Chapter Two

“Fuck!” Blake yelled, his head swung around to look towards the door. His eyes widened as he realized Tally had already seen too much.

Tally looked him straight in the eye while the blonde screamed and shot off his lap. Ungracefully, she rolled across the bed, disappearing over the edge and landing on the floor with a slight thud. Despite the pain of seeing him like this, Tally tried her best to keep all the emotion off her face.

Tally shifted her gaze towards the blonde, quickly dismissing her as insignificant. Observing Blake intently, she carefully studied every curve and contour of his exposed form. The air was charged with the lingering scent of their recent intimate encounter.

Blake’s body glistened with perspiration, a testament to their passionate activities. Her assumptions had been accurate. Notably, his genitals were damp, confirming their shared pleasure.

It was evident after they strung apart that he had neglected to use a condom, a fact that sent a surge of mixed emotions through her. Thanking god that she hadn’t let him have sex with her without one. She would still see her doctor for testing, just in case.  

“A very fitting word, I’m sure.” Tally’s tone was level. Not at all how she was feeling.

Blake was so taken aback he hadn’t moved to cover himself like the blonde had, exclaiming, “Oh my god… This is not what it looks like.”

Tally’s heart raced in her chest, pounding against her ribcage. The weight of betrayal hung heavy in the pit of her stomach, causing a nauseating sensation to rise within her. Each breath she took felt shallow, as if the air itself had turned heavy with disappointment.

Without a word, Tally abruptly turned and headed back downstairs. Quickly entering her small nook of an office to pick up the files needed for this afternoon’s meeting.

Her personal life was falling apart. She was determined to protect her work life from it. Tally could hear Blake scrambling upstairs. She couldn’t bear the thought of witnessing the aftermath of their indiscretion.

Grabbing her handbag from near the front door. Tally’s grip tightened around the strap, her knuckles turning white as she clung to it for a sense of stability.

With a deep breath, she mustered all the strength she had left and opened the front door. The fresh air brushed against her flushed cheeks, offering a momentary respite from the suffocating atmosphere inside. The sound of Blake’s hurried footsteps echoed through the townhouse.

But as Blake’s voice pierced through the air, “Tally, Tally.” calling out her name in desperation,

Tally didn’t stop or turn around at the sound of her own name. Walking at a steady pace, her legs carried her away from the wreckage of her personal life, propelling her forward into the unknown.

Each stride held a mix of determination and pain. She focused on putting one foot in front of the other as the emotional turmoil that raged within her. Tally’s mind became consumed with a single goal - to protect her work life. It was something to hold on to, something that she would need over the coming weeks. Tally rounded the corner of their block and hailed a cab.

It was only after she had given the driver the office address did it finally hit her. Tally’s heart was pounding in her chest. Tears welled up in her eyes and she started to cry. It was like a nightmare.

What was she going to do now? After what had just happened. Returning there and facing Blake was not an option for her. She never wanted to see Blake again. Sighing deeply, Tally acknowledged the impossibility of that statement. They had shared a life and a home. 

The cab driver could see she was upset and silently offered her a box of tissues. She gave him a watery smile and hiccupped a thank you. Taking some from the box, she wiped her eyes and nose. He continued to say nothing, just kept eyeing her sympathetically in the rear-view mirror. As a taxi driver, Tally was sure he had seen it all. Her little scene couldn’t be the worst he had witnessed.

Despite feeling as though a bus had collided with her, she had the remainder of the day and dinner tonight to endure, assuming Ryan’s meeting went well.

Despite knowing her head was not in the game, she couldn’t leave work for the day. Ryan needed her, and she wasn’t physically sick. Just in shock and needing to figure out her next move.

At least she had her job and savings. She wasn’t completely without funds. It wasn’t like she would be saving for a wedding. She would still like to buy a place to live, a house. But that was impossible now with just her income unless she settled for a small apartment.

She had her heart set on a house to raise kids. The thought brought tears to her eyes once again. She had wanted to raise kids with him. What an idiot.