Chapter 1: Fire in the Bedroom

A young woman in a black dress walked down the street with a box of cupcakes in hand. She had a certain glow upon her face – the kind that suggested she had just received good news. There was also a noticeable spring in her step, and her glossy lips curved in a subtle smile.

There was no mistake that she was having a great day, and Mother Nature seemed to agree with her. It was a beautiful day with the sun streaming down and puffy white clouds dancing in the sky. The woman continued her walk until she reached an apartment building.

"Hey, Allison. You're looking nice as always," a man with a small, black dog said as they passed one another.

"Why thank you, Danny. Hi Duke!" she responded as the dog barked and wagged his short tail in greeting.

Allison quickly petted the dog before bidding the man farewell and making her way inside the building. She took the elevator up to the fourth floor and pulled out the key to her boyfriend's apartment out of her purse.

Upon entering, Allison had a strange feeling. There was something different in the air, she couldn't tell what, and she thought she smelled something floral and sweet.

"Babe?" she called out to the emptiness.

She began walking towards the bedroom when her boyfriend, Aiden, opened the door and met her in the living room.

"Hey, babe. I thought I wasn't going to see you until tonight. Weren't you gonna go to the movies?"

"Lydia only had time for lunch so I thought I'd surprise you with some cupcakes," she said as she held up the box for him to see, all suspicion abandoned.

"Aw, you're so sweet."

"Were you taking a nap?" she asked her half-naked boyfriend as she set the box down on the kitchen table and began retrieving plates and forks for them.

"Yeah, just trying to catch up on some sleep. I've been sluggish all day. Maybe we could have the cupcakes later? I really just wanna get back to sleep."

Allison paused. The strange feeling returned in full force. Something definitely was different.

She studied Aiden. His hair was messy and there was a forced look on his face. He couldn't keep still either and she noticed he was a bit sweaty.

"Everything okay?"

She noticed the subtle panic in his eyes that sent her heart rate soaring.

"Actually, no. I'm feeling a little sick. I think all the stress from work and lack of sleep is finally catching up to me."

Allison was torn. A part of her desperately wanted to believe him, but the other part told her that what she had been dreading for the past few weeks was about to be confirmed.

"Aiden, is someone else here?" she asked in a steady voice.

"What? Of course not! Can't I just be sick without you accusing me of cheating? Why do you always think I'm cheating? You know I love you and I would never hurt – hey!"

Allison had run to the bedroom and flung the door open before Aiden could stop her. Her heart sank and her eyes welled up with tears as a petite woman with straight brown hair stood up from her seat on the bed, her arms crossed.

Allison had a hard time breathing.

"Babe, it's not – it's not what it looks like, she's just a friend," Aiden stuttered lamely. He turned her so that they were facing each other and kept his hands firmly on her arms.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled as she broke free from his grasp.

"Please, just listen to me. She's no one, I promise. I only love you. This is all just a big misunderstanding."

"You're so pathetic. You told me you were single!" the other woman shouted.

"And I told you to hide!" Aiden retorted.

She turned to Allison. "I'm so sorry, but your boyfriend is a lying douchebag. We've been hooking up for the past two weeks and I had no idea about you, I promise."

"The hell you didn't! Allison, she's lying. I told her I had a girlfriend, but she just didn't care! This is her fault!"

"Wow, you'll say just about anything to get out of trouble, won't you?" the woman snarled. She looked back at Allison. "Do yourself a favor and get a real man. I know I will."

She grabbed her purse and jacket off the floor, flashed Aiden an obscene hand gesture, and stormed out the bedroom with a fiery look in her eyes. The door slam that followed left a loud silence in its wake.

Allison quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand and tried to catch her breath.

"Allison, I'm sorry. I screwed up, I know, but I promise it will never happen again."

"I trusted you."

And before he could stop her, she ran out the apartment and away from the man she thought she would marry one day.