Teeks voice filled the room as 'First Time' blasted through my family home. Knowing my husband will be walking through our front door in exactly thirty minutes I quickly slipped on the new lingerie I got from Victoria's Secret and lit the candles I had leading to our bedroom. I smoothed my hand over my swollen belly, smiling as I felt a kick from within. At twenty-seven, I had it all. A successful career as a social worker, a loving husband, a baby on the way, and a best friend who'd been by my side since kindergarten. I've been to four different countries and I've visited twenty-five different states since I turned seven. I guess you can say I was living the dream.
It's unfortunate that I'm only living this dream because my parents were killed in a car collision when I was 14. I traced the delicate chain of my necklace which held my mother's locket, a constant reminder of that rainy night a decade ago. The memories flooded back, sharp and vivid.
I had been sprawled on the living room floor, engrossed in homework, when the doorbell rang. Two solemn police officers stood on the porch, their faces dull. In that moment, before they even spoke, I knew my world had shattered.
A drunk driver. A slick road. A collision that stole my parents in an instant.
In the days that followed, I felt hollowed out, a shell moving through fog. The hushed voices of relatives, the somber funeral, the mountain of paperwork—it all blurred together. At night, I'd curl up in my parents' bed, inhaling their lingering scent, willing the nightmare to end.
I remembered standing in front of my closet, staring at the black dress I'd wear to the funeral. How could a 14-year-old girl be expected to navigate this? The unfairness of it all clawed at me inside, leaving me angry.
The inheritance, when I learned of it later, felt like a cruel joke. All the money in the world couldn't bring back movie nights with dad or shopping trips with mom. It couldn't erase the loneliness of facing high school milestones without them.
I blinked, pulling myself back to the present. My hand rested on my belly, feeling the flutter of new life made me smile. I took a deep breath, pushing away the old pain. Tonight was about creating new memories, about the family I was building now. In just a few months, I'd be a mother myself. The thought both thrilled and terrified me.
The distant sound of a car pulling into the driveway snapped me back to the present. My heart raced as I heard the garage door open. Taking a deep breath, I stood, giving myself a final look in the full length mirror.
"Create your own magic," I whispered to myself, echoing my mother's words as I moved to greet my husband. The sound of keys in the lock made my heart skip. I stood in the bedroom doorway, one hand resting on my swollen belly, the other on the door frame.
"Jayde?" My husband's voice called out from the entryway. "I'm home!"
"In here," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
Footsteps approached, and then he appeared at the end of the hallway. He stopped shortly, his briefcase slipping from his fingers to land with a soft thud on the carpet.
"Wow," he breathed, his eyes widening as they took in the sight of me. His gaze traveled from my face down to the silky lingerie that draped over my pregnancy bump, then to my bare legs.
"Welcome home," I said softly.
He stepped closer, noticing the warm glow emanating from our bedroom. "Are those... candles?"
I nodded, biting my lip. "I thought we could use a special night." I said as my husband's face softened, a mix of love and desire in his eyes. He closed the distance between us, one hand gently cupping my face while the other rested on my belly.
"You're beautiful," he murmured, leaning in to kiss me. As our lips met, I felt the stresses of the day melt away, replaced by the warmth of his embrace and the promise of the evening ahead. My husband pulled back slightly from the kiss, his breath warm against my skin. His eyes, dark with desire, locked onto mine.
"You planned all this for me?" he asked, his voice low and husky.
I nodded, trailing my fingers down his chest. "For us," I corrected softly.
He smiled, then swept me up into his arms in one fluid motion, careful to support my pregnant form. I let out a surprised laugh, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"Well then," he said, carrying me towards our candlelit bedroom, "let's not let your efforts go to waste."
As he crossed the threshold, I nuzzled into his neck, inhaling his familiar scent. My heart raced with anticipation. He laid me gently on the bed, the silky sheets cool against my skin.
He paused for a moment, drinking in the sight of me, illuminated by the soft glow of candles. Then, with reverence, he began to undo his tie...
YOU ARE READING
ULTIMATE BETRAYAL
Non-FictionJayde is a 27-year-old social worker who became wealthy after inheriting money from her parents' untimely death. Despite her wealth, she continues her work as a social worker, driven by a desire to help others.
