My Husband's Brother is my Lover

Monique Castaneda gently slowed her car as her cellphone's ringtone chimed, reaching out to the dashboard to check the caller ID. A warm smile illuminated her face as she discovered that it was her boyfriend, Joshua, on the other end of the line.

She couldn't help but experience a surge of happiness; this was simply how things felt when one was in love. Monique felt a bit like a teenager, her cheeks flushed as she answered Joshua's call.

"Hello, babe," she greeted him, using their affectionate term for one another. Even though he couldn't see her, she couldn't help but smile. She was just so elated that Joshua had called.

"Hi there, babe," he responded sweetly.

As she listened to his voice, she bit her lower lip. "Hmm... was there a specific reason for your call?" she inquired, sensing a hint of something amiss.

"Well, I called to let you know that we have to cancel our dinner plans for tonight," he regretfully explained.

"Oh," she replied, attempting to conceal the disappointment in her voice at the mention of their canceled dinner date. She had eagerly anticipated their evening out, even going as far as closing her Pet Shop early to have extra time to prepare.

Earlier, she had declined her friends' invitation to join them, despite being their first choice. She had explained to them why she couldn't make it, enduring their teasing with a good-natured spirit. Her friends had understood, their long-standing friendship allowing her to discern when their jests were lighthearted.

"I'm sorry, babe," Joshua apologised. "Mom discovered that my brother is in town for three days, and she wants me to accompany her on a visit," he elaborated on the reason for their cancelled dinner plans.

"Your twin brother, Jacob, is here?" she asked in surprise. Joshua's twin brother, Jacob, had seldom visited Chicago during the three years of their relationship because he ran a business in New York.

Despite his business' success, he remained a workaholic. Joshua had mentioned that Jacob had become a billionaire. Whenever Jacob returned to Chicago, he would still inform his family that he couldn't spend much time with them due to work commitments.

Joshua and Jacob were identical twins, and her boyfriend was indeed correct. When Monique saw a picture of Jacob, she initially mistook him for Joshua because of their strikingly similar facial features. They were spitting images of each other, and it was fortunate that Joshua's family had no trouble telling them apart, or Monique would have had a difficult time herself.

"Yes, he's here," Joshua replied to her question. "Mom was actually upset because Jacob had been in Chicago for three days already, but no one had informed her. If Mom hadn't called him, he wouldn't have let us know he was already here," Joshua added.

Monique was about to speak when she witnessed a motorcycle crash beside her, swerving to avoid the car in front of it.

"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed after witnessing the incident.

"Monique, what happened?" she heard Joshua's concerned voice from the other end of the line. Even though she couldn't see him, she could sense his worry in his voice, imagining the concern on his face.

"There's been an accident," she replied, her gaze fixed on the fallen motorcycle and the rider attempting to get up from the crash.

"Oh," Joshua uttered from the other end of the line.

Taking a deep breath, Monique continued, "I'll call you later, babe. I just want to see if I can help with the accident." Her natural inclination to assist in such situations compelled her.

"Okay. Be careful," Joshua said. "Call me if there's a problem," he added.

She nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Okay. I love you," she said.

Without waiting for Joshua's response, she ended the call and removed her Bluetooth headset from her ear. She pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the engine. In haste, she exited the car to assist the man involved in the accident, who was still trying to stand up. He seemed to be in pain, a detail not lost on Monique. As she approached, she immediately placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He froze momentarily as her touch made contact.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her tone filled with concern. Though he wore a helmet, he looked up at her face with dark eyes fixed on her. "Are you alright?" she repeated the question when he didn't respond immediately. She couldn't help but feel a bit nervous, fearing that he might be seriously injured since he hadn't answered.

"I'm okay," he replied in a deep voice, relieving Monique with his assurance.

She glanced down at his arm and gasped upon spotting a sizable gash with blood seeping out. "No, you're not okay," she stated, her brows knitting in concern. Annoyance crept in as well; 'if he truly was okay, he wouldn't have a bleeding wound. Sometimes, men could be so stubborn, refusing to admit they were hurt, which didn't in any way diminish their masculinity.' She took a deep breath and gently placed her hand on his waist, noticing his momentary freeze but paying it little mind. In that moment, her sole focus was on providing first aid for the gash on his arm.

