Silent Betrayal Short Story

A small, quiet town named Marakabei was small and beautiful. It was attractive to the tourist and everyone would like to visit it. This town was special with momentum houses and mountains. Ethan Collins was a friendly person and was soft-spoken person, he had a serious anger and his wife noticed that after a while, Lily tried to help him with therapist and Ethan kept pushing her away and she started cheating. Ethan worked at the factory and they used to manufacture plastic chairs, he was a person who grew up in an abusive home, his father James killed his mother Patricia, the situation affected him badly and he was fighting with everyone. Ethan was a loving and charming person, he knew how to approach a woman but the problem was anger issue. 

Ethan had a wife but his wife was willing to do everything to help him. Ethan suspected that his wife was cheating on him. This situation happened after pushing Lily away and she started acting weird. “Baby Are you alright?” Asked Ethan. 

“I need to sleep, tomorrow I have a presentation to make,” said Lily standing on the coach and headed to the bedroom. “You can’t keep ignoring me, if you are cheating on me I will find out,” said Ethan. Lily turned and looked at him. 

“I can’t do something like that dear,” said Lily. 

“I was not born yesterday, I know your tricks; please stop what you are doing.” Ethan continued watching the TV. Lily knew exactly why her husband said that but she denied. 

“How could you? You know exactly I love you and I can’t do that,” said Lily, pretending. “I can sense something, your signs are showing me and please I do not want to argue with you,” said Ethan. Lily did not answer; she turned and headed to the bedroom.

Mark who is Ethan colleague was the best friend to Ethan and they could enjoy lunch together, they could work together and make jokes, watch movies. 

“My friend, finally the boss agreed to raise our salaries,” said Mark. 

“We struggled man, I remember my wife complaining about food,” Ethan revealed. “I am glad she won’t bother you my friend.”

“Remember we used to borrow the money to the loan-shark,” Mark laughed. “I remember that my friend,” said Ethan. “My friend you are not well, what is the problem?” Asked Mark. “Life is unfair; sometimes I wonder the things Lily do.”

“Did she done something wrong?” Asked Mark. 

“I see some signs of cheating, this wife is cheating on me,” said Ethan. Mark could not pulled himself together; he knew why Ethan said that. “My friend I need to pee, we will proceed with the conversation.”  

“But we are still talking man, what kind of friend are you?” Asked Ethan. Mark did not answer him he walked away. It was clear that Mark was sleeping with his wife but Ethan was not aware. 

Mark met with Lily at the town, “We have a serious issue to fix,” said Mark confused. “I don’t get you, what are you talking about?” Asked Lily. “Your husband knows everything about us, I told you to drop this act,” Mark was nervous. The act of Mark annoyed Lily. “Don’t be stupid you moron! My husband must not know it is you. If you keep acting like this he will know and hell will break loose,” said Lily annoyed. Mark was not himself; he decided to break up with her. 

“I think we need to stop this and move on with our lives,” said Mark. Lily did not want to break up with Mark she wanted to leave Ethan because of his actions. 

“Ethan has no style, besides he is not my husband,” said Lily. Mark looked so speechless. “But you exchanged vows at the altar.”

“Hey! Never say that again, but I didn’t want to marry him, I noticed that he has anger,” said Lily pointing him with a finger. “But I can’t carry on with you, you know how Ethan is, he will blow up and everything will be mess,” said Mark, he was nervous. Mark did not want to say anything he left. 

Ethan was wondering who could be dating his wife, he asked his wife just to get a clarification. They were watching a TV. “Baby, you know I love you right?” Asked Ethan. 

“Why do you ask me that question?” Asked Lily. 

“Baby we need to fix our mistakes and move on,” said Ethan. Lily was afraid that her husband knew something. 

“Sometimes you are strange; I am puzzled why you ask me that, you kept pushing me away,” said Lily looking so worried.

“You don’t have to be worried, the thing is that you haven’t given me attention since last week. I am willing to change and I am so sorry for pushing you away,” said Ethan and held her hand. Ethan suspected that Mark is behind this because every time when he brings the conversation of cheating, Mark would try to avoid it. “Are you cheating on me?” Asked Ethan. Lily looked nervous. “How could you ask me that?” Asked Lily. 

