Mistress In My Closet

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My husband kept a mistress in the walk-in closet.

Every night, shed creep out after midnight, giggling, and slink onto the bed.

Two bodies, unrestrained in the darkness.

I, the oblivious wife sleeping beside them, would occasionally cough.

Instead of being deterred, Callan Ashford found it exhilarating. The thrill of the forbidden would send shivers through him, pushing him trembling toward his peak.

Afterward, my so-called best friend, Blair, would dig her heel viciously into my face.

Look at her, shed sneer, her voice low and venomous. She sleeps like a tranquilized hog.

I doubt shed wake up if the roof caved in.

But thank God for her little problem, or we wouldnt be able to have our nightly fun, would we?

Callan, spent and gasping, would mumble, Adora is a good girl, a placid little wife. Not like youyoure a fever dream, a goddamn siren. Youre endless.

Then, they would start all over again.

I lay facing the wall, a quiet, chilling smile spreading across my lips in the pitch black.

The pale, ghostly blue light of the monitor screen reflected off my face.

I pulled my arms tighter across my chest, watching Callan, a primal, rutting beast, straining and grinning in excitement.

Sweat slicked the two writhing bodies.

My own lips curled upward in a slow, uncontrollable arc. My body was shaking slightly, not from fear, but from a surge of heady, victorious adrenaline.

I snapped the laptop shut.

Turning to the mirror, I studied the woman staring back: dressed in soft, unassuming silks, utterly without pretense or attack. I spoke quietly, barely a whisper.

Perfect. The game is finally on.

Five years of playing the placid wife. Id say Ive played the role long enough.

The next moment, I couldnt help but laugh. I wasnt the only one whod been acting, was I?

It was incredible. The man who projected such an image of gentle composure and steady temperthe distinguished Callan Ashfordhad this subterranean side.

Cheating on me with my best friend was one thing. But to sneak her into my house and hide her in the walk-in closet? To exploit my infamous ability to sleep through a hurricanemy deep, near-comatose sleep cyclejust to release her onto my marital bed, right next to me?

And hed kept this sick little charade going for a month.

If I hadnt feigned sleep that nightif I hadnt actually bought him a surprise anniversary gift to celebrate our fifth year and then overheard those noisesI would have remained the perfect fool.

It was too rich.

He craved this furtive thrill, this lick of honey from a knifes edge. The more dangerous the risk, the more satisfied he felt.

He had concealed it so well over the years. Honestly, hed genuinely impressed me.

My phone vibrated. A text from Blair:

Tell me what you think of this bangle?

The accompanying photo showed a high-carat opal bangle, its surface glowing with rich color, encircling a slender wrist. It rested casually against a man's forearm. Near the crook of the thumb was a tiny, almost invisible black mole.

It was Callans hand.

A mocking smile touched my mouth. So, she couldnt hide it anymore. Was this her subtle little provocation?

I tapped the screen, typing cheerfully:

Gorgeous color! Must have cost a fortune?

Blair replied instantly:

Its a newly-excavated, intensely colored opal. The auction houses were fighting over it, but he loved it, paid triple the asking price, and had it cut for me on the spot.

Based on the clarity of the stone, the uncut gem would have been worth well over three million. Triple...

I clicked my tongue, a pang of calculated disdain. The most expensive gift Callan had ever given me was a ten-thousand-dollar branded broochand that was just a required purchase to access something else at the boutique.

Yet, Blair had acquired this in a matter of weeks. Clearly, Callan was obsessed with her.

I didnt know how shed stumbled upon his forbidden kink, but her approachlowering her standards to meet his perverse needswas undeniably clever.

It made me recall a scene from years ago.

I was in my tiny rental, meticulously going through the dossiers of various eligible bachelors from prominent families, choosing a suitable husband.

Then, I saw his file, and a shudder ran through me.

