Chapter 1 Betrayal

Elena’s POV

I picked up my phone again, dialing Daniel’s number for the fifth time this evening.

“Your call has been forwarded to voicemail…”

I hissed, my patience snapping. How could he not answer on our wedding anniversary? Five years… five years of promises, laughter, tears… and yet, here I was, ignored.

Today was our wedding anniversary. Daniel and I had been married for over five years, and I had imagined this evening would be perfect. The dinner table was set just as I had envisioned—fine china, crystal glasses, his favorite wine, and a roasted chicken that filled the apartment with its savory aroma. The candlelight flickered weakly, almost burned out. I had done everything right. And yet, none of it seemed to matter.

“Daniel,” I muttered under my breath, pressing the phone against my ear as if sheer willpower could make him appear on the other side of the line. “Pick up…”

Silence.

I sank into my chair, fingers tracing the edge of my plate. The soft ticking of the clock mocked me. We had been planning this day for weeks. What was I supposed to feel now? Hurt? Anger? Betrayal? All at once.

A soft vibration startled me. I glanced at my phone—a message from him. My stomach twisted as I opened it, hoping for a sweet apology, some small acknowledgment… but what I read made my chest tighten:

“Busy. Don’t wait up.”

Busy? Busy on our anniversary? I wanted to scream, to throw something, to shake him until he realized what he had done. But instead, I stayed frozen, staring at the screen, a bitter laugh escaping my lips.

“Five years,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Five years and this is all I get?”

Shadows danced along the walls as the candle sputtered. My mind replayed memories of laughter, shared secrets, and whispered promises… all now tainted. I stood abruptly, pushing my chair back, and poured myself a glass of wine. The deep red liquid trembled in the glass, mirroring the storm swirling inside me.

Then my phone beeped again. A new message. I picked it up, thinking it was Daniel, but my heart nearly stopped. A photo opened before me—a man and a woman stepping into an elevator, his hand on her waist. Her face was blurred, but something about her posture and the curve of her body looked… familiar.

Before I could process it, another message arrived:

“Want to find out more? Go to Grand Silver Hotel, Room 101.”

My heart raced. Could it be true? Had Daniel really been cheating on me all this time? His so-called “busy schedule” was centered entirely around someone else.

My head throbbed, my chest ached. I tried calling the number that sent the images, but it wouldn’t go through. “Who the hell is sending me this?” I whispered, panic rising in my throat.

I stomped into our bedroom, grabbed my coat and car keys, and drove through the crowded streets of New York toward the Grand Silver Hotel. A silent prayer left my lips: that this wasn’t real, that Daniel wasn’t betraying me. For five years, I had loved only him. We met in college, and I had thought our bond was unbreakable.

Speaking of her, I was also meant to call Mandy today. Her birthday. My best friend… the one person I trusted like a sister. I pushed the thought aside, focusing on the pounding of my heart.

The Grand Silver Hotel gleamed in the city lights, one of the most expensive hotels in New York. My pulse quickened as I entered the reception, trying to think of a believable excuse to get to Room 101.

“Good day, miss. How may I help you?” the receptionist asked politely.

“Room 101?” I ventured.

“Reservation?” she asked.

“No…” I hesitated, searching for a lie that wouldn’t raise suspicion. “I’m here to deliver a message to my boss. He forgot an important file at the office, so I’m bringing it to him personally.”

She scrutinized me, as if trying to detect any hint of deceit.

“Name?”

“Daniel… Daniel Carter.” My voice sounded shakier than I intended.

She picked up the phone, speaking softly to someone I assumed was Daniel. After a minute, she handed me a card.

“Here you go, miss.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, relieved that my story seemed to hold up.

I pressed the button for Room 101 in the elevator. The ding as the doors opened made my nerves twist tighter.

I slid the card over the sensor. The door beeped and creaked open slightly, and the familiar scent of Daniel’s cologne hit me. My legs shook as I stepped into the luxurious room. The muted sound of a television echoed faintly in the background.

Then I heard a voice. A familiar, feminine voice, soft and teasing:

“Danny, hurry up! I can’t wait to see the surprise you have for me for my birthday.”

My stomach dropped.

“No, no… this can’t be…” I whispered, panic clawing at me. My steps faltered, then sped up as the horrifying realization sank in.

And then I saw her.

Mandy. My best friend. Half-naked, lying on the bed, laughing softly at something Daniel had said. My chest tightened. My hands trembled. The wine I had poured earlier felt like lead in my stomach.

Everything the missed calls, the “busy” messages, the suspicious photo was true. My husband. My best friend. Five years of trust, love, and loyalty… shattered in an instant.

I wanted to scream, to run, to punch, to make them feel a fraction of what I felt. But I froze, paralyzed, as the enormity of the betrayal hit me

. And somewhere deep in my chest, a cold, furious determination began to form.

This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.