Helen Confronts James

Helen stood in front of the master bedroom door and hesitated, her hand still on the knob. She swore she could still taste James's flavor on her lips and on her tongue. The taste she had so often in her mouth when she got him ready for their lovemaking or wanted to give him a special treat. But now it wasn’t from sucking him — it was from Silvia. The realization had struck her like a thunderclap back in Silvia's room, but she hadn't let on. Now, her stomach churned with unease and a strange mix of anger and curiosity.

She pushed the door open and stepped inside. James was sprawled across the bed, one arm thrown over his face as he slept. The sight of him, so peaceful and unguarded, briefly softened her resolve, but then the memory of that scent on Silvia came rushing back.

"James," she called, her voice low but firm.

He stirred, groaning as he blinked up at her. "Helen? What time is it?"

"Late enough," she said, crossing her arms. She stood at the foot of the bed, her gaze unflinching. "But I hope, it isn't too late for us. We need to talk."

James sat up, rubbing his face. "What’s wrong?" he asked, his tone groggy but concerned.

Helen took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "I noticed something strange when I was with Silvia earlier. Something … familiar."

James frowned, clearly puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Helen’s eyes narrowed. She suddenly realized that she couldn't possibly confront him with the truth. How could she explain that she had discovered the taste in Silvia's lap? She blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. "Your cologne, James. I smelled it on her."

His face went pale, his lips parting as if to respond, but no sound came out. He was literally sitting on the evidence of his misdeeds. The telltale stains on the bed sheet spoke for themselves. He hadn't changed the bedding because that would have been even more suspicious in the middle of the night. Besides, he didn't know in which box he could find the spare sheets.

Helen pressed on, her voice sharp now. "Do you want to explain how that happened?"

James raised his hands defensively. "Helen, it’s not what you think. I — I swear."

"Then tell me," she demanded, her tone icy.

He stumbled over his words. "I — Silvia came into the bathroom last night. I was … uh … getting out of the bath. It was awkward, okay? She startled me, and we bumped into each other. It was totally unintentional. That’s probably how the scent transferred."

Helen stared at him, her expression unreadable. "You bumped into her?" she repeated slowly.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with desperation. "It was innocent, I swear! I didn’t even realize— I thought she was you."

Helen raised a hand, silencing him. "And you didn’t think to mention this to me?"

James looked down, guilt written all over his face. "I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. It was embarrassing enough as it was."

For a long moment, Helen said nothing, just studied him. Finally, she let out a soft, mirthless laugh. "James, you’ve always been a terrible liar."

He looked up, startled. "I’m not lying!"

"Maybe not entirely," she admitted, her voice softer now but still laced with skepticism. "But there’s more to this house than meets the eye, and we both know it. If something happened, if Margot’s behind this…"

James shook his head vehemently. "Nothing happened, Helen. I promise you."

She sighed, her anger ebbing slightly but not disappearing altogether. "Fine. But if I find out you’re hiding anything from me, James, so help me…"