Pressing her lips together tightly, Giselle's face showed a deep frown and she threw Ian an uncertain glance. Her eyes focused on the glass in her hand. She noticed it was shaking slightly. Her hands were trembling and suddenly her palms became sweaty, just as her heart pounded in her ears. Slowly her hands led the glass to her lips and a sip ran into her mouth. It tasted like ash tray mixed with cinnamon. When she swallowed, it burned her throat. Seconds later a pleasant warmth spread through her stomach and her facial muscles relaxed out of the grimace.

"Right. You want to know about her", Giselle thought out loud. Then she sighed and tilted her head up towards the window, while leaning the back of it against the wall.

She began her story.

"Remember the day she stood in front of our door, drenched and cold? You went to bed and we talked for a long time. Something was off about her, she was nice and kind...", her gaze trailed off to the side and when she noticed how her memory made her drift, she looked at Ian, who just sat there, expressionless.

After taking another sip, Giselle's hands stopped trembling and she went on, "When you went to poker night, we had a lot to drink. We ended up snuggling on the sofa, watching Goblet of Fire together. Annie likes girls, and while you don't see me jumping at the chance to be with a girl, you know that I find them not repulsive or anything. Anyway, she kissed me. And I got swept away, I was horny and we fucked. And when...". Ian interrupted her, glaring at her, "Giselle, are you serious? You fucked our neighbor while I was out playing cards?".

Giselle chewed on her lower lip, trying to meet his gaze, but it was hard. It had been only half of the story. Half of what had happened. To tell the whole truth, it would devastate him and her, leave the relationship in ruins and finally mean admitting the truth to herself. After setting the glass next to her, she smoothed her pajama pants. Her wound still hurt when her fingers graced it. Another sigh escaped her and her stare was fixed on the darkening sky outside. The little daylight left, it would soon be gone and leave them in darkness.

Stolen novel; please report.

With lips pressed into a thin line, Giselle finally looked at Ian. Despite the emotional moment, her eyes didn't water up. It was a clean stare at him. Then she nodded, "Yeah, I did. Classic drama story, ain't it? And after we were done and the alcohol started to fade a little, we talked. I didn't want to have an affair. I wanted to have a friend. And once she understood that, we sort of were okay. By that time it was probably already dawning and I just passed out on her sofa".

Ian shook his head. He emptied his glass and poured himself another one. "Fuck, Giselle, what were you thinking?", he exclaimed, a sad undertone in his voice. She had no answer. So she shrugged and admitted, "I wasn't thinking at all, I was drunk". His head sunk into his palms after downing the whole glass in a single gulp. Then she could see his hands clench into fists. The angry husband look didn't quite suit him. He rarely ended up angry. And the face he exposed to her scared her, it made her flinch. "You think I'm going to hit you? It's like you don't know me at all!", he yelled at her all of a sudden.

That's when Giselle's resolve broke and tears formed in her eyes. They rolled down her cheeks and dropped down from her chin. "No, I don't know you anymore. You lied to me, too. And you drank too much and now you are angry. I don't know you angry!", her voice was a whimper. When his fist hit the cabinet door next to him, she jumped in surprise and fear. Yet she didn't dare leave. If she ran away now, she feared her relationship was done for and he'd drink even more. Not only did he get exposed by his ex today, she also hurt him. In addition to him, she also hurt herself by withholding some details on her relationship with Annie, but that was a judgment call. One she had to accept now and move with forward with the consequences.

To her surprise, his expression and body language softened and he said coldly, "I'm going to bed. Please sleep on the couch today. On our couch, not hers. Tomorrow we can sit down and see what we're going to do about us". Without a second thought, Giselle nodded and said, "I'll be here when you wake".