Borrowed for one night

Chapter two

Dawn arrived quietly, but sleep never did.

Stephanie hadn’t closed her eyes all night. She sat on the edge of the bed, watching the clock like a hawk, counting seconds, counting breaths, counting down to 10 a.m. She needed to prove the stranger wrong. She needed to silence the voice in her head that kept growing louder, firmer, crueler.

Every time guilt rose, every time she felt horrible for doubting her husband,her eyes drifted back to the pictures spread across the kitchen counter. Sinful. Intimate. Unforgiving.

What if it was true? By 9 a.m., her hands were shaking. She got ready slowly, as if moving too fast might shatter her completely. She packed breakfast for her husband and forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. It was just like every other morning. She would bring him breakfast before heading to the coffee shop.

She reached the hospital earlier than usual. The hallway felt colder, longer. Every step toward his room was heavy, like she was dragging an anchor behind her. Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs as she raised her hand and pushed the door open.

He was sitting up in bed, watching the morning news. Sunlight poured in through the window, softening his features, making him look almost peaceful. Almost innocent.

When he saw her, he smiled. “Steph,” he said warmly. “You’re early today.”

Her chest tightened. “I wanted to bring you breakfast before going to the coffee shop and I also wanted to spend time with you,” she replied, surprised her voice didn’t break.

He reached for the food, thanking her like he always did. As though nothing was wrong. She stood there, frozen, watching him chew, nodding along to whatever the anchor on TV was saying. Her eyes drifted to the door without meaning to…then it opened.

Her cousin walked in like she belonged there. Too comfortable. Too familiar. “Oh,” the woman said lightly, pausing when she saw Stephanie. “You’re here already?”

Stephanie’s world tilted, her husband’s face lit up in a way Stephanie hadn’t seen in months. “You came,” he said, his voice softer now, it was different.

The way his eyes followed her cousin. The way her cousin moved closer to the bed. The way her hand brushed his arm…casual and practiced.

It was intimate, Stephanie felt it then. She wasn’t confused anymore. There was no more doubt. Her fingers loosened around the food tray as her heart shattered quietly inside her chest. The pictures on the counter. The stranger’s calm voice. The offer. The truth she didn’t want to believe.

It was all real, and suddenly, staying innocent hurt more than knowing.

“What are you doing here, Lily?” Stephanie asked, finally finding her voice as she turned to face her cousin.

Lily smiled… She looked calm as though she had been waiting for this day.

“Oh, me?” she said lightly. “I came to see my man.” Before Stephanie could process the words, Lily leaned down and kissed James.

Right there… In front of her.

Stephanie’s breath left her lungs. “What the hell…” She moved on instinct, her hand lifting, but James caught her wrist mid-air.

“Don’t make that mistake, Steph,” he said calmly. She stared at him, her heart pounding so hard it hurt. “James?”

“I care about you,” he continued, his grip firm, almost warning. “But I love Lily. She’s the one I’ve always loved.”

The words hit harder than any slap.

“I was with you because… you would do anything for me,” he added, like it was the most reasonable thing in the world. Then he let go of Stephanie’s hand and kissed Lily’s fingers instead.

Stephanie couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. She stood there like a statue forced to watch her worst nightmare.

“J-James?” she whispered.

“You’re still my wife,” he said, looking at her like she was an inconvenience. “But I love Lily. I always will.” Her chest burned.

“So it’s true,” Stephanie said, her voice shaking now. “You’ve been cheating on me with my cousin? After everything I’ve done for you?” She lunged for Lily again, rage finally breaking through the shock…but Lily shoved her hard.

Stephanie stumbled back, hitting the edge of the bed.

“You should be grateful,” Lily snapped. “I haven’t asked him to divorce you yet.” Lily smirked,“You call yourself my cousin, yet you married my man.”

Stephanie watched as tears gathered in her eyes. . “You haven’t seen anything yet.” Lily said while she ran her fingers through James’s hair, and he leaned into her touch without hesitation. They both acted as though she wasn’t there.

That was it. Stephanie pushed herself up, tears finally spilling. Her hands trembled, but her voice came out low and dangerous.

“You will regret this,” she whispered. “Both of you. You will regret what you’ve done to me.”

Neither of them answered. She turned and ran out of the room, down the hallway, passed numerous people and out of the hospital…her heart breaking with every step, her innocence shattering completely behind her.

Stephanie sank onto one of the benches outside the hospital, her legs giving out beneath her. The tears came hard and fast, ripping through her chest as memories replayed themselves over and over again…every smile, every lie, every moment they had stood right in front of her and mocked her.

All those times… they were just lying.

