My Boyfriend’s Betrayal Left Me Broken and Exposed

Isla peeked out from behind her; her smile was pure, innocent and deceptive.

"What are you guys doing? You’re scaring my future sister-in-law!"

With a forceful tug, she yanked me from the doorway, dragging me into the center of the private room. The overhead light bore down on me, harsh and unrelenting, making me feel even more exposed.

I lifted my gaze straight to Arthur.

He sat in the corner, absentmindedly swirling the wine in his glass, his expression unreadable. His eyes skimmed lazily over the scene unfolding before him, detached, indifferent.

For a fleeting second, our eyes met.

And he smiled.

Soft. Familiar. Just as gentle as ever.

Yet it was this very man who had turned me into a rat, scurrying through the streets, drowning in disgrace.

A glass of wine appeared before me, cutting off my line of sight.

Isla’s bright smile was fixed on me, syrupy sweet, yet it sent ice through my veins.

"Sister Beatrice, about yesterday. I was careless with the injection and made you uncomfortable. I want to take this chance to apologize. If you drink this glass of wine, let’s call it even, okay?"

I let out a slow breath, my fingers curling at my sides.

"And what about those indecent photos online...?"

She feigned innocence, her delicate fingers scrolling across her phone screen before tilting it toward me. Her soft voice carried a deliberate hesitation, every word dripping with careful malice.

"By the way, sister-in-law, is this really you? If it is, then who took these photos…? You wouldn’t have done this behind my brother’s back, would you…?"

"But it doesn’t matter. I believe you and I’m sure my brother believes you too! Come on, drink up, Sister Beatrice. A drink can wash away all worries!"

The room burst into laughter, filled with whistles and jeers. Her carefree act had worked, stirring them up with ease. Even Arthur finally spoke, his voice tinged with helplessness but also amusement.

"Isla, don’t drink too much. You’re a nurse. You should know alcohol is bad for your health."

She pouted, eyes gleaming with amusement as she pushed the glass toward me once more.

"In that case, Sister Beatrice, please drink on my behalf."

The room quieted, every gaze landing on me, expectant.

I opened my mouth to refuse, but Arthur beat me to it. His voice was smooth, composed, yet absolute.

"Go ahead and drink. Consider it a sister-in-law covering for her little sister-in-law."

I froze.

The one being toasted was now drinking on behalf of the one making the toast; how laughable.

At last, I saw Arthur’s true face in this relationship.

All those moments when he seemed to put me first had never meant anything. He had never truly cared. That was why he never argued, never refused. It wasn’t a consideration. It was indifference.

Swallowing the bitterness rising in my throat, I took the glass.

"If I drink this, can I leave? I'm tired. I want to go home and rest."

Arthur hesitated, but at Isla’s quiet cough, he gave a nod.

The liquor burned as it slid down, scorching its way through me. My stomach twisted in protest, but I set the glass down and turned toward the door.

No one stopped me.

Fingers brushing the handle, I barely had a second to react before my body buckled, collapsing without warning.

The room erupted. Cheers, whistles, a frenzy of voices closing in around me.

A suffocating wave of discomfort crashed over me, my limbs trembling, my vision blurring at the edges. Even my breath came in ragged, uneven gasps.

Realization crashed over me like a tidal wave. Through the gaps in the crowd, my gaze locked onto Arthur, calmly peeling an orange for Isla as if nothing was amiss.

"You… you drugged me with them?"

A man crouched beside me, his presence suffocating. He took a slow drag from his cigarette before exhaling a thick ring of smoke into my face.

The cold metal of his lighter tapped against my cheek, once, twice. A taunting reminder of my powerlessness.

"This little concoction is called ‘Obedience Water.’ As the name suggests, once it’s in your system, you’ll follow every order given to you. Arthur went through quite the trouble to get it, all to make Isla happy."

His smirk deepened.

"After all, whose fault is it that you were blind enough to cross Isla? How many times have we warned you? Isla is Arthur’s most treasured person. But you just wouldn’t listen. You even had the audacity to make her cry and expect an apology from her?"

A sneer curled at the corner of his lips.

"Did you really think you deserved to hear an apology from Isla? You brought this on yourself. Now, let’s see just how obedient you can be… Sister-in-law."