"We need to treat your wounds to prevent infection," she said with a stern tone, not waiting for his response. She guided one of his hands to rest on her shoulder and helped him to her car. Opening the back seat, she assisted him in sitting down. "Stay here. I'll get something from my car. I'll be right back," she assured him before hurrying to the driver's seat of her car to retrieve her first aid kit. Upon her return, she noticed him struggling to remove his helmet, wincing from the pain in his arm. Her eyes widened when she finally caught sight of his face as he removed the helmet.

Initially, she had mistaken him for Joshua because the man standing before her bore a striking resemblance to her boyfriend. If not for the stubble around his jawline, she could have easily mistaken him for him. Her boyfriend maintained a neat appearance and disliked any trace of stubble on his face.

Then it clicked; Joshua had mentioned that his twin brother, Jacob, had come to town. The man before her had to be Jacob. Monique's gaze left him only when she saw him examining his injured arm, a reminder that she needed to attend to that wound.

She let out a deep breath, retrieved her first aid kit, and placed it on her thigh before opening it. With utmost care, she extracted the necessary supplies for cleaning the wound.

"Does it hurt?" she asked as she gently dabbed the alcohol-soaked cotton ball onto his wound.

"No," he replied in a deep baritone voice.

Monique looked up at him and was surprised to find him gazing intently at her. She unconsciously bit her lower lip, which was a mistake as his gaze shifted to her lips. Quickly stopping herself, she averted her eyes from him and concentrated on tending to his wounds. She still felt the warmth of his gaze but tried to ignore it, feeling a sense of awkwardness from his intense stare. She considered addressing it but decided against it, allowing him to continue looking at her while she focused on applying first aid to his arm. Whenever she sensed him wincing in pain, she paused in her ministrations and sometimes blew gently on the wound to alleviate the sting. Before long, she finished treating his injuries.

"I'm done," she announced as she lightly patted the gauze she had placed on his wound. Glancing up at him, she noticed a peculiar expression on his face when he smiled back, but she couldn't quite decipher its meaning, so she let it go. "Be careful while driving next time to avoid accidents. Safety first; you don't want to get hurt again," she advised, a habit she had with Joshua whenever he was driving.

He nodded in response. "Thanks," he replied, his voice resonating deeply.

She couldn't help but study his face once more. He really resembled Joshua. At that moment, she briefly considered introducing herself as Joshua's girlfriend to him but chose to remain silent. 'Joshua could handle the introductions himself.' She thought to herself.

He stood up, picked up his helmet, and placed it on his head. Then he mounted his motorcycle. Before starting the bike, he looked at her one last time. She raised a hand to wave goodbye, and he nodded before revving up the motorcycle. A beep of the horn signaled his departure, and she watched his figure retreat until he disappeared from her view.

When he was completely out of sight, she got into her car and drove away, contemplating what to do now that her evening plans had been canceled.

Upon entering the bar, Monique was immediately greeted by the cacophonous blend of music and the exuberant shouts of revelers on the dance floor. The flashing lights added to the sensory spectacle. Undeterred, she carefully surveyed the bar's interior, searching for Amy and her group of friends.

A warm smile illuminated her face as she spotted her friends gathered in a corner. It appeared they had been patiently awaiting her arrival, as she was the only missing piece of the puzzle. With all of them present, Monique could already anticipate the impending scolding from Amy for her tardiness. She was prepared with a retort to match her friend's lecture.

