Cade's footsteps echoed through the living room as he paced back and forth, his palms slick with sweat. His heart pounded, each beat a reminder of the thrilling night ahead. He glanced at the clock again, willing the minutes to move faster.
"Tonight's the night," he murmured, a shiver of anticipation running down his spine. "Lila won't be able to resist."
Images flashed through his mind - Lila's lithe body writhing beneath him, her eyes blazing with lust as she begged for more. His cock twitched at the thought.
"God, I can't wait to see her face when I tell her what I want," Cade groaned. "She'll be shocked at first, but then..." He trailed off, lost in the fantasy.
The sound of a key in the lock jolted him back to reality. Cade's breath caught in his throat as the door swung open.
"Lila?" he called out, his voice cracking slightly.
"I'm home," came the reply.
Cade's stomach flip-flopped as he moved towards the entryway. This was it - the moment he'd been dreaming of for months. His palms were sweating again as he rounded the corner.
"Welcome home, baby," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I've been waiting for you."
Lila stepped into the living room, her stilettos clicking against the hardwood floor. The sound echoed in the silence, each step like a gunshot to Cade's ears. His eager smile faltered as he took in her icy demeanor.
"Lila?" Cade's voice wavered. "Is everything okay?"
She didn't answer, her gaze sweeping past him as if he weren't there. The air in the room seemed to crystallize, sharp and brittle.
Cade's excitement drained away, replaced by a creeping unease. This wasn't how he'd imagined their encounter. Where was the warmth, the passion he'd been fantasizing about?
"We need to talk," Lila finally said, her voice devoid of emotion.
She stood before him, her face an unreadable mask. Cade's heart raced, but for entirely different reasons now.
"What's going on?" he asked, fighting to keep his voice steady.
Lila's eyes met his, and in that moment, Cade knew. Before she even opened her mouth, he knew his world was about to shatter.
"I want a divorce," Lila stated, the words falling like ice between them.
Cade felt the floor tilt beneath him. "What? No, you can't—"
"I can, and I am," Lila cut him off, her tone brooking no argument. "It's over, Cade."
He stared at her, disbelief etched across his features. This couldn't be happening. Not now, not when he was so close to realizing his deepest fantasies.
"But... why?" The question escaped him in a strangled whisper.
Lila's lips curled in a mirthless smile. "Do you really need to ask?"
Cade's mind reeled, grasping for any explanation that could make sense of this surreal moment. "This... this is a joke, right?" he stammered, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "Some kind of twisted roleplay?"
His eyes searched Lila's face desperately, looking for any hint of softness, any crack in her stony demeanor. But there was nothing. Just cold, implacable resolve.
"It's not a joke, Cade," Lila replied, her voice steady and devoid of emotion. "I've never been more serious about anything in my life."
Cade felt his knees weaken, and he stumbled back a step, catching himself on the arm of the couch. "But why?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "We were happy... weren't we?"
Lila's eyes flickered with something—pity, perhaps—before hardening again. "I love him," Lila continued, each word driving deeper into Cade's heart. "He understands me in ways you never could. He satisfies me in ways you never did."
Cade's breath caught in his throat, a strangled sound escaping him. His mind raced, trying to process this information, trying to deny the reality crashing down around him. But Lila's words left no room for misunderstanding, no space for hope.
"How long?" he managed to choke out, his voice raw with emotion. “Before I found out, how long had you been seeing him?”
"Long enough," Lila replied, a hint of defiance creeping into her tone. "Long enough to know that this is what I want. What I need."
Lila's eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a sneer. "And let's talk about what you need, Cade. Your sick little fetish, your pathetic fantasies."
Cade flinched, feeling exposed and vulnerable. He'd always thought Lila understood, even if she didn't fully embrace his desires. Now, her words dripped with venom.
"You think I didn't know? That I couldn't see how weak you are?" Lila spat. "A real man doesn't beg to be humiliated, doesn't get off on being less than nothing."
Each word was a dagger, slicing away at Cade's self-worth. He opened his mouth to protest, but no sound came out.
"Jake is twice the man you'll ever be," Lila continued, her voice rising. "He doesn't need twisted games to feel alive. He takes what he wants, and believe me, he takes it well."
Cade's mind reeled, images of Lila with this faceless Jake flooding his thoughts. He tried to push them away, but they persisted, tormenting him.
"I-I can change," he stammered, desperation clawing at his insides. "We can work on this, Lila. Please."
But even as the words left his mouth, Cade knew it was futile. The contempt in Lila's eyes told him everything. His world was crumbling, and he was powerless to stop it.
Lila's voice turned cold as ice. "There's nothing to work on, Cade. It's over. And I need you out of here. Tonight."
Cade's eyes widened in disbelief. "Tonight? But where am I supposed to go?"
"That's not my problem," Lila snapped. "Jake's moving in tomorrow, and I won't have you here when he arrives."
The finality of her words hit Cade like a physical blow. "You can't be serious. This is my home too, Lila. Our home."
"Not anymore," she said, her tone brooking no argument. "I want you gone by morning. Pack your things and leave."
Cade's legs trembled beneath him. "But I-"
"No buts," Lila interrupted. "This isn't a negotiation. It's an eviction."
The weight of her words crushed him. Cade's knees buckled, and he sank to the floor, his back sliding down the wall.
"Please," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Don't do this."
But Lila's face remained impassive. "It's already done."
As the reality of his situation sank in, Cade felt something inside him shatter. His fantasies, his desires, his very sense of self - all lay in ruins around him. He curled into himself, a hollow, defeated shell of a man.
"I'll be back in the morning," Lila said, her voice distant. "You'd better be gone."
As Lila turned her back on him, heading for the door, Cade found his voice one last time. "Wait," he croaked, barely audible. "Please, Lila. Can't we... can't we talk about this?"
His trembling hand reached out, grasping at empty air as she continued to walk away. "I'll change. I'll be better. Just... don't leave me like this."
Lila paused at the threshold, her hand on the doorknob. For a fleeting moment, Cade's heart leapt with hope. But when she spoke, her voice was cold and final. "There's nothing left to say, Cade. It's over."
The door closed behind her with a soft click, leaving Cade alone in the deafening silence of the living room. He stared at the space where Lila had stood, his mind refusing to accept the reality of what had just transpired.
His gaze drifted around the room, taking in the familiar surroundings that now felt alien and hostile. The framed photos on the mantel, once treasured memories, now mocked him with their frozen smiles. The throw pillows Lila had carefully chosen, the potted plant he'd given her for their anniversary - every object seemed to pulse with the pain of loss.
Cade's fingers dug into the carpet, seeking something solid to anchor him in this nightmare. "This can't be happening," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse. "She'll come back. She has to come back."
But as the minutes ticked by, marked only by the steady ticking of the clock on the wall, the finality of Lila's departure began to sink in. The silence grew oppressive, punctuated only by Cade's ragged breathing.
He curled into himself, his forehead pressing against his knees. "What am I supposed to do now?" he whispered to the empty room. No answer came, save for the echoing void of his shattered dreams.