The Confession

When the cab entered her neighborhood, her heart skipped a beat. That was it. The dreadful moment she has been fearing… well, since the first time she had sex with Mark. The moment of truth. She clutched her phone, the weight of it suddenly seeming heavier than ever before. The moment she had reconnected to the mobile provider, her phone had come alive with notifications – missed calls, texts, voicemails – all from George. She considered Alex’s advice to keep her dirty secret to herself but with the all of George’s attention flooding her phone she knew she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She had to this right, for her own sake.

As she skimmed through his worried, **** messages, she tried to imagine what he has gone through these past weeks. Each word was like a dagger piercing her heart. What did she expect after more than two weeks of radio silence? As much as she didn't want to face the incoming shitstorm, she couldn't bear the thought of hiding her betrayal from him.

Her finger hovered over the screen, trembling slightly. With a deep breath, she pressed the ring button and braced herself for his voice.

"Julie?!" George answered on the first ring, the relief in his voice almost palpable.

"George, I-I'm home. I’m in a cab right in front of house," she choked out, her voice breaking.

"Really? Alright, I'm coming out," George said, hanging up abruptly.

The cab pulled up to their house, and she paid the fare hastily before stepping out onto the sidewalk.

The front door flew open, revealing George's tense figure. His eyes were wide with a mix of relief, love, anger, and annoyance. He crossed the distance between them in a heartbeat, pulling her into a crushing embrace.

"Jules, oh my God, what the fuck happened?" he demanded, his voice shaking. "I've been going insane not knowing where you were."

"George... I’m home… and... we need to talk," Julie whispered, fresh tears streaming down her face. "But please... just hold me for a moment."

"Of course," he murmured, tightening his arms around her. For a brief moment, Julie found solace in her husband's embrace, but she knew that the comfort would be short-lived.

"Let's go inside," George said, taking her luggage and leading her into their home. The door closed behind them with a heavy finality, sealing Julie's fate and the imminent revelation of her dark secret.

The dim glow of the living room lamp cast shadows across George's face, accentuating the lines etched by worry. Gently, he guided Julie to the couch, his touch careful as if she were a porcelain doll that might suddenly shatter.

"Sit down, Jules," he murmured, the softness in his voice betraying the conflict raging within him. She obeyed, sinking into the plush cushions, feeling the familiar comfort of their shared home like a searing brand on her skin – a reminder of the life she had betrayed.

"Where are the kids?" Julie asked between sobs, her voice barely audible.

George sat down beside her, leaving just enough space for the tension that simmered between them. "They're at my parents' place. We have time to talk, just the two of us. Tell me everything."

She bit her lip, her mind racing with how to begin her confession. The truth burned like acid at the back of her throat, threatening to spill out and corrode everything they had built together.

"Jules... what happened?" George asked, his eyes searching hers for answers. "I know something's wrong."

Julie took a deep breath, her chest heaving with the effort it took to keep her emotions at bay. She could feel George's gaze on her, a mixture of love, concern, and impatience. It was now or never.

"George, something... terrible happened," she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her shame. "And I don't know if I’ll ever be able to fix it."

"Tell me everything from the beginning," he urged, his grip tightening on her hand.

"So… I began with this, huh, smoking experiment, immediately on day one," Julie began, her voice trembling. "It took place at a luxurious hotel... The rooms, the service, everything was just so... top notch. 5 star and all."

"Yeah, you wrote me about it. Doesn’t sound bad so far... or?" George prompted, his eyes locked onto her tear-streaked face.

"No, it wasn’t. I had issues at first, but over time, I started to relax and enjoy the lifestyle. Smoking became a part of it, and before I knew it, I was addicted," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. “I really began enjoying it after first couple of weeks and it made me feel… real good. So confident and relaxed…”

"Jules, I know how much you hated smoking, but that can't be what's got you so upset," he said, concern etched across his face.

Julie hesitated for a moment, her throat tightening as she **** herself to continue. "There's more. At the hotel, there was this guy, Mark, my counselor and conductor of the so-called experiment.”

“What do you mean, so-called? What, they didn’t pay you or-”

“No, I got payed. All 100 grand are already on my account.”

