Chapter 5 5

Isabella

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. "Look, it's not a big deal. It's just sex."

"Just sex," I echoed. "So if I'd been fucking some random guy this whole time, you'd be totally fine with it?"

"That's different."

"How? How is that different?"

"You're a woman," he said, as if that explained everything.

I stared at him, momentarily speechless. "Wow. Just... wow."

"Come on, Isabella. It's not like you were a virgin when we met. You slept with plenty of guys before me, and I never asked about it."

My jaw dropped. "Are you fucking serious right now? That was before we met! Before we agreed to be exclusive! There's a massive difference between having a past and actively cheating!"

Alex rolled his eyes. "Don't be so dramatic."

"Dramatic?" I stepped closer, jabbing a finger into his chest. "You've been sticking your dick in another woman while telling me I'm the only one. That's not dramatic, that's fucking facts."

"Look, men have needs-"

"Oh my god, stop talking." I covered my ears for a second before dropping my hands. "Did you seriously just use the 'men have needs' excuse?"

He checked his watch again, clearly impatient. "We can discuss this later. I have to go."

"To see her? Is that where you're really going?"

"I told you I'm meeting Mark."

"Bullshit." I grabbed my phone from the counter and started gathering my things. "I can't do this. We're done."

His expression changed, alarm replacing the dismissive look. "Wait, what? Are you breaking up with me? Just like that?"

"Just like that?" I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. "You've been fucking another woman for months, Alex. What did you expect?"

"I expected you to be mature about this," he said, following me as I moved toward the bedroom to collect my overnight bag. "Most women understand that guys sometimes need variety."

I spun around, nearly causing him to crash into me. "Most women? How many others have you cheated on?"

He had the decency to look away.

"Jesus Christ." I pushed past him into the bedroom and yanked my bag from the closet. "You're unbelievable."

"Isabella, come on." His tone softened, becoming the smooth, seductive voice I'd fallen for. "What we have is special. Don't throw it away over something so trivial."

I shoved my clothes into the bag, not bothering to fold them. "You think betraying my trust is trivial?"

"It was just physical. It didn't mean anything."

"It means something to me!" I zipped the bag closed with more force than necessary. "I trusted you. I gave you everything – my body, my heart, my fucking time. And all along, you were sharing your cock with someone else."

"That's crude."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Is my language offending your delicate sensibilities? The same sensibilities that had you telling Sarah you wanted to fuck her tight ass?"

His eyes widened. "You read all of that?"

"Enough to know you're a lying piece of shit." I grabbed my toiletries from the bathroom and stuffed them into a side pocket.

Alex followed me, leaning against the doorframe. "Look, I'm sorry you found out like this. But if you think about it rationally-"

I slammed my makeup bag down on the counter. "There's nothing rational about cheating, Alex. It's selfish and cowardly."

"I didn't want to hurt you."

"Well, congratulations on failing spectacularly at that." I brushed past him, bag in hand, heading for the door.

He moved quickly, positioning himself between me and the exit. "Isabella, please. Let's talk about this."

"We just did. Now move."

"Baby, come on." He reached for my face, but I jerked away. "I love you. Sarah means nothing to me."

"Does she know that? Because from those messages, it seems like you two are pretty fucking cozy."

"It's just sex," he insisted. "What we have is real."

"Had," I corrected. "What we had is over."

I tried to step around him, but he grabbed my arm. "Don't leave like this."

"Let go of me."

"Not until you calm down and listen."

I yanked my arm free. "I don't need to calm down. I need to get away from you."

"You're overreacting!" His voice rose. "It was just a fucking side piece. Men cheat, Isabella. It's what we do. It doesn't mean I don't love you."

"That's your justification? 'Men cheat'? Well, this woman doesn't accept that bullshit." I shoved past him, finally reaching the door. "And for the record, that 'side piece' can have you. I hope your dick falls off."

"Where are you going to go?" he called after me as I stepped into the hallway. "Half your stuff is here!"

"I'll send someone for it," I shot back, jabbing the elevator button repeatedly.

He followed me into the hallway, wearing his dress pants and unbuttoned shirt. "You're making a mistake. No one's going to treat you as well as I do."

The elevator arrived with a soft ding. I stepped inside, turning to face him. "If this is your idea of treating someone well, I'd rather be alone."

"Isabella-"

"Fuck you, Alex Turner."

The doors closed on his frustrated face, and I leaned against the elevator wall, finally letting the tears come. The penthouse grew smaller as the elevator descended, taking me away from the man I thought I loved and the life I'd foolishly built around him.

By the time I reached the lobby, I'd wiped away my tears and straightened my shoulders. The doorman gave me a concerned look as I marched across the marble floor, sunglasses now hiding my red eyes.

"Everything alright, Ms. Carter?" he asked.

"Never better, Frank," I lied, pushing through the revolving door into the bright Los Angeles morning.

The sunshine felt like a mockery of my mood, but I welcomed its warmth as I hailed a cab. As the yellow car pulled up to the curb, my phone buzzed with a text from Alex:

You're making a huge mistake. Come back, and we can work this out.

I deleted it without responding and slid into the backseat of the cab.

As the cab pulled away from Alex's building, I felt a strange mixture of heartbreak and relief. The man I thought I knew had never existed, and the relationship I'd invested in had been built on lies.

But at least now I knew the truth.