My Husband Cheated With My Best Friend

The necklace was a custom piece that had taken six whole months to make for me, and Nalani knew it perfectly well. I kept smiling, but my knuckles had already turned white around the bedsheet.

“It doesn't matter. A necklace from six months ago no longer suits who I am now. You're the only one who would be so pleased with it.”

I hung up before Nalani could say another word.

Brandon had breakfast waiting for me. The second I opened the door, he hit me with a grin. “Cecilia, come try what I made you.”

One look at the noodles slick with red chili oil and my appetite was gone. I liked something light in the morning. Nalani was the one who lived for heavy, greasy food.

“Why’d you give my necklace to Nalani?” I asked.

Brandon looked guilty as hell and dodged the question by coaxing me to eat. “Cecilia, just take a bite. It’s really good.”

The red marks on Brandon’s neck from the night before were impossible to miss. They turned my stomach just as much as the greasy, meaty smell of the noodles.

“No, thanks. No matter how good it is, I’m not interested—same way I lose interest in certain people. Once I’m done with someone, I’m done,” I said.

Brandon hurriedly set the noodles down to make me another breakfast. But I no longer needed it.

Brandon was unusually clingy that day, following me wherever I went. Nalani actually thought I had locked him up.

When Nalani tried another video call, I passed the phone to Brandon.

“Ce—Brandon? Why are you answering?” Her voice went syrupy sweet the second she saw him.

Brandon gave her a cold look. A curt “Get lost” made it clear he was about to hang up.

“Cecilia, we agreed to spend the day together. If she calls again, you—”

He stopped short. His finger hovered over the end-call button, and his expression flickered.

In the window’s reflection, I caught a glimpse of Nalani on the screen—with her breasts half exposed. Brandon swallowed hard and practically shoved the phone back at me.

“Cecilia, I just remembered—there’s some business I need to handle. I’ll be back to take you to the family estate once it’s sorted.”

Watching him scramble off with that flimsy excuse was almost funny. How could a man who couldn’t even keep his trousers zipped be trusted to run a company?

Brandon had fallen in love with me at first sight, and Duncan valued what I brought to the table. Duncan had used my mother’s illness to get me to marry Brandon. Brandon assumed I was beholden to their family and wouldn’t dare file for divorce. So even after his affairs were exposed, he felt no guilt about indulging himself further.

What he didn’t know was that Duncan and I had a deal. When the time was right, I could walk away. Until then, I was required to be a good wife and run the company competently.

When the time Brandon and I agreed on came and went—no Brandon, no answer to my calls—I drove myself to the family estate.

When I arrived, Brandon and Nalani were already there. He let go of her and walked over, pressing my frozen hands against his neck. “Cecilia, didn’t I tell you to wait for me? You really can’t handle the cold. Look at your hands—they’re freezing.”

His eyes and words were full of concern for me, but the sight of Nalani behind him was an affront. She was wearing my wedding dress—the one that had caused a stir, the one plenty of women had tried to copy. Brandon had bought exclusive rights to the design so no one else could wear it. Yet there she was, flaunting the original.

I looked away and said flatly, “You didn’t answer your phone. I was worried you might be in another woman’s bed, so I came on my own.”

Brandon instinctively checked his pocket for his phone. Of course, it wasn’t there. Nalani had it tucked away.