***Trigger warnings- This story contains content that may be troubling to some readers, including, but not limited to rape, non-consent, and humiliation. Reader discretion is highly advised.
This story is a single-part entry and will not have any additional chapters or parts.***
Madison opened the oven, feeling the warm blast of air hit her face. She grabbed the roast, which was surrounded by a medley of carrots and potatoes, soaking in a home-made broth, and slid it in before shutting the oven door. She set the timer which would finish just in time for her husband, Derek, to arrive home from work.
The weekly-scheduled cleaning service had already come and gone, leaving the house spotless and perfectly scented. Every nook and cranny had been serviced which meant Madison could focus on the important things like dinner, and some highly desired self-care. With the dinner in the oven and some free time, Madison made her way out of the kitchen into the living room. She walked past the white couches that surrounded her expensive coffee table which she had special ordered from Paris. The fireplace was on, filling the room with its warmth as the winter air outside froze everything it touched.
Madison made her way to the staircase, climbing the steps in her bare feet as she surveyed the pictures on the wall. Pictures of her wedding, elaborate vacations that she and Derek had taken, fancy parties they had been invited to; each one telling a story of two people in love who spared no expense when it came to happiness. Her favorite picture was the very last one as she reached the top landing. She stopped to stare at herself, waist-deep in the ocean next to Derek. The Bahamas had been her favorite destination to date, and she desperately hoped to return soon.
She continued on her way to the bedroom where the bed had been made and the carpets vacuumed. The blinds were drawn which let in the dull light of a cloudy winter afternoon. She made her way through to the ensuite bathroom and turned on the shower. As the water warmed, Madison pulled off her shirt and sweats, tossing them into the hamper in the closet. She kept her bra and panties on until the very last second, only ditching them when it was time to climb into the shower.
The water felt good as it covered every square inch of her body. She lathered her skin, cleaning every part of herself, taking her time to savor every second. She grabbed her shower razor and worked on removing every stray hair, starting with her legs, then her bikini area, and finishing with her arms and armpits. She used her lavender body wash on her baby-smooth skin and began her hair regimen. Derek had at one point given her grief over the exorbitant amount she spent on her hair care products, but that was before the big money had started flowing.
She cut off the water and stepped out, wrapping herself in a massive fluffy towel and made her way to the vanity. She dried her hair while applying her various facial creams and ointments before going back to the hair which she curled delicately. She did her makeup, paying close attention to all the small things that Derek had always complimented her on. His favorite shade of lipstick, favorite eyeshadow... It was all there. She double checked all of it before moving to the closet, leaving the towel behind and discarded on the floor. She pulled open her panty drawer and dug through the many options, sorted by color and style.
"Where did you go?" She whispered to herself.
The specific pair she was looking for had been in the back of the drawer. The skimpy red g-string was small enough to easily get lost in the plethora of other panties she preferred to wear on a day to day basis. She held the thin string of underwear between her fingers, remembering the day Derek had purchased it and brought it home with the matching red push-up bra. He had used his first big check to go lingerie shopping, buying several pairs of g-string panties, bras, lacy nightgowns and even a high end vibrator. The sentiment was there but Madison couldn't help wondering why the sudden fascination with lingerie and sex toys.
She pulled the panties on, adjusting them as the thin fabric uncomfortably slid snugly into every crevice she had and moved on to the bra drawer where she found the matching set with ease. She pulled it on and fastened the back as her breasts were pushed up to bulge from the top. Madison wasn't a busty woman, which was probably what prompted Derek to buy the push-up kind. It didn't necessarily hurt her feelings- every guy had their desires and fantasies- and if skimpy panties and push-up bras were Derek's... Well she knew there were more extreme things one could want, so she endured the mild uncomfortability.
She walked over to where her dresses hung in neat, color-coordinated sections. She didn't often go for bright colors and tonight was no exception she settled on a black one. She pulled it down and stepped into it, pulling the thin straps over her shoulders and tugging up the zipper from the back- with some rather intense difficulty. The dress hugged her form comfortably and stopped just above the knees. Derek loved dresses and the ease they gave with taking them off when it came down to business.
She grabbed Derek's favorite bottle of perfume and gave it a few small pumps, sending fragrant mist to her neck and wrists. Derek picked good on that scent and she loved it herself, which was a relief. The final touches were earrings- silver hoops for today- and the heels. She of course went with the red-heeled pair to complete the look. She stood in front of the floor to ceiling mirror, inspecting every detail of herself.
"And who might you be?" She asked her reflection.
