Once A Cheater

by Storm, Zee Shine

  But I wasn't superman. I should be drained out by now. Her fragrance hit me hard as she looked around for some clothes, not even acknowledging me. I made my way over to her right as she turned around and slipped my arms around her waist, pulling her close, burying my head in her neck and placing open-mouthed kisses there.

  Yeah. She was definitely making me hard again.

  Jasmine stiffened in my arms and I sensed her resistance. Raising my head, I studied her expression which was closed off and blank.

  I frowned. "What's wrong?" I asked her abruptly.

  She shook her head but when I kept looking at her, her face crumpled. Her dark eyes looked around the room as though she was searching for something and I dug my fingers into her skin a little harder to get her attention.

  "Jasmine. Tell me what's wrong."

  Her lips were red and I realised she was chewing on them, almost hurting herself. I shook her a little. "Damn it, what's the matter? Talk to me," I snapped at her.

  Her eyes flew back to my face, her breasts rising and falling with heavy breathing while her normally compelling eyes filled up with tears.

  "I just...feel so strange. I miss him more than usual today," she told me shakily and to my surprise, she put her arms around my neck and hugged me, crying into my chest. “Jasper...I haven't made a mistake, right?" she sobbed. "I did this for him. I want him to be happy without me but...I can't stop thinking about him for some reason. I just hope he's okay."

  It was the first time I had ever seen her cry. She was one of the strongest women I had met. Her will of steel and confident, commanding aura were the things I admired most about her. But this Jasmine sounded so broken. So utterly devastated, unsure of herself and in so much pain.

  Now was my chance. She was weak, she would be easy to coax and convince. I should tell her to go back to her husband and give her marriage another chance. To check on him and make sure for herself how he is doing. Bring her back to him. That was the deal. My job will be done. I'd get the rest of my money and all this would be over. I could put this behind me and go back to Cole and Skye, focus on them and the baby without anything holding me back.

  I held her close, one of my hands cupping the back of her head as I caressed her hair and let her wet my chest with scalding tears.

  "It's okay," I murmured gently. "I'm sure he's fine. You did the right thing, Jasmine. It's going to be okay."

  ****

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Skye

  "We'll call you about the results in 3-5 business days," the nurse at the clinic said to me. "Most probably by Tuesday." I nodded and thanked her, not being able to dredge up a smile.

  The procedure, a non-invasive prenatal paternity test, had been simple though daunting, requiring just a cheek swab from Cole and two vials of blood from me. They'd test for similarities in the DNA and I would know who the father is in a few days.

  Cole tried to take me shopping later but I wasn't in the mood so we went for a long drive instead. I felt restless in my own skin. I still hadn't spoken to Jasper though he had tried calling so many times, I didn't want to hear his voice even if I missed the sound of it so much. The lies that would come out of that sinful mouth weren't worth it.

  The nurse had explained how the test worked. Either the father's DNA matched a hundred percent with the baby's or it didn't. So we didn't actually need Jasper's DNA. Only Cole's. I was praying so hard for this baby to be Cole's because I was pretty convinced that Jasper didn't deserve it.

  ....

  The next day, I realised that it was the height of cruelty when even the smell of my precious paints started to make me nauseous. God, not the painting. That was not only a source of comfort for me but my only source of income and now, it felt like I would have to give that up as well. Adalina, the maid that Cole still insisted should come in once a week to clean up, gave me a sympathetic look and suggested some herbs. I tried to ignore her because I didn't want any more things in my system to mess it up but then my brain caught on the word 'cannabis'.

  I looked up from clutching my head in my hands where I was sitting at the counter and gave her an incredulous look. "Did you just say cannabis?" I asked her in English.

  She nodded at me while continuing her work. "Si. It'll help with the..." She made a gesture that indicated puking since her English language skills were a little weak.

