Chapter 1: Betrayal

Tessa danced around the kitchen, her happiness immeasurable as she cooked with all the love in her heart.

Why was she this happy?

It was her wedding anniversary—one magical year since she married the man of her dreams. The man she loved with all her heart, her entire being.

She still remembered how it all started. They met as teenagers in high school. Tessa had always struggled with mathematics, and after failing yet another test, her teacher gave her one last chance to retake it.

Tamlin, being the sweetest guy ever, had offered to help her study, and somewhere in between solving equations and late-night tutoring sessions, she had fallen for him.

Her heart had nearly burst with joy when he asked her out, and of course, she had said yes. They had been inseparable ever since.

And now, here they were—celebrating their first year of marital bliss. She wanted to make this day extra special.

She had spent hours preparing their favorite dishes, a mix of American and Italian cuisine. Every single meal Tamlin loved, she made it. The kitchen was filled with rich, mouthwatering aromas, and as she stepped back to admire her work, she sighed in exhaustion but smiled in satisfaction.

"I should really consider becoming a chef," she chuckled, wiping her hands on her apron.

Next, she moved to the dining table, setting it up in the most romantic way possible—candles, flowers, fine wine—everything was perfect.

When she finished, she slipped her phone out of her apron and dialed Tamlin’s number.

Once… no answer.

Twice… still nothing.

Third time… voicemail.

She frowned slightly but quickly shook off the feeling. He was probably busy, maybe caught up in a meeting. He’d call her back later.

Still, she wanted to text him—he always responded to her texts.

—Hey! I miss you so much. I can’t wait for tonight! I made all your favorites. Come home early, okay?

She hit send, a small smile playing on her lips.

Just as she was about to put her phone away, her eyes caught the time, and she gasped.

“Shoot, it’s almost time!” She ripped off her apron and rushed out of the kitchen.

--

After a few minutes, Tessa stepped out of the room, now dressed in one of Tamlin's favorites. A black strapped dress that stopped mid-thigh—simple, yet elegant.

She hadn’t bothered with anything underneath, anticipation warming her skin. A blush crept up her cheeks at the thought.

"You look so pretty in this dress… I want to always see you wear it."

Tamlin’s sweet voice echoed in her head, bringing a small smile to her lips.

She skipped makeup—he never liked it on her anyway,—settling for just a light layer of pink lip gloss. Running her fingers through her hair, she tousled it into a messy, effortless look before heading to the dining table.

Her fingers curled around her phone as she checked for a reply. Nothing.

Still busy, she reassured herself. She took a seat, trying to be patient.

Seconds turned into minutes.

Minutes into hours.

The food had gone cold, but that wasn’t the real problem. Her phone sat heavy in her hand, untouched by any notification. She had checked it so many times that she started wondering if it was even working.

With a sigh, she dialed Dominic. He picked up on the second ring.

"What’s with the night call, chipmunk?" Dominic groaned sleepily. "Aren’t you supposed to be having the time of your life with your man?"

She forced a laugh, but it sounded off. "Nothing happened, I just wanted to check if my phone is malfunctioning."

"Why? Didn’t you just buy it?" His voice carried a hint of curiosity.

"It’s nothing…"

She hesitated before asking, "Is Tamlin with you?"

"No, he’s not here. Have you tried calling him?"

Before she could respond, Tamlin’s name lit up her screen. Relief flooded her as she quickly answered.

"I’m sorry, babe. I can’t make it tonight. Boss wants us to work late."

His male voice came through the otherside, steady. Too steady.

"What? Why today of all days?" she exclaimed. "Can’t you talk to him? You’ve been working nonstop, he should at least let you have tonight to yourself!"

"I’m sorry, princess. I tried, but you know how busy we get when we’re developing a new game. I promise I’ll make it up to you."

"When? Today is our anniversary, Tamlin! It’s not something that can be pushed to another day!"

"We’ll always be together, so what’s the big deal about missing one night?" Anger lacing his voice.

Her breath hitched. His words stung.

"It’s our first anniversary, Tamlin! It only happens once! We can’t redo this!" she snapped.

There was a beat of silence. Then, in a colder tone, he muttered, "I don’t have time for this."

The call cut off.

Tessa bit her lip, regret seeping in. Had she been too pushy? Maybe she should have been more understanding. She sighed and went to redial him, only to realize—

He hadn’t ended the call.

"I’m sor—" she started, but then she heard it.

A soft, feminine laugh.

"Stop it, stop!"

Her heart stopped.

