Dear Ex, No More Second Chances

Imagine getting betrayed by the one man you thought you could trust the most. How would you react if you found out your husband was cheating on you with the same chick he had previously claimed was just a friend? This was in the case of Leah Milton, the twenty-five-year-old accomplished business executive who had once boasted to her friends that her billionaire husband was the most faithful man in the world. However, as she confronted the undeniable proof of her husband’s infidelity displayed on her phone, she realized those claims were nothing more than a cruel mockery. The piercing sound of Leah Milton's phone disrupted her concentration as she worked in the serene office that Friday morning. She picked up the gadget, seeing her husband's name light up the screen. "Hello?" She spoke into it, hoping to hear his soothing voice and perhaps an apology for his misbehavior the previous night. To her astonishment, confusion gripped her heart as a woman's muffled moans echoed through the receiver. "Uh, harder, baby... Please, Lucas, harder... Argh, yeah, right there, baby," Leah was bewildered. However, what shocked her the most was hearing her husband’s name in those intimate words. What the f**k? She instinctively pulled the phone away from her ear, questioning whether she had misdialed or if it was a prank causes there was no way on earth that this could be real. Upon checking, unfortunately, she confirmed it was indeed her beloved husband, Lucas Castillo. Lucas struggled to process the situation. Had he accidentally called her, or was this some cruel way of letting her know she was being replaced after their argument last night? However, Leah shook her head, dismissing those thoughts as she reminded herself that this was unlike Lucas. Despite the turmoil brewing within her, she took a deep breath and tried to maintain her composure as she spoke again into the phone. "Lucas, sweetie, is that you?" She asked frantically, her heart hammering in her chest as she didn't want to believe the horrifying thought that her husband might be openly betraying her, even having the guts to call her during it. "Argh, argh, Lucas, it's too much, I can't take it, baby... Argh, argh, I'm coming," The increasing moans of the lady shattered Leah's heart, filling her with despair before the call abruptly ended. Leah swallowed bitterly, her pulse quickening as she struggled to make sense of what had just happened. She stared blankly at her phone, disbelief coursing through her. However, her thoughts were interrupted as a notification chimed in her phone, revealing a new message awaited her. With trembling hands, she unlocked her phone, realizing it was a message from her husband. Eager yet anxious, Leah tapped to open it, but she wasn't prepared for the crushing blow that followed: Images of her husband naked and nestled in bed with the woman Leah loathed with her entire being—Her husband's first love and friend, Harper Moore. Harper lay half-naked next to Lucas, who appeared to be sleeping soundly. There wasn't just one image; there were multiple incriminating snapshots—Evidence of her husband's betrayal. Leah didn't need a soothsayer to spell it out for her that the woman who was moaning on the phone earlier was no doubt Harper. Did this mean Lucas had cheated on her with Harper? The very same woman they had fought over last night? 'Looks like someone's been neglecting her husband in bed. Glad I'm back to reclaim what's rightfully mine.' This message arrived shortly after the photos were sent. A wave of unease washed over Leah as she gripped her phone tightly, feelings of heartbreak flooding in. Anger flared through her, and she rose to her feet, the intense urge to confront Lucas and Harper overwhelming her. With determination, Leah snatched her bag from the desk before storming out of the office. She barely acknowledged her chauffeur, who hurried over upon noticing her furious expression. "Is something wrong, ma'am?" He asked with concern. "Car keys," Leah replied tersely, and the chauffeur hesitantly handed them over. He could sense her annoyance and wisely chose not to probe into her sudden need to drive herself. Leah strode toward the elevator and pressed the button. Seconds later, she found herself in the lavish lobby of the multi-billion dollar company owned by her husband, where she also worked as his senior secretary. Making her way toward the garage, where the Rolls-Royce Lucas had gifted her for their third anniversary was parked, Leah felt a whirlwind of emotions. She was still grappling with disbelief. Could it be that Lucas had really betrayed her, or was she trapped in some sort of nightmare? She fervently hoped it was the latter. Even though she strongly wanted to doubt it, the woman in the incriminating images made it difficult for her to do so, given the significance Harper held in Lucas's life. Harper was Lucas's closest friend and Lucas had harbored feelings for her since they were kids. In fact, he had been in love with her since like forever and had even envisioned a future with Harper that included marriage. Unfortunately for him, Harper had not reciprocated his affections and had left the country four years prior. It was a year after Harper's departure that Lucas had encountered Leah. In an attempt to alleviate his grandfather's incessant pressure regarding marriage, Lucas proposed a marriage of convenience to Leah, where she would act as his wife until Harper's return to the country. At that time, Leah was in need of financial support, and Lucas needed a wife. Hence, she had readily signed the contract. The first year of their marriage had been marked off by Lucas's cold nature and lack of affection, but as time went on, they developed genuine feelings for each other. Leah thought she had finally captured the Billionaire's heart and even envisioned a life together with him, but her hopes were on the verge of collapse with Harper's sudden reappearance; Harper Moore had recently returned to the country after being away for four years to study law overseas. Leah had been perplexed that Lucas might leave her for Harper, but a week prior, Lucas assured her that he no longer had feelings for Harper and was fully committed to her now. Leah believed him completely, which was why she never fretted whenever Lucas occasionally spent time with Harper. Even though Leah felt uneasy about their friendship, she feared that voicing her discomfort would make Lucas think she didn't trust him. The thing was that she did trust him, it was Harper that couldn't be trusted. Her first meeting with Harper hadn't gone well. Leah had seen her as the conniving and deceitful b***h she was after Harper tried to pull a stunt on the night of Lucas's mother's birthday party—She had tried to incite a conflict between Leah and Lucas. Fortunately, Lucas had intervened in time before the issue escalated. Since then, Leah has been cautious around Harper. She knew Harper couldn't be trusted. She only wished she could convince her husband, Lucas, to also stay away from her. However, she doubted he would ever agree. In fact, this was the reason they had fought the previous night. After returning home from work that evening, Harper had called Lucas to come over to her place as she needed his assistance with something. Leah had expressed her disapproval of him visiting her, but Lucas insisted that Harper needed his help and that he couldn’t abandon her in her time of need. Consequently, he had left that evening and didn’t return home. The following day, Leah was working in the office as she anticipated his arrival at work when she received the call and messages from Harper that changed her focus. Now, as she headed towards her car, her reverie was interrupted as she accidentally bumped into a man. She stumbled and nearly lost her footing but was swiftly steadied by a firm grip that kept her from falling. "I got you," The masculine voice sailed into her ears. "Oh my goodness," Leah exclaimed, her gaze locking onto a pair of striking ocean-blue eyes looking down at her with concern. The captivating eyes belonged to a man in a forest green suit, his dark hair slicked back, radiating an air of elegance and charm— the very man she had just bumped into. "Hey, are you alright?" he inquired, his concern palpable. Before Leah could regain her composure and respond, the man gently reached out and brushed some loose hair from her face. Softly touching her chin, he smiled down at her while she narrowed her eyes in confusion. Snapping back to reality, Leah quickly swatted his hand away, irritation evident in her eyes as she shot at him. "Excuse me, don’t touch me like that again," she said firmly. "My apologies," the gentleman replied, stepping back. "I'm Elias, by the way... Elias Logan," he introduced himself. But Leah merely regarded him with a glance and shook her head. "I didn't ask for your name, Mr. Logan. However, always watch where you're going next time, and never touch me without my consent again. I don’t even know you," Leah huffed before walking out on him, aware that she had more pressing matters to address. As she slid into her car, she caught the man's velvety voice echoing in h er mind as he told her, "Will do. I’ll keep that in mind the next time we meet, Miss Milton.”