  Utterly at a loss, I shifted that same look to Cole who was sitting on the couch trying to hold back his smile. ‘I'm pregnant for God's sake,' I mouthed at him and he burst into laughter.

  Adalina looked over at him. "It helps with my knee pain," she added a little defensively.

  I shook my head a little. Great. So we had a pot-addict for a cleaning lady now. I didn't want anything of that sort near me or my kid. I wasn't one of those liberals. Or stoners. Or whatever the latest term was these days when it came to the weed-smoking community.

  I kept telling Cole not to spend money on her coming in every Saturday but he was stubborn and didn't listen to my suggestion at all. Cole came up to me then and kissed me on the forehead. Last night, when agony had almost swallowed us whole again, he'd laid his head on my belly and felt the baby moving at intervals. Not too much but it had been enough to put a smile on his face. And seeing him happy made me happy too.

  We had each other no matter what.

  "I'd like some privacy when he gets here," I said to my boyfriend quietly and glanced at Adalina.

  He tensed, looking at the wall clock. It was almost midday and Jasper was due to arrive any minute. He had already informed Cole which flight he had boarded.

  Since that dreadful video call and all the devastating revelations that had been brought to light, all my good faith in Jasper Wells had evaporated. He had shown his true colours and I wanted nothing more to do with him. Cole had made the excuses and fielded the calls though God knew how he did it. I wouldn't have been able to keep my anger and pain all balled up inside. I had to express myself or go do something crazy.

  But today was going to be agonizing. Life-changing. Today would be the day I finally confronted Jasper Wells, let him know exactly what I thought of his cheating ass and make it clear that I was done with him. He could make a thousand excuses and apologise day and night to us but I trusted Cole who had seen the evidence in Jasper's phone. There was no forgiveness for this.

  I wouldn't be that weak girl who stayed and listened or melted at his words.

  Cole was my strength now and the baby was my first priority. Jasper could go marry Jasmine and give her his babies for all I cared. I hated him. I should've known he would grow tired of me eventually.

  Me, who came in his peaceful life a year ago, stole his boyfriend's attention, caused enough pain to him by leaving that he suffered a stroke and then, when he wasn't even ready to fully trust me again, I announced an unplanned pregnancy which now made me look hideous and throw up every other day. What man wouldn't get fed up and look for something less...complicated?

  "I'll let Adalina know," Cole said to me and I blinked, realising he was still beside me.

  I smiled at him in a bittersweet way. I supposed he was the answer to the question I had just asked myself.

  Nodding slightly, I squeezed his hand, promising myself to be better for him. For my beloved Cole. We would be happy again. We didn't need Jasper fucking Wells.

  ....

  I was taking a nap in the spare room when Jasper showed up. The sound of the front door closing and boots being shuffled woke me in the quiet house. Cole had been in the office working on something when I'd gone to bed earlier. I checked the time on my watch. Just after one p.m. My heart pounded like crazy. I wished he wouldn't come in here and see me because I didn't want to face him alone. I didn't have the courage to do that at all despite my earlier resolve.

  Slowly, I sat up in bed, willing myself to breathe deeply and fumbling with my phone to send Cole a text.

  - Please don't let me be alone with him.

  I was that terrified, tha
t uncertain of myself. My face felt hot, my limbs heavy. Shit. I couldn't do this. I couldn't...

  "Skye?"

  I filled my lungs with air, refusing to look at him, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he really was there, standing in the doorway of my room, and speaking to me. I wasn't going to cry. No more tears wasted on this man.

  "Hey, Skye, are you okay?" In my peripheral vision, I noticed him step inside the room and I froze, wishing he would go away. Disappear. Just leave me the hell alone.

  I couldn't do this.

  "Hey, Wells. Welcome home." It was Cole's voice this time, calm and unaffected. He sounded close and a second later, I felt hands on my shoulders, rubbing them gently. I looked up at Cole's sad but handsome features. His familiar, comforting presence was the only thing holding me together now. "Please relax. Try to relax," he whispered as he peered down at me. "Do you want to speak to him?"