That voice… Yasmin.

The beeping sound echoed in her ear, signaling that the call had ended.

No. She was imagining things. It couldn’t be Yasmin. It couldn’t.

Yasmin had been her best friend since childhood. They went to the same middle school, the same high school. Tessa had always supported her, even when Yasmin had no real interest in school. She just wanted to relax and let the money come to her. Tessa used to laugh at her theory, but she made sure it happened.

She gave Yasmin a position in her company as her personal assistant, even when there were far more qualified candidates. Yasmin barely did anything, but Tessa made sure she got paid well.

And this… this was how Yasmin repaid her?

A strangled breath caught in her throat as a fresh wave of tears rolled down her cheeks.

Tamlin.

How could he?

After everything she had done for him—every single thing. Was it money? Clothes? A better life? She had given him her all.

No. This had to be a misunderstanding.

Maybe it was all a silly joke, a prank… maybe he wanted to see her reaction.

A shaky, forced laugh tore from her lips.

“Tamlin’s so funny,” she muttered.

She grabbed her car keys with trembling fingers and stormed out of the house.

The drive to Yasmin’s place was a blur. Her vision was hazy with tears, her hands gripping the wheel too tight. She almost ran a red light, barely missed colliding with another car, but she didn’t care.

When she pulled up in Yasmin’s driveway, her stomach clenched.

Tamlin’s car was parked outside.

Her heart stilled.

She stepped out, sucking in a sharp breath. "It's not what you're thinking, Tessa," she whispered to herself. "It can't be."

Her feet felt like lead as she approached the door, her hands trembling when she reached for the doorknob.

The door creaked open.

Her steps were slow, hesitant. The living room was dimly lit, but it didn’t take much to see.

Tamlin’s clothes.

His shoes.

His phone.

She reached for it with stiff fingers, turning on the screen. Her texts, her calls—unanswered.

Her stomach twisted violently.

With a sharp inhale, she flung the phone against the wall. It shattered on impact, pieces scattering across the floor.

A deep, sickening feeling settled in her gut.

She took the stairs two at a time, her heart pounding against her ribs. The closer she got, the clearer the sounds became.

Moans.

Breathless gasps.

Skin against skin.

Her stomach lurched.

“Ohhh… don’t… stop!” Yasmin’s voice—needy, desperate.

The world tilted beneath her feet.

She didn’t hesitate.

With all her strength, she shoved the door open—so hard it nearly broke.

The sight before her made her stomach churn.

Tamlin.

Yasmin.

Naked. Tangled together on the bed.

Tessa’s vision blurred, her breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. Her entire body trembled as the weight of betrayal crashed down on her.

Then, the words tore from her lips before she could stop them.

"What the actual fuck!?"

The room went still.

Tamlin froze. Yasmin’s eyes snapped open in shock.

Tessa’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms.

This wasn’t a prank. It wasn’t a misunderstanding.

It was real.

"Tess… What are you doing here?" Yasmin’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Tessa’s chest rose and fell heavily. Her hands trembled at her sides, but her voice came out cold.

"So this is what you do?" she asked, her voice cracking from emotion. "All those late-night meetings, weekend business trips… Everything was a lie?"

Yasmin scoffed, flipping her hair back. "So what? Did you think the world revolved around you? You grew up rich, had everything you wanted with the snap of a finger. Did you really think I wasn't jealous?"

Tessa didn't even look at her. Her burning gaze was fixed on Tamlin. "Tamlin, I asked you a question."

He exhaled sharply, his expression indifferent. "I don’t think I owe you an explanation."

Tessa’s breath hitched.

"I don’t love you," Tamlin continued, his tone void of remorse. "I never did. It’s always been Yasmin, ever since high school. I never cared about you—I just wanted your money."

A sharp, bitter laugh tore from her throat.

She was a fool.

A damn fool.

Yasmin and Tamlin exchanged uneasy glances, watching her closely as if she had lost her mind.

Then, in one swift motion, Tessa grabbed a wine bottle from the nearby table and smashed it against the wall.

Glass rained down, slicing into her skin, but she didn’t flinch.

Her vision blurred with fury, her heart pounding like a war drum.

Without hesitation, she charged at Tamlin, aiming for his chest.

She missed.

But the jagged glass plunged into his stomach instead.

His eyes widened in shock, blood spilling onto her hands, staining her fingers, her dress—everything.

Tessa leaned in, her voice a chilling whisper.

"Take your fucking love to hell."

And then, she pushed the glass deeper.