Forced Sin Behind His Betrayal

My husband Ethan and I both cheated. The difference was, his was by choice. Mine was not.

After the intimate photos of him and his mistress Zoe went public, he got me drunk, stripped me bare, and had me placed in a stranger's bed in all kinds of degrading positions all just to photograph me in a compromising situation.

Afterward, I scrubbed my body over and over until my skin bled.

Ethan offered his helpless explanation:

"I didn't have a choice. Zoe comes from a strict family. She can't handle being called a homewrecker she'll do something drastic."

I laughed coldly.

"So you had someone violate me, spread my photos everywhere, just to protect her reputation?"

The online hate came at me like a tidal wave.

My only living family, my grandfather, suffered a heart attack from the shock and was rushed into emergency care.

Ethan kept pushing.

"All you have to do is tell the media we've been living separately, that you've already moved on with someone new. Then I'll make sure your grandfather gets the best care."

For Grandpa's sake, I had no choice but to hold the press conference he demanded.

"Mr. Hayes was not unfaithful. He and I have been separated for quite some time."

Seeing how cooperative I was, Ethan softened.

He stood in the shadows, Zoe already safely tucked away somewhere.

He made me a promise.

"Just this once. I swear. This whole thing happened so fast, I just "

I looked at him, my voice catching in my throat.

"How could you do this to me?"

Ethan froze for a moment, then rushed to explain.

"Don't be scared. That man didn't actually touch you. It was just photos."

I dug my nails hard into my palm.

"If I were your mistress, would you let Zoe be photographed like that to protect me? Would you agree to that?"

Ethan looked away.

"I don't know. She's different from you."

Right. Whether I was his wife or his side piece, I was never the priority.

A single tear slid down my face. I pushed him out the door.

Disgusting.

Ethan and I had been childhood sweethearts, two families perfectly matched. Everyone called us the ideal couple. After the wedding, we really were happy for a while.

Until he started cheating.

He always kept it quiet. He only ever vented to me in private.

"We all keep things discreet. It won't affect your standing. No one outside will think less of you."

In our world, people understood that romance wasn't the most important thing.

I had loved him. I had been angry. I had made scenes.

I even thought about doing something drastic the kind of thing desperate girls do when they're falling apart.

But the way I was raised stopped me every time.

I chose to look the other way.

What I never expected was that my tolerance only gave them room to hurt me more.

Grandpa must have been devastated to end up in the hospital.

Ethan remembered how Zoe couldn't handle being provoked, but he forgot that the old man who'd loved him like a grandson had a bad heart and couldn't handle the shock either.

I pressed my nails into my palm.

I let myself feel the pain for a few seconds. Then I pulled myself together.

It's just a divorce.

Nothing I can't handle.

I went to find Ethan at his office.

The place was buzzing. Half the staff were falling over themselves trying to get close to Zoe.

Ethan pulled me into his office.

When he saw the divorce papers in my hand, he looked mildly annoyed.

"There's no need to go that far. The online drama will blow over."

He and Zoe were already openly flaunting their relationship in public now.

They walked hand in hand a real couple, a devoted pair.

Word was that Ethan had even taken Zoe home to meet his family. After everything they'd been through, they were finally living their happy ending.

I bit down hard on my lip. Grandpa had been in the hospital, and Ethan hadn't shown up once.

I wasn't angry for my own sake. I was angry for Grandpa. He'd always treated Ethan like his own grandson.

Whenever Ethan and I fought, Grandpa would look for ways it was my fault and put in a good word for him.

"Sophie," he used to tell me, "Grandpa knows you're strong and sharp but sometimes in love, men don't like that. You have to bend a little."

Grandpa was old-fashioned. He believed that as long as a woman was gentle and willing to compromise, a marriage would hold together.

But Grandpa didn't know that not every man was as loyal as he was. And not every woman's sacrifices got repaid.

Ethan had given up on this marriage a long time ago. My tolerance had only earned me more humiliation.

I handed him the pen anyway.