She reached into her bag for a handkerchief, her hands shaking, but her fingers brushed against something stiff and smooth. Confused, unable to detect what it was…she pulled it out.

It was Sylvester’s card. Her chest tightened as last night’s conversation came rushing back. His calm voice. His offer. His certainty. Once again, her heart and her mind went to war…but this time, the battlefield felt different.

Could she really become that woman?

The kind who would cheat just to get back at her husband and her cousin?

Another voice answered her almost immediately. If they could fool her for this long… Why couldn’t she change in the blink of an eye?

Her hands trembled as she dialed the number at the back of the card. It rang once before going straight to a woman’s voice.

The secretary answered calmly. Stephanie hesitated…took a deep breath before introducing herself, “ Hello, um… I am Stephanie Jacobs” her voice barely steady.

There was a brief pause. Then, “You can come in. He’s been expecting you.” The words sent a chill through her.

She ended the call, wiped her tears, and straightened her back. Whatever innocence she had left stayed on that bench. She took one last look at the hospital…the place where her heart had finally broken…then hailed a cab.

As the door closed and the car pulled away, Stephanie didn't bother to look back.

The Armilton Group building towered above Stephanie like a silent judge. She stood at the entrance for a moment, craning her neck as her eyes traced the glass and steel stretching endlessly into the sky. Everyone around her looked like they belonged…sharp suits, confident strides, clipped conversations.

She tugged at her floral gown, suddenly painfully aware of how out of place she felt.

Her fingers trembled as she dialed the number again. The call was answered almost immediately, and she was told to take any elevator to the eleventh floor.

Her heart skipped, she had never been inside an elevator before.

After a moment of hesitation, she stepped in, clutching her bag as the doors slid shut. The ride felt longer than it was. When the doors finally opened, a woman was already waiting for her.

The secretary smiled politely and led her down a wide corridor. The space opened into a room so vast that Stephanie slowed her steps. The ceiling was impossibly high, the air calm and quiet…it almost felt unreal, like she had stepped into heaven by mistake.

The secretary stopped in front of a door and gestured for her to go in. Stephanie pushed it open.

Sylvester was inside, seated casually on top of his desk, a chessboard spread out before him. He was playing alone, studying the pieces with quiet focus. When he noticed her, he stopped, lifted his head, and smiled… the same warm, unsettling smile from the night before.

“Stephanie,” he said, rising to his feet before settling back onto the edge of the desk. “What took you so long?”

He looked at her like he had known she would come. “I’ve been waiting.”

“What do you need me to do?” Stephanie asked immediately.

Sylvester blinked, clearly amused. “Oh…warrior, slow down. Are you sure?” he said lightly. “Just last night, you wanted nothing to do with this. And now…”

“What do you need me to do?” she cut in, her voice low, controlled. She counted each word as it left her mouth, afraid that if she stopped, she would lose her nerve.

Sylvester studied her for a long moment, his expression changing…not smug, not pleased, but thoughtful.

“Something happened?” he asked quietly. She didn’t answer….She didn’t need to.

He nodded once, as if confirming what he already knew. “Very well,” he said. “Alright then, take a seat, Stephanie.”

The chessboard between them suddenly felt less like a game and more like a warning. “Because once we start,” he added calmly, “there’s no turning back.”

“My younger brother is arriving tonight,” Sylvester said calmly. “And I need you to give him a good time.”

Stephanie frowned. “If you know what I mean,” he added, watching her closely.

She tilted her head, studying him now. “Why do you even care whether he’s been with a woman or not?”

A low chuckle escaped him as he turned away, moving back to his seat with deliberate slowness. When he spoke again, his voice had changed.

“Mrs. Jacob,” he said coolly, “just as much as I don’t like being called a liar, I also don’t like being asked questions.” He looked at her then…sharp, warning.

“So don’t ask them.” Her throat tightened as she swallowed.

“So… just one night?” she asked slowly. He didn’t answer with words. Instead, he slid a blank cheque across the desk toward her.

Stephanie stared at it like it might burn her skin.

“Any amount you want,” Sylvester said evenly. “As long as you do exactly what I ask.” Her fingers hovered before she finally picked it up, holding it with care, like it carried more than money.

“It’s simple,” he continued. “You sleep with my brother. You don’t mention this agreement. And you leave before he wakes up.”

He clapped his hands once, sharp and final. “That’s all.”

Silence filled the room…Stephanie’s mind raced. Could she really do this? Could she bring herself to sleep with another man…any man, after James? After everything?

Her gaze dropped back to the cheque. And she realized then that it wasn’t the money holding her attention. It was the idea of satisfaction…Of revenge.

She l

ifted her head.“I’ll do it,” she said quietly, and just like that, the deal was sealed.