His mother died giving birth to him, leading to cold neglect from his father. He was constantly undermined by his two older brothers, which fostered a personality defined by deep reserve, extreme caution, and profound cunning. The family had repeatedly instilled the belief that he was responsible for his mothers death, making him instinctively averse to childbirth and childrenyet, he also harbored a deep, desperate longing for maternal comfort and tenderness.

His history guaranteed he would guard himself against everyone. Even his wife would not necessarily be privy to his wealth.

Since I was kicked out of my stepmothers house at fifteen and forced to survive on my own, I knew one truth: nothing in this world is reliable except the money you hold in your hand.

Callan was high-difficulty. He wasn't the most suitable choice.

But I liked a challenge. Easy wins had no flavor. Hard bone was worth the satisfying crunch.

The process of securing him was arduous.

He liked a blank slate. So I bleached myself into a virgin canvas. He liked the soft, flowing nature of water. I presented myself in the most gentle and agreeable manner every single time.

It took painstaking effort, but I finally became Mrs. Ashford.

I thought I knew him.

I was wrong. My best friend understood him better.

But

I walked barefoot to the liquor cabinet and poured myself a glass of whiskey. The amber liquid swirled, mirroring the subtle, devious light in my eyes.

Darling, Im the one playing the long game.

You want to replace me as Mrs. Ashford.

But that title? Thats not what I care about at all.

I shot a reply back to Blair: He sounds like a keeper. I approve, sis.

Then, I snapped a photo of the pre-prepared pregnancy test results and posted it to my private social media.

Caption:

An angel is on the way.

The next morning, I deleted a text message that read, Grandma is fading fast. Maybe two weeks at most.

I looked up to see Callan, who had just rushed back on a redeye flight.

He was haggard, but his eyes held a layer of terrifying, chilling malice.

What the hell is this? How are you pregnant?

I pretended not to notice the fresh hickey he hadnt bothered to cover on his neck.

I gave a flawless performance of bewildered innocence and terror.

I I dont know, honey. I just started feeling nauseous and unwell, so I went for a check-up I truly dont know how this happened

Stop acting! What did you do to sabotage our agreement?

He lunged forward, gripping my wrist so tightly I nearly cried out.

Blair, whod followed him in, rushed to restrain him.

Callan! Dont you dare! This is your wife! Even if she went against your solemn childfree pactlook, a woman needs security, doesnt she? Even if her motives are selfish, its because she loves you too much, not because shes cheating!

Callan shot her a look, took a deep breath, yanked off his tie, and sat down hard on the sofa.

Blair rushed to hand me a glass of water.

Adora, as a woman, I understand your need for security. But from Callans perspective, hes being forced to accept this. Isnt that unfair?

And you told me yourselves, Callan always uses protection, right? So, how did you how did you get pregnant?

Callans head snapped up. His eyes were dangerously dark.

Blair picked up the results again, examining them closely. She murmured, Seven weeks. That means two months ago Hmm. The timing seems off. I recall Callan was overseas meeting clients that whole period, wasnt he?

Callan sprang to his feet, enraged.

Aha! I get it now! Adora Bellwether! No wonder youre pregnant! You found yourself another man outside!

My heart gave a practiced jolt. My eyes immediately filled with tears.

Callan Ashford! What are you saying? Five years of marriage! Dont you know what kind of person I am? How can you accuse me of that?

He looked at my tear-streaked, pitiful face. His brow twitched.

He was starting to realize that for five years, my life had revolved entirely around him. Apart from my friendship with Blair, I had no social life. I was the perfect, standard-issue trophy wife and homemaker.

This kind of woman was like a perfectly trained dog. Give her a bone, and shed wag her tail for life. How could she possibly have the guts to carry another man's bastard?

His expression softened slightly. But then Blair cried out, Oh!

Two months ago I think I remember It was pouring rain that night. I dropped Adora off, and as I walked away, I saw a man waiting for her near the lobby. Adora looked really nervous and rushed me away

She suddenly covered her mouth, looking at me with feigned anxiety. Adora, I didnt mean anything by it! Im just worried about you both!

Ah, the scent of fresh, high-grade petticoat poison.

