Chapter 3 CHAPTER 3: Choices and Consequences

Hazel

The taste of Adams' kiss lingered on my lips; a forbidden sweetness that left me breathless. As I scrambled away from Adam’s lap , panic surged through me. It felt like the walls were closing in on me, and I was suffocating because I couldn't breathe and neither could I look William, my husband, in the eyes as I faced the dire consequences of our impulsive moment.

William's eyes burned with suppressed anger, and Adam, normally composed, wore a mix of guilt and determination on his face. Caught between the two men who meant so much to me in vastly different ways, I struggled to find the right words. William stood rigid; his face contorted into a mask of barely controlled fury.

"Hazel," William's voice rasped, each syllable laced with anger and disappointment. "Explain."

A thousand explanations tumbled through my mind, each flimsier than the last. "I… we…" My mouth felt dried and words refused to form.

"William, it's not what you think. I was upset about what ensued between us in the morning and I needed someone to talk to, and I…

Adam cut me off mid-sentence, his voice, though low, resonated with the quiet steel of resolve. "It's my fault, William. Hazel and I are…involved…I mean it was a moment of weakness. Hazel was upset, and I—" then a slap landed on Adams's face. I gasped and fled to his side.

"Enough!" thundered William. "So, the rumors are true? I refused to believe them because you are my friend. William's gaze flickered between us and I watched as he looked momentarily deflated. He blinked, confusion flitting across his hardened features, then determination" he walked towards me and I could feel my heart beating as if it would come out of my chest. Then he looked Adam in the eye.

“This is not the end of this. I’ll never let you take what is mine” Then he turned to me and dragged me amidst protests from Adam, then I found my voice.

“I can walk William, please I'll come home with you” I said, and he let me go.

As we were about to leave, Adam stepped forward and blocked my way, his gaze unflinching. "I love you Hazel, this man does not deserve you." He tried to stop me by placing his palms on my face but was shoved away by Williams.

“Get your filter hands off my wife!” he thundered.

My heart threatened to burst from my chest. Love? Was he truly saying that? Or was this some desperate gamble, a sacrifice he was offering at the altar of my well-being?  But somehow, I knew that he meant every word and that the feeling was mutual for me too, but I have always willed my heart not to accept it until now.

William shook his head, as if trying to dislodge a stubborn thought. "Love? Are you serious, Adam? You are in love with my wife?"

A sardonic smile touched Adam's lips. "Your wife in name only, William. This marriage was based on a lie, it's simply a business deal, not a vow."

"And you took advantage of her vulnerability?" William's voice rose, not bothering to be in control of his anger anymore.

"Don't you dare lecture me about vulnerability, William!" Adam's voice boomed, echoing through the room. "You are not the one to preach because you are not a saint…talk about double standards!!! He sneered. “And don’t you ever lay your hands on her again, if not, you will have me to answer to '' Adam heaved.

“And who do you think you are to tell me how to handle my business, Adam”? William advanced towards him with a clenched fist while Adam stood his ground.

"Please, that's enough!" I placed my body in between the two men while my eyes darted between them. “This isn't about who's right or wrong. I have an obligation to fulfill to William. My voice, though shaky, held a newfound resolve. "I have been bound by my words from two months ago until I am not Adam and I hope you respect my decision." Adam blinked while William's gaze switched to me, his eyes cold and assessing.

Adams reached for my hand but I flinched. "I need time to think," I uttered, my voice barely above a whisper. I adjusted my skirt and left the room knowing at the back of my mind that there would be consequences for my actions, but I also knew I was ready for them.

Williams

The slam of the front door echoed through the house, making me flinch. I turned to look at Adam, the person I called friend, and a flicker of anger and hurt danced in my chest, but I swallowed it down, allowing the alpha coldness that defined me to take hold. This betrayal was not supposed to hurt, but it did.

Without a word, I turned and followed Hazel. The sun felt like needles on my skin as I crossed over to where my car was parked. My driver opened the door for me and as I entered the car, I noticed she was slumped against the back seat with eyes closed, looking helpless and lost, and I felt a pang of anger and hurt as the driver drove us to our home.

When we arrived home, she exited the car without a word and I followed her, my long strides closing the distance between us. She walked briskly, as if trying to outrun the turmoil she felt inside.

“Hazel,” I called, my voice cutting through the silence. She halted but didn’t turn to face me. Her shoulders trembled slightly, a subtle sign of the storm within her.

I stepped closer, my gaze fixed on the back of her head. "I am sorry for slapping you”

She turned to look at me, her eyes filled with a mix of regret and sadness. "You own me, so you can do with me whatever you please,”

My heart sank, and I clenched my jaw, the helpless look in her eyes and the sting of those words burning in my chest.

Then she walked away and a profound sense of loss settled over me. The ache in my chest felt like a physical pain and I unconsciously rubbed my chest. I was determined to see this marriage through. We still had one year and eight months to endure, and I was determined to help her pay the debts for her family, even if it was the last thing I did. Hazel might have chosen the cage, but the bars, I realized with a dawning sense of dread, were not just for her.

They were for me too.