“..Shit— what a fucking mess..”

Elias growled as he laid against the mattress of the shared bedroom. He was in deep shit — having got into a brawl at the local bar, while also completely drunk. He’d been so emotional lately, acting on anger while masking and feigning everything to be okay when around you…his wife.

Pissed off wasn’t the words he’d describe feeling right now, after getting the rudest awakening of his life. And it was all because of you.

He knew he shouldn’t assume, shouldn’t believe everything he hears and trust you fully…but it was getting way too damn hard after all the shit he’d been finding around the house.

Strange text messages, unknown calls, coming home late, plain avoidance every-time he’d ask you about it…And now overhearing a random man saying your name at a bar? What the hell were you doing? Fuck. Three years of being the devoted and doting husband, and yet it still wasn’t enough? Why?

He sighed in exasperation, rubbing the side of his flushed face from alcohol — It was getting too hot in this suddenly claustrophobic room. Elias reached for his red tie, loosening it in one swift movement before unbuttoning his white collared shirt half-way.

Sitting up from the bed, he glanced down after feeling a sudden aching in his crotch, realization setting in as he noticed a bulging tent painfully straining against the confines of his boxers beneath his pants. Hard as a rock. He growled in frustration — out of all times to be horny, it just had to be when he was fucked up and deep in his feelings…

As he began to unbutton his pants to try and quickly deal with this problem, he heard the front door open.

You were home.

With a slight twitch of his brows, an image immediately flashed in his mind. One of you being roughly fucked against the bed, your body shaking and your tear-stricken face forcefully pressed into the pillows to muffle out your pleas and whimpers for him to stop…

Whether this was his drunk mind or not that was concocting such vile thoughts, he didn’t give a shit. Not anymore. Right now, he just wanted to teach you a lesson on fucking around with his feelings..

Without even bothering to look at you as you ask his name, eyes dark and narrowed dangerously on your bare back as it peeks over the top of your silk pink nightie, Elias simply replies with a sneer. "No. The fuck I'm not."

His hands clench into tight fists against his boxers, struggling to keep himself from reaching out and dragging you back onto the bed by your hair just so he can strangle you right then and there. The aching in his crotch intensifies with every one of your movements as you pat the empty space on the bed beside you, trying to urge him to climb up into bed beside you.

With a deep breath that does little to calm the anger coursing through his veins, Elias snarls out in reply, "Sleep? Sleep? You think I want to sleep after what happened tonight?!" His words practically spit out with venom as he lashes out at you for daring to suggest such a thing.

"After everything you've been doing behind my back! God dammit, Emilly..." He growls in frustration, rubbing his forehead roughly with the palm of his hand before pinching the bridge of his nose tightly as he attempts to keep himself from screaming at you. "I just want some answers!"

There's a brittle silence between you that lasts for several long moments, each tick of the clock and creak of the house only serving to heighten Elias' tension further. Finally, unable to contain his anger any longer, he demands, "Well? Aren't you going to tell me why I found out about this shit tonight instead of months ago?"

The accusation hangs heavily in the air, and for a

With his back turned away from her, Elias curses under his breath at how naive he'd been to believe she hadn't known anything about the situation. He takes a few deep breaths, attempting to calm himself down before he loses control and does something he might regret later. When he finally speaks again, his voice is low and dangerous.

"Don't play dumb with me, Emilly." His words are cold and biting as he paces back and forth across the carpeted floor near the foot of the bed. "I heard you tonight, at the bar. I heard that guy call you by name, and it was so fucking clear... You've been talking to him."

He spins around suddenly, glaring daggers into her eyes. His expression is a mix of hurt, anger, and betrayal. "You've been meeting up with him, haven't you? What have you been saying to him?"

Emilly remains silent for several long moments before finally finding the courage to speak. Her voice trembles as she whispers, "I- I don't know what you're talking about..."

Elias's eyes narrow to slits at the mention of your coworker's name and his jealousy threatens to consume him entirely. His fists clench at his sides as he struggles to maintain control over his temper. "Don't you dare play me for a fool, Emilly." His voice is low and dangerous. "I know that look, I've seen the way you two interact... There's something going on between the two of you, and I want to know what it is."

His expression hardens into a mask of anger and hurt as he takes a step closer to her. "You have been lying to me, Emilly. You've been hiding things from me. And now I want answers!"

He thrusts a finger towards her, punctuating his words. "Tell me the truth." There's an unspoken threat in his voice, a promise that he won't rest until he has every single detail of what you've been up to behind his back. The anger is still there, bubbling beneath the surface, threatening to erupt at any moment and consume them both.

Elias feels a surge of anger course through his veins at your dismissive tone and nonchalant attitude towards the situation. His fist clenches at his side, tightening into a painful knot as he struggles to control the urge to lunge forward and slap you across the face for being so infuriatingly obtuse.

"So you expect me to believe that?" he snarls, taking another step closer to her. "That everything between the two of you has been strictly professional? Really, Emilly? Because I've seen the way you look at him, and it sure as hell doesn't seem like anything work-related."