I had to clench my palms until my fingernails dug in to keep myself from bursting out laughing.

Callans face, however, went utterly slate-gray after hearing Blairs words.

He reached out, seizing my jaw with his large hand, his entire body radiating cold fury.

Adora Bellwether, who was the man?

Look at my devoted husband.

No matter how filthy his own actions, he couldnt tolerate even the suggestion of disloyalty from his wife. How ridiculously predictable.

A flash of malice crossed Blairs eyes, though her tone remained frantic.

Callan, dont get worked up. Lets talk this through calmly Adora, please, just explain it to him.

I laughed suddenly, but the tears flowed in earnest this time.

Callan Ashford, you still doubt me, dont you?

He grabbed my shoulders, squeezing so hard he nearly crushed my bones.

Doubt? Are you saying Blair is lying?

He turned to Blair, his voice involuntarily softening. Blair, tell me, what else did they do that day?

Blair glanced at me in apparent distress, then stammered, Well, she was holding an umbrella for him, and they spoke for a while then the man followed Adora into the building Oh!

Before she could finish, she let out a shriek and stumbled backward. Her lower back slammed heavily against the staircase railing. As she fell, she grabbed my dress, making it look as though I had shoved her.

Blair!

Callan shoved me aside without thought. I lost my balance, my head hitting the cold, hard wall with a muffled groan.

Callan rushed past me, carefully helping Blair up. The woman leaned into his chest, tears streaming down her face.

Adora, why did you push me? Is it because you think Im a bad friend for telling the truth? But this pregnancy is suspicious. Callan is your husband. He has a right to know the truth

He helped Blair to sit safely aside, then slowly turned and walked toward me. The rage in his eyes threatened to incinerate me.

Adora Bellwether, you commit a disgusting act, and then you try to hurt an innocent person?

Before I could even process his movement, he clamped his hand around the back of my neck, slamming me against the wall again.

Tell me! Whose bastard is this?

I didn't struggle. I just closed my eyes, letting the tears fall freely.

Just as his hand drew back, ready to strike my stomach with devastating force, the housekeeper, Mr. Davies, rushed into the living room with a woman in tow.

Mr. Ashford, this is Mrs. Chen, the cleaning lady from the community. She insisted on thanking the Mistress.

The middle-aged woman, with short hair and a broad, sturdy build, bowed deeply to me, tears in her eyes.

Mrs. Ashford, thank God. After two months of treatment, my son is finally improving. I had to come and thank you.

If you hadnt told me to wait for you by the door that night, and given me that money for the hospital bills, I honestly might have lost him I would have buried my own child. Mrs. Ashford, you are a saint! I can never repay your kindness

She broke down into sobs, quickly wiping her eyes before offering him a few boxes.

Mr. Ashford, you were away last time. I remember the Mistress saying you love tea. These are some simple leaves from my hometown. Its a small gift, please accept it.

Callan froze, his gaze snapping back to me.

Blairs face drained of color.

I spoke calmly. Mrs. Chen, I only did what I could. Please dont be so formal.

Then I looked deeply into Callans eyes. My gaze was one of icy calm.

You can call Dr. Albright and ask if the embryo implantation date is subject to variation. A few days margin is perfectly normal. If you still dont believe me, we can go right now. Amniocentesis, DNA test, whatever you want.

I turned to walk away, but my body swayed. I quickly grabbed the wall for support.

Callan looked at my ashen face, then at the genuinely distraught Mrs. Chen. His suspicion immediately evaporated.

Before he could speak, Blair, who had been frozen in shock, quickly recovered.

Callan, I knew Adora loved you too much to ever cheat! But still Adora, you shouldnt have used a trick to get pregnant and break the agreement you made with Callan! You were only thinking of securing him with a child. Why weren't you thinking about your husband?

Callans face went instantly dark.

Thats right! I will not be having this child! Go to the hospital immediately while its still early and terminate it, or else

The phone in his pocket suddenly rang, cutting him off.

Hello?

You said what?

