Chapter 17: Choices and Temptations

Elena woke up to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Edward was still sleeping beside her, his breathing steady and deep. For a moment she just lay there, watching him, the memory of last night's gentle sex and quiet movie night still fresh in her mind.

But her thoughts quickly drifted elsewhere.

She had promised herself she would spend the weekend with Edward. Yet when Caleb had messaged her last night about the dinner, she hadn't canceled. Instead, she had made a decision.

Sunday, she told herself. I can give Edward Sunday. Tonight… I'll go to dinner with Caleb.

It wasn't just about the dinner. It was about the attention. The way Caleb looked at her. The way he made her feel seen in a way Edward hadn't in a long time. And after everything that had been happening with Max and David, the idea of spending an evening with someone who treated her like a woman instead of just a wife or a professor felt dangerously appealing.

She carefully slipped out of bed, grabbed her phone, and stepped into the bathroom. After a quick shower, she typed out a message to Caleb.

Elena: I'll be there tonight. Looking forward to it.

She hit send before she could overthink it.

The rest of the day passed in a strange haze. She did some light chores, replied to a few university emails, and tried to keep herself busy. But her mind kept circling back to the evening ahead. By late afternoon, she had made up her mind completely.

She was going.

And she was going to look good.

Elena stood in front of her closet for a long time before finally choosing her outfit. She didn't pick the elegant blouse and pencil skirt she usually wore for university events. Instead, she chose something much bolder — a deep red, low-cut dress that hugged her curves tightly. The neckline plunged just enough to show the swell of her breasts, and the hem stopped mid-thigh. It was the kind of dress that turned heads. The kind of dress that didn't belong on a "professor going to a work dinner."

When she looked at herself in the mirror, she barely recognized the woman staring back. She looked… sexy. Provocative. Like someone going on a real date, not a casual dinner with a colleague.

She applied makeup more boldly than usual — smoky eyes, red lips — and left her hair down in loose, tousled

[waves.

By](http://waves.By) the time she was ready, Edward had woken up and was sitting in the living room. When Elena walked out, he looked up from his phone and froze.

His eyes widened slightly as he took in the dress, the makeup, the way the fabric clung to her body.

"You're… going like that?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light.

Elena smiled, a little too brightly. "Yeah. It's just a small dinner party with some coworkers. First week celebration, remember?"

Edward nodded slowly, but she could see the unease in his eyes. He had clearly expected her to wear something more professional — something safe. Not this.

He stood up and walked over to her. "You look… beautiful," he said, though the word came out a little stiff. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Have fun. Text me when you're on your way back."

"I will," Elena said, grabbing her purse. "See you later."

She left before he could say anything else.

Edward stood in the living room for a long time after the door closed, staring at the spot where she had been standing. Something about the way she looked tonight bothered him. It wasn't just the dress. It was the way she had carried herself — confident, almost excited. Like she was going somewhere she wanted to be.

He tried to shake it off. It's just a work dinner, he told himself. She deserves to have fun.

But the house felt too quiet. Too empty.

After an hour of pacing and trying to watch TV, Edward gave up. He grabbed his keys and headed out.

He told himself he was just going for a drive. But deep down, he knew exactly where he was going.

The bar.

He ordered his usual drink and settled into the same stool he had sat in last time. The alcohol burned pleasantly as it went down. He tried not to think about Elena in that red dress. Tried not to wonder who she was really meeting tonight.

Thirty minutes later, a familiar voice spoke beside him.

"Did you forget me or something?"

Edward turned.

Ana slid onto the stool next to him, looking exactly as she had the last time — young, confident, and far too attractive for his peace of mind. She was wearing a tight black top and jeans that hugged her figure.

"I'm pretty sure I saved my number in your phone," she continued, tilting her head. "Why didn't you call me?"

Edward stared at her, the memories of that night flooding back — the dancing, the kissing, the motel. The way she had ridden him like she owned him.

"Ana, right?" he said slowly. "I do remember you. But… what happened last time was a mistake. We were drunk. And the thing is… I'm married. I can't do this again. I'm sorry."

Ana raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Is that so? Then why are you here? Where's your wife? Drinking here all alone… Where is she when you need her?"

Edward's jaw tightened. "Don't talk shit when you know nothing. What would you know about me? Or my wife? Or our relationship?"

"All I can see," Ana said, leaning closer, "is you here alone, drinking. Someone who's clearly in need of something. And that need is—"

Edward stood up abruptly, cutting her off. "Enough. I said don't talk bullshit."

She stood up, grabbed his face with both hands, and pulled him into a kiss.

Edward froze for half a second, shocked. But then something inside him snapped. The frustration, the loneliness, the image of Elena in that red dress — it all crashed over him at once.

He didn't pull away.

Instead, he kissed her back.

Hard.

Ana smiled against his mouth, her hands sliding down to his chest. "That's what I thought," she whispered.

One thing led to another.

They barely made it out of the bar before they were in a cab. By the time they reached the same cheap motel from last time, they were already tearing at each other's clothes.

The moment the door closed behind them, Ana pushed Edward onto the bed and climbed on top of him. There was nothing gentle about it this time. She kissed him like she was starving, grinding against him as she pulled off her top.

Edward's hands roamed over her body — her waist, her breasts, her ass. He was rougher than he had been with Elena. More desperate. Ana matched his energy, moaning loudly as she unbuckled his belt and freed his already hard cock.

She didn't waste time. She sank down onto him in one smooth motion, taking him deep inside her with a sharp gasp.

"Fuck," Edward groaned, gripping her hips.

Ana rode him hard, her movements fast and aggressive, just like last time. She leaned forward, her hair falling around them like a curtain as she whispered filthy things in his ear.

"You needed this, didn't you?" she breathed. "Your wife's probably out having fun… and here you are, fucking me instead."

Edward didn't answer with words. He flipped her onto her back and thrust into her harder, chasing the release he craved. Ana wrapped her legs around him, urging him deeper, her nails digging into his back.

They fucked like they were trying to forget everything else — like two people who had no business being together but couldn't stop.

When Edward finally came, it was with a low, guttural groan, spilling deep inside her as Ana clenched around him and cried out her own release.

They lay there afterward, breathing hard, the cheap motel room filled with the scent of sex and sweat.

Edward stared at the ceiling, the guilt already creeping in.

But Ana just smiled, tracing lazy circles on his chest.

"Round two?" she asked softly.

Edward didn't say no.

End of Chapter 17

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