CHAPTER 7 PRETENSE THAT BREAKS THE BOND

Juliet held her face in stunned disbelief as she gazed at Daniel, her eyes wide with shock. Never in her life had a man ever raised his hands on her. The sting of his slap echoed in the silence of the room, leaving her speechless and reeling from the unexpected blow. As she lowered her hand, her gaze fell upon her torn clothes strewn across the floor, a painful reminder of the betrayal that had unfolded in her own home. Her heart clenched with a mixture of guilt, anger, and disbelief. She hadn't expected Daniel to find out like this, and certainly not with such violence. Daniel's voice cut through the silence like a knife, his tone laced with accusation and hurt. "How could you betray me like this, Juliet?" he demanded, his eyes burning with anger. "How could you have an affair with another man, in our own house?" Juliet remained silent, her jaw clenched with defiance as she met his gaze with a steely glare. She knew that Daniel had betrayed her first, that he had shattered their trust long before she had ever sought solace in another's arms. But she couldn't bring herself to voice those accusations, not with the weight of his betrayal still heavy on her heart. Daniel's anger only seemed to escalate as he continued to berate her, his words like daggers aimed at her already wounded pride. "You're nothing but a whore," he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "A pathetic excuse for a wife, sneaking around behind my back like some common adulteress." Juliet felt her blood boil at his words, her fists clenching at her sides as she fought to contain her rising fury. How dare he speak to her like this, after everything he had done? But she knew that lashing out would only escalate the situation further, and so she bit her tongue, swallowing her pride in the face of his unwarranted anger. It was then that Emily, Daniel's cousin, stepped forward, her expression filled with concern and compassion. "Daniel, please," she pleaded, her voice soft but firm. "You need to go easy on her. We don't know the full story yet." Daniel's eyes softened slightly at Emily's words, but the anger still simmered beneath the surface. "She betrayed me, Emily," he replied, his voice heavy with hurt. "How can you expect me to go easy on her after what she's done?" Emily sighed, her gaze shifting to Juliet with a mixture of sympathy and concern. "I know, Daniel, but we need to hear her side of the story," she insisted, her tone gentle but resolute. "There may be more to this than meets the eye." Juliet's gaze remained fixed on Daniel and Emily, her anger burning like a fierce flame within her. She could see right through their facade, recognizing the hypocrisy in their words and actions. Emily's feigned concern and Daniel's self-righteous indignation only served to fuel the fire of Juliet's fury. As Daniel continued his tirade, Juliet's fists clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to contain her rising rage. How dare he lecture her about honor and prestige, about betrayal and trust, when he was the one who had shattered their marriage with his infidelity? But despite the seething anger coursing through her veins, Juliet remained silent, her jaw set in a stubborn line as she refused to dignify Daniel's accusations with a response. She knew that engaging with him would only escalate the situation further, and she refused to stoop to his level. Emily's voice broke through the tension, her tone gentle but insistent as she implored Daniel to show mercy. "Daniel, please," she urged, her eyes pleading with him to temper his anger. "Think about the families, think about the consequences of your actions." Daniel's gaze softened slightly at Emily's words, a flicker of doubt crossing his features as he considered her plea. "I know, Emily," he conceded, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "But how can I trust her again after what she's done?" Emily sighed, her gaze shifting between Daniel and Juliet with a mixture of empathy and concern. "Trust takes time to rebuild," she reminded him, her voice gentle but firm. "But we can't let anger and hurt cloud our judgment. We need to give Juliet the chance to explain herself." Juliet's heart clenched at Emily's words, a glimmer of hope flickering within her despite the overwhelming despair that threatened to consume her. Daniel's voice cut through the air, his words dripping with disdain. "And how do you plan to face your family, Juliet? How will you explain your disgraceful behavior to them?" he taunted, his eyes cold with contempt. Juliet's heart shattered at his words, her chest tightening with pain as she struggled to hold back tears. How could he mock her like this, knowing full well the truth of what had transpired? The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound, leaving her feeling hollow and exposed. "You think you can just waltz back into their lives and pretend like nothing happened?" Daniel continued, his voice laced with bitterness. "They'll never look at you the same way again, Juliet. You've brought shame upon us all." Each word he uttered felt like a dagger to her already wounded heart, reopening old wounds and pouring salt into them. She clenched her fists tighter, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to contain her rising anger and despair. But just as she felt herself on the brink of breaking down, Emily intervened, her voice filled with false concern. "Daniel, please," she interjected, her eyes flashing with something akin to satisfaction. "We shouldn't be so quick to judge. Perhaps there's more to this than meets the eye." Juliet's breath caught in her throat at Emily's words, her eyes widening in disbelief. How could Emily, her supposed ally, stand by and watch as Daniel tore her apart with his accusations? Didn't she know the truth, or was she just pretending for the sake of appearances? Daniel's gaze flickered between Juliet and Emily, uncertainty clouding his features for a moment before his resolve hardened once more. "No, Emily," he retorted, his voice firm with conviction. "I won't stand idly and let her do all she wants. She made her choice, and now she must face the consequences." Tears streamed down Juliet's cheeks unchecked now, her heart breaking anew with each word that fell from Daniel's lips. How could he be so blind to his own hypocrisy, so cruel in his judgment of her when he was the one who had orchestrated her downfall? Emily's facade faltered for a moment, a flicker of guilt crossing her features before she composed herself once more. "But Daniel," she implored, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "Think of the scandal it will cause, the whispers behind our backs. Is that what you want for our family? Her family and her should deal with it alone." Daniel hesitated, his eyes darting between Juliet's tear-streaked face and Emily's imploring gaze. For a moment, it seemed as though he might relent, might reconsider his harsh judgment of Juliet. But then, his jaw clenched with determination, and he shook his head resolutely. "I won't let her get away with this," he declared, his voice cold and unforgiving. "She made her bed, now she'll have to lie in it." Juliet's heart shattered into a million pieces at his words, the realization sinking in that the man she had loved and trusted had betrayed her in the cruelest way possible. And as Emily continued to plead with Daniel, her words dripping with false sympathy, Juliet knew that she was truly alone in this world, abandoned by those she had once called family. Her plea only made her appear guilty. Caleb's footsteps echoed on the staircase as he ascended, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. His gaze swept over the tense scene before him, taking in the sight of Juliet's tear-streaked face and Daniel's hardened expression. Juliet's heart lurched at the sight of Caleb, a pang of shame washing over her as she remembered his mocking words from before. She couldn't bear to let him see her like this, broken and defeated. She had to show him that she was stronger than this, that she wouldn't let Daniel's betrayal define her. As Caleb's eyes met hers, she straightened her posture and met his gaze with a defiant glare, silently daring him to judge her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her crumble.