I pretended not to notice the flicker of utter astonishment in his eyes, lowering my head to wipe the last tears from my cheek.

The next second, he scooped me up into the air.

Wife! You are absolutely incredible!

A sudden, earth-shattering shift in fortune.

The Ashford Patriarch had just made a declaration: he had three sons, and the one who gave him the first grandson would inherit the family's control.

Five years married to Callan, I knew how brutal the struggle was between the three brothers. And now, I had effortlessly handed him the key to crush his siblings.

No matter how much he hated children, he wouldn't turn down this opportunity.

Watching the excited, avaricious gleam in his eyes, I smiled internally.

The so-called famous Clairvoyant was just a con man. Years ago, after Callan had him brutally beaten and left for dead, I had saved him. He proved surprisingly loyal and thrived in his new profession.

All it took was a few well-placed suggestions to the ailing Patriarch about the family's "lineage stability" and "destiny tied to the first heir" to make him believe that only by handing the entire Ashford legacy to the first grandson could the family's prosperity be ensured.

Blair was stunned. The venom in her eyes was now undisguised, like a cold needle aimed directly at me.

I walked silently back to the room.

I didnt turn on the light.

The cruel, pleased curve of my lips finally unfolded in the total darkness.

Blair and I were truly kindred spirits. Both of us, once we decided on a course of action, would pursue it to the bitter end.

Three years ago, she engineered a chance encounter while I was grocery shopping, eventually becoming my one and only, my very best sister-friend.

She waited three full years. She finally discovered Callans weakness, and finally secured her secret relationship with him. Her tenacity was, I admit, impressive.

But the moment I first saw her, I knew exactly what she was after.

I guessed that the day she started catering to Callan's perversion, hiding in the closet, she began planning how to usurp my place entirely.

So, I deliberately allowed her to witness me meeting a vaguely defined "man."

It was all for the sake of the theatrical performance Id watched unfold today.

Life is too tedious. One must find ways to entertain oneself.

A week later, at the Ashford Family Manor.

Dr. Albright moved the cold ultrasound wand from my abdomen without looking up.

Eight weeks. The heartbeat is strong. Congratulations.

His single sentence immediately changed the complexion of every face in the room.

The Ashford Patriarch was ecstatic.

The elder brother, Garrett, and the second brother, Preston, frowned deeply. Their wives faces were tight with jealousy.

The Patriarch raised a hand. Mr. Davies immediately produced a file and three sets of keys.

Adora, these City View condos are now in your name. They are a family safeguard for you. And this offshore trust fund has been transferred to your account. You rest well and care for the child. Once the baby is born there will naturally be more.

The Patriarch didnt finish the sentence, but everyone understood the implication.

After the others departed, their faces a mixture of emotions, Callan took an envelope from his suit pocket and handed it to me.

This card is for you, Wife. Spend whatever you want. Dont deprive yourself or the child.

In five years of marriage, this was the first money he had given me outside of my monthly household allowance. It was a start.

But

I curled my trembling fingers around the card.

I looked at the envelopes and the legal documents.

What was this? In the Ashford family's vast financial empire, this was less than a crumb. It didn't even cover the edges.

Not enough. Far from enough.

I put on a performance of being still deeply affected by the accusations from a few days ago. I moved away, avoiding his attempt to touch me.

You go home first. I need to walk alone for a while.

By the entrance, I ran into Dr. Albright, who was leaving.

I gave him a polite smile.

He reacted as if hed seen a ghost, quickly turning and walking away.

I clicked my tongue in displeasure. All I did was discover that his academically brilliant son, who was about to go overseas for research, was involved in serious academic plagiarism. So I asked him to casually misrepresent my examination results to buy me a few days of time.

Was that so much to ask?

That afternoon, I arrived at a suburban coffee shop.

Blair was waiting for me in a corner. Her perfectly made-up face looked stressed.

Did the Patriarch really say that whoever produces the first grandson gets control of the whole corporation?

I covered my mouth, my shoulders shaking, tears rolling down my cheeks.

