He just turned and walked out, leaving me standing there, alone and fuming. I felt like I was living in a nightmare. I sank onto the couch, feeling the weight of everything crash down on me.
The silence of the house was deafening, and I tried to push away the thoughts of Derek and Cassie. I couldn’t let myself think about it. I forced my eyes shut and tried to sleep, but it was restless. I tossed and turned, my mind racing with anger and hurt. Eventually, I drifted off, hoping that when I woke up, everything would somehow be better.
I jolted awake in the middle of the night, startled by a sound that pulled me from sleep. It took me a moment to register what it was—a soft moaning, unmistakably familiar. My stomach twisted as I realized who it was.
I knew I shouldn’t get up. I should just roll over and ignore it, but my body moved on autopilot. I found myself walking down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. The sounds grew louder, and I felt a mix of anger and dread as I approached our bedroom.
I paused outside the door, taking a deep breath. This was it. I had to see for myself. Slowly, I pushed the door open, and the sight before me knocked the wind out of my lungs.
There they were—Derek and Cassie, completely naked, tangled in each other’s arms. I stood frozen in the doorway, my mind racing. I had expected to feel crushed, to break down into tears, but instead, I felt a strange sense of clarity wash over me.
Derek looked over, his eyes wide, a smirk on his face as he caught sight of me. The image burned into my mind—the two of them lost in their own world, laughing and wrapped up in each other, completely oblivious to the pain they were causing me.
“Hey, Lila! You wanna join?” he called out, that cocky grin plastered across his face. Cassie giggled, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she looked at me, and my heart dropped even further.
I felt my chest tighten, anger and hurt crashing over me like waves. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The betrayal was overwhelming, and in that moment, my tears began to flow unbidden. I turned on my heel, fighting the urge to scream, to break something, but I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me hurt.
As I walked away, I could hear Cassie's laughter trailing behind me. “Poor Lila,” she cooed, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “Maybe she just needs some time to understand.”