Manipulated

Chapter 3

Chapter 3, the ending.

Ketza hears the door open in the living room, but didn't dare look at Valeire.
"Darling..." he muttered quietly. "We... we need to talk."
The word 'cheating' was almost impossible for Ketza to say out loud. He knew it would be a breaking point for his wife if she ever found out. He would lose her...
*But that's just the risk I'll have to take...
"Sorry I have to go." She turns over to see Ketza "hello my love ,"Ketza stares at Valarie for a moment before speaking. His words are cautious and careful.
"Darling... Please... sit down."
His voice remains quiet; he is hoping that a confession will help to salvage their relationship.
"I- there's something I want you to know... Something about me, that... if you ever find out, well... It'll destroy the relationship we've built. I have to be honest with you, darling. I just... I've messed up. I'm not the person you thought I was..."Valeires heart sank was he about to confess his cheating..? "What's that ..did something happen..?"Ketza sighs. He's prepared to tell Valeire his secret, but he has to admit, he's terrified of what may come.

He takes a deep breath.
"I... I've done something quite bad, darling. It's... not something I'm proud of, but I've been unfaithful. I've been cheating with a woman named Rachelle. She's an employee at my office..."The room goes silent.. "I KNEW IT." she cried out "I knew it ..."Ketza winces slightly at the sudden shout.
*Did she suspect all along?*
He looks down at the ground, avoiding his wife's gaze.
"I'm so sorry, Valeire," he says quietly. "I can explain, if you want me to."
His shoulders sag a little as he continues to look away. He deserves her anger, her bitterness, anything she can throw at him. He'll just have to take it, that's all he can do... "Get out...""O- okay..." Ketza replies quietly. He turns to the door and starts to exit the room.
"Please know, darling, that I'm so, so sorry. I'll leave now" he says wearily, before closing the door behind him. He heads up to the guest room and lays on the bed, sighing deeply.
It wasn't going to be a happy marriage, he could already tell. He didn't know what would come next, but nothing good. It'd be just constant bitterness. And all deserved. Valeire goes upstairs into her bedroom with her un faithful husband The night passes, and the house is quiet.

Outside, the wind howls through the trees as the winter storm grows in intensity.

It's been an awful evening, Ketza reflects, staring up at the ceiling in the guest room. His wife knows; it's all over now.

He sighs.
*I don't deserve any of this,* he thinks. *I know that now.*
He pulls out his phone and stares at the screen.
He could call Valeire, and try to apologise... But he wasn't sure he was ready to face her just yet. Ketza wakes up after quite a uncomfortable night of sleep ".." valeire walks out holding a suitcase "I told you to get out.."Ketza looks up, and his heart drops as he realises that Valeire is packing up.
"W- wait, darling," he pleads, sitting up.
"Where are you going?"
It's the worst news he could've imagined. Surely she wouldn't want to leave him? To end their relationship just like that...! "Oh I'm not going anywhere this has all of your stuff." "Get out of my house I never want to see your face." The harsh words were far but yet deserves *It's over,* Ketza realises.

He'd pushed his wife so far that she was willing to take such drastic measures; there was no hope of salvaging this relationship.
"Alright... I'm going..." he responds quietly. "Just promise me, please..." His voice shakes and cracks slightly.
"One final promise, darling?"
He looks her right in the eye.
"One more promise, Valeire? Please."
"What.."
Ketza takes a deep breath and looks right into his wife's eyes one last time.
"I promise I will always love you," he says weakly, "no matter what happens. You are my one and only, and I will never love anyone else as much as I love you."
He looks her right in the eyes.
"I'll always love you, Valeire."
With that, he turns and walks out the door, not bothering to take any of his things from the house. "Should of though about that before cheating.."She's not wrong...

He had betrayed her, after all. It was only right that he should face the consequences of his actions.
And besides, he couldn't blame Valeire for not wanting to see him ever again...
Ketza takes one final look at his wife, before walking out the door. He's just glad that she finally knows the truth. She begins to cry , the pain and anger rushing was to far to cope and she just collapsed *What have I done?* Ketza thinks, as he exits the house. *This is my fault. All my fault.*
He feels sick to his stomach, a mixture of emotions swirling around him. He had never felt so awful...
As he heads towards his car, his mind runs through all of the ways he could try to apologise. Would there be any way to salvage their relationship? Would Valeire give him another chance? Even if she did, would he deserve it?
He sighs and drops his head.
*This is all my fault...*

Ketza learns his mistake and over the years he tries to make Valerie be his again but he never got a reply..he decides to go to the house After years of no contact with his wife, Ketza decides that now is the time to make things right.
He drives up to the house and parks outside, before making his way to the front door.
He takes a deep breath, and knocks on the door.
"Valeire?" He calls out. "Darling, it's me. I just... I wanted to talk."
He doesn't know what he'll say, and he isn't prepared for her anger - he knows it'll be a tough conversation.
But he has to try. A man opens the door.. "Can I help you ?"
Ketza stumbles slightly, taken aback that someone *other* than his wife had answered the door.
"W- who are you?" Ketza asks. "Where's Valeire?"
There's only one reason he could think of that would require a male to be in the house...
"Is she seeing someone else? Is that it?"
"I'm her husband..yes why who are you even..?" "Valeire you have a guest?"

Ketza takes a moment to process this fact. Valeire had remarried...? And she hadn't even given him another chance...? His head drops in disappointment and sorrow, but deep down, he had expected this. Valeire was a beautiful woman, after all; any guy would be lucky to have her...
But it still stings.
"A-Are you-" He can barely get the word out. "Her new husband? She re-married...?"Valeire walks downstairs "hello can I hel-" she freezes "K-Ketza..?"Ketza turns to his ex-wife in silence.
*Does she really not want to talk? After all this time... she's still angry?*
He looks her right in the eyes.
"Yes. It's me, Valeire. Hello, darling..." He gives her a sad smile.
"I know it's been a while since we last spoke but... I'm here now. I wanted to talk about what happened."
He doesn't ask for her forgiveness quite yet. This is a step, though, he thinks...

"Ketza you should go really and don't call me darling." She could bearly look at him before breaking down again.. Ketza watches as his ex-wife begins to cry.
*My god,* he thinks. *I broke her heart...*
He looks down at his feet, ashamed of himself. He'd never wanted this hurt to happen; he'd made a mistake. The worst mistake of his life by far...
He has to let her know he's sorry, he thinks.
"Listen, Valeire... " He begins. "You might not want to hear this, and I doubt you'll forgive me, but you at least deserve an apology..."The husband walks over and slams the door holding his wife "get out of here."Ketza stares up at the door in shock, as his wife's new husband slams it shut in his face.
"But-" He begins to protest, but he's cut off.
*He's right,* Ketza thinks, as he turns and walks away. *I don't deserve to be in this house anymore.*
With that, Ketza walks down the street, and he has no choice but to leave his marriage and his broken memories behind...
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