Chapter 12: Caught in the act
1029 Words
The dim lighting of the restaurant’s back corridor gave Emily a false sense of safety as she leaned against the cold wall, her breath shaky and her hands trembling. She hadn’t meant for any of this to happen. One kiss, one touch, and everything spiraled out of control.
She remembered the feel of Logan’s hands, the way his lips trailed down her neck, the raw, heated whispers that shattered all her resistance. She had told herself over and over that it was wrong—but her body had stopped listening the moment he looked at her like she was the only woman in the world.
And now, here she was. Buttoning up her blouse, trying to steady her legs while guilt gnawed at her soul.
"Emily?"
Her heart nearly stopped. Daniel’s voice.
She froze, her fingers still clutched around the last button. She’d left him waiting at her apartment with promises of dinner and a quiet night. Why was he here?
"Emily, are you here? They told me you hadn’t clocked out yet."
She stepped forward, smoothing her skirt, praying her face didn't give anything away. She turned the corner and forced a smile.
"Daniel," she said, her voice breathy. "You scared me."
He stepped closer, his handsome face creased with worry. "Are you okay? You look pale."
She laughed nervously. "Just a long shift. I was about to change and head out."
His eyes scanned her, resting briefly on the faint smear of lipstick at the edge of her jaw—she had missed it. She saw the flicker of confusion in his expression, but he said nothing.
Daniel took her hand. "Come on, I’ll drive you. You look exhausted."
Emily hesitated. Her skin still tingled from Logan’s touch, and standing beside Daniel made her feel like a liar. But she nodded, letting him lead her out.
As they stepped into the night, Logan watched from the shadowed alley by the restaurant’s back exit. He lit a cigarette, his jaw clenched. He hadn’t expected Daniel to show up. He didn’t care much about the guy—what he cared about was the way Emily looked when she was with him.
Logan exhaled smoke through his nose, his eyes darkening. He had touched her, made her tremble, made her whisper his name—and now she was walking away with another man.
But not for long.
Later that night, Emily lay in Daniel’s arms, staring at the ceiling. His breathing was slow and even—he was asleep. And she was dying inside.
The guilt had begun to rot her from the inside. She hadn’t even had the courage to tell Daniel about seeing Logan again. Every time she tried to open her mouth, the memory of Logan’s lips on hers silenced her.
It wasn’t just lust. It wasn’t just a mistake.
It was something she didn’t understand—an addiction, a gravitational pull that wouldn’t let go. Even as she lay in bed with the man she had promised to spend her life with, her body betrayed her. Her mind replayed every touch, every moan, every whispered promise from Logan.
And worse—she wanted more.
The following morning, Emily got ready in silence. Daniel was still in bed, his face calm. She bent over and kissed his cheek.
"I love you," she whispered, unsure if she was speaking to him or trying to remind herself.
As she left the apartment, her phone buzzed.
Logan: "You left your necklace in my car. Come get it. Or maybe you left it on purpose."
Emily’s fingers hovered over the screen. She had forgotten all about it—the delicate gold chain Daniel had gifted her on their second anniversary.
She replied: "Don’t text me. Please."
Logan’s response was immediate.
"You didn’t say that last night."
Her legs went weak. She had to stop this before everything shattered.
She decided to meet him. Just to get the necklace.
Just once.
Logan opened the door to his penthouse suite with a smirk. He held the necklace between two fingers like a prize.
"You forgot something," he said.
Emily stepped inside, careful not to meet his eyes. "Give it to me."
He dangled it, then pulled it back before she could grab it. "Come on, Emily. Don’t act like last night didn’t happen."
She glared. "It shouldn’t have."
Logan stepped closer, and the tension snapped between them. "But it did. And you didn’t exactly say no."
Emily’s hand trembled. "It was a mistake."
"No," he whispered, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "A mistake is something you regret. Tell me right now that you regret it. Look me in the eye and say it."
Her mouth opened—but no words came.
Logan smiled faintly. "That’s what I thought."
He dropped the necklace into her palm. His fingers brushed hers. The spark was instant.
Emily took a step back. "I’m engaged, Logan. I’m supposed to be loyal."
"Then why are you here?"
She had no answer.
The following weekend, Daniel surprised her with a trip to the countryside—a quiet vineyard escape. He had been distant the past few days, and Emily feared he had sensed something. But he tried. He smiled. He held her hand. He kissed her like he used to.
"I’ve been thinking," he said as they watched the sunset. "Let’s finally set the wedding date."
Her heart thudded. "This year?"
"Yes. I don’t want to wait anymore."
She wanted to cry. Because this was the man who had loved her without condition. And she was betraying him.
"Daniel, I—"
His phone rang. He glanced at it and frowned.
"Work. Just a second."
He walked off to take the call, leaving Emily alone on the deck.
She looked out at the fields, the rows of grapes bathed in golden light. Everything was perfect.
And yet her soul was a war zone.
Her phone buzzed.
Logan: "Still pretending?"
Tears welled in her eyes.
Daniel returned moments later, slipping his arm around her. "Everything okay?"
She nodded. But something had cracked.
Because she had just told her first real lie.
And there was no going back.
- Writer
