Daniel's POV

It started at a casual get-together Regina Jones threw for some of her close friends. My fiancée, the sweet, soft-spoken girl I thought I knew like the back of my hand.

Halfway through the evening, she stepped out, saying she had something to take care of.

Two hours passed.

No text. No sign of her.

I was about to get up and look for her when I heard fragments of a conversation drifting from the corner of the room. Her girlfriends were talking, using their hometown dialect with a Cajun accent, thinking I wouldn't understand.

They were dead wrong.

"This idiot doesn't even realize he's been thoroughly cuckolded," Lena said, laughing under her breath.

Jasmine leaned in closer. "I bet right about now, Regina and Erickson are having a hell of a time."

Stacey joined in with a sneer. "Regina told us Daniel's size doesn't even come close to Erickson's. She only got with that loser out of pity. They've known each other since they were kids. Look at him—sitting there like a clueless joke. He doesn't even know we're mocking the hell out of him."

I froze where I was, one foot halfway off the ground.

My mind went blank.

And then, right on cue, the door opened.

Regina walked in.

She was soaked with sweat. Her legs wobbled slightly with each step. Her cheeks were red, and her lips parted slightly as if she hadn't caught her breath yet. She looked like someone who had just finished screwing in a back room.

And behind her was Erickson Carter, cool as hell, with a casual hand resting gently on her shoulder. Just two old "friends."

Sure.

"Ha! Well?" one of the girls called out, grinning. "Was the affair exciting? You really know how to have fun!"

Regina smirked, brushing some hair behind her ear. "Of course. Once we started, we couldn't stop."

——

There was no need for a confession. I'd seen it with my own eyes—the dark, unmistakable kiss marks that dotted her neck.

I sank back onto the couch, feeling empty and numb, like the wind had been knocked out of me.

But they kept going, joking in their dialect like I wasn't even there.

Regina pulled her hand away from Erickson, possibly because of guilt or simply for show, and then turned to me.

She paused for a second, then walked over and sat beside me as if nothing had happened.

One of the girls laughed again. "Why are you so tense? He can't understand us. If we were speaking Italian or French, maybe you'd need to worry."

"Yeah," another chimed in. "Speaking in Cajun is great. He's got no clue what's going on!"

"Geez, you guys are evil," someone else giggled. "Ganging up on poor Daniel, the out-of-town city boy."

Regina visibly relaxed when she heard them. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to my lips.

"Daniel, don't take it personally, okay?" she said sweetly. "We came from the same town. Every time we get together, we slip into a Cajun accent. It's just a habit."

I neither flinched nor uttered a word. I clenched my fist so tightly it hurt.

They didn't know that before I moved to Los Angeles, I lived in the same state they were from, in the same town, with the same roots and dialect.

I understood every damn word.

And because I didn't say anything, they took it as confirmation. They thought I was clueless. They thought I didn't care.

They kept going.

"Regina, be honest," one said with a smirk. "Erickson's bigger than him, right? I've got money on this."

Regina didn't even hesitate. "Oh, definitely."

Another one pointed at her. "Look at that glow. That's what satisfied looks like."

"God, this whole thing is such a rush," a girl squealed. "I never realized how useful Cajun could be."

"Poor guy. He's sitting right there, and he doesn't have a clue," Regina's third friend chimed in.

Erickson shot me a smug, sideways glance as if he'd just won something. Then he leaned in closer to Regina and mouthed something barely loud enough.

"Regina, why don't you just marry me already? Why keep wasting time with him?"

Regina laughed, her hand brushing my shoulder in a mockingly gentle gesture. Her voice softened, though every word carried arrogance.

"Marry you? Not a chance." She shrugged, almost casually.

"I know the difference between real and pretend. You're just a distraction—something to satisfy a craving. But the man I love? That's still Daniel."

She smiled warmly, as if she'd just confessed something tender. As if those words weren't a knife.

"Could you put me first in everything? Spoil me, treat me like royalty? You can't. You've got that temper. Only Daniel can. When I was sick with a fever, one call was all it took, and he would drop everything and fly back from overseas."

Her laugh was quiet this time, almost wistful. "I was scared, and he came running."

Listening to her talk, I didn't feel the warmth of those memories.

No gratitude.

No pride.

Just rage.

It simmered beneath my skin, boiling hotter with every word out of her mouth.

I loved her and poured everything I had into this relationship.

And this was what I got in return?

Then her face changed. Her smile dropped. She frowned.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath. "I forgot to use protection. What if I'm pregnant?"

Erickson's eyes shot wide. "What the hell's wrong with you? Go get the morning-after pill. Now."

"Heh…" one of the girls laughed darkly. "Actually, why don't we make Daniel go buy it? If we're gonna play dirty, might as well go all the way, right?"

Daniel's POV

“You…”

Erickson lifted his wineglass, tilted it back, and drank it all in one smooth gulp.