"Do you think people online are that naive? A real divorce on paper actually shuts up the skeptics. I don't want Grandpa to wake up and deal with more drama."

Zoe chimed in.

"Sophie has a point."

Ethan's expression eased.

"Once things settle down, we can remarry. I've told you your position won't change. You'll always be the lady of this house."

I gave him a small smile and said nothing.

I didn't want the position anyway.

I'd never raised divorce before because our two families' companies had been deeply intertwined. But over the years, I'd quietly been untangling those ties. The connection had grown thinner and thinner.

All thanks to Ethan.

Once, to get back at me on Zoe's behalf, he'd torpedoed a startup subsidiary I'd just launched. All because I'd cancelled one of my own credit cards which had accidentally left Zoe unable to pay at a department store and embarrassed in front of everyone.

Without asking a single question, Ethan leaked confidential information about my company.

He lounged back in his chair without a care.

"Sophie, you were the one who pulled that dirty move and humiliated Zoe. Besides, it's all jointly owned everything tied to my company is mine to deal with however I want."

My company folded.

A full year of work. Gone.

A whole office full of deflated employees who'd poured everything into something that ended like this.

I was furious. I slapped him across the face.

"I didn't do anything. What kind of person are you? What am I supposed to tell my employees? Do you have any idea how much time and effort goes into R&D?"

Ethan didn't listen. His eyes were fixed on Zoe, standing there teary-eyed.

He even used financial leverage to squeeze Grandpa's company, trying to force me into apologizing to Zoe.

I was terrified of it affecting Grandpa, so I swallowed my pride and went to Zoe with an apology I didn't mean.

Afterward, Ethan found out it had all been a misunderstanding he was the one who'd taken my card and given it to Zoe. I had only cancelled my own card.

He came to apologize. He even wanted to celebrate our anniversary.

"I didn't realize I'd grabbed the wrong card. As for the company I'll make it up to you. But you never explained yourself clearly either."

I almost laughed. He hadn't listened when I tried. But sure, it was my fault for not explaining.

The anniversary didn't happen, of course. Because Zoe had a headache.

From that point on, I separated every single one of my assets from Ethan.

After we filed the divorce application, Zoe tugged at Ethan's arm.

"Let's register ours too. You promised me."

Ethan kept glancing at my face. When he saw I stayed completely calm, something in his expression soured though maybe I imagined it. He pulled Zoe along and left.

That evening, I went back to the hospital, and Grandpa woke up.

He was urgent to get answers.

"Did you actually cheat?"

I wiped his face with a damp cloth and set the record straight.

"No. We'd been separated for a long time. Neither of us cheated in the traditional sense."

Grandpa couldn't wrap his head around it.

"How is that possible? You two were so perfect together. Just a while ago you were talking about giving me a grandchild."

He picked up his cup and set it down hard on the table.

"Tell me the truth. How did two good people end up like this?"

My eyes stung. I admitted everything.

When Grandpa saw how hard I was holding myself together, something in his face shifted. He sighed again and again.

"All right. I rarely see you like this. You've grown up. This isn't something an old man can sort out for you anymore."

I finally let out a breath.

As long as Grandpa was at peace with it, I could move forward.

He had always placed so much hope in Ethan. Of everyone in the world, Grandpa had wanted most for us to stay together.

Ethan arrived too he'd been standing in the doorway and heard those words. He stopped walking.

I didn't want him upsetting Grandpa, so I quickly steered him into the room next door.

He lowered his head.

"You know, you could have told your grandfather the truth. You didn't need to protect my reputation. Sophie, we were great partners but that kind of love just wasn't there anymore. Your grandfather was right about you. You always led with your head."

I nodded at the second part. He wasn't wrong.

As for the first I smiled, and said nothing. I hadn't told the truth to protect him. I'd done it because I didn't want Grandpa hurting himself with guilt.

Because Grandpa had always believed so strongly in Ethan. He'd been the one who pushed us together.

Just as we were talking, a sharp scream rang out from Grandpa's room.