“So… that’s good news, I suppose. So it wasn’t a scam after all?”

“No… I mean yes… ugh, I’ll explain that later. So this Mark, the psychologist, he was charming and smart, and... my God, I found myself attracted to him..." Her heart raced as she struggled to find the right words, to emphasize the turmoil that had torn her apart inside. "I was so conflicted, George. Part of me knew that what I was feeling was wrong, that I shouldn't even entertain those thoughts. But the more time I spent with him, the harder it became to resist-"

"Resist? Resist what, Julie?" George asked, his voice cracking under the strain of betrayal. His expression stiffened, his jaw clenching as he braced himself for the answer he feared was coming.

But Julie's sobs prevented her from answering, as she wept uncontrollably and was unable to form a single word.

Watching her cry like never before, George felt like he was in a weird nightmare. Could this really be true? He could feel his worst suspicions being confirmed right in front of his eyes - she really had cheated on him, it was obvious now. His eyes never left her face, but beneath the surface, a storm of emotions raged, threatening to shatter any semblance of composure he still held. The woman he had loved and trusted for so many years had betrayed him, and the weight of that realization bore down on him like a crushing vice.

But he wanted her to say it.

“Enough with the waterworks, Julie. Did you fuck him? Yes or no!" George couldn't take it anymore.

Julie's breath hitched, and she nodded slowly, her voice barely audible. "Yes, I did, George. God… I'm so fucking sorry."

The room seemed to shrink around them as George's anger flared up like an inferno, consuming every inch of space between them. He shot up from the couch and began to pace, fists clenched tight, his muscles tense with the overwhelming urge to lash out.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Julie! I can’t believe this shit!" he spat through gritted teeth, the hurt in his voice mingling with rage. "How could you do this to me? To us? To our family?" He paused, taking a deep breath as if to steady himself, but it only served to fan the flames of his fury. "What the fuck were you thinking!?"

Julie sobbed, her body shaking as she tried to find the words to explain herself. "I don't know, George," she cried, her voice breaking under the weight of her guilt. "I just... I got lost in the lust, I wasn’t being myself. Something happened to me, I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help myself. It felt like I had no control over my own body..."

"What the fuck are you talking about? Is that supposed to make it any better or what?" George snapped, eyes blazing with resentment. "You think telling me you couldn't control yourself makes any of this okay?"

"Please, George," Julie pleaded, tears streaming down her face. "Just listen to what I have to say. There's more to it than that."

“Oh, is there? What, you fucked the valet too?”

“George, please-”

“Don’t you ‘please’ me now, Julie! You can't even imagine what I've been through this month! I knew it! I knew something was off with this experiment, but I never believed you would actually... Only to hear now you were busy fucking some shrink?”

“George, I can only imagine how you must be feeling right now, but I’m begging you, I can explain it, just listen to me. Please!”

He hesitated for a moment, the storm inside him threatening to break free and engulf them both. But something in her eyes, a **** plea for understanding, made him relent. He took a deep breath and sat back down on the couch, his body rigid with tension.

"Fine," he said through clenched teeth, his voice cold and unforgiving. "But be quick about it.”

Julie took a shaky breath, her eyes pleading for George's understanding as she spoke. "During this experiment I noticed how I’ve started changing, how all my values became second to the pleasure I was experiencing each day. I've become... different." she said, her voice quivering.

George's jaw clenched, his anger simmering just below the surface. “Don't insult me with this bullshit. What, you’ve reached some higher plain of awareness and shit, huh? Is that what you're going for?”

"Let me finish. Today, when I concluded this experiment, I found out there was no actual scientific experiment at all, it was just Mark’s weird fantasy or something, I still don’t get his motives. I lost my mind and when I was in his office, he offered me a strange drink…" Julie noticed George's brows furrowing and she continued. "I didn't drink it cause something felt off. But when I left it hit me: every time I had one of the drinks from the room bar back at the hotel, my inhibitions seemed to vanish."

"Wait… are you trying to tell me you were ****? You expect me to believe that?" George asked incredulously, his eyes still burning with resentment.

"I'm not making excuses for what I did, just an explanation. But yes, I believe I was," Julie admitted, her voice laced with desperation. "I tested my theory at the train bar today. I ordered a regular drink and nothing happened – I didn't feel that same pull to act so... recklessly."