He placed it on the table with a relaxed shrug.

“I’ve been drinking,” he said, completely unfazed. “Can’t drive.”

Just like that, Regina turned to me. No hesitation. No shame.

“Daniel, go buy a box of morning-after pills for me,” she said. “We might need it tonight.”

My hands clenched into fists so tight, I could feel the bones grinding in my knuckles.

There wasn’t a single person in this room without a shred of decency.

I had seriously misjudged Regina.

We’d been together for three years. Three damn years. She’d always come across as the quiet type—sweet, polite, soft-spoken. The kind of woman who said she hated cheating more than anything and that she could never forgive that kind of betrayal.

Now I knew that was all a performance.

She wasn’t the kind who hated cheaters.

She was the cheater.

I looked up and locked eyes with her. My stare turned ice cold.

She was still laughing at something when she caught the look on my face. Her smile faltered. Panic flickered in her eyes.

“Daniel, are you okay?” she asked, touching my forehead like she cared. “Are you feeling sick?”

She was still wearing the scent, the sweat, the mess of another man.

I leaned away from her touch, refusing to let her graze me.

“Regina,” I said, voice flat and steady, “I think we might need to postpone our wedding.”

That stopped her cold.

Real fear flashed across her face.

Regina clutched my arm as if she could hold everything together with her fingers.

“Wait, what are you talking about? What’s going on?”

I pulled my arm away and forced a smile. “Relax. I’m fine. I just think if we rush into marriage too fast, it might tie you down. We’re still young. Maybe you should enjoy your freedom a little more before discussing settling down.”

She laughed softly and looped her arms around mine, leaning her head against my chest.

“I knew you’d understand me best,” she whispered. “Thank you… for always putting me first, Danny.”

What she didn’t know was that I’d already made my decision.

I was walking away.

She thought she still had me wrapped around her finger, that I was still playing the loyal fool. She even glanced at Erickson and her friends with that smug look, as if she’d won something.

“Tsk. What a rare gem! A man still hopelessly devoted,” one of the girls said sarcastically.

“Hope his family forgives him for being this damn dumb,” another added.

They were all laughing, tossing insults like candy, mocking me, and calling me pathetic.

Let them laugh.

Whoever dares laugh at me, I’ll turn them into the joke.

I didn’t say another word. I stood up and walked out the door to buy the morning-after pill.

As I entered the hallway, I could hear them again—giggling, gasping, kissing.

No shame. No hesitation.

“Damn, you’re wild. Two guys in one night? You really went for it.”

“Oh, please. Like you haven’t.”

“Alright, I gotta go. My man’s already showered and waiting for me at the hotel.”

I picked up my pace the moment I heard that.

Outside, rain poured down heavily.

By the time I got to the pharmacy, I was completely soaked. My hair was glued to my forehead, my clothes clung to my body, and I looked exactly like what they thought I was: pathetic, soaked, and broken.

When I returned with the pill box in hand, I heard the sound of laughter before I even opened the door to the private room.

They weren’t hiding anymore.

They still used their Cajun tongue like a private chatroom no one else could enter.

“Let’s go mushroom hunting tomorrow. Sound good?”

“Ugh, pass. Too much work.”

“But outdoor sex didn’t tire you out, huh? I’m doing this for our benefit!”

I saw Erickson sliding his foot along Regina’s leg under the table. Her face lit up as if he had flipped a switch.

They all looked at me the moment I stepped in. And they laughed openly and boldly, as if I were the punchline of a running joke none of them intended to stop telling.

...

The next morning, Regina said we were heading out of town.

Some mountains. A day trip.

“Mushroom hunting.”

Sure.

At the bottom of the trail, her friends were already deep in gossip, whispering and giggling among themselves.

“You two have guts. Coming out here for a secret hookup and dragging Daniel along like your cover? What if he catches you?”

“Oh, come on. Unless one of us spills the beans, how’s he ever gonna know?”

“That’s the best part. The danger, the risk… God, it’s addictive!”

Before they’d even finished laughing, Regina grabbed my hand and led me into the woods.

We were “foraging,” apparently.

Not too far in, she stopped and glanced around.

“I need to use the bathroom,” she said, stepping off the trail. “Wait here, okay? Make sure nobody else comes over.”

I nodded, but the weight in my chest had already settled like a rock.

I stood there, frozen, staring at the trees, feeling like something had cracked open inside me.

The woman I loved was this shameless.

She had a small hiking bag slung over her shoulder. I hadn’t paid any attention to it earlier.

But when she walked away, the flap shifted open.

That’s when I saw what was inside.

A full set of sex toys.

Daniel's POV

Last night, while I pretended to be asleep, Regina quietly slid out of bed and started packing her things.

She moved carefully, trying not to wake me. But I heard every shuffle, every zipper, every hushed breath. She thought she was being slick, but I wasn’t sleeping. I was wide awake.

