Chapter 1

Everleigh

His masculine voice said words that I had been craving to hear. "I love you!" Although I wasn't completely conscious, my eyes fluttered in excitement.

When I opened my eyes, what I saw changed my life. It felt like a dream, I couldn't believe it. Slowly, my vision cleared. Clyde stood with his back against me, his hands around the neck of someone.

Something is wrong - he was whispering to someone I couldn't see. He'd told her he loved her, not me. 

I swallowed hard and squinted in an attempt to get a closer look. The headache that followed was too much to bear, and so I shut my eyes again and listened rather, not wanting to make them realize that I was awake. 

Like a nightmare, the clock ticked slowly, my heart beat rapidly, and moments passed. Whispers were exchanged. I heard all of it.

"You did promise you'd divorce her. What's the holdup?" The lady asked impatiently. Her voice sounded familiar.

"Hold on, baby," My husband, Clyde responded, sounding both tense and unhappy. 

"I want everything to happen slowly, so I don't get blamed by society. She has been nothing but a liability to me, and you know it. 

She contributes nothing to the household, rather than force her ugly self down my throat. What could be more irresponsible? 

But I cannot just wake up and throw divorce papers at her, I'll be judged. It's a sad world we live in."

"I know right?" The woman affirmed. "I pray she never wakes up!"

Whoever she is, she seemed to be very evil. Even if she wanted my husband, wishing me death was very extreme. 

I was tempted to open my eyes and look at her. To stand from where I lay, unplug the IV drip from my hand, stride to where they stood, and land a slap on her face. 

Before I made up my mind on what to do next, I heard it. The soft, familiar sound of a kiss. 

It was as if I had been expecting it to happen. I was glad I saw nothing. But the slurps and moans tore my already broken heart apart. 

The raptures and gasps had kept me from resting and the shivers of pleasure caused a tear to drop from my eye and trickle down my left ear.

My heart sank, my eyes filled with tears. I had loved him so deeply, and he didn't even respect me enough to do this somewhere else. It was almost as if he was mocking me.

"Oh, baby, you're so sweet." I heard the lady say to him. 

In response, Clyde said, "You kiss me better than Everleigh does." 

"There's no doubt I do," The lady said with a chuckle. "There's nothing she can do right. Which is why she can't even keep a man." 

Clyde laughed with her. My heart ripped apart. I heaved and a tear dropped down my face. 

"I think we should have sex on her bed." The lady sounded excited. "You and I should have sex, right where she is!" She said again. 

I heard footsteps approaching my bed and assumed they were coming towards me. Would Clyde be that unkind to me? 

More droplets followed, despite my many attempts to stop the flood pouring from my eyes. I bit my trembling lips and gnashed my teeth. 

"Looks like she is waking up," Clyde said, obviously unexcited and slightly nervous. He had probably noticed the pain on my face.

"I doubt it. I mean, why now? I could just shut the door and a few thrusts should do."

“If you insist,” Clyde said. I felt him lean over me to make sure that I wasn't awake. I then felt his weight on the bed. “Lie on me!” 

They were too busy with themselves, neither of them realized that my eyes were open. I watched my man of six years pull her to himself. She crashed on him. 

He tugged on her shirt as his fingers ran through her skin. “It's been a while, my damsel.”

“Indeed,” she said in response. “It's been quite some time since I felt you inside of me.”

Clyde gave a shy laugh. He was uncomfortable and his gestures showed it. 

He tried severally to steal glances at me, but she was too busy burying her tongue in his lips and tugging at his pants, he could barely open his eyes.

I sniffled lightly and rubbed my bleary eyes with the back of my hand. I then shut my eyes and listened to the moans they made. They had become oblivious of my presence.

“Fuck, I'm hard!” Clyde exclaimed.

“And I'm wet.” The woman with him affirmed. I knew what would follow and hoped that I wouldn't have to go through the torture of listening to it.

Footsteps approached the door where we were and they both scrambled for their clothes. Moments later, I guessed they were fully dressed. 

They listened raptly but saw no one walk in. I listened carefully but heard no one come in, either as the door didn't creak open.

“Well, that was close!” The lady who I had suspected to be my slutty friend said.

Clyde anxiously heaved.

“Are you scared, handsome?” She said again.

Clyde gave no response for a moment. A while later, he says to her, “Dear, that was a very close call. You should get going.”

“Why?” I knew what her response would be, even before I heard her. “We didn't even do the main thing! 

Just because we were almost caught, we are to quit the fun game we haven't even begun playing?”

"This is no game. Look," Clyde responded calmly. It seemed his gaze was on me as he spoke, probably observing me to know if I was still unconscious. 

"She seems to be moving, we need to get out of here. The last thing I want is to get any blame. So I think you should hold on. I'll be with you tomorrow, at the club. I promise."

"Yeah, I should go! I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning to check on her. If she asks, tell her I called. Bye!"

I quickly shut my eyes open and stole a glance to confirm my suspicion. 

I recognized that voice, that shamelessness, that attitude, even though it was too painful to believe, my eyes confirmed that it was Laura. 

I hoped that my ears had deceived me. That the first glance lied to me. But as it seemed, this Is my reality. My best friend had made out on my sick bed with my husband.

“Is that a camera?” Clyde said before she left. I felt the anxiety in his voice when he realized that the whole scenario was caught on camera. 

“Fuck, the whole thing was recorded!” He said with a louder voice.

Laura was silent for a while. She was probably thinking of a way out. Laura was smart but not in a productive way. 

She was street smart. Moments later, she said, “We'll think of a way out of this.” 

I heard her walk out of the room, before I opened my eyes slowly, and locked my eyes in Clyde's. My eyes were unreadable but I could see fear in him. 

"Was that a nurse? I thought I heard someone's voice." My voice didn't sound weak, it was rather stern, as I asked him, thinking of how best to handle the situation. I tried not to show any emotions. Sniffling slightly.

"Nah! No one was here," Clyde replied, and walked briskly to my bedside. He then lowered his butt on the bed and held my arms. 

"I was really worried about you, I'm so relieved to have you back." He bent down and kissed my forehead. 

With a gentle touch, he brushed a few strands of hair from my face, tucking them behind my ear.  

"You passed out while making lunch for me, so I heard. We have chefs around the house, why bother? It's so sweet that you wanted to do something kind, but I'm sad and feel guilty to know that I was the cause of this."

I could feel bitterness well up inside of me, but I knew I had to act wisely. So I started by asking, "Where is Laura?” I kept my eyes on his and waited for a response.

As the moment lingered, his face turned pale. "I..." He said with a stutter. "Laura, she... well, she called earlier to know how you're faring." 

Before I could respond, the door creaked open. A shadow loomed in the doorway and a familiar voice said, "Well, aren't you going to tell her?" 

The figure stepped into the light and my heart stopped. It wasn't Laura, it was someone whom I hadn't seen in ten years. 

Someone who had threatened to kill me the next time she saw me. It was my half-sister, Madison.

"Hello Diana," she said with a grin. "Surprised to see me?”