Adrian stumbled into his apartment in the dead of night, his thoughts a jumbled mess of emotions. The confrontation between Grace and Sarah had left him torn. He poured himself another drink, hoping it would drown the voices in his head.
"Could Grace really be lying? But Sarah… Sarah wouldn't do something so vile, would she?" Adrian muttered to himself, downing his glass.
Hours later, with bottles strewn across the table, Adrian collapsed onto his bed, too intoxicated to notice anything around him.
Meanwhile, Sarah stood outside his apartment, her lips curling into a wicked smile. She had followed him from the bar, knowing this was the perfect opportunity to execute her plan.
She let herself in quietly, carrying a small overnight bag. Inside were props for her scheme—a bottle of perfume Grace often wore, a silk scarf, and a phone ready to capture the moment.
Adrian barely stirred when Sarah climbed onto the bed beside him. She lay down next to him, draping the scarf across her shoulder, making sure it would be visible if anyone walked in. She snapped a few photos of them together, angling the shots to look as incriminating as possible.
"Sleep tight, Adrian," Sarah whispered, brushing his hair gently. "When you wake up, you'll realize you belong to me."
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, and Adrian groaned, his head pounding from the hangover. He opened his eyes slowly, disoriented, only to see Sarah lying beside him.
"What the—? Sarah?!" Adrian bolted upright, his heart racing.
Sarah feigned innocence, rubbing her eyes and sitting up. "Good morning, Adrian. You were so upset last night, and I couldn't leave you alone like that."
Adrian ran a hand through his hair, panic setting in. "What are you doing here? Did—did something happen between us?"
Sarah pouted, playing coy. "You don't remember? Well… we did spend the night together."
Adrian's face went pale. "No. No, I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't betray Grace like that."
Sarah sighed dramatically. "Adrian, you were drunk and heartbroken. I didn't mean for it to happen either, but… it did."
Before Adrian could respond, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. It was a message from Grace.
"We need to talk."
Adrian's stomach churned. He couldn't face Grace, not like this—not when he didn't even know if Sarah's claim was true.
"Sarah, you need to leave," Adrian said, his voice strained.
"But Adrian—"
"Now," he snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Sarah gathered her things, hiding her smirk as she walked out. Everything was going according to plan.
Grace paced back and forth in the living room, her heart heavy with frustration and betrayal. She clutched the divorce papers tightly, her hands trembling as she tried to summon the courage to speak her mind. Adrian stood by the window, staring out at the city skyline, his expression unreadable.
"Adrian," Grace began, her voice firm despite the lump in her throat. "I can't do this anymore. I want a divorce."
Adrian turned to face her, his eyes narrowing. "You're not thinking straight, Grace. We can work this out."
She shook her head, holding up the papers. "There's nothing to work out. You believed Sarah over me. You've allowed her lies to destroy everything we built together. I won't stay in a marriage where I'm not trusted."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "You're letting your emotions cloud your judgment. I've known Sarah my whole life. It's not easy for me to believe she's capable of what you're accusing her of."
"And that's exactly the problem!" Grace snapped, her voice rising. "You're so blinded by your history with her that you can't see the truth. Adrian, she's manipulating you. She's trying to ruin us."
Adrian stepped closer, his voice low but resolute. "I'm not signing those papers, Grace. I won't let you throw away what we have because of a misunderstanding."
Grace glared at him, her frustration boiling over. "A misunderstanding? She faked a kidnapping and framed me! She's tearing us apart, and you're letting her win."
Adrian grabbed her wrist gently but firmly, looking her straight in the eyes. "I won't give up on us, Grace. I love you. I know I've made mistakes, but I'm not walking away from this marriage."
Grace pulled her hand away, tears streaming down her face. "Love isn't enough, Adrian. Trust is just as important, and you've broken mine."
Adrian's voice softened, a hint of desperation creeping in. "I'll prove to you that I can fix this. I'll find out the truth, Grace. Just… don't leave me."
She hesitated, torn between her love for Adrian and the pain he had caused. "If you want to prove yourself, Adrian, then do it. But until then, I need space. I can't keep living like this."
With that, she placed the divorce papers on the coffee table and walked out of the room, leaving Adrian standing alone, the weight of his decisions pressing heavily on his shoulders.
Adrian sat in his dimly lit study, nursing a glass of whiskey as his thoughts swirled in turmoil. Grace's departure left an ache in his chest that felt impossible to soothe. Her words replayed in his mind, each one a dagger reminding him of his failures. Yet amidst his regret, one relief anchored him—she didn't know about what happened with Sarah.
If Grace found out, he thought grimly, she'd never forgive me. Not now, not ever.
He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his mind darting back to that night when Sarah had crossed the line. It was a drunken mistake, a blur he wished he could erase. Adrian had woken up the next morning in horror, realizing Sarah had taken advantage of his vulnerable state. She hadn't hesitated to taunt him about it later, using it as another weapon to wedge herself further between him and Grace.
"This is your fault," Adrian whispered to himself, his grip tightening on the glass. "I should have stopped her from getting close in the first place."
He stood abruptly, pacing the room. The idea of Sarah's scheming and her relentless attempts to destroy his marriage filled him with anger. He knew he had to do something, but the thought of losing Grace forever paralyzed him.
Across town, Grace sat in her small, rented apartment, staring blankly at the divorce papers she had yet to sign. She couldn't shake the feeling that Adrian was hiding something—something that might justify her gut instinct to leave for good.
Meanwhile, Sarah reveled in her small victory. She sat in her luxurious apartment, scrolling through photos of Adrian on her phone, a wicked smile playing on her lips. "He'll realize I'm the one he's meant to be with," she murmured to herself. "Grace doesn't deserve him."
But Adrian had had enough. His resolve hardened. If there's any chance of saving my marriage, I need to confront Sarah and end her games once and for all, he thought. Yet, the shadow of that night loomed over him, a secret threatening to destroy everything he hoped to rebuild.