Ep 5: The Fall

Day Two – The Fall

Dacora winced as she shifted under the sheets, her body sore from the night before—but not unpleasantly. She turned her head to see Niel sleeping beside her, his features relaxed, almost peaceful. It was strange, seeing him this way. Vulnerable. Human.

She smiled faintly.

Carefully, she slid out of bed, padded across the cold floor, and slipped into her own room. She ran a warm bath, easing into the water with a soft sigh as the soreness settled into comfort. Her fingers trailed lazy circles along the surface.

Last night.

His lips.

His voice.

The way he touched her like she mattered.

She felt something flutter in her chest. For the first time in years, she felt like a wife. Like his wife.

After her bath, she wrapped herself in a robe and headed downstairs, ready to continue her promise—to cook, to show him she meant every word.

But the sharp chime of the doorbell stopped her in her tracks.

She paused, her hand halfway to the kitchen light switch.

Footsteps creaked above—Niel was waking too.

The bell rang again.

She frowned and opened the door.

Her heart dropped.

Sabrina. Shawn.

Both smiling too brightly, too confidently.

"Dacora," Shawn said, stepping forward before she could react. He hugged her tightly. She froze.

"You weren’t answering my calls. No texts. Nothing," he added, pulling back just enough to study her face. "We almost couldn’t sleep last night."

Sabrina chimed in smoothly, "We were so worried."

She was too stunned to speak. She opened her mouth, but before she could even utter a word, Shawn leaned in and kissed her—soft, possessive—his hand trailing to her waist.

Her eyes widened in horror.

Footsteps. Heavy, slow. Behind them.

Niel.

She could feel his presence before she saw him. His shadow stretched across the marble floor. Cold. Heavy.

Shawn pulled away, smirking.

She turned just in time to see Niel standing halfway down the staircase, expression unreadable. But his eyes—his eyes had turned to ice.

"I should’ve known," he said flatly.

Dacora’s breath caught. "Niel—no—this isn’t what it looks like."

He didn’t say another word. He turned and began ascending the stairs again.

"No, please—" she slammed the door on Shawn and Sabrina without a second glance, the sound echoing through the house.

They were stunned outside. But she didn’t care.

She ran after Niel, up the stairs, catching him just as he reached his bedroom.

"Niel, please! Let me explain—he kissed me, I didn’t—"

"You’re unbelievable," he snapped, whipping around. His voice cracked with something she hadn't heard before—rage.

"You come crawling back. You make promises. You sleep with me. And all this time, you were still seeing him?"

She shook her head, tears welling. "No! I wasn’t! That wasn’t planned—I didn’t even know they were coming. I didn’t even—"

"You let him touch you!" he roared. "You stood there and let him put his hands on you! You let him kiss you!"

"I didn’t!" she shouted, her voice cracking. "I froze! I was shocked—"

Niel’s chest rose and fell as he inhaled sharply, then exhaled slowly.

Then, coldly:

"I should’ve known it was all part of the act. Get out of my room."

She flinched as though he’d slapped her.

"Niel…"

He didn’t even look at her.

He turned, walked into his bathroom, and shut the door behind him.

The sound of the door closing was quieter than a shout—but it hit harder.

Dacora stood there, shattered, the silence screaming around her.

And then the tears came—hot and helpless—as she turned and walked out of the room.

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