Love Buried in Lies

Someone texted me halfway through the wedding. The message read, "I had sex with your husband. Doesn't matter if you don't believe it."

The message hit me like a hammer, and I stood petrified. Then, the texter sent another message, "Second pocket on the inside of his coat. There's a used condom there from last night. Strawberry. We were setting up the room, and one thing led to another.

"We did it everywhere. Balcony, kitchen, and even in your car. He's not allergic to women. He'd gladly sleep with someone before marriage. He lied to you."

Everything began to spin. I walked ahead, but my movements felt stiff. I felt as if someone was yanking me forward. I approached the aloof, abstinent man I called my husband. The same man who had to think twice before holding my hand.

Sure enough, I found a pink condom in his pocket. Gasps and shouts rippled across the hall, while flashes of camera blazed and blinded the scene.

I spun on my heel. That was when I saw my best friend Zoe holding up her phone beneath the stage, a gentle smile hanging on her lips. Something bitter and sad filled my heart.

It took me standing here, utterly humiliated, to realize that the very thing I spent my whole life fighting for was nothing but a joke.

Betrayal

The crowd exploded into heated discussions.

"I thought Mr. Gray was the celibate kind of guy. I guess he's actually kinky."

"Whoa, his mistress is here somewhere, I bet. What a scandal!"

Timothy Gray did not look happy at all. He hissed quietly, "Don't make a fuss. We can deal with this later!"

I remained in my spot; my brain might as well be mush. I didn't hear him. Zoe had been with me last night, testing out my bridal gown. She was on the verge of tears as she wished me happiness.

Timothy held me and lost sleep the whole night, counting the literal stars as he waited for daylight.

Every second was torture for him, he said. He wanted nothing more than to marry me right away. His promise still rang around my ears, but things were different now.

The crowd had died down into silence. I pulled my gown up just a little and practically fled out of the hall like a bat out of hell, much to the crowd's shock.

It was pouring outside. The rain and tears muddied my makeup, and the zooming cars splashed up enough mud to soil my gown. Passersby stopped and gossiped about me.

A red sports car came onto the scene and screeched to a stop in front of me. Zoe stood in front of me, holding an umbrella.

"I'm sorry, Melanie. We promised no secrets between us, and I couldn't pretend everything's fine. I couldn't pretend to be your friend when I'd betrayed you. Still, I promise that there's no love between him and me. It's only passion."

Her bitten lips and the hickeys that lined her neck reminded me of all the secrets she once told me. She had a friend with benefits and would do it every time they met, no matter where, no matter when, and no matter how little time they had.

Later, she told me that her FWB was getting married, so they cut ties. Stupid little me comforted her for a long, long time. I always brought her along on my dates with Timothy. She knew everything about him.

She knew his stomach was killing him, his coat's style, the size of his sleeves, and even the fact that he hated sweet stuff and only had his americano at a specific temperature.

Not even I knew that much about him, and I was his fiancée.

"Whoa, your fiancé's size is about my FWB's, and they love the same thing. What a coincidence!"

Now that I knew what I knew, I realized that she'd been very obvious whenever she decided to drop hints. Alas, I never doubted her. I thought she was just teasing me and was being friendly with Timothy for my sake.

I saw the hurt in her eyes. I could tell that she wasn't insincere when she said, "I thought I could hold it in, Melanie. I thought he was just my FWB, and I would never catch feelings for him.

"But when I saw you two standing up there like a couple… It felt like I was losing both of you at the same time. It's probably my jealousy talking."

The rain was coming down heavier and faster now. Each splatter against my skin felt like icy needles while the wind's freezing bite dug into my flesh and settled between my bones. My body began to shiver, and I couldn't stop once I started.

Zoe quickly took her coat off and draped it around my shoulders to shield me from the elements. I noticed the scent that was lingering around her. Timothy's scent.

My stomach churned, and nausea swept across my body. I was going to double over in revulsion. It took me everything I had to shove her away. "Bugger off!"