As she moved around the room, she kept whispering on the phone. Erickson was on the other end. She was laughing breathily, as they joked about what position they’d try tomorrow, like this was all some game.

I didn’t get a second of sleep.

Instead, I picked up my phone and messaged my boss.

I’d made up my mind. I was transferring to France to take over the branch office there. Permanent relocation. New life. No looking back.

From now on, I’d never have to see Regina again.

The next morning, she left the house early, practically bouncing out the door like she couldn’t get away fast enough. I stood by the window and watched her rush off. There was this bitter weight in my chest, heavy and cold.

But I still followed her.

I stayed out of sight, keeping behind cover. Ended up hiding behind a big tree at the edge of the woods. And what I saw… I’ll never forget it.

Regina and Erickson were out in the grass, tangled up in each other. Laughing, moaning, clawing at each other like wild animals.

She pulled a sheer negligee out of her bag, one I’d never seen before, but Erickson stopped her with a crooked grin.

“Let me put it on you myself,” he said, real proud of himself.

They giggled like they were in high school. No shame. No filter. Then they went straight into it, not caring who might’ve been nearby.

Regina kissed along his jawline, her voice breathy. “The grass is so rough… It’s gonna ruin my skin.”

Erickson just chuckled and nipped at her ear. “First time for everything. That little thrill just makes it hotter, doesn’t it?”

“You’re such an asshole,” she whispered, half-laughing.

He snorted. “That idiot doesn’t even know we’re screwing right under his nose. He’s still up on the trail, playing guard dog.”

“You’re the worst,” she said, swatting him half-heartedly. “You’re always pushing it. If Daniel finds out, you’re screwed.”

“Oh yeah?” he said, grinning. “But you’d miss it. If I was outta the picture, how would you get that kind of pleasure again?”

I couldn’t move.

It was one thing to hear about it. It was another to see it. Watching it unfold and seeing how deep the betrayal went cut deeper than anything she’d ever said to my face.

After a while, Regina sat up, brushing dirt off her clothes.

“We should wrap this up. Daniel’s still waiting for me to come back.”

“No way,” Erickson said, dragging her back down. “I’m not done with you yet.”

I’d never seen this version of her that was so wild and careless. She wasn’t even the same person when she was with him.

I turned and started walking away.

My head was spinning. I couldn’t think straight. I must’ve misjudged the path because the next thing I knew, my foot slipped.

I lost my footing and went tumbling down the slope.

My instincts took over, and I instinctively grabbed a robust vine on the hillside.

Now I was dangling, one hand clinging to that vine, my legs kicking over open air.

“Help!” I shouted. “Somebody!”

My voice echoed through the trees. I screamed until my throat burned.

No one came.

Desperate, I gritted my teeth and fished my phone out of my pocket with my free hand.

I dialed Regina.

No answer.

I called again. And again. I must’ve hit that redial button a dozen times.

Nothing.

She was probably still rolling around in the grass with him, still riding whatever high they’d gotten off of screwing me over.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the call connected.

Her voice came through, irritated and clipped.

“Daniel, I’m in the middle of taking a piss, okay? Stop calling. You’re killing the mood. My stomach hurts like hell. I might have eaten something bad last night.”

I didn’t even argue.

I immediately told her that I was stranded on the edge of a mountain, about to fall, and needed immediate assistance.

She paused, but her tone didn’t change. “Oh, come on. Don’t be so dramatic. This mountain isn’t even that steep. You city guys really do love to exaggerate.”

But she wasn’t there. She didn’t see the edge. She didn’t see what I was clinging to.

And then, the vine gave out.

It snapped.

I dropped like a rock, rolling downhill, crashing through branches, smashing into stones until I hit a sharp boulder at the bottom. Hard.

The pain hit like a freight train. My leg was a mangled mess of blood and torn muscle. I could barely breathe.

And then I realized that my phone was still on.

The call hadn’t ended.

Through the speaker, I could still hear her voice. She wasn’t alone. There were soft moans, heavy breathing.

She’d heard my screams.

She knew I was in trouble.

And she didn’t stop.

Faced with the choice between love and lust, she picked lust.

And just like that, whatever I had left for her and whatever tiny scrap of love was still hanging on was gone.

I shut my eyes.

Even when night fell, she never came looking for me.

She didn’t even bother checking if I was alive.

Eventually, I dragged myself down the mountain. One step at a time, pain flaring with every move, my leg was a practically dead weight.

By some miracle, there was an ambulance waiting at the base. Someone else must’ve called it in. A stranger, probably.

Not her.

She and the others were long gone.

No text. No call. Nothing.

It wasn’t until deep into the night that my phone finally rang.

It was her.

I answered.

“Daniel, where are you?” she snapped, her voice sharp and irritated.

I smiled bitterly and shook my head.