The woman looking back was gorgeous in every regard. Her dark curly hair hung perfectly even at her shoulders. Her green eyes immaculately accented by the dark mascara and eyeshadow with the vivid red lipstick spread evenly across her thin lips. She was a woman that any man would be head-over-heels for. A head-turner. Yet this woman was a stranger to Madison. Both the real woman and reflection married the same man, yet only one of them held the true attraction and lust that Derek craved. The other, a blank canvass with nothing of note.
Madison shook her head slightly and left the closet, banishing her negative thoughts. She was gorgeous and she knew it, but something about the time it took to cover the beauty to portray what her husband truly wanted to see when he got home was a stab in the gut. This was all for him; Derek, her successful, handsome husband who did everything he could to make their life lavish and grand. Derek, who was hiding something from her...
It began with the later working hours. Derek had always been home just after four, which bled to five, then five thirty, and lately as late as seven. When asked why, the answer was always the same.
"Sorry, Maddy, business has been crazy! But, the money is coming in, baby!" He would say with enthusiasm.
He wasn't wrong, his business had really taken off over the past year. Derek and his good friend Justin started their own business five years ago. Both of them had gambled their retirement savings and financial wellness to start what they said would change the way businesses operated forever! It had been a slow start full of uncertainty, but after a few investments came through, things skyrocketed.
Then came the random phone calls late at night. Derek would always rush off into another room to take the calls, speaking in hushed tones and acting suspicious when asked about them.
"It's just another investment we're working on," or, "This is a big opportunity for the business, babe." Were his responses.
Derek became frazzled and distant over the past several months and it became clear that something was wrong. Madison, in a desperate attempt, had even reached out to Justin, asking if something was happening at work that she should be worried about. Justin, having Derek's back, said all was well and that "the money was coming in!" It was always the fucking money.
But Madison grew to fear what it truly was. The monster hiding in Derek's closet that he was struggling to keep contained. Derek was having an affair. She hadn't approached him, fearing that he would spiral and deny it which would only make it worse. Part of it was denial. If she could pretend it wasn't happening, she wouldn't have to worry about her life changing and her marriage falling apart. It was easy to deny and pretend the waters were fine when a hurricane was on the horizon.
Madison made her way back down the staircase, this time not glancing at the pictures. The smell of roast permeated the air and made her stomach grumble. The click of her heels across the tile echoed throughout the otherwise quiet house as she made her way to the fireplace, flicking the switch to turn it off. She glanced at the huge, decorative clock on the wall, only four hours until Derek would return home to share a lovely dinner with her- and hopefully a bit more.
Madison planned on confronting Derek tonight when dinner was over. With a little help of a couple bottles of wine and a good romp in the bedroom, he would be loose enough to pull information out of, and she would finally have the truth of it. Was it excessive? Of course it was. The fact that she was going to such great lengths just to have an adult conversation with her husband struck her as odd and unnecessary, yet there she was, dolled up and ready to make it happen.
She wandered into the kitchen and pulled open the oven to inspect the roast. The broth was bubbling nicely and the meat was browning perfectly. She would pull it out just before Derek arrived and let it settle before plating it. She closed the oven door and poured herself a glass of water, feeling rather parched all of the sudden.
She jumped at that moment as the front door opened, followed by the patter of footsteps. Madison set the glass of water down and bolted to the entryway where Derek quickly entered, tugging his jacket off to hang on the coat rack next to the door. He looked flustered and out of sorts.
"Derek, honey, you're home early!" Said Madison.
"Hey hon, sorry for not calling to let you know, I'm in a bit of a hurry." He said, blowing past her without so much as a hug or kiss.
"A hurry? For what?" She asked, following him as he made for the stairs.
He took them two at a time as she struggled to keep up, her heels clacking away on the tile in her frantic pursuit. She held tight to the railing as she followed him up, waiting for his response.
"Derek, why are you in such a rush? Is everything alright?" Madison asked, finally reaching the top of the stairs.
Derek disappeared into the master bedroom, not answering her again. Madison frustratingly kicked off her heels and sent them scattering against the wall next to her bedroom door before rushing into the room.
"Derek! For God's sake answer me! What is going on?" She said, entering the master closet where Derek was pulling a bag down from the top shelf. Watching him throw it to the floor made her panic heighten.
"Sorry Maddy, I'm already running late as is. Justin and I found a last minute flight to Florida for a big convention that would really do wonders for work. I have to hurry if I'm going to make it!" Said Derek, tossing underwear and socks into his bag before moving onto his pant drawer.