"Don't hit me! I just came to see how you're doing!"

It was Zoe's voice followed by the sound of Grandpa coughing violently.

"Who said you could come here "

My heart leaped into my throat. I ran back to the room.

Grandpa had dropped something on the floor. He was coughing hard, one hand pointing at Zoe.

"Get out! You lying girl!"

Zoe pressed a hand to her face and collapsed into Ethan's arms.

Grandpa was already coughing up blood. He pointed at them both, then slowly lost consciousness.

I was terrified. I called for the nurses and they rushed Grandpa back into emergency care.

Outside the room, Ethan turned on me.

"Grandpa had no right to put his hands on her. Look at what he did to Zoe. No matter how angry he was, he can't just hit people and she came here with good intentions "

He kept going, and my patience snapped.

"Enough. I'm going to get to the bottom of this, and whatever she did, she's going to answer for it."

I stared at Zoe with a hatred I could barely contain.

Ethan stepped between us.

"Sophie, this is on Grandpa "

He kept listing Grandpa's faults, not caring about the truth, until a doctor stepped out and cut him off.

"Is the family here?"

I stepped forward. The doctor handed me a critical condition notice. I felt something inside me give way completely.

I shoved past Ethan and went straight for Zoe.

"What did you say to him? What did you say to my grandfather?"

Ethan grabbed me and slammed me hard against the wall. My back hit the plaster with a crack.

"Sophie, stop trying to pin this on Zoe. She came here with good intentions. She didn't do anything."

Tears streamed down my face. Ethan's expression flickered.

Something inside me had gone cold and still.

I glared at them both.

"You'll regret this."

I was going to find out the truth. Grandpa deserved justice.

There were security cameras in the hospital room, but Zoe had deliberately positioned herself to block every angle. Only her back was visible on the footage close to him, whispering something.

Then Grandpa erupted. He coughed up blood.

Zoe's explanation came quickly.

"I only told him to take care of himself. I have no idea why he suddenly struck me. I'm the one who should be upset here."

What a flimsy story. Full of holes.

I didn't believe it for a second. Grandpa would never do something like that without reason.

Zoe had said something. I was certain.

I grabbed her.

"What did you say to him? Who gave you permission to visit my grandfather? Who do you think you are?"

She pressed her lips together in a practiced pout, but her eyes were full of open defiance.

Grandpa was my only family. I couldn't hold back anymore. I grabbed her and slapped her hard across the face.

Zoe hadn't expected me to actually hit her. She shrieked.

The two of us ended up brawling in a corner of the hospital hallway. She was no match for me I'd already left scratches across her face.

The noise drew a crowd.

Ethan finally yanked my arm and pulled us apart. In the heat of the moment, he raised his hand and slapped me.

"What is wrong with you? You're acting like a maniac."

The tears came despite everything.

I had spent my whole life holding myself to a certain standard. I didn't want to fall apart in public. But that was my grandfather in there.

I couldn't be rational about this.

It was the first time Ethan had ever seen me like this. He tried to play the peacemaker.

"Let's all calm down. No more fighting."

I stared at him in disbelief, my voice going sharp.

"Ethan, don't you forget my grandfather saved your life once."

Zoe was still seething.

"She attacked me. How is this okay?"

Ethan slipped Zoe a black credit card as some kind of compensation.

Then he turned to me, and for once, there was something like guilt in his eyes.

"Zoe showing up unannounced was wrong. But she didn't mean any harm, and you left her in this state. As for your grandfather I'll make it up to you later."

"But I will not allow you to interrogate Zoe like this. You have no proof she did anything wrong."

I stumbled back a few steps, my cheek burning.

"Ethan, the biggest regret of my life is ever meeting you."

I would find the proof. I had just let my guard down today.

I never imagined Zoe would be shameless enough to go after Grandpa.

Ethan's expression darkened.

The next second, he got a slap of his own.

My face was not something anyone got to hit for free.

At that exact moment, a nurse came running down the hall.

"Family of the patient? He's asking for you. Please, come quickly."