyed my marriage—I’d be more than glad to tarnish her image as well.”

We both laughed as she pulled me into a tight hug.

“But come to think of it, why was Alex acting that way? Was he jealous? I could definitely sense he was,” I asked.

“Yes, you’re right. He was obviously jealous. But why should he be? He has zero right,” she said.

“He had the confidence to bring his w***e, and now he’s jealous seeing me dance with a man—my brother, for that matter. I’m sure he doesn’t know Rex is my brother.” My face twisted with emotion.

I continued ranting. “Come to think of it, does that mean he’s still in love with me? I thought he said he didn’t love me anymore. Why, then, was he jealous?”

“Please, don’t stress yourself too much. You’re much better without him. You’re a strong, independent woman—don’t let any man treat you like s**t. So please, forget about him,” Precious urged.

She had a way of making me feel confident. At least for a little while, I felt better.

“Look at the person you married. Is this how he treats you?” my brother, Rex, asked with concern, stomping his foot on the ground.

Rex is sweet and gentle, but he can be dangerous if anyone messes with me. He cherishes his baby sister.

“Is this what you put up with every day? No wonder Father wasn’t in support of this marriage from the very beginning,” he said.

I sat there quietly, unable to utter a single word. Everything felt like a dream. I never once thought this would happen in my lifetime. Though Alex and I hadn’t been on good terms for months, I always believed our marriage was a forever deal, no matter what.

“I’m certain Alex doesn’t know who I am. If he did, he wouldn’t have broken your heart this way or disrespected us like he did today. I’m going to teach him a lesson he’ll never recover from,” Rex said.

“I totally agree with you, Rex,” my nosy friend Precious added.

Knowing my brother, I knew it wouldn’t take him much to destroy Alex’s career. “Thank you for always having my back, but this issue is personal. I’d prefer to deal with him myself. I can’t accept defeat this way.”

I went on. “I went against my family’s wishes and married him. That’s how much I loved him. Father rarely talks to me because of him. I became like an outcast to my own father.”

“Now do you see why I keep saying he doesn’t deserve you?” Precious said.

“He wants to divorce me for that w***e—for wealth, connections, and other benefits. I guess he doesn’t know me or anything about my family. If he did, he would have reconsidered his decision.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you kept him in the dark all this while. At least now you know what he had for you wasn’t real. Or maybe it was at first, but cheating on you is the height of it,” Precious said.

“I think it’s time we leave. We’ve overstayed our welcome. All eyes are on us, and reporters are flooding in every minute,” Rex said.

“I agree. So where are we heading?” I asked.

“The mansion, of course!” Rex said, giving me a knowing look. He knew I’d likely oppose that—it had been years since I went to the mansion.

“Is that a good idea? I haven’t spoken to Dad in a long time. I doubt he’ll be happy to see me,” I said, worry clouding my thoughts.

“You’re his daughter, for crying out loud. Of course, he would be happy to see you,” Rex added.

“I don’t think I’ll go with you. Besides, I can’t leave Precious behind,” I said, winking at her, hoping she’d support me. But of course, my dramatic friend betrayed me.

“If you ask me, I wouldn’t mind going to the mansion. It’s been a while,” Precious said.

“Really, Precious?” I nudged her slightly with my elbow, and we both laughed.

“By the way, your face will be plastered all over newspapers and social media soon. Don’t you think it’s better to tell Father before he finds out himself?” Rex said as he called his driver to bring the SUV to the entrance.

“That’s actually not a bad idea. I just feel bad about everything. I feel like a failure… in fact, I already failed at this marriage thing.” My eyes became teary.

Precious stared at me for a moment, while Rex put an arm around my shoulders.

“You aren’t a failure, Anita. You’re a strong, independent woman. You went after what you wanted, even cutting ties with your family—that’s unheard of. It takes strength and confidence to do that. No matter the challenges, you stood strong and fought for what you wanted. You’re not a failure or a fool. Alex is just an asshole,” Rex said, hugging me tightly. He was the best brother anyone could ask for.

As we headed to the SUV, reporters swarmed us, throwing endless questions.

“Who is this with you?”

“Why didn’t you leave with your husband earlier?”

“Are you separated?”

“What do you have to say about Duncan Motors folding up?”

We ignored them all and walked quickly toward the SUV.

Just as I was about to enter, one question made me pause.

A reporter asked, “What do you have to say about your husband’s s*x scandal?”