After a long afternoon of grocery shopping, Charlotte finally arrived home, arms laden with bags filled with essentials and a few indulgences. Her mind was already drifting toward a hot cup of tea and a quiet evening when she heard it—an odd sound coming from inside the house.
Her heart gave a small, startled jolt. She paused, listening intently. It was faint at first, like a soft moaning followed by a whisper of words. Pushing aside the unease and the sadness that already enveloped her, Charlotte tried not to think about the very possible reality. As she approached the door, the sounds grew clearer. There was an unmistakable rhythm to them now, like hushed whispers mingling with soft footsteps. She forced herself to breathe slowly, refusing to let her imagination run wild.
Step by deliberate step, Charlotte moved closer. When she reached the door, her hand hesitated on the handle. Who could it be? She couldn't ignore the possibility, yet she couldn't bring herself to back away either.
With a steadying breath, she opened the door slowly, and the blood drained from her face as she stared at what was before her. Her husband was with a red-haired woman on their matrimonial bed, the woman's clothes were off as he leaned close, kissing her roughly and cupping her breast with his hand. The woman begged him to insert himself into her as she moaned in pleasure.
He bent her roughly and slid into her, pumping hard. The woman's moans grew louder, making the pit of Charlotte's stomach churn in irritation. She couldn't believe her eyes, nor could she believe this was happening. She knew her husband didn't love her, but she hadn't expected him to do something as brazen as this. It was obvious he didn't care if she was standing by the door, watching him with another woman.
They continued their lustful act as Charlotte's heart hammered painfully against her rib cage. The air was thick with heat and sweat, and they both looked happy. Her face felt hot too, and she closed her eyes, taking several long, slow deep breaths.
Even though she didn't love him, she couldn't stand there and watch him getting intimate with another woman. The sight churned something deep within her, an unexpected mix of anger and disgust as she decided to go in and stop them, to put an end to the sordid display.
Just as she took a step forward, Charlotte felt a sudden, sharp yank on her hair. Pain shot through her scalp, and she stumbled backward as she was pulled by the hair down the passageway and into an enclosed room. She winced, struggling to keep her balance and composure.
Turning to see who had done this to her, she was met with a stinging slap across her face. Her head snapped to the side, and for a moment, she was too shocked to react. When she managed to look up, her eyes met the sharp, unforgiving gaze of her mother-in-law.
The older woman's eyes were cold, and her expression was one of pure disdain. "What do you think you're doing, Charlotte?" she hissed, her voice dripping with venom as she peered into Charlotte's eyes with disgust.
Charlotte blinked, trying to process the sudden shift from anger to fear. "I... I was just—"