After the Cheating and Thrill-Seeking

When Adrian Cozner went to a get-together with his fiancée and her friends, Lacey Mirren excused herself, saying she had something to take care of.

Two hours passed. She still hadn't come back.

Just as he was about to get up and look for her, he overheard her close friends mocking him in Portuguese.

"This dumbass doesn't even know he's been cheated on."

"Right about now, Lacey and Kevin are probably going at it."

"Lacey said Adrian isn't as hung as Kevin. They've been childhood sweethearts. This poor idiot—ha, look at him, we're talking crap right in front of him, and he has no idea. So pathetic."

Adrian had just started to stand up, but his body froze, his mind going blank.

Right then, Lacey pushed through the door, face flushed, completely satisfied, sweat still glistening on her skin.

"Haha, how was it? Isn't sneaking around a thrill? You're something else."

"Absolutely. Couldn't get enough."

Kevin followed close behind, throwing an arm over Lacey's shoulder in that casual, buddy-buddy way.

Only then did Adrian notice the hickeys scattered across Lacey's neck. He sank back onto the couch, dazed, hit by a hollow ache.

But her friends were feeling cheeky, grilling Lacey in Portuguese for all the dirty details.

Maybe it was guilt, but Lacey instinctively shoved Kevin's hand away and glanced at Adrian. She walked over and sat down next to him.

"Hey, why so jumpy? He doesn't understand Portuguese. If it were English or French, then you'd have something to worry about."

"No way he'd understand. Right, ladies? Ha ha!"

"You guys are awful—piling on Adrian like that."

Hearing her friends' reassurance, Lacey finally relaxed.

She smiled and gave Adrian a quick peck on the lips. "Adrian, don't mind us, okay? We all grew up in the same town, so we always slip into Portuguese at these get-togethers. It's just a habit."

Behind his calm mask, he clenched his fists. What they didn't know was that before he changed his nationality, his family registration had been the same as Lacey's—same hometown, same dialect.

When he didn't respond, they assumed he didn't care, and the teasing resumed.

"Lacey, be honest—is Kevin bigger than him? I've got money riding on this."

Lacey replied, "Definitely."

"Look at that satisfied little face. You're living the dream."

"God, this is so messed up — and so damn hot! Who knew Portuguese would come in this handy?"

"Just look at that idiot, sitting there all pathetic, not understanding a word."

Kevin shot him a silent, contemptuous look, then mouthed, "Hey, why don't you just marry me instead? Forget about him."

Lacey laughed, reaching over to massage Adrian's shoulder as she sneered, "Marry you? Not a chance. I know the difference between reality and desire. You're just a hookup — someone to give my body a thrill, a little excitement, a release in bed. The one I love is Adrian. Can you put me first in everything? Spoil me? Treat me like a princess? No way. You've got a temper. Only Adrian can do that. When I'm sick with a fever, one phone call scares him all the way back from overseas."

Hearing her bring up old memories, he felt no warmth — only a rising fury. He had given her everything. Loved her so deeply. And she had still betrayed him.

"Shit, I forgot to use a condom. What if you get pregnant?"

"Damn it, how dare you. Go get me the morning-after pill. Now."

"Heh, how about we send Adrian to buy it? If we're gonna play, let's play all the way."

"You…"

Kevin picked up his wine glass, downed it in one gulp, and shrugged — no driving after drinking.