CHAPTER 12 ( So I cheated back~ )

The morning light, a pale sliver cutting through the heavy drapes, illuminated the dust motes dancing in the air. Jacob, his head pounding with a throbbing ache, stumbled into the bedroom, his steps heavy with the weight of a sleepless night. He had spent the hours since his confrontation with Elion in a haze of self-loathing and denial, drowning his sorrows in the bottom of his glass, desperately trying to outrun the truth that was staring him in the face.

He saw Elion, his husband, sprawled across the bed, his body bathed in the soft morning light. He was sleeping, his face relaxed, his breathing slow and even. He looked so peaceful, so innocent, so utterly unaware of the storm brewing within Jacob.

A wave of longing washed over Jacob. It had been weeks since he had truly looked at Elion, since he had felt the warmth of his skin against his own. He had been too consumed by his own guilt, his own infidelity, to truly appreciate the man he had vowed to love and cherish. He wanted to wake him, to feel the familiar comfort of their shared intimacy, to erase the doubts that had been plaguing him.

He moved closer, his hand reaching out to brush against Elion's cheek, his touch tentative, almost afraid. But then, the scent hit him, a sharp, unfamiliar aroma that clung to the air like a phantom. It was the scent of another man, a mixture of cologne and sweat that sent a jolt of icy dread through his veins.

He froze, his hand hovering inches from Elion's face. He couldn't believe it, couldn't accept it, but the evidence was undeniable. He had been right, his fears had been justified. Elion had been unfaithful, had been betraying him, had been sharing his love with another man.

The thought of it, the image of Elion in the arms of another, his body being touched by someone else, sent a wave of icy dread through his veins. He felt a surge of anger, a primal rage that threatened to consume him. He wanted to scream, to shout, to demand an explanation. But he remained silent, his body frozen, his mind reeling.

He looked down at Elion, his gaze falling on the sight of his husband's naked body, his skin covered in a network of marks, a map of another man's touch. His eyes widened in disbelief, his breath catching in his throat. He saw the evidence of their passion, the proof of their betrayal, etched onto Elion's skin.

"Elion," he whispered, his voice hoarse with disbelief. "Is this… is this true?"

Elion’s eyes fluttered open, his gaze meeting Jacob’s shocked expression. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face, a smile that held a hint of triumph, a hint of satisfaction. He sat up, his naked body a stark contrast to the pristine white sheets, his skin a canvas of love bites and scratches, a testament to the passion he had shared with Roderick.

"Why are you acting so surprised?" Elion asked, his voice laced with a mocking amusement. He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers brushing against the mark that Roderick had left on his neck, a mark that had ignited Jacob’s suspicion.

Jacob, his heart sinking into his stomach, could only stare at Elion, his mind reeling from the revelation. His eyes, filled with a mixture of shock, betrayal, and a deep, crushing pain, searched Elion’s face, desperately seeking an explanation, a justification for the betrayal he had witnessed.

"E-Elion," he stammered, his voice choked with emotion. "Elion… why?"

Elion, his gaze meeting Jacob’s, held a coldness that sent chills down Jacob’s spine. He saw a flicker of satisfaction in Elion’s eyes, a sense of vindication that made his own heart ache.

"Well, you did it first, didn’t you?" Elion said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He leaned back against the headboard, his eyes fixed on Jacob, his expression a mix of amusement and disdain. "And I’m not just someone who can be easily played, Jacob. So I cheated back. Hahaha."

Jacob, his throat constricting, could only stare at Elion, his mind struggling to process the revelation. His world, the world he had carefully constructed with Elion, was crumbling around him, the foundations shattered by the weight of their betrayals.

He felt a wave of shame wash over him, a bitter taste of guilt that he had never experienced before. He had been unfaithful, had sought solace in the arms of others, but he had never imagined that his actions would be mirrored back at him, magnified and intensified by the pain of his own betrayal.

"Elion," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I… I’m sorry."

Elion, his smirk widening, shook his head. "Sorry?" he scoffed. "Sorry won’t change anything, Jacob. You’ve hurt me, you’ve betrayed me. And I’m not going to let you forget it."

He stood up, his body a beacon of defiance, his eyes burning with a cold fire. He walked towards the dressing room, leaving Jacob alone in the wreckage of their shattered marriage.

"If you feel uncomfortable about it," Elion said, his voice laced with a chilling indifference, "then… kill my lover if you can." He paused, his eyes meeting Jacob’s, his smirk widening. "Go on, Jacob. Prove your love. Prove your loyalty."

Jacob, his body frozen, his mind reeling, could only watch as Elion disappeared into the dressing room, leaving him alone with the echoes of his betrayal, the weight of his guilt, and the chilling reality of his shattered marriage. He was a man in freefall, his world crumbling around him, his heart a shattered mirror reflecting the darkness that had consumed him.

To be continue....

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