Chapter 3 THE BETRAYAL

ELIAS WAS FILLED with anticipation when he got to the familiar gates of the Wirtz estate.

The gate was unlocked, which surprised him, so he pushed it open and walked in. He got to the front door and ran the bell, but there was no response. He waited for a minute, and then stepped inside.

The foyer was the same as he'd remembered it, but something was different. As he moved further in, his eyes swept across the room, and he noted all the empty spaces and frames on the wall.

His chest tightened as he realized that the empty frames used to hold his pictures.

He swallowed slowly as he walked closer to one of the walls. His fingers brushed the spot lightly where a frame had once been mounted. It was as if he had never existed here.

Elias let out a quiet breath. He forced his thoughts to settle.

Maybe they were renovating, he thought to himself. After all, people redecorated all the time.

Then he heard Beatrice's laughter from upstairs. His heart swelled with joy and he hurried, taking the steps two at a time.

Elias reached the top of the stairs and slowed his pace. The sound was coming from the hallway ahead, from the master bedroom. He had a deep sinking feeling in his chest as he got closer. The door was slightly ajar. He heard another sound that made his heart freeze.

It was the sound of Beatrice's moaning deeply.

Elias stopped just outside the door. For a brief second, everything inside him went cold. He wanted to turn away and leave without seeing what he knew was going on behind the door, but he shook his head.

He gripped the door handle and pushed the door open. He had expected it, but it did not prepare his mind to receive the blow of what he saw.

She was in bed. With another man.

Elias stood frozen in the doorway, his hand still on the handle. The scene before him burned into his mind. Beatrice's bare shoulder, her tangled hair, her legs wrapped around a man who was not him, who was rhythmically pounding into her.

"Beatrice..." Elias managed to whisper, his blood was suddenly boiling hot with rage.

She raised herself on her elbow to look past her lover. She saw Elias standing a few feet away, but she was not shocked or even ashamed. She did not scramble from the bed, trying to pretend. Instead, she laughed and threw her head back as her moans increased.

Her lover, a tall blonde man, turned around and saw Elias. He smirked and pulled out. He grabbed a robe and shrugged it on.

"You are who?" the man asked. His voice was thick and amused. He spoke with a southern drawl.

"Ignore him, darling," Beatrice said, rolling out of bed. She took the sheets along, clutching them to her chest. "What are you doing here, Elias?" Her voice was flat. "Mother promised me you would never get out."

"Elias?" the man asked, chuckling. "You are the Elias? Her husband? The one that went to prison?"

"He is," Beatrice said.

"What?" Elias asked. He looked up at Beatrice as she took a cigar and lit it. "What is going on here?"

"What were you expecting?" Beatrice's lover said. "You think she would still be waiting for you?"

"I was never his," Beatrice sneered. "I didn't even allow him to touch me." She seemed disgusted at the thought.

"After everything I did for you, Beatrice. After everything I did for the family..." his fist were clenched by his sides.

She threw her head back and laughed heartily.

"Let me tell you something, boy," the man said. "You are a fool. A poor fool, and you do not deserve this kind of woman." He reached down and grabbed his wallet. "Here." He took out some cash notes and threw them at Elias. "Go get yourself some food, and some new clothes too."

"Beatrice, please, can we just..."

"You have served your purpose, Elias!" Beatrice snapped. "You have taken the fall for the family, even though I never expected to see you ever again." She blew out smoke and continued. "What did you think? That you were actually a part of us?"

Elias could not believe what he was hearing. The woman he had sacrificed over half a decade for...

"I want you to get out!" Beatrice said. "I have unfinished business."

"...unless you want to stay here and watch," her lover said. "You are welcome to do that." He added with a small wink.

Beatrice giggled as she climbed on the bed once again. Elias took a deep breath to control his anger. "Don't forget the money," her lover pointed to the floor dismissively. "You would need it."

Elias looked at the crumpled notes on the floor. He had no money. Leaving this house would mean he did not have a roof over his head anymore. No wife, no house, no money, no food, but he still said, "I dont need your fucking money!" Before he turned and marched out of the house as the blonde man's laugh reverberated.

"The divorce papers will be sent to you..." Beatrice called after him between her moans.

Elias wandered the streets aimlessly for the next couple of hours, his mind struggling to comprehend what had happened.

He had tried to put up a brave front in the mansion, but he was broken internally.

He was broken, and broke. He chuckled dryly at his predicament. All he had to his name was a record as an ex-convict, and $63 which was his earnings from his 6 ywars in prison.

He was still thinking of what to do next when a sleek black sedan drove up, stopped in front of him, and a tall, beautiful woman walked out.

"You are quite a hard man to find," a strong female voice said.

"Who is looking for me?" He snarled.

"You saved my father's life a few hours ago," she said. "He wants to repay his debt to you."