The Betrayed Wife's Reckoning

Chapter 1 Mistaken

After dinner, their daughter begged to watch cartoons. Cecilia Nelson was holding the remote control, flipping through TV channels, when she was suddenly drawn to an image that flashed across the screen.

That profile, that coat... it was her husband, Sebastian Hughes. His arms were wrapped around another woman.

The woman's face wasn't fully visible, but she was leaning limply against his chest.

It was a live food show, and Sebastian was supposed to be in a meeting right now.

If he was here, it meant he had lied to her. Cecilia felt a wave of panic. Could Sebastian be cheating on her?

"Mom, Mom, I want to watch cartoons. Hurry up and switch to the cartoon channel."

Her daughter's voice snapped Cecilia back to reality.

It was a food review live stream that Cecilia often watched. In a moment, the scene switched to the kitchen. But she knew this restaurant—she and Sebastian had just been there on a date a few days ago. It was a very romantic restaurant.

"Molly, be good and watch your cartoons. I have something to do!"

After settling her daughter, Molly Hughes, Cecilia returned to the bedroom. Her expression was grim.

She hoped she had been mistaken! She made a video call. The harsh ringtone dragged on, and her heart sank with every second. Was Sebastian really on a date with another woman?

Come on, pick up the phone! Just as she was about to break down, the video connected, and the camera shook.

But it wasn't Sebastian who appeared on the screen.

"Hello, Mrs. Hughes. Are you looking for Mr. Hughes?"

Cecilia was stunned. "Zachary, why are you the one answering? Where's Sebastian?" Zachary Evans was Sebastian's assistant.

She had recruited him herself. Since he was detail-oriented and tactful, she arranged for him to assist Sebastian before she left the company.

Facing his former boss, Zachary straightened and replied formally, "Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Hughes is in a meeting and can't take your call right now.

When he's done, I'll have him call you back." Cecilia nodded. She knew Sebastian had a habit of leaving his phone during meetings.

She stared at the screen carefully, and after recognizing that the background behind Zachary was the company office, she let out a long sigh of relief.

"Okay, tell him to come home early when he's done!" After hanging up the video call, annoyance flashed across Cecilia's face. Maybe she had really been mistaken!

It was eight o'clock in the evening.

Cecilia was giving Molly a bath when Sebastian made a video call.

She answered the phone.

Sebastian's handsome face appeared on the screen. In his usual gentle voice, he said,

"Honey, Zachary said you called me. Sorry, I was in a meeting just now and didn't have my phone."

"Daddy!"

Molly happily splashed water in the bathtub.

Cecilia held the phone in one hand while using the other to stop Molly from splashing around. When she looked at the screen again, her gaze fell on Sebastian's clothes. "Honey, why did you change your clothes?"

She clearly remembered Sebastian had been wearing the coat she picked out for him that morning. Hearing this, Sebastian looked a little wronged.

"Zachary was clumsy and spilled coffee on my clothes. Luckily, you were smart and reminded me to keep spare clothes in the break room. Otherwise, I'd have had to meet clients like this."

Cecilia's eyes flickered, and she followed up on the topic.

"Since you met with clients, didn't you take them to a restaurant for dinner?"

"He wanted to go home to celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife, so we left it for another time!"

After answering seriously, Sebastian asked with some confusion,

"Honey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Cecilia responded, then asked, "When are you coming back?"

"Soon."

Cecilia could feel the love in Sebastian's eyes. There was no way he would look at another woman like that. Seeing her staring at him blankly, Sebastian smiled mischievously. "Are you missing me after just one day apart?"

Cecilia was afraid he would say something even more sentimental, so she quickly said, "I still need to bathe Molly. Drive carefully. I'm hanging up!"

Sebastian got home quickly.

When he came in, he took off his coat, kissed her and Molly first, then took the storybook from Cecilia's hands. His tone was gentle and considerate. "Honey, you must be tired. Go take a bath first.

I'll read Molly a story. Molly, is that okay?"

"Okay!" Cecilia left the children's room.

She watched as the dim yellow light softly illuminated Sebastian, creating a warm and peaceful scene. She shook her head. How could a man like him─so devoted, so gentle─possibly cheat?

When Cecilia came out after her bath, Molly was already asleep.

"Honey, do you want to wash your coat?"

As she spoke, she picked up the two coats draped over the sofa.

One was the suit Sebastian had just home in, and the other was the coat with coffee stains.

"No need."

Sebastian had just gone into the bedroom, but came back to the living room and took the coat from Cecilia's hands.

"You don't need to wash this one. Zachary already had it sent to the dry cleaners!"

Cecilia nodded. No wonder she hadn't smelled any coffee when she checked it earlier.

"Honey, why do you and your clothes smell like women's perfume? Whose is it?"

Sebastian chuckled. "Honey, are you getting jealous again for no reason?"

He stepped forward and hugged Cecilia, his hands wandering inappropriately over her body.

"Let go!" She frowned when she saw how calm Sebastian still was.

"Zachary said you didn't interact with any other women at the company today. Don't you think you should explain where that perfume smell came from?"

Cecilia's beautiful eyes scrutinized Sebastian.

Sebastian said nothing, but his smile didn't reach his eyes.

Probably afraid that the silence only make things worse, he softened.

He lifted a hand, tapped her nose lightly, and said in a gentle voice, "Stop being jealous."

"You're always overthinking.

Doesn't this scent smell familiar?"

Cecilia let him pull her close, let him kiss her. She smiled against his lips.

“You're right. I'm being silly.”

But her eyes stayed open, locked on his phone on the nightstand. The screen was dark. For now.

As soon as his breathing steadied, she'd check. She had to.

The phone lit up.

Sophie: "I found the front-facing photo. Cecilia—it's not what you think..."

Cecilia's fingers hovered over the screen. Before she could reply, a shadow fell across the doorway.

Sebastian stood there, watching her.

His face was in darkness, but his voice was soft. Dangerous.

"Who are you talking to, honey?"