“I need answers, don’t avoid me,” Ethan got angry. 

“Baby I won’t do that, remember we exchanged the vows?”

“Yes I know that,” Ethan replied. “Well, that is all I wanted to know,” said Ethan and took a remote control and changed the channel. “No baby, you can’t change the channel,” said Lily. Ethan was already angry and believed that his wife is telling him the lies. “I can’t live with your lies, besides this is my TV so I can do whatever I want to do!” shouted Ethan. Lily stood and looked so annoyed. “You are so childish, you need to grow.”

“Hey don’t tell me to grow, you bastard!” Ethan shouted. Lily’s eyes became teary and she wanted to cry. 

“Fine, I will go and pack and leave you,” said Lily and goes to the bedroom to take her belongings, she left. Sometimes in a relationship, there are many challenges that people face. Ethan watched her wife as she leaves and did not say any word. 

Lily was always thinking about Mark and she didn’t like Ethan. Mark was preparing himself to sleep and he heard someone knocking, Lily was not aware that Ethan was following her. 

“I am not expecting someone at this time,” said Mark headed to open a door and found Lily crying and carrying her belongings. “Hey, what brings you here? Are you fighting with your husband?” Asked Mark taking her belongings and letting her to enter, Lily sat on the sofa. “Mark we fought, I don’t know why Ethan is acting so childish,” said Lily sobbing. 

“Look my dear, everything is going to be fine,” said Mark and started to hug Lily, he felt something special. 

“Let us give our relationship a chance, we can do this,” said Mark kissing her. Lily felt a warmth love while kissing. Ethan knocked. “Who could that be?” Asked Mark, Mark didn’t realized that Ethan was following his wife. Mark opened the door and found Ethan. “My friend, what brings you here?” Asked Mark stopping Ethan to enter. “Let me enter man, I am not feeling well,” said Ethan. Mark kept forcing Ehtan not to enter. “Is there something you are hiding from me?” Asked Ethan looking worried. “No my friend, I need to sleep. I am knocking on tomorrow,” said Mark. Ethan didn’t listen to him, he pushed him and he entered. Lily was already hiding herself. “Man, I told you I need to sleep,” said Mark looking confused. “You are looking so confused sir, I should be worried.”

“Come on my friend, nothing major, like I said, I need to sleep.” Mark laughed. Ethan didn’t say any word, he turned and left. Ethan had an instinct that his wife is inside the room, he went to the window of a bedroom to listen.

Mark went to his bedroom and found Lily looking terrified.

“We almost got caught,” said Mark looking nervous. 

“I am also scared, if he find out that I am here, I am in danger,” said Lily. “Don’t worry, he left. I don’t think he knows you are here,” said Mark kissing Lily. “I missed this moment.” Ethan was furious and he was a full of anger, he went back to the kitchen, pulled out the gun and shot the lock. Mark and Lily heard a gunshot, the problem is that the house had a burglar on the windows and they couldn’t escape through the window. 

Ethan found his wife on the bedroom with Mark. He clapped his hands. “I knew it, it must be fun,” said Ethan. “Look baby, don’t take it that way. I was….” Ethan interrupted her. 

“Shut up! Who gave you a permission to speak?” Said Ethan. 

“Look my friend, I didn’t mean this to happen, it was too late and I couldn’t allow her to walk on the street alone because it is not safe out there,” Said Mark terrified. Ethan knew from the beginning that Mark was dating Lily. He didn’t understand their explanation, he took a gun and shot Mark. “Look what you done baby!” Lily shouted and cried. “You are cheating on me, I loved you but you decided to date my friend?” Asked Ehtan. 

“No baby, I wish I could turn back the time and start over with you.” Ethan cried and felt helpless. “I loved you but you decided to cheat on me, you broke my heart and I don’t know anymore.” Ethan shot himself and Lily approached his body, she cried and held him.

© Brian Makara 2025.