CHAPTER 2: BETRAYAL IN BROAD DAYLIGHT

"Why are you so nervous, Ceci?" Veronica teased, her lips curling into a sly smile as she eyed her step-sister. They stood outside the imposing mansion that belonged to the Stuart family. Cecilia clutched the Cartier wristwatch and the bottle of wine in her hands, the gift she had planned to surprise Terry with. Her heart raced in anticipation; she hadn't seen him in over a month. Her holiday in Germany had been an escape, but she had missed him terribly. She wanted this moment to be unique—a prelude to their wedding just a week away. "I'm not nervous," Cecilia replied, though her voice betrayed her. She rubbed the back of her neck and glanced at the bottle of wine she'd brought, her fingers tightening around the neck of the glass. Veronica raised an eyebrow, her smile widening as if she could sense Cecilia's unease. "Oh, come on. You've been away for a month, and you're going to see your fiancé. Anyone would be anxious." She leaned in closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Especially if they had something to hide." Cecilia's eyes narrowed, irritation bubbling up at her step-sister's words. "What's that supposed to mean?" "Nothing at all," Veronica said with a casual shrug, though the mischief in her eyes said otherwise. "Just teasing you, Ceci. Don't get all defensive." "You're too giddy, Ceci," Veronica teased again. "You'd think you haven't seen Terry in years." Cecilia's lips twitched, betraying a slight smile. "It feels like years. We've both been so busy. I just want everything to be perfect before the wedding." Veronica's eyebrow quirked as she folded her arms, the smirk on her face widening. "Perfect? In an arranged marriage? Please. You two are practically strangers who only see each other at formal events." Cecilia shot her a glance, the teasing making her stomach churn just a bit, but she waved it off. "It's not like that. We've had time together. And besides, Terry and I... we've grown to care for each other." Veronica snorted, her lips curving into a half-smile. "Care for each other? Sure. Love doesn't grow overnight, sister." Cecilia took a deep breath, shifting her weight as she turned back toward the house. She could already feel her cheeks warming under Veronica's scrutiny. But she didn't need Veronica's approval. Terry and she had made the best of the circumstances given to them. The memory of his last phone call flooded her mind: his deep voice and his promise that everything would soon settle down after the wedding. 'This marriage is going to work,' she reminded herself. "Ready to surprise him?" Veronica's voice cut through her thoughts, playful yet sharp. Cecilia glanced at the ornate wooden door before them and nodded, her fingers tightening around the bottle. "Ready." With a final look at Veronica, who now watched her with an unreadable expression, Cecilia raised her hand and knocked on the door. Her heart thumped in her chest as footsteps approached from the other side. 'Please be happy to see me,' she thought. The door swung open, revealing Terry Stuart standing in the doorway. His hair was slightly disheveled as if he had just woken from a nap, and his brow furrowed the moment his eyes landed on Cecilia. The surprise was instant but not the kind Cecilia had hoped for. His expression hardened, and his eyes narrowed, flicking from her face to the items in her hands. "Terry, I—" Cecilia's voice faltered as Terry's jaw clenched. He stepped forward, his eyes blazing with an intensity she hadn't seen before. "What are you doing here?" His voice was low, almost a growl, causing Cecilia to flinch. Her mouth opened to explain, but before she could utter a word, Terry's hand shot out in a flash, delivering a harsh slap across her face. Cecilia stumbled back, the shock hitting her harder than the slap itself. She gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief, hand instinctively flying to her stinging cheek. The bottle slipped from her grasp, shattering on the doorstep. Behind her, Veronica let out a sharp, shocked gasp, but there was something else in her eyes—satisfaction, perhaps? Cecilia couldn't be sure, her mind spinning too fast. "Terry!" Mrs. Stuart's voice rang out from inside the house as she and Mr. Stuart rushed into the foyer, their faces pale with confusion and horror. "What the hell is going on here?" his mother asked, her voice trembling. Terry's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his gaze never leaving Cecilia. His fists clenched at his sides, his breathing heavy and erratic. The anger radiating off him was almost tangible. "You want to know what's going on?" he spat, his voice rising. "Ask her." "Terry, I don't understand..." Cecilia's voice cracked, and before she could finish, a tear slipped down her cheek, betraying her as she stood there, paralyzed by confusion and hurt. Mrs. Stuart's face softened as she glanced between her son and Cecilia. "Terry, why did you—" "She cheated," Terry cut in, his voice sharp like a blade. "She went off to Germany and cheated on me." "What?" Mr. Stuart's brows furrowed, and his gaze shifted to Cecilia, disbelief etched on his face. "Is that true?" Cecilia's lips trembled as she shook her head vigorously, the sting of the slap still fresh on her skin. "No! No, I would never... Terry, I swear, whatever you think, it's not true!" Without another word, Terry pulled his phone from his pocket, his fingers trembling with rage as he swiped the screen. "Oh, it's true. I've got proof." He thrust the phone forward, and the video began to play. Cecilia's heart dropped as she recognized the setting—a hotel room in Germany. But it wasn't her memory. The footage showed her sprawled on the bed, a man over her, moving rhythmically. She laughed and moaned, her words a slurred mess: "Ride me... like a bicycle..." The man's face wasn't clear in the video, but the sound of his loud, mocking cheer filled the room: "Oh yeah, baby, let's go!" The footage continued for hours but only a few excruciating minutes. When it finally stopped, Cecilia could hear nothing but the ringing in her ears. Her vision blurred with unshed tears, and her throat tightened, constricting her breath. The room was silent for a moment, Mrs. Stuart gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Cecilia, what is this? How could you...?" "No! No!" Cecilia cried, her voice breaking as she stepped forward, but Terry held up his hand, stopping her in her tracks. "Get out." His voice was low, cold, and final. "Terry, please, this isn't what it looks like," she begged, her hands trembling as she reached for him, but he recoiled from her touch. "Leave," Mr. Stuart's voice joined his son's, sterner and colder than she'd ever heard it. You've disgraced yourself enough." Cecilia's knees buckled slightly, and she stumbled back, dazed, her entire world crashing around her. She blinked rapidly, her vision still blurred, but through the haze, she saw Veronica standing at the edge of the room. And then it hit her—the smile. The smug, twisted smile played on her step-sister's lips. Veronica was laughing. Cecilia's stomach churned, bile rising in her throat as she staggered out of the house, the door slamming shut behind her. Veronica's laughter echoed in her ears. This couldn't be happening. It can't be real. Terry... Terry couldn't believe I'd do that... could he? But the look in his eyes—disgust and rage—told her everything she needed to know. She was alone. And Veronica... Veronica had been waiting for this moment. Tears streamed down Cecilia's face, and for the first time in her life, she felt utterly powerless. Cecilia turned, her vision clear enough to see the smug grin on her step-sister's face. She leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. "Didn't see that coming, did you, Ceci?" Veronica said in a mockingly sweet tone, her lips curving upward. Cecilia's heart twisted painfully as the realization hit her. Veronica. It had to be her. She was behind this—behind everything: the video, the setup, the betrayal. "You..." Cecilia whispered, her voice barely audible as her body trembled with rage and devastation. Veronica's grin widened. "Oops." Without another word, Cecilia turned and fled; the Cartier wristwatch slipped from her hands, clattering onto the ground.