Chapter 3 The Cheating Husband

• Beep, Beep.
• Bella was awakened by the steady sound of a heart monitor. The first thing she noticed was the intense ache in her head, making it difficult to open her eyes. A familiar voice called out beside her.
• “Call the nurse.”
• Relief flooded her as she recognized Vaughn’s voice. She felt his hand wrap around hers, grounding her through the pain. She couldn’t remember how she had ended up like this. Her last clear memory was of her honeymoon—falling asleep in Vaughn’s embrace, certain her life was perfect. Despite her amnesia, she trusted her husband implicitly. As long as Vaughn was by her side, she felt safe.
• “Calm down, baby. I’m here,” Vaughn soothed.
• “My head hurts,” she murmured, wincing.
• “I know. I’m so sorry. The nurse will be here soon.”
• Though her eyes were closed, Bella smiled faintly, comforted by his presence. She couldn’t see the cold, calculating expression on Vaughn’s face as he studied her. She was back to her usual self, as expected. His only concern now was finding the person who had sent her those photos. Until then, he needed to play the devoted husband.
• When the nurse entered, Vaughn gave her a knowing look. She injected Bella with a mix of painkillers and a mild sedative, ensuring she would remain compliant for the rest of the day. Moments later, Bella managed to pry her eyes open, taking in her surroundings.
• “Where am I?”
• “You’re in our bedroom,” Vaughn replied gently. His expression morphed into one of concern so convincingly that even the nurse was momentarily fooled.
• Bella didn’t notice the nurse’s hesitation as she left. “What happened?” she asked Vaughn.
• “You fell down the stairs and hit your head. I was terrified, but thank God you’re okay.”
• “I see...” She accepted his explanation without question, guilt washing over her. “I’m sorry for worrying you. You must have missed work because of me.”
• “You’re my wife. You come first,” he replied smoothly, leaning down to kiss her forehead. Bella’s heart swelled. How had she been so lucky to marry a man like him?
• ---
• Later that day, the medication wore off enough for Bella to move around. After seeing Vaughn off to work, she decided to clean his room. She typically took care of his space herself, as Vaughn didn’t trust the house staff with his personal belongings.
• As she folded his clothes, she caught an unfamiliar scent on one of his jackets. It was a soft lavender fragrance—not his usual cologne. Bella paused but quickly dismissed the thought. Vaughn worked with women all the time, including his assistant. There was no reason to jump to conclusions.
• Her day continued uneventfully until her sister Jessica called.
• “Bell, meet me at the downtown café. I have something to tell you,” Jessica said.
• “Alright. I’ll be there.”
• Bella dressed and asked her driver to take her to the café. Jessica was waiting, as radiant as always. Her blonde hair framed her flawless features, and her slender frame turned heads wherever she went. Bella hugged her sister, her smile faltering slightly as she caught the same lavender scent from Vaughn’s jacket.
• “I’m so glad you’re feeling better,” Jessica said. “I would’ve visited, but I’ve been swamped with work.”
• “I understand. What did you want to talk about?”
• Jessica pouted. “I’ve been trying to reach Vaughn, but he’s ignoring my calls. Ever since our trip to Malibu, he’s been all about work. He doesn’t even have time for his favorite sister-in-law.”
• Bella froze. “You went to Malibu with Vaughn?”
• “Yeah, a couple of days ago. He must’ve mentioned it, but with your condition...”
• Bella forced a smile, though unease bubbled within her. Vaughn hadn’t told her about Malibu. Normally, he would’ve written any important events in her journal so she wouldn’t forget.
• After lunch with Jessica, Bella returned home and searched through her phone for any messages or notes about Vaughn’s trip. Nothing.
• “Maybe he forgot,” she whispered to herself, but doubt lingered.
• ---
• That evening, Bella waited for Vaughn’s return. When he arrived at 11 p.m., she greeted him at the door.
• “You shouldn’t be up,” Vaughn said. “You need rest.”
• “I wanted to see you,” Bella replied, hugging him. She caught another unfamiliar perfume clinging to his clothes, this one more floral. A faint lipstick smudge marked the base of his neck. Her heart sank, but she said nothing.
• When she tried to kiss him, Vaughn turned his head. “I’m tired. Let’s talk tomorrow. Goodnight, baby.”
• Bella watched him retreat upstairs. Her unease had morphed into suspicion. Could Vaughn be having an affair? No. She refused to believe it. But she needed to know for sure.
• Determined, she crept into Vaughn’s room once he was in the shower. His phone lay on the nightstand. She hesitated before entering the password—her birthday. Vaughn had set it on their wedding night, declaring he had nothing to hide.
• Her hands trembled as she scrolled through his messages. Her blood turned cold. Sexts. Explicit photos. Dozens of women, including Jessica and his assistant. Bella’s world crumbled.
• “What are you doing?”
• Bella flinched, dropping the phone. Vaughn stood in the doorway, a towel around his waist. His gaze darkened as it flicked to the phone on the floor.
• “Damn it,” he muttered, running a hand through his damp hair. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to deal with this again.”