MY UNFAITHFUL BILLIONAIRE

CHAPTER THREE: Uncertainties behold the heart

Immediately I heard him descend the stairs, I gripped my phone like it was the last lifeline I had and typed quickly.

I needed closure, I needed to believe it was all in my head. That Lucas was still the same man I knew and loved.

I had no best friend I could run to, nor a sister. The only person I could talk to was Anaya. Drew’s wife.

Drew was Lucas’ best friend. Anaya and I had grown closer after we both married the two friends. I quickly sent her a message.

Me: Anaya… I need to ask you something. Now.

Her reply came almost instantly, and I felt my pulse spike.

Anaya: What is it? Are you okay?

Before I could respond, my phone started ringing. It was Anaya. Such a sweetheart. Always ready to listen to my nagging.

Me: I just saw… Lucas. In what looked like a restaurant. Tonight. I…I don’t even know how to explain this. But it was him, Anaya. Ring, everything. And it looked like…

My voice trembled over the speaker…like he is having an affair with Tina.

There was a long pause. Longer than any pause should ever be in a text.

My stomach twisted.

Anaya: Oh… oh my God. Which Tina? Are you sure?

Me: I—I don’t think I’m imagining it. It was real. His hand. The ring. The timestamp. Tonight.

Anaya: You seriously need to calm down. You mean his secretary? I… I don’t know what to say. I thought he was… I thought you two were okay.

Me: We were. Or I thought we were. And now… I don’t know what to do. I need… I need closure. Please. Just tell me…did he ever… does he… are you..”

Anaya: Elena… I—I don’t know. Lucas can never hurt you like that. You have to trust me.

Me: He bought her roses Naya. He did. And she posted about it. So he’s been lying. All this time. Even now.

My hands shook.

Anaya… I can’t even look at him right now. I don’t know if I ever can.

Anaya: I’m so sorry. You need to calm down. If he’s there right now, can we talk about this tomorrow? I’ll be there once he lives for work. Or we could meet at a boutique or cafe. Whatever works.

I stared at the walls of my bedroom, heart hammering, tears threatening. Every word she said was a shard of glass. I felt like I was standing on the edge of something I couldn’t step back from.

Me: I just… I just need the truth. Before I..before I lose myself completely. I’ll call you in the morning.

I hung up.

And then, as if on cue, I heard him moving back upstairs slowly. My chest tightened, and I laid back on the bed.

The bedroom door opened slowly. Lucas stepped in again, leaning casually against the frame, but his eyes flicked to my hand immediately.

“Still awake?” he asked, voice calm, almost too calm.

I swallowed hard, forcing a light laugh. “Yeah… can’t sleep. Just scrolling a bit.”

“Okay that’s fine. I just tossed the salmon into the oven. Dinner should be ready in thirty.”

I nodded but deep down, this was too much. I had had enough.

I had seen him. I had proof, and yet he was still here, walking around our house, pretending everything was normal.

“Are you cheating me?” I blurted out. I didn’t plan to confront him. I thought I could be strong but no. I wasn’t.

He froze.

For a second, the air between us felt impossibly heavy, thick enough to choke on.

His eyes widened, then quickly narrowed, as if trying to measure whether I was serious or just imagining things.

“I… what?” he asked, his voice was careful and guarded.

I couldn’t stop myself. My hands were shaking, gripping the blanket like it could keep me from falling apart.

“Are you cheating on me, Lucas?” The words tasted like ash on my tongue, but I had to say them. I had to know. I deserved the truth.

He ran a hand through his hair, pacing a step back, his calm façade cracking just slightly. “Elena… no. I… could never hurt you like that.”

I looked at him for the first time that night. There it was, a flicker of raw guilt and desperation.

I sank back onto the bed, hugging my knees, phone still in hand. “Who is she?”

He walked to me and sat down close enough to feel me shaking.

“Babe, are you serious? Do you honestly think there’s another woman?”.

I sprung up “Then why are you keeping things from me? Why do I feel stupid.”

“You’re imagining things right now. That’s the effect of the shots.”

He held my hand and calmed me down.

I blinked at him, trying to steady my racing thoughts, trying to believe him, but the tight knot in my chest didn’t loosen. “I… I don’t know,” I whispered.

He squeezed my hand gently, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “Hey… look at me,” he said softly. “You’ve been stressed. The shots, the waiting… it messes with your mind sometimes. That’s all this is. You’re imagining things.”

I swallowed hard, fighting the lump in my throat. His touch was warm and soothing but my mind kept flashing back to the photos, the ring and the hotel.

My heart wanted to believe him, I wanted to sink into the comfort he offered, but my gut clenched tight with doubt.

“I just…” I trailed off, pressing my face into my hands, trying to calm the storm inside me. “I can’t… I don’t know what’s real anymore.”

He leaned closer, brushing my hair back gently, his forehead resting against mine. “Shh… it’s okay. I’m here. Nothing’s wrong. You’re safe. Breathe with me.”

I did my best to match his rhythm, my chest rising and falling with his. For a few moments, it worked. The panic dulled slightly, and the room became a little less suffocating.