Chapter Ten: The Return Home
Jack's hands shook as he turned the key in the lock.
It was past midnight. The house was dark except for a single lamp in the living room, casting long shadows across the walls.
He stepped inside quietly, closing the door with a soft click.
Leena was asleep on the couch.
She was still wearing yesterday's clothes—the same jeans and sweater she'd had on when he'd left for the bar. Her hair was tangled, her face pale even in the dim light. She looked small. Vulnerable.
Jack stood in the doorway, watching her breathe.
Tell her, a voice in his head urged. Wake her up and tell her what you did.
But he couldn't move.
His legs felt like lead. His throat was tight. The words—I fucked Hela. I cheated on you. I'm just as bad as you are now—sat heavy on his tongue, refusing to come out.
She's asleep, he rationalized. She needs rest. I'll tell her in the morning.
But even as he thought it, he knew it was a lie.
He wasn't waiting because she needed sleep. He was waiting because he was a coward.
Because telling her meant facing what he'd done. Meant admitting that he'd become exactly what he'd accused her of being.
A cheater.
A liar.
Someone who broke their vows.
Jack moved to the armchair across from the couch and sank into it. He didn't bother turning on more lights. Didn't bother changing his clothes.
He just sat there in the darkness, watching his wife sleep, and hated himself.
What the fuck did I just do?
The question echoed in his mind, over and over, like a mantra of self-loathing.
He'd wanted to hurt Leena. Wanted to make her feel the same betrayal he'd felt when he saw those photos of her with Rider.
And he had.
Or he would, once he told her.
But now, sitting here in the quiet house, the anger that had driven him to Hela's bed felt distant. Hollow.
All that was left was guilt.
And shame.
And the terrible knowledge that he'd destroyed something he could never get back.
I'll tell her tomorrow, Jack promised himself. After work. I'll come home and I'll tell her everything.
But even as he made the promise, he wondered if he'd have the courage to keep it.
He closed his eyes, but sleep didn't come.
All he could see was Hela beneath him. All he could hear was her voice: You got even.
But it didn't feel even.
It felt like he'd lost.
------------------------------------------------
Leena woke to sunlight streaming through the living room window.
Her neck ached from sleeping on the couch. Her mouth was dry. Her eyes felt swollen from crying the night before.
She sat up slowly, disoriented.
Jack was gone.
The armchair across from her was empty, though the cushion still bore the impression of his body. He must have slept there. Must have left for work early without waking her.
Leena's phone buzzed on the coffee table.
She ignored it.
It buzzed again.
And again.
With a sigh, she picked it up.
Three texts from Rider.
Rider:Hey Leena. Just checking in. You and Jack still coming to the party this weekend?
Rider:It's going to be a good time. Would love to see you both there.
Rider:Let me know!
Leena's stomach twisted.
The party. The fucking party.
She'd forgotten about it in the chaos of the last few days. Forgotten that Rider and Hela had invited them to some exclusive event at their estate.
The thought of seeing Rider again—of being in the same room with him after what had happened at the Marriott—made her feel sick.
She typed out a quick response: No. Stop texting me.
She set the phone down and stood, intending to make coffee.
But the phone buzzed again almost immediately.
Rider:Wait... he hasn't told you?
Leena froze.
Her heart began to pound.
Told me what?
She picked up the phone with trembling hands and typed: What are you talking about?
The response came quickly.
Rider:Maybe you should ask your husband what he did last night. This should help refresh his memory.
A video file appeared in the chat.
Leena stared at it for a long moment, her thumb hovering over the play button.
Don't open it, a voice in her head warned. Whatever it is, you don't want to see it.
But she couldn't stop herself.
She pressed play.
----------------------------------------------------
The video was shaky at first, filmed from a hidden angle—probably a phone propped up somewhere in the room.
But the image was clear enough.
A hotel room. Generic furniture. City lights visible through the window.
And Jack.
Jack, with his hands on Hela's waist. Jack, kissing her roughly. Jack, yanking her dress up over her hips.
Leena's breath caught in her throat.
No. No, no, no.
But the video kept playing.
She watched as Jack bent Hela over a desk. Watched as he pulled down her panties. Watched as he—
Leena's hand flew to her mouth, stifling a sob.
He fucked her.
The realization hit her like a physical blow.
Jack had fucked Hela.
