Page 113 of Lust & Lies

But then he grabbed my arm and yanked me back around. I glared at him, chest rising and falling rapidly, hands trembling, wondering who the hell he thought he was to be pulling me around like that.

I was angry enough to kill, but I was trying my best not to. My gaze locked with his. His eyes were red-rimmed, shimmering with unshed tears, and guilt was etched into his expression. Seeing that didn’t bother me one bit.

Fuck his tears. I was the one who should be crying. But I wouldn’t, not here, not in front of him. I’d wait until I got home and cried. He didn’t deserve to see me break. Didn’t deserve to witness just how much he’d hurt me. And he had indeed done that. Only he could make me feel this kind of pain. Never again.

“It’s not what it looks like. I swear,” Aiden said, following behind me as I turned to walk away again.

I stopped and glared at his lying, shirtless ass. “What the fuck do you mean it’s not what it looks like? I’m not blind. I saw you in bed with her. I saw her snuggled up against you.”

“I know what it looked like. But it’s not what it seems.”

“Your dumb ass didn’t just trip and fall into her pussy, Aiden.”

He flinched. “Baby, I swear, I don’t even know how she got in. I was drunk. I... I was upset...”

“Upset with me, right? Because I expressed doubts about leaving the country with you?”

“I admit I was upset about that,” he stated. “But...”

“So upset that you cheated,” I yelled before he could finish his sentence. “I show doubt, and you cheat. Is that how this relationship works? That’s some bullshit. I agreed to marry you. I agreed to run away with you to the country estate. But now you want me to leave the damn country without knowing when I’ll be able to return. You don’t even have a plan. You just want me to pack up and leave.”

“Yes,” he yelled. “That’s exactly what I want. You know you can trust me. I’ll make sure everything is ready in time. But you won’t believe in me. You said you’d disappear with me. You said...”

“I know what I said. But I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect you to want me to leave the country. That’s a big move. Why can’t I take a moment to think about that? Why can’t I express a single fucking concern with this massive change to my life? Just because I wanted time to think doesn’t mean you get a hall pass to screw whoever comes knocking.”

“Noe, listen to me. That’s not what happened.”

“Okay. Then tell me what happened.” I folded my arms over my chest and waited.

“I... I don’t remember everything from last night. Not clearly and...”

“Let me help you out then,” I snapped. “We argued. I left. You let her in. Then somehow, you two ended up in bed together. I should kill her. And you. But I don’t want your filthy blood on my hands. And grandpa would have a fit if I took the life of his precious grandson and the woman he’s always wanted his grandson to marry. Since you were trying to replace me, go ahead. Keep the bitch. And since she wants you so badly, she can have my leftovers. Grandpa should be happy now. Since I can no longer escape my contract with him, I’ll fulfill it. But that doesn’t mean I have to endure the two of you. I don’t want to see either of you again.” My voice dropped to a whisper. “Because if I do... I might forget that I don’t plan to kill you and torture the fuck out of you both. And you know damn well that’s what I’m best at. It’s over between us, Aiden Park. Stay the fuck out of my sight.”

I turned to leave again.

“Please, Noe. You know I would never betray you. You are my life. You’re the reason I breathe.”

I spun around. “So why, when I show up to apologize for snapping, to apologize for expressing doubt about leaving the country, to come to you and let you know I was willing to go, I found you here with another woman in your bed? You seem to be breathing just fine to me. I guess you have a new reason to breathe.”

“Noe... I....”

“Fuck off, Aiden Park.” I slid the ring off my finger and threw it at him. “Give this piece of shit to her since she wants it so badly. Let her be Mrs. Park. I no longer want the position. I no longer want to be your wife. We can’t even be friends now. I’ve never hated anyone the way I hate you right now.”

The dream ended abruptly, and I woke up soaked in sweat, heart racing, shirt clinging to my skin. Aiden’s arm was still wrapped around me. And he was sound asleep. My stomachturned. I pushed his hand away from me. The act caused him to stir in his sleep.

Thankfully, he turned over. I didn’t look back. I remained still, holding my breath as I stared at the far wall. I’d said I wanted to remember everything. But who knew remembering could hurt this bad? I wouldn’t cry. Not again. Not for him.

Fuck you, Aiden Park.

I swallowed back my tears, afraid to close my eyes, afraid I’d see more of our past, more of the pain. I stayed up as long as I could, lying there, listening to the light snores of the man who’d broken my heart once.

Murderous thoughts danced through my head as I tried to stay awake. I thought of all the ways I could kill him. I could straddle him, using my weight to hold him down as I smothered him with a pillow. Then I could use his remains to fertilize my garden.

I could turn over, wrap the sheet around his throat, position my knees against his back to brace myself, then strangle him to death. Or I could sneak downstairs, grab a knife, come back up, and slit his throat.

Oh, and then cut off his community dick and mail it to whoever the bitch was he’d fucked with a note pinned to it that read,“You’re next, hoe.”But no matter how hard I tried to fight it, sleep came anyway.

And with it... more dreams of Aiden. Dreams of better days, happier times between us. Days filled with laughter, soft touches, and seductive smiles. But even those dreams felt cruel now that I’d remembered our darker days.