002—LIES
2659 Words
CHAPTER TWO: LIES
We walked upstairs in total silence, the tension so thick it felt like the air was pressing against my heart. Conrad didn’t say a word, didn’t look at me, didn’t sigh. He just kept climbing the stairs steadily, like a man trying to maintain control of the anger raging inside him. I followed, my heartbeat pounding painfully, unsure of what was going through his mind.
When we entered the bedroom, he shut the door behind us.
I opened my lips to speak, but before I could say a word, Conrad held my waist, bent me over the bed, and had s*x with me with a force I had never experienced from him. Violent. Angry. Not caring or gentle. Not the predictable, soft rhythm I had grown cognizant of.
This was rage.
He was heartbroken but didn’t want to express it.
This was punishment for every word written in my diary.
He didn’t kiss me. He didn’t whisper sweet words. He just thrust into me hard, gripping my hips like he was trying to remind me he was just as dominant as ever.
And then, without a single word, he zipped his pants, knotted his tie, grabbed his briefcase and lunch, and left for work.
The door slammed.
And just like that, the house felt cold.
I sat on the edge of the bed afterward, confused, disappointed, and terrified. Yes, I knew he was furious. He had every right to be. But I didn’t expect that. I didn’t know how to interpret it—not fully.
I didn’t have the patience to think it through. I dressed quickly, grabbed my car keys, and my bag.
When the car refused to start, I had no choice but to take David to school on the nearby bus.
After dropping him off, I went straight to the nearby train station. It was Friday, and Sadie was always home on Friday mornings due to work meetings online. I didn’t bother calling her beforehand.
I didn’t give myself time to digest my emotions. I just needed to talk to Sadie. I needed to stop the feeling that my marriage was unraveling in front of me.
I knocked hard on her apartment door, almost frantically.
Sadie opened it.
The look on her face wasn’t welcoming. She seemed shocked—followed by something strange, almost like guilt. But I didn’t care. My thoughts weren’t paying attention to it.
“Sadie, I really need to talk to you. Something happened,” I said softly.
“Wait—” Sadie responded, her eyes flicking behind her.
I turned to follow her gaze.
My heart skipped for a few seconds.
Standing in her living room was Stefan.
My Stefan. My past. My mistake. My obsession. My unfinished story.
He stood there shirtless, wearing only a pair of baggy jeans that rested on his hips. His biceps were hard, glistening as if he’d just finished an intense workout.
His abs—those same abs I once ran my hands across—were right there. Real. Close. Too close.
“What the hell?” I whispered. “Are you serious? Him? But why?”
“Jess, wait—I can explain. It’s really not what you’re thinking,” Sadie said, quickly stepping between us.
“No, it’s fine. It’s fine,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady even as my throat tried to break. “I have to go.”
“Jessica—” Sadie reached for me, but I had already turned.
I rushed out of her apartment, down the road, and into the nearest restaurant. I slipped into the restroom and locked the door behind me. My tears dropped instantly, burning hot down my cheeks. I tried wiping them, but they kept spilling. Uncontrollably.
I leaned over the sink, desperate to wash the tears off my face, when an older woman at the counter kept staring at me like I had stolen her phone.
“What? Is there a problem, ma’am?” I snapped, my voice breaking.
She walked away and left the restroom quickly.
I splashed water on my face, trying to remind myself it wasn’t that big a deal, when the door opened again.
It was Sadie.
“Jess, just listen to me, please,” she said softly. “It’s really not what you’re thinking. Stefan and I are just… casual. That’s it. Nothing serious.”
I let out an exhausted, fake laugh. “I know you have a lot of… fuck buddies, Sadie. But why Stefan? Is he the one you told me about? The steamy bedroom moment?”
“No. Of course not,” she said quickly. “I haven’t seen him since last year until today. And it’s been seven years already since you two separated. I didn’t think it would still… be a thing. I didn’t know you hadn’t gotten over him. I mean, Stefan was bad news!”
“I told you on the phone,” I whispered harshly. “I told you how I missed that bubble. The connection we had. And then today… seeing him in your living room? Wearing nothing but jeans? Sadie, do you know what that did to me?”
Her face melted. “Jess…”
“I just wasn’t expecting him. Not like that. It’s okay, baby girl,” I said, my voice breaking. I stepped towards her and hugged her tightly. “It’s okay. We are good.”
Then I told her everything. Every detail. Every fear. Every moment from this morning—Conrad reading my diary, the violent s*x, the silence, the rage brewing in his chest.
Sadie listened quietly, her expression turning into concern.
“It’s okay, we’ll figure this out,” she said, cupping my cheek. “Stop crying. I’m sure Conrad can handle this. He loves you so much. It’s not enough reason to split up.”
I agreed.
I took the next train home and called my nanny, Mary, asking her to please pick up David from school.
Once home, I cooked dinner and texted Stefan about the car, forcing myself to act normal. David and I ate together—his little stories about cats and mice making me smile despite the chaos inside me.
Then Conrad came home.
“Hey, babe,” he said, his voice oddly cheerful. “How are you? Sorry about the car—I’ve already called Enoch. He’ll come fix it tomorrow.”
“Uh, thank God… I’m okay. How about you?”
“I’m very good, baby. Guess what—I got you something.”
He held up a sleek Zara shopping bag. Inside it was a red dress—short, fitted, covered in crystal-like stones.
“Wow,” I breathed. “This… this looks beautiful. Is this because of what you read in my diary?”
“Shhhh,” he hushed, stepping closer. “Go try it on. I’m taking you on a dinner date tonight. Alright?”
Eluding the diary topic completely.
But I didn’t push it. Not tonight.
I showered, glammed my face, and slipped into the dress. He knew my size so well. It hugged my body perfectly. When I walked downstairs, David and Stefan gasped dramatically.
“Mommy, you look like a princess…”
“Thank you, my love. Be good, okay? Mary is staying with you tonight.”
“Okay, mommy.”
At dinner, everything seemed perfect. The soft glow of candles, gentle music in the background, and the aroma of dinner filled the restaurant.”
But when I gently tried again to bring up the diary conversation, Conrad shook his head.
“Not tonight,” he said. “Tonight is about us. Nothing else.” He held my hands and caressed my thumb.
So I let it go.
We ate. We laughed. And then, in the restroom of the fancy restaurant, he made love with me again—hard, intense, hungry. His mouth on my breasts, his hands gripping my hips, my moan caught in my lips as I tried not to scream.
At that moment, I felt loved.
We drove home afterward, both of us laughing and slightly drunk. The nanny was asleep on the couch. We thanked her and went upstairs, and Conrad walked straight to the shower.
While he was bathing, my phone buzzed.
A number I didn’t recognize.
I picked up after a few seconds of wondering who was calling.
“Hi, Jess…”
The voice sent a shiver down my spine.
“I’ve been wanting to call you for a long time.”
“Stefan?” I whispered.
“I miss you a lot, Jess. I wish we could talk—”
“Why the hell are you calling me at this time?” I cut him off harshly. “I don’t miss you. Have a nice day.”
I hung up before he could respond and fell back onto the bed, my heart pounding.
Conrad finished his shower, changed into his nightwear, and joined me. He kissed me.
My phone beeped again.
A message from Stefan.
I turned it over.
“You’re lying to me.”
- Writer
