Chapter 2: Betrayal

Stefan's POV

The mass aroma of bacon and eggs filled the air of our condo.

This could not have been a more perfect morning. The birds were outside chirping, the sky was crystal clear without a cloud in sight, and the trees gently swayed to the morning wind. This morning, however, my mind kept flickering towards Callie.

It was Tuesday. The day after, what normally would've been, a day where I had met Callie for another hookup. The thought of her beautiful strawberry blonde curls, freshly done though she would deny it, sent my head on a rollercoaster of emotions. Today was different, because yesterday I hadn't seen her. I was avoiding her, now more than I was yesterday.

I was avoiding the confrontation that was inevitable. I avoided her yesterday to avoid admitting my true feelings. That I, too, was falling in love with her regretfully. I was avoiding bringing the entire affair to a complete stop, for if I didn't, my entire life was going to come crashing down all around me.

As I laid together the breakfast spread onto a platter, a wave of guilt suddenly crashed before me. This guilt has been a lingering presence since I met Callie a mere six months ago...

∞∞∞

The ice in my glass clinked together as I brought the last swig of whiskey to my lips. It was another long night at the office, followed by innocent drinks with co-workers at the local pub. My two colleagues had already called it a night. For me, on the other hand, I had two more rounds in me.

I held two fingers up in the waiter's direction signaling for a refill, "Pour me up Jeremy, it's been a long night."

He rushed over to my aide refilling my glass and motioning it towards me, "Sorry Mr. Monroe, but after this I'll have to cut you off. We are shutting down in an hour. Are you having problems at home?"

Jeremy was a regular, almost as regular as I was. He was always the waiter on nights I would come in, and he always attempted at small conversation. I shook my head in denial, "No, no problems. The late nights are just getting to me, this is the only place I feel comfortable enough to wind down."

"You should bring the wife sometime," he started wiping the inside of shot glasses, "Maybe a little company, besides your friends from the office and myself, would help with the winding down."

I know Jeremy meant well, making the suggestion to bring my wife. What he didn't know was it had been a solid month since Katherine and I had gone out in public together. I loved Katherine, but things became different when we finally got married.

I heard the slamming of the doors coming together, and the click of heels making their way across the floor entering the pub. The squeaking of an old bar stool as the mysterious new guest found their way to a seat. Jeremy's eyes grew a slight twinkle in them, a sight I had never seen before assuring me he was profoundly curious of the person who had just come in. Curiously I turned to look, and there she was.

Jeremy's eyes had every reason to twinkle, she was jaw dropping from the moment I laid eyes on her. Her tight red dressed reached just above the knee, complimenting every curve on her body, followed by a single slit on one side rising up to her upper thigh. Her red stilettos matched the clanking that filled the pub as she had walked in. Her hair was done in a messy bun, complimenting the face of a porcelain doll. Her lips were done in a dark red ruby shade, making them look much more inviting.

She waved her hand, motioning for Jeremy to waltz over and take her order. He didn't waste a second before making his way to her side, and I overheard her ordering an Apple Martini. Jeremy was quicker than a whistle trying to make her drink, "Slow down, man. Making her drink isn't going to make her like you any faster."

"What are you talking about?" He nearly dropped the shaker out of his hands, concentrating at the job and talking to me at the same time.

"You like her," I started out, "But take it from one who has experience. Slow down, speed doesn't impress them. Be yourself, if she likes you she will come your way and be eating out of the palm of your hand. Guaranteed."

The Apple Martini escaped from her glass in a seductive fashion, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Her eyes caught mine time and time again, I felt terrible for Jeremy due to the pulsating that was my member in my trousers.

Jeremy hollered out for the last call of the night, ushering everyone to place their final orders and cueing for me to gather myself for my drive home. "Club soda Jeremy," he shot a glance in my direction, "That's a non-alcoholic beverage. You're still cutting me off, it's last call man." Reluctantly a club soda was placed before me.

Jeremy was back and forth between the bar and the table containing the woman. Though he was trying his damndest, the woman was showing no interest in everything that was Jeremy. I could see the frustration in his eyes as he finally retreated back to his position behind the bar. He tried to avoid eye contact with me, making any attempt to find some work to do.

I downed the rest of my club soda slamming the empty glass onto the bar in retreat, "Until next time, Jeremy." He threw up a wave, not bothering to say anything to me as I began to make my way towards the exit.

I didn't notice the woman had left the bar until I saw her standing against the brick wall of the pub with a cigarette pressed to her lips. She let out a soft blow of smoke as she glared up into the sky, "Have you ever noticed how bright the stars shine with the nights so clear?"

She took me by surprise and I stopped in my tracks turning to face her, "I haven't noticed."