As Julie revealed the truth about the drinks, George's fiery gaze began to waver. He stared at her intently, searching for any sign of deception. But there was only raw desperation and shame etched on her tear-streaked face.

"Oddly enough," George said slowly, his anger dissipating slightly, "I was in Mark's office too this morning. Funny, I decided not to tell you, because I didn’t want you to think of me being paranoid or distrusting. Ironic, isn’t it? Anyways, his assistant Amanda, offered me some weird tea. I didn’t drink it, it seemed so out of place…"

George shortly recounted the events that took place in Mark’s office. "So… we were both there at the same time… I wonder what would’ve happened if we drank that shit…"

A heavy silence filled the room as they processed the uncanny coincidence. The air between them grew thick with tension, but also an unspoken understanding that Mark perhaps had something in store for them - definitely nothing good.

"George, I swear to you, I never wanted any of this to happen," Julie whispered after a moment of silence, her voice cracking with pain. "I know I messed up, but I truly believe I wasn't entirely in control. I can’t prove it to you, and I understand if you don’t believe me-"

“Right now, I can’t believe a single word coming out of your mouth, even if you have some plausible excuse. For all I know, this might be just another bullshit, maybe you and that motherfucker are just playing with me, it could also be an attempt to make me accept your cheating ass back to our house-”

“George, I-”

“Shut up and let me finish! The only thing that is separating you from being kicked out the door right now is the hunch I had when that bitch Amanda offered me that fucking tea. Do you understand? That tea is the only thing in the world that corroborates your explanation.”

"I get it and you’re right about everything. But please," Julie implored, her eyes brimming with tears. "I don't expect you to forgive me right away, maybe you never will. But I need you to believe me that I was under Mark's influence and that he did this to me on purpose for some wicked reason."

A single tear slid down Julie's cheek, leaving a glistening trail in its wake as she stared into George's eyes, searching for any sign of understanding or forgiveness.

"George," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "I can't change what happened, but I need you to know that I never wanted to hurt you."

“Seriously? You expect me to believe that throughout all that time, it never even occurred to you that your actions might hurt me?” he trailed off as he shifted uncomfortably on the couch, his eyes darting between her pleading gaze and his tightly clenched fists. His mind raced, torn between anger and doubt – was this really his wife, the woman he had loved and trusted for so long, sitting before him?

"Julie…" he continued, his voice rough with emotion, "This is… seriously fucked up. I-I don't know if I’ll ever be able to trust you. But…" he paused, swallowing hard, "Jesus, I’m maybe the biggest idiot in the world for saying this, but I want to believe you. I asked Connor last week to check this experiment scam and yeah, there's something shady going on with that shrink. Maybe something was, I dunno, really done to you, and it maybe wasn't entirely your fault."

Her eyes widened with relief and disbelief, fresh tears spilling over as she stared at him. "You… you really believe me?"

"No, I said I want to believe you, there’s difference," he snapped, frustration seeping through his words. "Thing is, you're either telling the truth, or you've become an Oscar-winning liar overnight."

"George, I swear on our kids' lives—"

"Just… stop it, will you?" He held up a hand, cutting her off. "I don't want to hear any more apologies or excuses or promises right now. And don’t you even think about bringing Lily and Tim into this!" His jaw tightened as he tried to process the overwhelming swirl of emotions assaulting him.

"Look," he said after a moment, his voice softening, "You've never been the type to lie like this, especially when it comes to us. And I admit, the idea of you being **** seems, well, plausible. But," his gaze hardened, "you’re also not some innocent victim either. If you truly felt your actions were not your own, a single line of text would've brought me to that hotel in the same day, you know it. But you didn't write me anything for two whole weeks! You wouldn’t be feeling so guilty right now if you didn’t… like... what happened.”

Julie's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of crimson, and she dropped her gaze, unable to meet his accusatory stare. "I know... you're right," she mumbled, "And I hate myself for it."

“So you say. And because of that I don't know if I can ever look at you the same way again.”

