Page 19 of Unfaithful

I was running on adrenaline and fury now. I didn't allow myself to hesitate.

"Honey, can you get that?" I heard Elsa's voice faintly from the inside.

I heard footsteps approaching and held my breath.

A few tense seconds passed before the door finally swung open.

Cole stood there, frozen. The color drained from his face as if he'd seen a ghost, his breath coming out in short, panicked exhales.

"Sara," he rasped.

As if on cue, Elsa emerged from the back of the house, calling, "Who is it, honey?"

She stood across the room, her eyes wide as she stared at me, her baby bump unmistakable. The oversized T-shirt she wore barely covered her legs. The color drained from her face, just as it had from his.

I let out a bitter, shaking breath.

That was it. The ultimate confirmation. There was nothing left for Cole to say, nothing to explain.

"Fuck you. Both of you," I hissed, my voice laced with venom.

But the bastard had the audacity to speak. "Sara, please, let's talk. I will explain everything."

I looked up at him—at his pretty face. The face I had kissed a million times. The face I had once believed only I kissed.

Now, that same face stared back at me, wrecked with pure, raw devastation.

My rage boiled over, scorching every inch of my skin like fire.

And what I did next shocked everyone. Including myself.

I drew my arm back and slapped him. Hard.

The sharp crack echoed through the room, his head snapping to the side.

"Sara," Cole gasped, his hand flying to his reddened cheek.

I pulled my arm back again, ready to land another blow.

But Cole recovered fast. Too fast. Before I could move, his hand shot out, closing around my arm in a tight grip and locking me in his embrace.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in my ear, his voice trembling. He was crying. I could feel his tears, warm against my cheek. "I'm so, so sorry."

His entire body shook, even more than mine. Desperation clung to every word as he clutched me like a lifeline.

"I love you. Please... forgive me. I'm so fucking sorry."

My body was too weak to break free from his tight embrace, but my voice, my mind, my heart—those remained unshaken, solid as stone.

"I can't," I said. My voice was steadier than I thought it could be. "I can't, and I will not forgive you."

"Fuck, Sara," he sobbed. "I'm begging you. Forgive me. Please."

"Let me go, Cole." I pushed against him, but he was too big, too strong, too desperate to let me go. "Your fucking girlfriend is watching."

He took a deep, shaky breath. "I know I don't deserve you. Nothing I say can undo what I did. You trusted me, and I threw it away like it meant nothing when it meant everything. I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't even deserve for you to look at me. But I need you to know that I hate myself for hurting you. Every single day, I wake up wishing I could take it back. I don't want anyone else. I never did. I was just a coward. And I'll spend my whole life paying for that, but please, sweetheart, I love you. Give me another chance."

I scoffed at his words.

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