  Stubbornly, I looked away at the nightstand and shook my head. Cole bent to kiss me on the cheek before walking back to the door.

  "Okay, what the hell is going on? Skye, what's wrong? Is the baby okay? Cole, say something, damn it." Jasper was angry now but Cole managed to get him away from me, closing the door shut and leaving me in silence.

  I curled up in bed once more, my hand over my stomach and silently allowed the tears to fall.

  I really couldn't do this.

  I loved him. I loved him so much.

  How could you do this to me, Jasper? What did she give you that I couldn't? Why?

  ****

  Chapter Thirty-Two.

  Cole

  "How was London?" I asked flatly as Jasper sat beside me in the confines of his car while the air-conditioner hummed.

  I didn't want to talk to him in the house, didn't want Skye to overhear. She appeared so fragile, traumatised, as though one wrong word would be enough to send her spiraling out of control.

  Jasper sighed and glanced at me soberly. "Tell me what's going on with her? Is she having problems with the pregnancy again? Why isn't she speaking to me?"

  I tapped my fingers on the wheel, looked out the window, sucked in a long breath and focused on the sunny street outside.

  "I told her about your affair," I began calmly, watching some kids playing ball outside. "I saw the messages in your phone about a week ago. She was upset...very upset when she spoke to you on Thursday. I couldn't keep her in the dark anymore."

  There was silence from his side. It felt as though I wasn't even in this conversation. Someone else was speaking but the voice sounded like mine. Someone else was sitting next to Jasper in this car. I felt numb again. Detached.

  "Jasmine's very beautiful, isn't she? I don't blame her for wanting you. But anyway, Skye told me she doesn't want to be with you anymore, Jasper. We went for a DNA test yesterday because she wants to be sure who the father is." I wiped an imaginary speck of dust from the wheel, my eyes going back to the street outside. "She has every right to do that in order to make the decisions she needs to make for her and the baby's future."

  His gaze was on me. I could feel it but I didn't face him. It was so hard. So hard to look into his eyes and see that he didn't love me anymore. That blankness. That pity. If Skye could be strong enough not to cry in front of him, I could do it too.

  "Cole-"

  "Just don't," I whispered to him. "Please don't." Fuck. This was so painful. I wished I didn't have to be the one to do this.

  "I'm not going to make excuses, Cole. But I didn't do this because I don't love you-"

  "Will you be okay to stay at a hotel for now?" I interrupted through gritted teeth. "I don't mind if you're in the house but it's too hard on her. She and I could go too but with her condition, she needs stability right now."

  He was quiet. "We have to talk about this. I have to talk to Skye."

  "No," I snapped at him. "There's nothing left to say."

  "Why won't you hear me out, damn it?!" he yelled. "When you told me you fell in love with another woman, did I turn my back on you?!"

  I finally turned to stare at him, shocked. "I didn't fucking cheat!" I yelled back. "Don't you compare what you did to my genuine feelings for Skye."

  He let out a bitter laugh. "Wow. So just because you didn't stick your dick in her while you were with me that makes it okay?" he demanded. "All the times you made me question myself while you were at work flirting with her and indulging your growing feelings for her suddenly doesn't matter?" He pinned me with a fierce look. "Let me tell you what I would have done if I'd been in your position, Cole. I'd have left the minute I realised I was starting to fall for someone else."

  I scoffed at his claim. "And yet you fell for her too. Don't be such a hypocrite, Jasper. Where was your loyalty when she finally came to live with us and I was off at work while you were busy seducing her?"

  "I tried my best to stay away!" he retorted. "She was the one who had trouble remaining loyal to you. Ask her. Ask her how she was looking at me the very first night you brought her home, how she almost got me to kiss her when you and I were fighting. Look how easy it was for her to give in to me. How eager she was to let me fuck her as soon as you said you were okay with it."