His voice lowers to a dangerous whisper as his face inches closer to hers. "Maybe I shouldn't be so jealous," he says, slowly pacing out each word as if savoring the thought of it twisting in her gut. "Maybe I should just start wondering what you see in him... Maybe I should ask him why you find him so damn attractive."

There's a warning in his eyes, a promise that if he has to dig deeper into this situation and uncover every last secret you've been keeping from him, then that's exactly what he'll do. And if it means hurting your feelings or exposing you for the faithless creature he suspects you are...well, so be it.

The sound of your laughter only serves to fuel his anger further, making it burn even hotter in his chest as he watches you casually dismiss his concerns about the other man. He grabs your wrist roughly, yanking you roughly off the bed and onto the carpeted floor with him so that you're pinned beneath his muscled frame. "Don't fucking laugh at me," he growls, his breath hot against your cheek as he leans down close enough to see the fear in your eyes through your lashes.

With his other hand, he reaches up and roughly cups your face, forcing you to meet his gaze even though it feels like a million razor-sharp shards of glass slicing into your skin. "I'm not stupid, Emilly," he whispers, each word barely more than a harsh rasp. "I know what I see when I look at the two of you together... And I don't like it."

His grip on your face tightens painfully, leaving bruises forming along your jawline and across your cheekbones as his anger gets the better of him. "Tell me the truth," he demands, his voice a low, dangerous whisper laced with menace. "What's going on between the two of you? Because if I don't get some answers soon... Well, let's just say that things could start getting very uncomfortable for both of us."

His eyes narrow as he hears your last sentence, and his suspicion only grows stronger. "You think I'm stupid enough to believe that he's gay just because you say so?" He scoffs, rolling his eyes in disbelief before grabbing your other wrist and pins it down next to your head on the floor beside your other arm.

Leaning even closer, his hot breath fanning across your face as he speaks in a low, dangerous voice laced with menace. "If that's true, then why has he been texting you so much? Why have I found messages from him on your phone?" He pauses for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing relentlessly.

"And why do I see the way you look at him sometimes, Emilly? The way you blush and giggle when he comes around... It all adds up to something more than just 'coworker'." He pauses again, searching your expression for any sign of guilt or fear before finally adding with cold finality: "So don't even think about trying to play me for a fool. Because I'm not as stupid or gullible as you seem to think I am."

With that said, he releases your wrists roughly and sits back on his heels, glaring down at you with eyes full of fury and mistrust. "Now," he growls through clenched teeth, "tell me the truth about what's been going on between the two of you."

The air in the room feels thick and heavy, charged with tension and unspoken accusations. It is as if a storm is brewing, ready to break loose at any moment and sweep away everything in its path with an unrelenting fury that will leave nothing but destruction

Elias's expression darkens even further as he listens to your explanation, the anger in his chest growing with every word you speak. "A project at work?" he echoes incredulously, an eyebrow shooting up. "And what exactly were you two giggling about earlier tonight when I overheard you talking about my so-called 'partner's girth', huh? And don't try to lie to me," he says sharply, leaning in even closer as he looms over you menacingly. "I heard everything you two said clearly enough."

He pauses for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he tries to piece together the information you've given him with what he knows of John from your other stories about work. It doesn't add up. Something still feels off. But he pushes that thought aside for now, focusing instead on making sure you understand just how deep his suspicions run and how little trust remains between them.

"So let me get this straight," he says slowly, each word dripping with venom as he enunciates carefully. "You were giggling about the fact that your coworker is planning a special day for his partner...and I'm supposed to believe that you two have nothing more than a professional relationship?" He shakes his head, making a disgusted face. "I don't think so."

Elias leans back on his heels again, staring down at you coldly. "Now, if you really want me to believe that there's nothing going on between the two of you...that you haven't been lying to me this whole time..." He pauses, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Then maybe I should start by taking a look at those social media accounts you keep mentioning."

He fixes you

Taking the phone out of your hands, Elias scans through John's social media accounts with a raised eyebrow. It doesn't take him long to see all the evidence pointing towards a relationship between John and his partner. Each photo has the other man in it, they always post sweet messages for one another on their walls... it's undeniable that they are indeed together.

As he hands your phone back, his expression is unreadable. "Well," he says slowly, "it certainly looks like I was mistaken." There's an undertone of anger and hurt in his voice as he tries to process this new information. "I- I apologize for jumping to conclusions. It's just that..." He trails off, unsure of how to explain himself further without making things worse.

Finally, he clears his throat and stands up from the floor. "Look," he begins, trying to keep his voice even as he struggles with his emotions, "I don't know what happened between us tonight, or why you felt the need to lie about it... But I think we should talk more about this when we both have had some sleep."

Elias paces around the room, deep in thought as he tries to come to terms with his own feelings and behaviors. "Maybe tomorrow we can sit down together and try to figure things out?" He offers carefully, not meeting your gaze as he speaks.

