Chapter 2 Cheated?
Rachel stared at the message, momentarily stunned.
She knew every word, but together, they spelled out something she simply couldn't accept, no matter how many times she read them.
Her husband and her best friend betrayed her.
Rachel had met Steven in college.
Back then, his pursuit of her was nothing short of legendary—flowers, breakfast, stuffed animals, treating her friends to coffee. The whole campus knew how much he loved her, how deep his feelings ran.
He was willing to sacrifice everything for her, even his own life.
And all these years, his feelings for her had never wavered.
Nancy was her college roommate for two years, and they had become inseparable friends.
She had witnessed the entire romance between Rachel and Steven.
Nancy had always looked down on Steven, finding fault with him at every turn.
When they got married, Nancy had tearfully warned Steven to treat Rachel well, or she wouldn't let him off the hook.
Rachel couldn't understand.
How could rarely-seen Nancy and Steven end up in a hotel room together?
But she wasn't naive.
This clearly meant Steven was cheating with Nancy.
But Rachel still found it hard to accept that Steven had cheated.
How could such a perfect husband betray her?
Especially with Nancy.
Yet, the memory of the recent Golden Canopy Road car accident flashed in her mind.
Her heart raced uncontrollably.
It felt like it was about to leap out of her chest.
The text message made the afternoon drag on painfully for Rachel.
She kept checking her phone for the time, until evening, when Steven sent a message.
[Sorry, Rachel, something came up at work that I need to handle. I can't join you for dinner tonight. Can we watch the movie tomorrow instead?]
Rachel felt uneasy.
They had planned to go to a fancy restaurant tonight, and then see a newly released movie.
She had made the restaurant reservation yesterday, and bought the movie tickets at the same time.
Suddenly, it felt like a heavy stone was pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
She realized that Steven had always been someone who kept his promises.
Whenever he made a commitment, he always followed through. But when had it started? This year, or last year? He had begun to break his promises with various excuses.
She didn't reply to Steven's message, her mind in turmoil until 8:30 PM. She grabbed her purse and car keys and headed to the Sunbeam Hotel mentioned in the text message.
At the front desk, she asked the staff and then took the elevator to the 14th floor.
At room 1408, she checked the time on her phone.
It was 9:03 PM.
Her hand hovered over the doorbell, her nerves surging through her body.
After a moment, she took a deep breath, calmed herself slightly, and pressed the doorbell.
After about ten seconds, the door opened to reveal a familiar, smiling face.
Nancy!
Even though she had mentally prepared herself, Rachel still froze for a moment, the light in her eyes dimming.
Compared to Rachel's calm, Nancy's initial joy quickly turned to a look of panic.
She was wearing a black silk chemise, showing off her neck and collarbones.
The dress hinted at the curves beneath, with a prominent cleavage in the middle.
Her innocent yet charming face had a touch of makeup, her eyes sparkling with allure.
Even a woman couldn't help but be moved by her appearance.
Nancy covered her chest with one hand, forcing a smile to hide her panic, and asked naturally, "Rachel, what are you doing here?"
Rachel didn't miss any of her subtle expressions, feeling a chill run through her body.
Rachel's heart sank.
She clenched her purse tightly, keeping her face composed, and glanced inside the room, raising an eyebrow suggestively, "What's going on here?"
Nancy's body stiffened, her lips trembling, eyes darting, as she stammered, "I-I actually have a boyfriend."
A boyfriend?
As far as Rachel knew, Nancy had two relationships in college, the last one lasting nearly three years before ending when the guy moved abroad. They broke up after three months of long-distance.
Nancy was beautiful and had many admirers, but she hadn't dated since then.
Rachel always thought Nancy couldn't get over her ex.
As Nancy's best friend, she could tell Nancy was lying.
Rachel's face showed just the right amount of surprise and happiness, "When did this happen? You finally moved on?"
Nancy acted shy and coy, "I couldn't live in the past forever, so I decided to give it a try. We only made it official recently. I was going to tell you after my vacation."
Rachel smiled and continued, "That's the right attitude. It's been so many years, it's time to let go."
Nancy smiled, a hint of doubt flashing across her face, "By the way, Rachel, what brings you here?"
Rachel ignored her question, full of curiosity and gossip, "Where is he? Let me see who managed to win you over! Wearing such a sexy silk chemise, you must be planning to knock him dead!"
She wanted to know if Nancy's boyfriend was Steven.
If he was, how should she face him, and what should she say?
Rachel didn't dare to think further, her fingertips losing color, her heart pounding uncontrollably.
"Stop it!" Nancy playfully swatted away Rachel's hand that was tugging at her dress, pleading, "He's not here yet. I thought it was him at the door. Oh, Rachel, stop teasing me."
She recalled Nancy's joyful expression when she opened the door.
It seemed Nancy's boyfriend really hadn't arrived yet, leaving Rachel with mixed feelings but a slight sense of relief.
Maybe she wasn't ready to face the truth.
But she still smiled, "Alright, I won't disturb you and your boyfriend. Let's have dinner together next time."
With that, she turned to leave.
Nancy quickly grabbed her, "You haven't told me why you're here."
Rachel paused, knowing her sudden appearance would arouse suspicion. She might as well be honest and see Nancy's reaction.
She turned back, the pain hidden from her face, "Catching a cheater."
"What?" Nancy's pupils contracted, "Who's cheating?"
"Who else but Steven?"
Nancy's face paled, her heart feeling like it was stabbed, holding her breath, "Steven with who?"
Rachel glanced at her, shaking her head, "I don't know. Someone called me after work, saying they saw Steven with a woman entering this hotel's 14th floor. I knocked on a few doors, even got yelled at."
Nancy followed her subtle gesture towards the neighboring room, relaxing.
Angrily, she said, "That's outrageous! I may not like Steven, but he loves you dearly, treats you like a queen. Everyone can see how good he's been to you. How could he cheat? That person must be lying to stir up trouble between you two."
She quickly added, "But if he ever dares to betray you, I'll be the first to break his legs!"
"It's probably a lie. I'll have Steven look into it." Rachel smiled, hiding a painful coldness in her eyes, with a touch of teasing and ambiguity, "I'll go now. Enjoy yourself."
Nancy shyly glared at her, watching her leave, the smile fading from her face, clenching her fists.