She sighed, "It's Callie," I gave her a look of confusion, "You wanted to know."

"I'm sorry," I said running my hands through my hair, "I don't know what you're talking about."

She smiled and began to walk away, "Denial, that's cute. Anyway, my name is Callie."

Her figure was slowly engulfed by the darkness as she walked further down the street. The way she walked was almost hypnotizing, and her voice kept repeating itself in my head. Over and over again.

"Anyway, my name is Callie."

∞∞∞

My hands were clammy and drenched in sweat as I made my way into our bedroom where Katherine, my wife, was still sunk away in a deep slumber. I watched her innocently as I laid the breakfast spread before her, knowing in just a few moments this peaceful moment would be over. Katherine's eyes fluttered up towards me, it was moments like now that I wish time would freeze. She looked happy, and I hated myself for being the one who was going to bring her down.

"Breakfast in bed," she breathed in deeply at the scent of the food, "You really shouldn't have, darling." The word darling escaping from her lips stabbed me like a handful of daggers all at once.

I lifted myself off of the bed and made my way to the window, looking down at the streets below. It was a beautiful morning. The sky was clear without a single cloud, birds were singing somewhere off in the distance, and the city streets were miraculously quiet. Of all mornings, this morning would be perfect.

"Is something on your mind?" I flinched as I felt Katherine's arms pulling me into an embrace from behind.

I wanted to take her hands into my own, forget about everything I was doomed to tell her. I couldn't hold it in any longer, I couldn't make the pain worse than it already was. I turned to face her cupping her face into the palms of my hands, "I love you, Katherine."

Her smile stung like a thousand bees, "I love you, too."

I removed her arms from around me, "Katherine, we need to talk." I sat myself on the bed placing distance between her and myself.

A look of worry draped across her face, "You're leaving again, aren't you? That's why you made me breakfast in bed, you normally do this when you're about to leave on another business trip."

I shook my head in disappointment, "I wish it was that, really I do."

Katherine was right, normally the only time I would prepare her a breakfast spread was the morning before I would fly out for a few weeks on business. It killed me Katherine had become so accustomed to my absence, though she always claimed to have understood how demanding my job was. I was one of the top lawyers in the Country, people called for me from all over. I specialized in murder cases, and hadn't lost a single one. Judges feared me almost as much as I had learned to fear myself.

Katherine broke my trail of thought by breaking the distance between us, "If it's not you leaving, how bad could it be?"

She attempted to bring her hand into mine, and intertwining our fingers but I couldn't bring myself to return her affectionate touch. "Katherine, I'm so sorry," I began, "I'm having an affair."

She couldn't look at me, and every ounce of affection that was seeping it's way through her body had now disappeared. She retreated herself back to the bed staring her breakfast, "These are pity eggs." I heard the crash of the platter as it was introduced to the floor. "You made me believe that this was going to be a great morning, I believed you when you said you weren't going away on business. Instead you're here to break my heart into three, I would've much rather you gone away." Her voice was trembling, growing more hoarse as her tears were knowingly filling her eyes. "How long has this been going on," she asked me pleadingly.

I knew what she wanted to hear, she wanted it to have just started. She didn't want to believe I was emotionally invested into someone other than her, and I hated myself for not being able to give her what she wanted from me. "I wish I could say it had only just started, but I can't lie to you anymore. I've been seeing her for about 5 months now," I trembled at the thoughts that were running through my head. She was going to leave me, I knew it.

The conversations stopped, she couldn't stop crying. I wanted to console her, I wanted to take her in my arms and make it better. She made out one question in between her constant weeping, "Do you love her?"

The question I was dreading, because I knew the answer within my heart. "I love you," I began, "She was a mistake, I should've never let this happen. You don't deserve this."

She let out a sly chuckle, "You are absolutely right, that's the first logical thing you have said all morning."

Within moments she was rolling a single luggage to our bedside, and loading it with at least two weeks worth of clothing. I couldn't bring myself to look into her eyes, mine focusing on the surroundings and the luggage that was slowly being filled. "Where are you going?" My voice had gone hoarse, it was almost inaudible.

She didn't stop packing in between responding, "To my mother's, I can't be here with you."

I was on my knees before her in an instant, "You can't leave Katherine, you can't. I wasn't going to tell you, but things got too deep. I told you, please we can work through this. We can go to counseling, I'll be here more. I'll even set aside some time and work from home if that's what it takes. Just, please, stay." I tried to put her hands into mine, my attempt shunned by immediate rejection. She rolled her luggage to the door heading towards the door that led outside the condo, "If any of that were true, this wouldn't be happening. See you."

The door closed behind her, and just like that she was gone. There was no stopping her. As much as I had wanted to, at the same time I couldn't blame her for not staying. She was right, she's always right.