Yes, Blair, he did. He only agreed to keep the child because of the leverage it gives him in the family succession If it werent for that, he wouldnt even look at my stomach

I sobbed, almost suffocating, then coughed.

But out of the corner of my eye, I clearly saw a calculated glint ignite in Blairs eyes.

Adora, stop crying. Its bad for the baby Listen to me. Now that youre pregnant, no matter the reason, Callan has to treat his own flesh and blood well, and he has to treat you well! Dont worry, Ill help you protect that baby.

I raised my tear-filled eyes, looking at her with manufactured gratitude.

Blair, youre so good to me.

She smoothed the stray hair back from my ear and gave me a sweet smile.

Of course. Were the very best of friends, aren't we?

My gaze settled on our clasped hands. My lowered lashes concealed the cold detachment in my eyes.

Yes, Blair. We are the best of friends.

And only you deserve to be my opponent.

That same evening, Blair moved into our home, claiming I was too emotional and needed company.

Every night, in the deepest hours, the two of them resumed their routines.

And now, they were no longer satisfied with waiting until I was asleep.

Id be cooking soup in the kitchen, and Callan would have Blair pressed against the bathroom wall. Id be reading in the study, and hed be pulling Blairs hair right outside the door, his eyes locked on the sliver of light beneath it.

I repeatedly replayed the surveillance footage, scrutinizing his face after each release. A cold smirk played on my lips.

Callan was already getting bored with these amateur theatrics.

He was addicted to the thrill of theft. He only became excited when he was close to total destruction.

Simply being caught by his wife no longer satisfied his palate.

Human desire, once awakened and left unchecked, only grows larger.

The next day, news came from the Ashford Manor.

The 90-year-old Ashford Family Matriarch had passed away.

Three days earlier than I had anticipated.

Given the circumstances, the funeral rites had to be perfectly orchestrated.

I, who hadn't spoken to Callan in days, took the initiative to break the silence.

Lets go. We should see Grandmother off.

Blair suddenly interjected.

Callan, Adora is pregnant. A funeral might be too uncomfortable for her. Plus, theres the vigil, the kneeling, the crying. What if she has a miscarriage? Why dont I go with you both? I can help look after Adora.

I turned, addressing her with an unprecedented iciness.

Blair, this is Ashford family business. What are you doing there as an outsider? Are you vying for the role of the Ashford Third Granddaughter-in-law, hoping to kneel and mourn for Grandmother in my place?

Her eyes immediately filled with wounded tears.

Adora! Why would you say that? I just wanted to help!

Seeing her distress, Callan quickly spoke up.

Youve accompanied Adora to visit Grandmother before. She was fond of you. Its not inappropriate for you to see her off. You can come with us.

He turned a cold gaze on me.

Blair used to spend time with Grandmother, talking poetry and literature, keeping the old woman happy. Grandmother used to quietly nag me about her, saying she was graceful, educated, and far better than my always-dull wife. She even asked why I didnt marry her instead.

Since Grandmother liked Blair so much, her soul will be happier to see Blair at her send-off. Its certainly preferable to seeing you.

An undeniable look of triumph flashed across Blairs face.

I lowered my head, a faint, bitter smile on my lips, and didn't argue. I replied softly, Fine. As you wish.

Callan continued, Is the Shroud of Passage ready?

According to Ashford tradition, the youngest granddaughter-in-law must personally drape the deceased with the Shroud of Passage, symbolizing peace on the journey to the afterlife.

I pointed to the purple sandalwood box by the door.

Grandmother wasnt well for a while, so it was prepared long ago.

Good. Lets go.

Watching their backs, I sighed softly.

Grandmother.

I warned them, but they wouldn't listen.

The stage is set. The actors are about to make their entrance.

A funeral. A wake. Relatives. A lover in a figure-hugging black dress. Ultimate danger. Ultimate sacrilege. Ultimate transgression.

It is the very scenario your grandson craves most.

If he does anything highly disrespectful to your memory later, please try to be tolerant.