  My face was tight with such overwhelming emotions, my vision grew blurry. "Wells," I said softly, my breathing shallow and pained. "I am deeply sorry for hurting you back then. And all the other times I hurt you because of Skye. But I am going to say this only once, I don't regret falling for her. I don't feel bad for loving her and giving her the happiness that she deserves. If you want to be that cheap and make me regret it, disrespect the woman who loves you, someone who is possibly the mother of your child and hurting right this minute because of your actions, go ahead. Fuck whoever you want. Stick your dick in as many people as you want. Hurt me back as much as you want. I can take it. And I will tell myself I deserve it for not being loyal to you."

  And then I opened the car door and got out, slamming it close before walking back into the house, back to Skye who actually did need me.

  I walked away from the man who I now knew was never going to be my future.

  ****

  Jasper

  I watched Cole walk away from me, suddenly understanding exactly what Jasmine had been going through. Why she did what was necessary even if it hurt. Why she told Armaan she had kissed me and tried to make him hate her. It was easier if they hated you. It was easier to be the asshole and take away some of their pain. I didn't deserve their tears or their love. They shouldn't be hurting because of me.

  When Cole told me they were aware of my affair with Jasmine in that lifeless tone, I knew that that was the moment when I had to take my assholery to its peak today. Something even he wouldn't be able to overlook. Take cheap shots, insult the mother of our child, make him feel bad for betraying me.

  Fuck. I didn't mean any of it. I loved them both to death. I had realised months ago, the day she told us she was pregnant, that him falling for Skye and bringing her into my life was one of the best things that had ever happened to me.

  She was perfect for us.

  Except there was no more us now.

  I hadn't counted on them finding out. I wasn't even thinking of making excuses. What I had with Jasmine was selfish and there was no other explanation for it. As for the real reason I had agreed to do this, despite the NDA, I still couldn't tell them about it.

  Because it wasn't true anymore. I wanted Jasmine to stay in my life. I wanted to honor my friendship with her.

  Not that I was ready to give up on my partners for her. The last thing I had expected was to lose Cole and Skye...and possibly my rights over the baby. But it wasn't my choice to make anymore. Too late to turn back now.

  A part of me was strangely relieved. Relieved that they knew, that I didn't have to deceive them anymore. I didn't have to lie.

  Their anger and hatred for me would be their greatest weapons for now. The pain would only destroy them.

  I had no right to feel sorry for myself or beg for their forgiveness.
It wouldn't be sincere at all because though I was sorry for causing them pain, I wasn't sure I would have simply kicked Jasmine out of my life like she meant nothing. And even if I had decided to do that, Cole and Skye wouldn't ever be able to trust me again. They would always hold it over my head that if it hadn't been for the possibility of losing them, I would have continued to cheat.

  No. I was simply going to accept the fact that I was the bad guy and do what needed to be done.

  Never had I imagined, however, that I would one day become the villain of my own love story.

  It was going to be the most difficult decision of my life, letting them both go. But it was for the best. They deserved to be happy.

  And I deserved my darkness.

  ****

  Chapter Thirty-Three.

  Jasmine

  "Thanks so much for meeting with me." I smiled at Catherine who regarded me warily.

  We were seated at a restaurant just down the street from Jasper's house in London. I'd just shown up today at their door asking if she would join me for lunch and though her parents were confused why I would want to see her, I didn't give any further explanation.

  This was between me and Jasper's sister.

  "How are you doing?" I asked her when she didn't respond to my first statement.

  "Fine," she said, eyes like Jasper's staring at me uncertainly. "How can I help you?"

  So formal. She didn't trust me but I didn't take it personally. It was fine. I wasn't offering to be best friends with her or anything.

  "Actually, this has more to do with how I can help you," I said, nodding at her menu. "Please order something."

  Reluctantly, Catherine picked up the menu and glanced at it but I could tell she wasn't really considering ordering anything.