Chapter 13

"What the hell are you doing in my house, Stephany?" Dan practically spewed the words out of his mouth as he stomped down the stairs, looking angry, but I didn't believe he was angry now that his mistress was here. "What do you mean? You fired me from work, now I can't afford the apartment that I was living in, where was I supposed to go?" I stared in shock as they bickered. Dan kept glancing at me. I could feel my anger boiling from the disrespect that I was seeing. Why would she come to my house knowing that I would be around? What is she trying to do? Is she trying to provoke me?

"I'm so sorry, I will take care of this. Please go to our room." I stared at Dan in disbelief at what he just said, "You are telling me I should hide from her in my own house? The only thing I am going to do is take a shower and come back. She better not be standing there when I come back." I couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that he wouldn't be able to kick her out. The bond they had built over the time I was not here was probably deep and complex, woven with shared experiences and memories that predated my arrival. I couldn’t help but feel like an intruder, having disrupted what had once seemed like a passionate affair. It pained me to think that he might still be holding onto those moments, making it all the more difficult for him to let her go.

I quickly went back to our bedroom to take a shower so I could breathe. I just wanted to get his smell off my body, not that I am not enjoying smelling like him, but the reason for the dampness in my mood just arrived at my house unexpectedly. I quickly showered, and I was about to take out my pyjamas, but I thought that since his ex is here, I should at least try to look like I made an effort with my clothing. I wore my loose-fitting shirt and slippers, well, might as well show those thighs out now that he has seen them.

I went downstairs, and Dan was busy pacing back and forth in the kitchen, looking stressed as hell. In that moment, I felt myself get ready for the disappointment that was about to come out of his mouth. "She's still here?" I asked in a soft voice, but inside I was shaking. He immediately turned to look at me and quickly put on a brave face. Oh, he doesn't want to think I can challenge him with this decision.

"Why? This is the same woman that I caught you with." I said as I slowly walked close to him, fire emerging from my right hand, I could feel the power overcoming, taking control of my body and mind, and the feeling was thrilling. For once in my life, I felt powerful, I felt strong, and no one could stand before me. "Do you understand what I am going through?!" I raised my voice, both my hands with fire burning in full force, I was looking straight at him, and he remained standing, but fear was written all over his face.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I heard someone exclaim in a shocked tone behind me. We stared at each other until Tyson walked into my view. "Can you stop acting like kids who just found out they have superpowers?" He said as he looked at me with a stupid, judging look on his face. "What the fuck do you know about acting like kids? Don't even test me." I said as I slowly calmed myself down and the fire turned off. "What are you even doing here?" I noticed Dan walking away from us as we were busy bickering. "Take another step and I swear to God I will cook you." I threatened Dan, raising my voice so he could hear me. He turned to look at me, turned around, and took another step. I fired a fireball straight to his head. He ducked, but not before getting a chunk of his hair burned, and the fire hit the kitchen wall.

"You can't even afford to get that fixed," Tyson said in a flat tone. I turned to look at him in surprise. "And what the fuck do you know about what I can afford and what I cannot afford?" seems like he knows a lot about me more than I know about him. "You know, you should enjoy this moment. There will come a time when you will be forced to tell me the truth." I realised that Dan was no longer in the room, his probably putting out the fire I set to his head.

"Can you stop fighting for a second?" Tyson's voice was gentle as he took my hand, his fingers intertwining with mine. I glanced from his intense gaze to our joined hands, feeling a surprising warmth that sent shivers down my spine. It was a sensation I never expected to experience for my brother-in-law, an exhilarating conflict of emotions as his thumb brushed against my skin, igniting a connection I was both drawn to and afraid of.“Can you please not touch me?” I said, yanking my hand away from his grip and striding away. I felt a mix of frustration and hurt. Tyson had no right to waltz into my life and act as if everything was normal after he shattered the fragile opportunities I had to discover more about myself and my father. His presence was an uncomfortable reminder of the past.

“Emerald, can we please talk?” he urged, his voice trailing after me as I moved through the house, desperate to find the culprit behind this chaos and his mistress. The thought of sharing the same roof with her was unbearable. I couldn't fathom sleeping just a wall away from the woman who represented everything that felt wrong and unjust in my life.

"I don't want to talk to you, Tyson," I said, turning to look at him with an annoyed look. Surprisingly, he looked kind of guilty, and a small part of me felt for him. "Okay, I understand, but can you at least give me a chance to explain myself?" I sighed, annoyed that we were having this conversation here, the workers might be listening, especially Annabelle. "Well, guess what, Tyson? I don't want to hear it, okay? You won, I will never get that house back, and I know what was inside. You won, okay? Good for you." I clapped for him and finally walked away without feeling the weight of his shadow behind me.

I stepped into my room, fatigue weighing heavily on my shoulders after the chaotic scene I had just created downstairs. The turmoil of emotions swirled within me as I longed to wrap myself in my blankets and cry myself to sleep, feeling utterly defeated. The embarrassment gnawed at me; I couldn't believe I had let my anger get the better of me because of a petty conflict with another woman. I should have approached the situation with more composure instead of damaging the walls in my kitchen—after all, this was now my home too, a space I wanted to cherish.

Just as I was about to sink into the comfort of my bed, I suddenly heard voices emanating from a room not far away. Curiosity mingled with hope, urging me to step out and investigate. I peeked around the corner, my heart racing, as I hoped to catch a glimpse of my husband. Perhaps he could offer me the comfort I desperately needed in this moment of turmoil.

I couldn't believe what my eyes were witnessing. It felt like a surreal nightmare. How could he betray me like this? In the dim light of her bedroom, I saw Stephany, her silhouette framed by the doorway, tenderly caressing Dan's chest. Her fingers danced playfully over his buttons, lingering just a moment too long, as if savoring the closeness. The intimacy of the moment struck me like a sharp dagger, leaving me breathless with disbelief and heartache.