Before He Cheats

Chapter 22

Jenna POV:

Matthew couldn't bear the thought of losing his ex-wife, especially after he cheated on her. His desperation to cling to her baffled me; he was like a clown begging for attention. But despite all that, I loved him. And love meant standing by his side, even through his pathetic displays.

I secretly hoped Vanessa had found someone new. I wanted to avoid being around him if he ever discovered my lie. My hope was that he'd never find out. My deception was sneaky, designed to keep me out of trouble.

"But you would, and you did. Don't call me a liar, you cheater." I spat, throwing his infidelity in his face.

"Where did you see them?" Damn it.

"At a restaurant."

"Which one?" I cursed again silently.

His curiosity was unnecessary; Vanessa being with someone else had no relevance to him. She was as single as a crisp dollar bill last time I checked, just like Matthew.

"Rusty's." Matthew frequented that place, making it a likely spot for him to take Vanessa.

Meaning that it is a place she would likely visit. It was somewhere I hoped to go with him one day.

"I still don't believe you." He retorted, seething with anger and jealousy. But he had no right to feel that way.

"You don't have to." I shrugged, feigning indifference. "I saw them clear as day."

His trust in Vanessa was faltering due to my words, planting seeds of doubt in his mind. He was worried that someone else might be in the picture.

"She would never. Don't lie about her!" Matthew's intensity increased as he moved closer.

"I'm not." I argued, hands on my hips.

His jealous tendencies were undeniable. He trusted her now, but my words made him uneasy. He was afraid someone else might take his place.

I understood his reaction all too well. I felt the same way when Vanessa's name came up. She had the power to steal him away, even with a child in the mix. But she wouldn't. And that gave me some solace, although my chest still burned with an unfading heat.

It was for the best if Vanessa found someone new. That way, she'd never be able to take Matthew away from me, even if he found out the truth.

"You're lying!" I was, but he didn't need to know that.

He knew she was gone for good, but he still held on. He regretted everything.

"I know what I saw. They held hands and kissed." I insisted, trying to sound convincing.

"Stop lying about my wife! Your words don't match her character." He defended her, rooted in his newfound trust.

But it wasn't always that way. I reminded him that he hadn't always trusted her as he should have, that he wasn't the flawless husband he claimed to be.

"She wasn't cheating, and she'd never do something like that. My mistrust led to my biggest mistake." he stated, staring at me pointedly. "It's my fault. I disrespected our marriage."

"Don't put this on me! I'm not a mistake! Our baby isn't a mistake." I yelled, frustrated by his lingering attachment to Vanessa.

"You are! My decision remains the same. I don't want you, and you're not moving into the house that belongs to me and my wife." His tone remained stern.

"Your ex-wife. You're not married to her anymore, you asshole." I retorted. Didn't he understand that Vanessa didn't want him anymore, and I wanted everything he had?