Chapter Four: Web of Lies

Chapter Four: Web Of Lies

ANNA

Flora hand clung to his arm possessively, that fake, innocent smile plastered on her face. She was too close to him. Too close, staking her claim on him.

I was now on my feet with Gerard and Evelyn flocking around me.

Flora will pay for the evil acts she did. She doesn't have any right to hold him like that, to be too close to him after her evil antics. A possessive claim surges inside me. He is mine. Abel is mine.

My husband.

Abel's gaze found mine and his expressions darkened instantly. He pulled his hands away from Flora and stepped forward.

“What are you doing here Anna? I warned that I didn't want to ever see your face again.”

“Abel…” Evelyn started, but Gerard stepped forward.

“You will not speak to your wife like that,” he said firmly. Ready to defend me. “You will not speak to the Donovan's daughter in law like that? She is your wife Abel and you will accord her the respect she deserves.” Gerard snapped at him, clearly annoyed.

“Gerard! We will listen to my son's side of the story before doing anything drastic. Will you take this…” she pointed at me like I was nothing. “Her words over our son.”

“She is not “this”. She is our daughter in law.” Gerard retorted.

“Ohh!” Abel exclaimed, laughing hysterically. A mocking laugh. I stepped back, clutching and resting on the back of the couch to steady myself.

“She didn't tell you.” He glanced from his dad to his mom, then his gaze settled on me. A deep dark accusing gaze settled on me. “She didn't tell you that she cheated. She has been cheating on me all these while. She slept with the man last night, during our anniversary, on our matrimonial bed, in my house.” His voice boomed loud, his gaze never leaving mine.

My breath caught, my heart hammering in my chest.

The room went silent.

Trying to digest what he said.

“N..n..” I wanted to defend myself. I didn't do it. That's not true.

“What?” Gerard exclaimed.

“She didn't tell you. She only told you her lies.” Abel scoffed, looking away from me.

“I didn't do it. I swear.” I glanced over at Evelyn who looked at me. Doubt flashed through her face before she took her eyes off me.

Doubt that I did it or I didn't! I don't know what was going through her mind.

“She’s not ‘my wife’ anymore,” Abel spat. “She’s a liar. A cheat. She slept with another man on our anniversary, on our bed.”

I looked over at Gerard. Desperate for anyone to believe me.

“Son, you can't just throw accusatory words around without evidence. Just because a third party threw that narrative to you.” His eyes ran over Flora with irritation.

“Dad, she wants to ruin me. The pictures are all over the Internet.” A gasp tore through the room.

“What? Pictures? Anna?” Evelyn screamed, panicking.

“Yes. I don’t know how it got out on the internet, but I have people working to take it down and lessen the blow. Her so-called cheating pictures and evidence are everywhere. The board is calling a meeting, and the media wants answers. She tried to drag me down with her and I won’t let that happen.”

Flora walked forward and handed a stack of photos to Abel. He hesitated a bit, gritting his teeth in anger.

My eyes burned with unshed tears. No, I didn't do it! But the words lodged in my throat.

He collected it and flung it on the floor in front of his parents. Evelyn snatched them up, glancing through it.

She gasped giving Gerard. “Honey,it's Anna. It's really her. She did it.”

“Abel, I swear I didn't do it. I never cheated on you.” I finally voiced out. Shame cascading over me. The weight of everything dawned on me.

“Oh my, Abel!” Evelyn cried out. “How dare you?” She turned to me with a hateful look. “How dare you try to bring us down, you shameful dimwit.” She cursed moving closer to me in rage when Gerard pulled me away and behind him safely.

“Gerard! Why are you still defending her? Can't you see? Can't you see what your precious daughter in law has done? What have you done Anna?” Evelyn cried out.

“I didn't. I didn't do it. She is lying. Flora planned this. She drugged me and planned this.”

“Shut up.” Abel barked. “Keep her name out of this. Stop blaming her. You did this! And she…” he brought Flora out. “She opened my eyes to the truth. You are nothing but a betrayer.”

Tears streamed down my face. He believed her lies and even his parents believed him too.

The betrayal in his eyes cut deeper than any blade.

“She is lying Abel. Can't you see it?”

“The only thing I see here is evidence of you cheating when I've done nothing but love you.”

“She wants to break us apart. I would never cheat on you. I am being framed.”

“How can you say that about your stepsister? I never knew you could be this shameless Anna.” Evelyn spat out.

“Abel, you know I could never do this to you. I would never cheat, you know me. So what changed? Why are you looking at me like this? Why are you so indifferent?” My voice cracked, rising with frustration, anger, and confusion.

Something flickered in his eyes. I saw it. Until Flora’s hand slid onto his shoulder. She rubbed it gently, holding him, and his face hardened again, cold and seething.

“Get out, Anna. I never want to see you again. Come to my house later for the divorce papers. Don’t waste my time. We’re done,” he declared.

I was disappointed, heartbroken and shattered. No one believed me. I looked at Gerard, desperate. But he avoided my gaze. He believed them.

Humiliation burned my skin. The walls seemed to close in on me. I swallowed the sob threatening to break free.

“Get out! Or should I have the maids drag you out?”

I never thought a day would come when Abel would turn his back on me, choose another woman over me. And to think it was Flora. He didn’t shield me from his mother’s wrath, didn’t defend me, didn’t believe me… not after everything I’ve done for him, for us, after everything we’ve built together.

I looked at Gerard, my heart clenching painfully. I had taken him as my second father, my confidant. But he wouldn’t even meet my eyes. He refused to speak.

They despise me.

But as my hand instinctively covered my belly, I knew this wasn’t the end. This couldn’t be the end.

“Get out!” Abel said with finality.

I swallowed the sob clawing its way up my throat, grabbed my bag and car keys, and rushed out of the house. I couldn’t stay there for another second.

As I drove out of the neighborhood, the realization hit me like a blow.

If Flora was willing to go this far to ruin me… she wouldn’t stop until she took everything.

Including my child.