With her dinner date with Joshua canceled, Monique had decided to join her friends instead. Her condo held little allure at the moment, so she opted for a night out with them. She had attempted to reach Joshua by phone to inform him of her change in plans, but his number remained unanswered, suggesting he was preoccupied. Consequently, she opted for a text message to apprise him of her intentions, knowing he would read it at his earliest convenience. Although she had considered informing him about her encounter with his twin brother, Jacob, and the witnessed accident, she decided to save the discussion for an in-person meeting. By now, the twins were likely together, which had prompted Joshua to cancel their date. Monique couldn't help but hold Jacob partly responsible for the dinner date's cancellation; if only he communicated his presence to his family earlier, Mom wouldn't have insisted on Joshua visiting him.

Despite the absence of a reply from Joshua, Monique pressed on with her plans, confident that he wouldn't impede her choices. It was one of the qualities she cherished in him – he never smothered her, granting her the freedom to pursue her desires. In turn, she placed her complete trust in him. This mutual trust was a cornerstone of their enduring relationship.

She continued her stride until she reached the table where her friends were seated. "I apologize for being late, everyone," she offered to her friends, who had turned their attention toward her. She followed her words with a bright smile and took an empty seat beside Amy.

"I was starting to lose hope you'd make it. You're half an hour late," Amy remarked, her gaze fixed on Monique.

"Oh, sorry. I had to freshen up and change my clothes after getting back home." Monique explained. "And on top of that, I ran into some unexpected traffic on my way here, which slowed me down even more. It was quite frustrating." She pursed her lips before grinning.

"I thought your dinner date with Joshua went ahead as planned," Amy asked.

"Well, as they say, assumptions have caused many a downfall," Monique quipped with a chuckle.

Amy responded with an amused grin, grabbing a bottle of beer and offering it to Monique. "Here," she said, passing the bottle. "We've been waiting for you, and we've already polished off two bottles."

"Thanks," Monique replied as she accepted the bottle from Amy's outstretched hand, savoring the bitterness as it coursed down her throat with a sip.

"Excuse me, everyone."

Monique turned her attention to their friend Tameka, who had just spoken up and garnered the group's focus. She couldn't help but notice the sweet smile gracing Tameka's lips.

"Now that Monique is here, I have an announcement to make," Tameka continued a moment later, and Monique detected a glimmer in her eyes as she spoke.

Judging by her friend's demeanor, it seemed like she had some exciting news to share.

"What's the announcement?" Amy inquired, their curiosity collectively piqued.

All eyes were on Tameka, eagerly awaiting her revelation.

Tameka offered a sweet smile and then raised her hand, wiggling her fingers as if to draw their attention. They shifted their focus to her hand, particularly her fingers, where they spotted a gleaming one-carat diamond ring adorning her ring finger. "I'm getting married!" she declared, her smile radiating all the way to her eyes.

"Oh, my god."

"Oh!"

"Wow!"

Their responses were nearly simultaneous, each friend reacting differently to her announcement. However, their underlying sentiment was one of genuine happiness, as Tameka and Gavin had been together for just two years but were already planning to tie the knot.

They had all observed the deep love between the couple. Gavin's affection for Tameka was unmistakable whenever they were in each other's company.

"Congratulations, Tameka," Monique chimed in with a warm smile. "I'm genuinely thrilled for you," she added, her happiness evident.

The other friends also offered their heartfelt congratulations to Tameka. Some inquired about the wedding date, and Tameka promptly shared the details.

Later, Monique felt a nudge from Amy. "What's up?" she asked, glancing at her friend.

Amy raised an eyebrow and gave her a sly smile, a playful grin dancing on her lips. "And what about you?"

Monique furrowed her brow slightly. "What do you mean?" she asked, puzzled by Amy's line of questioning.

"When is the wedding between you and Joshua happening?" Amy inquired with an arched eyebrow.

Monique wrinkled her nose in response. "Well, he hasn't even proposed to me yet," she admitted.

Amy leaned in closer, her voice lowered to a whisper. "If he hasn't popped the question yet, take the initiative. Why don't you propose to him? It's becoming a trend for women to be the ones to propose," she suggested with a mischievous grin. "Just to shake things up a bit," she added.

Monique smiled and chuckled in response to Amy's suggestion. However, she had no intention of being the one to propose to her boyfriend. She wanted Joshua to be the one to take that step, to kneel and ask for her hand willingly.

