Chapter 3

Bella woke up with a heavy weight pressing on her chest. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the bedroom. Julian was still asleep beside her, his arm loosely draped over her waist. For a moment, she stared at his peaceful face, guilt twisting sharply in her stomach.

Last night replayed in her mind like a nightmare she couldn’t escape. The living room. The blanket slipping down. Jax’s deep voice cutting through her moans. The way he had looked at her — shocked, hungry, knowing. She had been caught with her fingers buried inside herself, moaning his name like a desperate woman.

Heat flooded her cheeks. She carefully lifted Julian’s arm and slipped out of bed, moving quietly so she wouldn’t wake him. Her body still felt sensitive, her pussy slightly swollen from how frantically she had touched herself. Every movement reminded her of what she had done.

*How could I do that?* she thought, shame burning through her. *Moaning my father-in-law’s name while my husband slept upstairs? I’m disgusting.*

She went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, hoping it would wash away the memories. It didn’t. She could still hear Jax’s voice. Still feel the intensity of his stare. She changed into a simple sundress and went downstairs, determined to act normal. To be the good wife she was supposed to be.

Julian came down twenty minutes later, freshly showered and dressed for work. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and poured himself coffee.

“Morning, babe. Sleep well?” he asked casually, checking his phone.

Bella forced a smile. “Yeah. You?”

He nodded, already distracted by whatever was on his screen. “Busy day today. Might be home late again.”

She watched him as he moved around the kitchen. He looked the same as always — handsome, successful, the man she had married. But something felt off. The easy affection they once shared had faded into routine. She tried to push the thought away. Maybe it was her fault. Maybe if she had been better in bed, more exciting, he wouldn’t have lost interest.

The sound of footsteps made her tense. Jax entered the kitchen, looking powerful in a crisp dark shirt and slacks. His presence instantly filled the room. Bella’s heart skipped. She kept her eyes on her coffee cup, refusing to look at him.

“Morning,” Jax said, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine.

“Morning, Dad,” Julian replied easily. “Coffee?”

Jax nodded, but his gaze lingered on Bella for a second longer than necessary. She felt it like a physical touch. Her cheeks warmed. She gripped her cup tighter and turned toward the window, pretending to look outside.

The three of them shared breakfast in relative silence. Julian talked about work. Jax listened, occasionally offering advice in that calm, authoritative tone. Bella barely spoke. Every time Jax’s voice reached her, memories from last night flooded back — her legs spread, fingers deep inside herself, moaning his name. She crossed her legs tightly under the table and tried to focus on her food.

When Julian finally left for the office, Bella let out a shaky breath. She started clearing the table, hoping the simple task would distract her. Jax remained seated, watching her quietly.

“You’re avoiding me,” he said after a while.

Bella froze, a plate in her hands. “I’m not. I just… last night was a mistake. It shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry you had to see that.”

Jax stood up slowly and walked over to her. He stopped a respectful distance away, but it still felt too close. “You don’t have to apologize for wanting something, Bella.”

Her pulse quickened. She turned away and busied herself with the dishes. “I’m married. You’re my father-in-law. There’s nothing to want.”

Even as she said the words, her mind betrayed her with flashes of his intense eyes and the way he had looked at her last night. She hated how her body reacted to his nearness.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur of chores. Bella tried to keep busy — cleaning, organizing, anything to stop her thoughts from drifting back to Jax. But he was everywhere. In the hallway when she came out of the laundry room. In the living room when she dusted. Each time their eyes met, the air grew thick with unspoken tension. He never pushed. He simply looked at her like he knew exactly what she was fighting.

By early afternoon, Julian still wasn’t home. Bella went upstairs to their bedroom to change the sheets. While straightening Julian’s side of the bed, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. It was unlocked. She knew she shouldn’t look, but curiosity mixed with a strange unease made her pick it up.

She opened his email app.

There it was. A receipt from an exclusive lingerie boutique. Yesterday’s date. One thousand two hundred and sixty dollars. The description was detailed and explicit: a sheer black lace bodysuit with crotchless panties, matching garter belt, and delicate straps designed to be easily removed.

Bella stared at the screen, her stomach dropping.

She scrolled down. No note. No message saying it was for her. Nothing. Just the cold confirmation of a very expensive, very sexy purchase.

Her hands started shaking. Julian had never bought her lingerie like this. Not once. Not even on their honeymoon. The most he had ever done was a basic set from a department store years ago. Yet he had spent this much on something so blatantly sexual.

She sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, still holding the phone. Questions swirled in her mind, each one more painful than the last.

Why would he buy something like this?

When did he plan to give it to her?

Or… was it never meant for her at all?

*But he didn’t buy me any… then who did he buy it for?*