After everything he'd said. After all his anger and accusations and righteous fury about her betrayal.
He'd done the exact same thing.
The video continued. Hela's moans. Jack's harsh voice. The brutal, angry way he moved.
Leena couldn't look away.
She watched as Jack flipped Hela onto her back. Watched as his hands moved to her throat. Watched as he—
Stop. Stop watching.
But she couldn't.
She watched until the end. Until Jack came with a roar of rage and pain. Until he pulled out and stumbled backward, looking lost and broken.
Until Hela sat up and said something Leena couldn't hear.
The video ended.
Leena sat frozen on the couch, the phone still clutched in her hand.
Her mind was blank. Empty.
And then, all at once, the emotions crashed over her.
Rage. Betrayal. Despair.
How could he?
After everything he'd said. After he'd made her feel like the worst person in the world for what she'd done with Rider.
He'd done the same thing.
No—worse.
Because he'd done it knowing how much it would hurt her. Knowing exactly what betrayal felt like.
Leena's hands shook as she replayed the video.
She watched it again. And again. And again.
Each time, the betrayal cut deeper.
Each time, she saw something new. A detail she'd missed. The way Jack's face twisted with rage. The way Hela smiled, like she knew exactly what she was doing.
The way Jack had become someone Leena didn't recognize.
By the time she'd watched it for the fifth time, her tears had dried.
All that was left was a cold, hollow ache in her chest.
And a single, burning question:
What the fuck are we doing to each other?
-------------------------------------------------
Leena sat in the dark living room, waiting.
She'd turned off all the lights. Drawn the curtains. Let the house fall into shadow.
Her phone sat on the coffee table in front of her, the video paused on the first frame. Jack's face, twisted with anger and pain.
She'd been sitting here for hours.
Waiting for him to come home.
Waiting to see if he'd tell her the truth.
Or if he'd lie.
The front door opened at six-thirty.
Jack stepped inside, calling out, "Leena? You home?"
She didn't respond.
He moved through the house, his footsteps echoing in the silence. When he reached the living room, he stopped.
"Leena? Why are you sitting in the dark?"
She still didn't speak.
Jack flipped on the light, and his eyes found hers.
For a moment, they just stared at each other.
Then Leena picked up her phone and held it out.
"Explain," she said quietly.
Jack's face went pale.
"Leena—"
"Explain." Her voice was flat. Empty. "Explain what you did last night."
Jack's mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"I—" He swallowed hard. "How did you—"
"Rider sent it to me." Leena's hand didn't waver. "A video. Of you and Hela. Fucking in a hotel room."
Jack's legs seemed to give out. He sank onto the couch, his head in his hands.
"Leena, I'm so sorry. I—"
"You were SO angry with me," Leena interrupted, her voice rising. "You said I betrayed you. That I broke our vows. That I humiliated you."
"I know—"
"And then you did the same thing." Leena stood, her entire body shaking. "You fucked her, Jack. You let Rider's girlfriend film it. You became exactly what you accused me of being."
"I was drunk," Jack said desperately. "I was hurt and angry and Hela—she manipulated me. She showed me photos of you and Rider and I just—I snapped."
"So did I!" Leena's voice cracked. "I snapped too, Jack! I made a mistake and I've been trying to fix it ever since. I apologized. I begged for your forgiveness. And you—"
She couldn't finish.
The words caught in her throat, choking her.
Jack looked up at her, his eyes red. "I don't know what I was thinking. I just wanted to hurt you the way you hurt me."
"Well, congratulations." Leena's laugh was bitter. "You succeeded."
"Leena, please—"
"Did it feel good?" she asked suddenly. "Getting even? Did it make the pain go away?"
Jack shook his head. "No. It made it worse."
"Good." Leena sat back down, her energy draining away. "Because now we're both cheaters. Now we're both liars. Now we're both exactly what we accused each other of being."
They sat in silence for a long moment.
Finally, Jack spoke. "What do we do now?"
Leena didn't answer right away.
She stared at the phone in her hand, at the frozen image of Jack's face.
What do we do now?
She didn't know.
All she knew was that their marriage was broken. Shattered into pieces so small she wasn't sure they could ever be put back together.
But she also knew she wasn't ready to give up.
Not yet.
"I don't know," she said finally. "But we need to figure it out."