Julie's heart constricted in her chest, but she **** herself to meet his eyes, knowing he deserved her honesty. "I won't argue about that, George," she choked out, her voice shaking with emotion. "And I'm so, so sorry for everything. I know things might never be the same between us," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "and I understand if you want a divorce. I won't fight you for the house or the kids. I don't deserve them after... all that."

She could barely stand to look at him as she gave voice to the possibility of losing everything she held dear – their life together, the family they had built.

"If this happened before Lily and Tim I wouldn’t think twice… but now… let’s just say we’re not there yet," George said, his voice tense but controlled. "We'll see how things unfold between us. I-I need to process this… you fucked up, Julie, big time…” he trailed off and for a brief moment they sat there in silence. Suddenly, he looked up and his expression changed. “But I promise you one thing, Julie Wilson. If you decide to fight that piece of shit in court, I will support you, no matter what. I wanna see that bastard suffer!" His eyes bore into hers with an intensity that both comforted and terrified her.

"Thank you," she murmured, tears streaming down her face. "But there's one more thing you need to know." She hesitated, the words catching in her throat as the full weight of her shame threatened to crush her. "Mark... he had hidden cameras in my room and he filmed us having sex. He's blackmailing me with the videos. He said he'd put them online if I ever pressed charges against him."

George's eyes widened, his face turning a deep shade of red as rage consumed him. "Son of bitch!" he snarled, clenching his fists. "That’s it! I'm going to kill him! That motherfucker is going to be sorry he ever touched you!"

"George, no!" Julie cried out, grabbing his arm to stop him. "That won't solve anything! Think about Lily and Tim, George! You’ll end up in prison and I’ll be jobless… We need to think this through carefully." The desperation in her voice seemed to cut through his fury, and he hesitated, his body tensed like a coiled spring.

For a moment, they stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills, but as the seconds ticked by, George's anger gradually ebbed away, replaced by a cold, steely resolve that sent a shiver down Julie's spine.

"Fine," he said finally, his voice tight with suppressed emotion. "But we're not letting him get away with this. We'll find a way to make him pay for what he's done."

An hour later, after Julie unpacked her luggage, the atmosphere in the room was heavy, thick with unsaid words and unshed tears. Julie stared blankly at the wall, her eyes red and swollen from crying, while George sat on the other side, his hands balled into fists on his lap.

"Jules," he began, his voice still hoarse from yelling. "I can't pretend that I'm not... disappointed. And angry. Hell, I’m furious. With you, with that piece of shit Mark, with this whole fucked-up situation. Good thing I don’t own a gun, cause right now…"

Julie flinched, but managed a small nod. "George, don’t even think about it. I understand if you can never forgive me. I've ruined everything."

"Yeah, you really did." he nodded bitterly. "Don’t worry about me, I won’t do anything foolish." He paused, taking a shaky breath. "How do we even begin to fix this? How can I ever trust you again?"

"I don’t know. Maybe you can't," she whispered, despair creeping into her voice. "But I swear, I'll do whatever it takes to make things right on my part."

The silence stretched between them once more, punctuated only by the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. In the quiet, Julie's mind raced, plagued by questions she didn't dare voice aloud. Would their marriage survive this? Could they find justice against Mark, or would they be forever haunted by the threat of the videos becoming public?

"George," she said hesitantly, afraid to break the fragile truce that had settled over them. "How will I ever get a decent job if those videos come out..."

He grimaced, his jaw tightening as he considered the implications. "We'll deal with that if it comes to it. But for now, we need to focus on finding a way to fight back against him – legally I mean, while preventing him from using those videos against you at the same time."

She nodded, grateful for his support, despite feeling unworthy of it. After everything she had done, she didn't deserve him in any capacity. She didn't go into detail about her actions with Mark or the depths of her betrayal. Just the day before, she was considering leaving her family for a man who **** and manipulated her. She couldn't believe how foolish she had been.

As the moments ticked by, Julie couldn't help but wonder if this was the beginning of the end for them – if their love could ever withstand the weight of her betrayal.

"Jules," George said suddenly, turning to face her. His eyes were filled with pain, but there was also a flicker of something else – determination, perhaps, or even hope. "We'll get through this. I don't know how and when, but we have to at least try - for Lily and Tim."