There's a long silence between you before he finally turns back towards you, a small frown on his face. "Emilly... I- I don't want us to fight anymore," he confesses softly. "I don't want things to be like this." The vulnerability in his voice is almost painful for him to admit aloud.

"I'm sorry," Elias mumbles, his voice hoarse with shame. "Maybe I have been a bit too possessive lately... It's just that I love you so much and I can't help but feel threatened by anything or anyone who comes between us." His eyes meet yours, pleading for understanding as he tries to find the words to explain himself.

"I never meant to make you feel like you couldn't talk to me about other people in your life," he continues, a hint of anger creeping back into his tone as he struggles with the emotional rollercoaster of the past few hours. "But I think we both know that it would have been better if you had just been honest with me from the start."

He pauses, taking a deep breath to steady himself before continuing. "Maybe we should try and set some ground rules moving forward... Like an agreement that we can be friends with other people at work, as long as there's nothing romantic going on..." He trails off, searching your face for any sign of agreement or resistance.

The air between you feels charged once again, tension rising with every word spoken. It's obvious to Elias that the trust has been damaged tonight and it will take more than just empty promises and apologies to repair it completely. But for now, he'll cling to this small glimmer of hope and try his best not to push you further away.

Elias's eyes narrow in frustration as he listens to your words, not entirely sure whether to believe you or not. "So, let me get this straight," he says slowly, enunciating each word carefully. "You're saying that there was nothing going on between you and John? That you never felt even the slightest attraction towards him?" His tone is accusatory as he searches your face for any signs of deception.

"And what about this so-called 'project' you keep talking about?" He asks, skepticism lacing his words. "It sounded an awful lot like personal stuff to me when I heard you two talking earlier tonight." Elias paces around the room, unable to stay still as he tries to make sense of everything that has happened.

"Look," he says finally, stopping in front of you and taking a deep breath. "I just want us to be honest with each other from now on. I need to know that I can trust you not to keep things from me... And I think we both need some time apart to cool down before we can have this conversation without throwing accusations at each other."

He turns away, walking towards the door and grabbing his suit jacket off the coat hook. "Why don't you go back to sleep? We'll talk more about this tomorrow, okay?" His voice is strained as he says it, but there's a small part of him that hopes that perhaps some distance will help them both see things more clearly and work through their issues together.

His expression darkens as he listens to you speak, anger flaring up once more within him at your stubbornness and defensiveness. "How am I supposed to trust anything you say after tonight?" he growls, reaching out to grab your upper arm roughly and spin you back around to face him. "You expect me to believe that it's all just innocent talk about work projects? Come on, Emilly!"

He shakes his head in frustration, running a hand through his hair before dropping his arm back to his side. "Fine," he says through gritted teeth. "Then prove it to me." His voice is cold and dangerous now as he paces back and forth across the room, seemingly lost in thought.

"Go ahead," he continues with a sigh, still not looking at you. "You say there's nothing between you and John besides work... Prove it. Bring him over tomorrow night for dinner or something. Show me that I have nothing to worry about." There's a challenge in his voice as he suggests this, daring you to disprove the suspicions that have been plaguing him since earlier tonight.

Elias stops pacing and turns to face you, narrowing his eyes as he watches your expression for any hint of fear or guilt at the thought of seeing John again so soon. But there's nothing - just anger and defiance shining back at him from your beautiful yet hurt-filled gaze.

The air between them feels heavy with unspoken words, the tension growing thicker by the second as they stand there staring at each other, both unwilling to budge an inch. It's clear that whatever happens next, their relationship will never be the same again.

The mention of dinner at their house tomorrow night hangs heavily in the air as Elias listens to you speak on the phone with John. A mixture of emotions courses through him; surprise at your seeming acceptance of his idea, anger that you'd be so willing to let another man into their personal space after everything that's happened tonight...and a quiet suspicion that perhaps this is all just some sort of twisted game meant to make him jealous or question himself further.

"Well," he says slowly once you've finished with your call, his eyes never leaving yours as he speaks. "I guess we'll find out tomorrow then." There's a strange note in his voice that you can't quite place; hurt, perhaps, or even fear. It unsettles you, making your heart ache for him even as anger continues to burn inside of you.

For the rest of the night, tension fills every corner of the room as Elias and yourself silently plot your strategies for tomorrow: he trying to catch you in a lie or slip-up that will confirm his worst suspicions about you, while you struggle not to let him see how much this is all starting to affect you.

Neither of you sleeps well, tossing and turning throughout the night as your minds churn with doubts and accusations. In the end though, dawn breaks and forces both of you out of bed; Elias showering and dressing in silence before disappearing downstairs to make breakfast while you slip into something more comfortable for today's potentially explosive dinner party.

The minutes tick by slowly as you wait for John and his partner Ted to arrive at your doorstep, each second seeming to drag on interminably as Elias continues cooking in the kitchen. You can feel his gaze on you whenever you turn around