Chapter 25

Erica

He knows!

Alex, Marcus knows!

Call me back!!

Answer your phone!!!

Alex, answer your fucking phone!!!

Erica watched as text after text came through to Alex's phone. It vibrated across the table for her entire family to witness. Snatching it up, she glanced at his notifications, each one becoming more panicked than the last. He'd missed a dozen calls, had three new voicemails, and one missed attempt at a video call.

"I think we'll just turn that on silent," Erica said, changing the settings. "I told him no phones at the table."

Her family chuckled as she pocketed his phone, sneaking a glance at Lottie, who raised an eyebrow. Erica nodded in response to her silent question.

He'd done it.

Marcus had pulled the plug on his marriage, and now there really was no going back.

Not that she intended to change her mind.

What lucky timing it was that Alex had been in the bathroom when those texts had started to arrive. She had planned so carefully, and yet neglected to consider what Sophie would do.

Rookie mistake.

Thankfully, it seemed fortune favoured her. It was almost tempting to leave Alex's phone exactly where it was, just to see what he would do. Would he disrespect her family to take care of his mistress? Would he ignore Sophie and leave her out in the cold ?

She was dying to find out, but if Marcus had held up his side of the plan, it meant he was on his way and she had to get a move on.

"Present time, isn't it, Mum?" She asked. Her mother sat slumped back in her chair, watching her family with a happy, sleepy smile.

"Sure, love. We can do presents if you like. Lottie said you've got something big planned."

"I do." God, she was nervous. "Um. Look, I don't know how this is going to go, but just in case, I'm sorry in advance, okay?"

"What do you mean—"

"And here he is," Lottie interrupted, gesturing towards Alex as he walked through the door. "The man of the hour!"

Erica had never been more grateful for her sister's presence than at that moment. Anything that meant she didn't have to answer Bill's question.

"Who, me?" Alex asked with a chuckle, taking his seat and flinging his arm over the back of Erica's seat. "Oh, is this to do with this plan you two have been cooking up?"

Lottie wriggled her eyebrows. "Can I give it to him, Eri? Please?"

Erica nodded, her heart pounding. She wasn't sure anything could get her out of that chair at that moment. "Sure," she whispered.

"What a lucky man I am," Alex said with a laugh. "I have the best wife and the absolute best sister."

He winked at her, unaware of the growing tension around the table. Did her family sense what was coming? Could they pick up on her discomfort?

"You deserve it," Lottie smiled, a glint in her eye that Alex either missed or chose to ignore. She handed him a thick envelope. "Don't open it yet, though. I've got to give everyone else theirs."

All eyes turned to Erica as Lottie handed out the envelopes. They held a mountain of evidence of Alex's infidelities.

She stood suddenly under the guise of refilling everyone's drinks .

In reality, she couldn't stand to be near him. On the one hand, everything about him repulsed her. On the other, she wanted to cuddle up to him and beg him to tell her it would all be okay.

They had been together for so long, their love story was straight out of a fairy tale. It was instinctive to want him, to need him. He was the person she ran to when she needed support. If she had a problem, she trusted him to help her fix it.

Damn him to the deepest pits of hell for tarnishing everything that had made them, them. Now, more than ever, she wanted to expose this man for who he was.

"So you all know, I've made a new friend, Marcus, right?" She glanced around at her family members. Marcus is married to Alex's secretary, Sophie. Isn't that nice?"

"Erica…"

"He helped me put this together. A joint project, if you will. Please, open your gifts."

Josh snatched up his envelope, tearing at the seal as Alex tore at his own.

"Amazing it took us so long to meet, actually," she said, to cover her nerves. "Especially considering all the time Alex and Sophie spend together. But I suppose our getting together was too risky. We might compare notes, right?"

"Erica, I'm not sure what he's told you, but…"

"Anyway!" With a firmer voice, she watched as Alex put his envelope to one side, the divorce papers poking out. He hadn't even bothered to look.

"Marcus told me he'd stumbled on some texts between Sophie and Alex. Not unusual for co-workers, right? But then, most people can trust their spouses to behave appropriately with their co-workers." She rolled her eyes, tutting. "What a fool I am."

"Erica, it's not true."

"It looks pretty fucking true from where I'm sitting," Josh said, his voice thunderous. "You've been cheating on my sister?"

"I—"

Erica glanced around the room and the fretful faces around the table. Her mother looked pale and upset, Liv on the verge of tears. Her father was staring at the letter in front of him. He was taking in every last piece of evidence. Josh was tense in his seat, barely containing his rage.

The only person who had a smile on their face was Lottie, who was watching the entire thing unfold with glee.