Her desire was for his proposal to be heartfelt, not born out of pressure. She believed that marriage was a significant commitment that required careful consideration. As many would say, it was not something to be entered into lightly and abandoned when things got tough. It was a lifelong commitment, and she believed it should be approached with caution.

Truth be told, when the moment arrived and Joshua invited her to marry him, her answer would be a resounding 'Yes'. She was more than ready to take that step. Now at the age of twenty-seven, her ideal age for marriage had been twenty-five, so she felt her dream had been delayed by two years.

She picked up her beer bottle and drained it, then looked up as a waiter approached their table.

The waiter seemed to have something to convey to her, as his gaze remained fixed on her. "Yes?" she prompted him.

"Good evening, Ma'am," he greeted with a smile, then presented her with a glass containing a margarita. "This is from someone," he informed her a moment later.

Out of politeness, she accepted the drink. "Who's it from?" she inquired.

"The gentleman seated in front of the bar counter," he responded, gesturing in that direction. Monique followed his indication and squinted to get a better look. She couldn't help but widen her eyes when she identified the man – it was Joshua's twin brother.

'Was it truly Joshua's twin who had sent the drink?'

Their eyes locked, and he raised his wine glass in acknowledgment. It seemed her assumption was accurate; he was indeed the sender.

"Is that Joshua?" Amy questioned moments later, curious about what Monique had noticed.

Monique redirected her gaze from the man and focused on Amy. "No, that's Jacob, Joshua's twin brother," she clarified to her friend.

"He really looks exactly like Joshua," Amy remarked.

Monique nodded in agreement. The resemblance between the two was striking. "They're identical twins," she reiterated before turning her attention back to the waiter.

"Please tell him thank you," she instructed, lifting the glass of margarita.

"Of course, Ma'am," the waiter replied before departing from their table.

When Monique glanced toward the bar counter once more, she noticed that Jacob was still looking in her direction.

She simply shrugged and averted her gaze from him.

"Let's go, Monique," Amy urged, tugging Monique toward the pulsating dance floor where their friends were energetically moving to the music. While they had initially agreed to dance, they had somehow found themselves back at their table. However, after a little while, Amy noticed their friends thoroughly enjoying themselves on the dance floor and extended an invitation to Monique. It was evident that their friends were having a fantastic night out, unlike her.

"Enjoy the moment, Monique. Dance like there's no tomorrow," Amy encouraged with a smile, matching the music's rhythm as they made their way to the dance floor, where some of their friends were already dancing. A few of them seemed a bit tipsy, their flushed cheeks a telltale sign. Monique, on the other hand, refrained from drinking too much, as she had taken on the role of designated driver after this partying.

This was a common practice for them; whenever they went out drinking, one or two would abstain from alcohol or limit their intake to ensure not everyone got inebriated. It was essential to have a sober member to guarantee their safety and prevent accidents. A designated driver was crucial for a safe ride home.

However, Monique wasn't being a party pooper. She danced with gusto, following the rhythm of the music, and joined in the cheers of the ecstatic crowd on the dance floor. She had to admit that she was enjoying herself; it had been a while since she'd gone out with friends.

They moved in harmony with the lively music on the dance floor, matching the beat and the enthusiasm of the revelers. Monique was genuinely having a great time.

But her enjoyment was suddenly interrupted when she felt someone bump into her from behind. Initially dismissing it as an accident due to the crowded dance floor, she was about to let it slide. However, she abruptly felt a hand brushing against her thigh.

"What the hell?!" Monique exclaimed as she quickly turned around to confront the person who had acted so rudely. She couldn't help but widen her eyes in disbelief.

Standing behind her was a man with a flushed face and bloodshot eyes, obviously heavily intoxicated. Even in his drunk state, he had no right to inappropriately touch her. He grinned as their eyes locked, appearing oblivious to the disrespect he had displayed.

"You jerk!" she hissed in anger at his actions, her teeth gritted. She raised her hand, to throw a resounding slap for the blatant disrespect he had shown her. Not even Joshua had dared to cross such boundaries with her, and this man had the audacity to touch her like that.

