Whispers Of Betrayal
1414 Words
Bella sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Julian’s phone like it had personally betrayed her. The lingerie receipt was still open on the screen. Twelve hundred and sixty dollars. She read the description again: sheer black lace bodysuit, crotchless, with matching garter straps and a delicate thong that left almost nothing to the imagination. The kind of piece a man bought when he wanted to rip it off someone with his teeth.
Her hands trembled as she placed the phone back exactly where she found it.
He had never bought her anything like that. Not for their anniversary. Not for her birthday. Not even in the early days when he still pretended to be romantic. Yet two days ago, he had dropped serious money on something so blatantly s****l. For who? The question burned in her chest like acid.
She stood up and walked to the full-length mirror. The marks from Jax were still visible if you looked closely. A faint bruise on her inner thigh where he had gripped her too hard. Her ass still felt tender from his spanking. Between her legs, she was still a little sore, still faintly sticky from his c*m. Every time she moved, she remembered how deep he had been, how full he had made her feel.
The guilt should have eaten her alive. Instead, it mixed with something darker. Something hungry.
She changed into a loose sundress, one that covered the marks on her neck and thighs. Her mind kept circling back to that receipt. Who was she? Some girl from his office? A random hookup? The thought made her stomach twist, but it also made her wonder if this was karma. She had let her father-in-law f**k her senseless on the kitchen island just hours ago. Maybe they both deserved this mess.
The sound of the front door opening downstairs pulled her out of her thoughts.
“Bella? You home?” Scarlett’s bright voice carried up the stairs.
Bella froze. She hadn’t expected her sister today. She quickly checked herself in the mirror one more time, smoothed down her hair, and forced a neutral expression before heading down.
Scarlett stood in the foyer looking effortlessly stunning in a tight white top and jeans that hugged her curves. Her long dark hair fell in perfect waves, and she carried that familiar confident glow that always made Bella feel a little plain in comparison.
“Hey sis!” Scarlett said with a wide smile, pulling her into a hug. “I was in the area and thought I’d surprise you. Julian mentioned you might be home alone today.”
Bella hugged her back stiffly. “You really should knock or text first. What if Julian was still here? Or… you know, I could have been busy.”
Scarlett laughed lightly and waved her hand. “Oh please. It’s not like Julian would care if I just walked in. He’s used to me popping by. Besides, you’re my sister. Family doesn’t knock.”
There was something about the casual way she said it that made Bella pause. The words felt too comfortable. Too familiar.
They moved to the living room and settled on the couch. Scarlett curled her legs underneath her like she owned the place. Bella tried to act normal, but her mind kept drifting back to that receipt. The expensive lace. The crotchless design. The date.
“You okay?” Scarlett asked, tilting her head. “You look a little off. Did something happen?”
Bella hesitated. Part of her wanted to keep it buried, but the hurt was too fresh. She needed to say it out loud to someone.
“I found something on Julian’s phone,” she said quietly. “A receipt. For really expensive lingerie. The slutty kind. Over a thousand dollars, Scarlett. And he bought it two days ago. He’s never bought me anything like that. Not once.”
Scarlett’s eyebrows rose slightly. She stayed quiet for a moment, then reached over and squeezed Bella’s hand.
“Are you sure it was for someone else? Maybe it was supposed to be a surprise for you?”
Bella let out a bitter laugh. “No. He didn’t buy it for me. I’d remember if my husband spent that kind of money trying to make me feel sexy. This was something else. Something… intentional.”
She stood up and started pacing. The memories from the kitchen with Jax flashed through her mind uninvited. How roughly he had taken her. How he had called her his good girl while filling her up. The contrast with Julian’s two-minute routine made her feel sick and turned on at the same time.
“I feel so stupid,” Bella continued, voice cracking. “I’ve been trying so hard to make this marriage work. I ignore how quick he finishes, how he barely touches me anymore, how he’s always on his phone. And now this? I don’t know what to do.”
Scarlett watched her carefully, her expression soft but unreadable. “Maybe you’re overthinking it, Bella. Julian’s been really stressed with work lately. Guys do dumb s**t when they’re stressed. I’m sure it’s nothing serious.”
The way she said it felt wrong. Too smooth. Too knowing.
Bella stopped pacing and turned to face her sister. “How would you know he’s been stressed with work? He barely talks to me about that stuff anymore.”
Scarlett blinked, then gave a small shrug and a quick smile. “Well, he is my brother-in-law. We talk sometimes when you’re not around. Family stuff, you know?”
There it was again. That easy familiarity.
Bella sat back down, studying her sister more closely. Scarlett looked radiant today. Her skin glowed. Her lips were glossy. She smelled faintly of a masculine cologne that wasn’t Julian’s usual scent, but close enough to make Bella’s stomach tighten.
“Scarlett,” Bella said slowly, “are you sure there’s nothing you’re not telling me? You’re acting kind of… strange about all this.”
Scarlett laughed, but it sounded a touch forced. “Me? Strange? I’m just trying to be supportive. You’re my big sister. I hate seeing you hurt. If Julian is really cheating, that’s awful. But you should probably get more proof before you lose your mind over one receipt, right?”
Bella nodded, but doubt had taken root deep in her chest. Something about Scarlett’s tone, the way she defended Julian so quickly, the effortless way she moved around this house like she belonged here… it all felt wrong.
They talked for nearly an hour. Bella poured out more of her frustrations. How neglected she felt. How lonely the marriage had become. Scarlett listened, offered hugs, and gave advice that sounded perfect on the surface. But every so often, she would say things that made Bella pause.
“Julian has always been the type who needs excitement,” Scarlett said at one point, almost absentmindedly. “Some men just crave more attention than others. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.”
Bella’s skin prickled. How exactly did Scarlett know what kind of attention Julian craved?
By the time Scarlett finally stood up to leave, Bella’s mind was racing. She walked her sister to the door, forcing another smile as they hugged goodbye.
“Call me if you need anything, okay?” Scarlett said brightly. “We’ll figure this out together.”
As soon as the door closed, Bella leaned against it, breathing hard. Her sister’s words kept echoing in her head. The casual confidence. The little slips. The way she seemed to know details about Julian’s behavior that Bella herself had only just discovered.
She walked back upstairs slowly, her bare feet silent on the marble. The house felt different now. Heavier. Like secrets were hiding in every corner.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. A text from Jax.
**Jax:** Come to my study when you’re alone. I want to see how well my c*m is still leaking out of you.
Heat flooded her body instantly, but it was mixed with something colder. Fear. Suspicion. Heartbreak.
She stared at the message for a long moment, then looked toward Julian’s side of the bed where the phone with the lingerie receipt still lay.
Scarlett knew too much. Moved too comfortably. Defended him too smoothly.
Bella’s stomach twisted as one terrifying thought crystallized in her mind.
What if it wasn’t some random woman?
What if it was someone much closer?
- Writer
