Those That Came Before

Personal Affairs

"What?!" Hadley jumped up from her spot on the couch. 

"Shhh, keep it down." Blair looked around frantically, "He doesn't know." 

"He doesn't know that you are having an affair?" Hadley began, "or he doesn't know that you are having an affair with his brother?" 

"Either."

Hadley was trying to wrap her head around the fact that Blair was sneaking around with Kolby and no one knew about it. She didn't even want to know about it. The two of them had been whispering yesterday and laughing, very chummy stuff. But Hadley chalked that up to being family. 

"Blair, you have to tell him." Hadley demanded, coming to her senses. 

"Are you insane? I can't tell him. It'll absolutely destroy any sense of family we have." Blair scoffed. 

"You have to. He is your husband. You have to come clean and tell him." 

"Tell me what?" A third voice joined their conversation. The two girls spun around. Brantley was standing by the big stone fire place in the middle of the room with a bottle of water in hand. 

The three of them exchanged glances. Hadley was suddenly sweating. And very nauseous. 

"What do you have to come clean about, Blair?" His voice very stern, never wavering. 

Blair hesitated for a moment before she spoke up. "I am, um, I am broke. I don't have any money left. I can't order the pizza." She threw her hands up in the air as if she were defeated. 

"Oh, well here. Oder from my card, babe." Brantley took out a black AmEx card from his brown leather wallet in the back pocket of his jeans. 

"Thanks." Blair took the card sheepishly, looking over at Hadley. 

"My money is your money, remember?" Brantley laughed, shaking his head. He placed a kiss on Blair's head and walked up the stairs toward the bedroom, "I'm gonna shower." 

Hadley quickly turned back around to look at Blair. She could not believe what was going on. It started to make her head spin. She felt a sudden urge of anger and resentment toward Blair. How could she do this to Brantley? He had been nothing but loving and understanding. He provided her with anything she wanted, while Hadley had to work her tail off for a roof over her own head. Brantley would never do that to her....... Hadley stopped in her tracks. 

But he has. Three years ago. On the morning of their wedding. She remembered it so clearly. He stood there in his bedroom, pleading with Hadley. But she didn't, correction couldn't, bear to listen. She had just slept with her best friend's fiance the night before the wedding. He was ready to call the whole thing off to be with her. And she walked out and walked down that aisle as the maid of honor. Like not a thing had happened. 

And that kiss a couple nights before. That was no accident. They both knew what they were doing. Yet, for some reason, she was so mad at Blair for cheating on Brantley. She closed her eyes. There was no amount of breathing or calming techniques she could do right now that would suffice. 

"After pizza, I think I am going to take a nap and head back home. I need to get back to work and make sure the bakery is still standing." 

"Hads, you promised you would stay through the weekend. C'mon. Don't be a party pooper again. It's not like this is some life shattering situation." Blair protested. 

"It is some life shattering situation, Blair. You are so unbelievable." With that, Hadley walked away, going upstairs to the guest room and shutting the door. 

Blair stood alone in the living room, holding on tight to Brantley's AmEx card. If only Hadley could understand, maybe she wouldn't be so outraged. 

A/N: Thank you for the love you have been giving myself and this story. Please comment, like, vote, share and everything in between! Next chapter coming soon!