Monique observed the immediate hush that fell upon the surrounding dancers as she slapped the rude man. Even her friends came to a standstill, focusing their attention to the unfolding scene. It seemed like everyone was now completely concentrating on their confrontation.

She also saw the guy she had slapped giving her an angry look, clearly indicating that he didn't appreciate what she did. She didn't back down, still stewing with anger about his inappropriate behavior. Slapping him was her way of reacting to his unwelcome advances, in a straightforward manner.

When she retaliated, he immediately grabbed his burning cheek. "You bitch!" he exclaimed, feeling furious as his anger swelled. His hand started to rise, ready to slap back.

Tears filled Monique's eyes, and she shut them tightly, bracing herself for what would happen next. She heard a sharp breath, expecting any possible response.

As moments passed, she waited for his hand to strike, but it never did. Slowly, she opened her eyes to find the man's hand suspended mid-air, halted by another hand holding it back. She noted the powerful arm that was keeping his hand at bay, observing the bulging veins and taut muscles.

"Are you gay?" A deep baritone voice resonated beside her. Monique gasped, turning toward the speaker, only to find Jacob there. It was his hand that had prevented the rude man from striking her. His expression remained devoid of emotion.

"Gay, huh?" the rude man taunted, his arrogance unabated. "Let's see who's the gay one here," he declared with a smirk, lifting his hand once more to strike Jacob. However, Jacob swiftly countered, blocking the punch with his free hand and twisting the man's wrist.

The man winced in pain, attempting to wrestle free from Jacob's firm grip, but Jacob held steady. Monique watched in amazement, feeling as though she were witnessing a martial arts exhibition. The rude man struggled in vain, unable to break free from Jacob's unyielding grasp.

Soon, a man and a couple of bouncers from the bar approached them. It appeared they had noticed the commotion on the dance floor and decided to intervene. "What's going on here?" The man inquired, scanning Jacob and the rude man, awaiting an explanation.

Monique took a deep breath to regain her composure following the incident. "That guy disrespected me and nearly harmed me," she responded, stepping forward to address the bouncer's query.

Jacob glanced toward the tall figure beside him. "Make sure he's banned, Dustin. I don't want this jerk ever setting foot here again," he said through clenched teeth, his jaw visibly tense.

"Got it, buddy," Dustin replied. It was clear that he and Jacob were acquainted.

Dustin signalled the bouncer, instructing him to escort the rude man off the premises.

"Yes, Sir," the two bouncers responded in unison. The bouncer then took hold of the rude man to carry out the order.

"We're not finished! You'll regret this!" the rude man threatened Jacob as he was escorted out. His shouts could still be heard even as he was removed.

Jacob paid no attention to the empty threats, shifting his focus to Monique. "Are you okay?" he inquired, his eyebrows still slightly furrowed, but his concern evident in his eyes.

She nodded in response. "Y-yes. Th-thank you for saving me," she stammered. She was appreciative that he had been there to rescue her from the rude man; otherwise, she might have suffered harm.

Jacob released a deep breath, and the concern in his eyes receded, replaced by an impassive expression. Monique couldn't help but notice how quickly his demeanor shifted; one moment, he appeared genuinely worried, and the next, he exuded composure. "Next time, drink in moderation, and try to avoid crowded areas on the dance floor. There are a lot of jerks here," he offered some advice, his tone solemn. Monique understood that his words weren't just directed at her but also at her friend who had been by her side on the dance floor, both of whom had been observing the exchange.

She briefly nibbled on her lower lip, as if about to respond, but he abruptly turned away and strode off the dance floor.

Monique trailed her gaze after him until he vanished from her sight.

Shortly thereafter, she shifted her attention as she caught Amy's concerned voice.

"Are you okay, Monique?" Amy inquired, her friends all focusing their attention on her, awaiting her response.

"I'm fine," she assured them.

Amy let out a sigh of relief, and then they collectively decided to depart from the venue.