"I thought you might deny it, but that's okay. You all saw Alex's phone buzzing across the table earlier, right?" She asked, addressing her family. Pulling his phone from her pocket, she glanced at the screen. "Twenty-three missed calls. Two missed video chats. Countless voicemails, and most importantly, the texts."

"You don't have to tell us everything, Erica, love," her mother said in a small voice.

"Oh, don't worry, Mum," Erica said with an overly cheerful smile. "This is the best part, I promise. The texts." She cleared her throat and read from the phone. "Alex, Marcus knows! He knows about us! He's thrown me out, Alex! Please, what do I do? I have nowhere to go."

She met Alex's gaze, every ounce of friendliness gone from her face. "Shall I go on?"

"You cheated on my sister?" Josh repeated, his lip curling in disgust. "Not just cheated, but a full-blown affair?"

"It's not like that!" Alex stood, running his hand through his hair and then pulling at his tie. "I didn't cheat on her."

"The messages don't lie, Alex," Erica scoffed. "At least have the fucking decency to stop lying to my face."

"I didn't…" he cleared his throat and Erica could see him scrambling for an acceptable answer. One that didn't make him the bad guy. "You haven't got the full story."

"So, tell me, Alex. Tell me what parts I'm missing that make any of this okay?"

"Just… Just give me a minute to collect my thoughts."

He moved away from the group and poured himself a strong drink from Bill's alcohol cabinet. He knocked it back and stared at nothing. Without warning, he launched his tumbler at the wall, smashing it to pieces as he cursed under his breath. Liv jumped and tightened her hold on Josh's arm while Josh tensed, ready to spring into action .

"Temper, temper," Lottie said, provoking him further as she moved to her mother's side. "It's okay, Mum. Don't let him upset you."

Bill had yet to react, quietly seething. Like Erica, he was watching Alex.

Throwing his glass was just one sign of his mood. His usually perfect hair was a mess with the number of times he'd run his hand through it. He looked agitated and uncomfortable. He was sweating. All the while, she could see the cogs turning while he desperately searched for the right words.

Yeah. He had nothing.

"It was just sex," he muttered, avoiding her gaze. "I don't love her. Hell, I barely even like her."

It was as if his words had sucked the oxygen from the room. Everything went silent as Erica's ears seemed to ring in an otherwise soundless vacuum. There it was. Admittance. The truth.

The end of her marriage.

Time seemed to slow down as his words repeated over and over in her mind. Her body felt like it wasn't hers anymore, as though she was floating above them, watching the scene unfold.

In the corner of her eye, she saw Josh move and Liv try to hold on to his arm. He shook her off and crossed the room in a blur. His fist connected with Alex's face, the sound of which was enough to bring Erica back down to Earth with a bump.

"You fucking scumbag!" Blood poured from Alex's nose, staining his crisp white shirt with spots of bright red.

Erica couldn't find it in her to care.

"Jesus, Josh, what the hell, man?" Alex held his nose, tipping his head back.

"Oh, you're fucked in the head if you think that's the only punch I'm going to throw."

"Josh, that's enough," their father said, finally standing. "I think it's time for you to leave, Alex."

"Erica, baby," Alex said, ignoring anyone but her. He dropped to his knees and reached for her hand. "You gotta believe what I'm saying— "

"I don't believe a word that comes out of your lying, cheating mouth." She pulled her hand from his grasp, throwing his phone at him. "Your girlfriend needs your attention."

"She's not my girlfriend! She's just… It's not. Erica—"

"I asked you to leave, Alex," Bill said, raising his voice this time. "Out of respect for my wife, I'm asking you politely. But if you do not get out of my house within the next minute, I'll break a bone for every tear you've made my daughter cry for you."

Erica felt her heart swell with love for her father, but his threats fell on deaf ears as Alex still knelt in front of her.

"Erica, please. Please listen to me."

She stared down at him, the need to comfort him overwhelming her. It was instinctual, second nature. Luckily, the doorbell rang to bring her to her senses and remind her the festivities weren't quite over.

"Oh goodie," Lottie said, unable to hide her glee as she ran to the door.

"Alex, you're making a fool of yourself now," Debra said. "Come on, son. It's time to go."

"I'm not leaving without her."

"I'm not really sure that's your choice." Everyone turned to look at the new voice as Lottie ushered Marcus into the room. Erica couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

Oh, she really needed to see him.

"Hello, beautiful," he said. "You're single now, huh? Merry fucking Christmas."

Marcus crossed the room quickly. He pulled her into his arms, his head swooping and capturing her lips in a long, passionate kiss.

That hadn't been part of the plan.

Catching her off guard, Erica clung to Marcus. Her lips softened against his.

And that's when everything went to shit.