***Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura***

If you read this story before, please read it again. This is not the same story you once knew. More will be explained at the Author's Note.

Keywords to Recognize:
"" Dialogue
Flashbacks/Character's Thoughts/Letters/Emails
Phone calls
Text Messages
~~~ooo~~~ Scene Change/Page Break

Unfaithful

Chapter 1: The Lonely Wife

Sunlit rays illuminated through flowing white curtains on a quiet, serene morning. She awoke to the sound of the hummingbirds melodiously chirping in the courtyards as the springtime breeze gently caressed her deft skin. As she lazily pulled the sheets over her slender, naked frame, she rolled over, smiling at her darling husband.

His toned chest moved to the steady rhythm of his breathing. Even in his sleeping form, her husband was a sight to behold. Messy, dark manes cropped perfectly around the base of his ears, giving him an alluring boyish look. His lips, although slightly agape, held the right texture in thickness while his long and narrow nose perfectly melded into the rest of his chiseled features. Her husband was exceptionally handsome as the sunlight warmly beamed on his olive skin.

The white sheets partially exposed his hard, lean frame. Slender fingers lightly traced the outlines of his taut muscles protruding in his abdomen. Long, black lashes only added to the kind of innocence only seen in his sleeping form, yet she knew of what an insatiable, hungry lover he could be. Her cheeks quickly turned to crimson hues as she recalled the previous night. She remembered the way she succumbed to his sexy touches, calling his name with each passionate kiss, ultimately becoming undone when they became one. Oohs and aahs seemed to be the only two words that elevated their fruitful night.

In fact, the entire night was something to remember. It was their one-year anniversary, a romantic evening with a candle light dinner, a stroll through the town park, and then that deliriously sexy rendezvous. In spite of an amazing romance, why did she still feel dissatisfied? A question that seemed to invade her thoughts every morning. She sighed, gazing at the five-karat white gold and platinum diamond ring. It was incredibly expensive and any ordinary woman would just gloat at such materialism, but in truth, even a ring could not suffice the void in her heart.

Consciously, the woman felt satisfied in her marriage. It was safe. Usual. Routine. Nothing truly passionate, except the sex, but even then, it had its few low moments. There were moments where she just wanted to bask in her lover's affections, breakaway from the mundane, expose her deepest vulnerabilities, but she knew the reality of it.

And although the sex was mostly wonderful, none of her orgasms could ever be as earth-shattering and eye-opening as the old lover who've given her so many so long ago; the only other man who truly held her heart aside from her current husband.

Even though she was basked with attention and a luxurious romance, Sakura still felt like a lonely wife.

Her old lover gave her things her husband couldn't. Her mind constantly admonishes her with guilt as a part of her longs to touch her old lover again. To kiss him, to hold him, all once more, to be enraptured in a cosmic, soul-shaking, passionate love.

Damn, there goes that guilt again. She shouldn't be thinking of him when she's happily married, living the surreal life; a luxurious home, a collection of pricey, foreign cars, and a wonderful job that she didn't really need, as her husband was already an influential man. Sakura's husband was a doting husband. He loved making her smile.

I can't really complain. I really do have everything, she mused. Still, why do I feel that something is still missing? Could it be because I still miss—? Her thoughts paused as she couldn't even bring herself to say that name. Still, Sakura couldn't deny that her love for her husband could never compare to the kind of love she once felt. The intimate moments and secrets seemed to be reminiscent of the past. Things were different now. She had a husband. A mantra she found herself constantly repeating.

Despite marrying a prosperous man who adores her, feeling safe, and consciously happy, for some reason it wasn't enough. Sakura, a young, gorgeous woman, with everything bestowed upon her feet, still felt like a lonely wife.

It was something she readily came to terms with. Rarely did Sakura question what her life could really be like if she found a certain kind of love to fill the void. For now, she could settle in being consciously happy to a man who wanted to give her the world.

Sakura's husband stirred slowly as he felt her gaze on him.

"Good morning, Mrs. Hara. How are you?" He asked in a smooth, sleepy tenor. His eyes slightly opened before closing again, revealing stunning topazes.

"I'm great!" She replied sweetly. She snuggled beside him. Her long, auburn locks fell across her husband's chest like silk.

"You sure are up early today. Excited about your birthday?"

She shrugged, "Don't know about that, but I just honestly wasn't that tired anymore."

"I would think that after last night you would be pooped." He said, grinning.

"Oh, but it takes so much more than that to keep me down." That sweet, innocent smile dawning on her beautiful visage suddenly became seductive.

Sitting upright, her husband tilted her chin, pressing his lips onto hers with riveting passion. Their tongues fought for dominance, igniting a fire within his body. Dark, topaz eyes stared at her glowing emerald pairs with hunger. Her husband's lips pulled into a Cheshire grin she knew too well. "I think I can definitely change that. What do you say? Round two? Consider it as an early-morning birthday sex."

Sakura giggled, "I'd love to, but unfortunately I have brunch with Tomoyo and Meiling." She pulled away from his hold, slowly getting up and wrapping herself in the large white sheet.

"Hey!" Her husband cried. He helplessly watched the sheets drag away from his naked figure, revealing a very stiff erection.

"Oh Kenji. It's not like I haven't seen it before." His wife teased, walking toward the bathroom.

He got up and placed his petite wife in his strong arms. Her crimson cheeks instantly turned a shade darker. She could practically feel him poking at her stomach.

"It's not that." He pouted. "I'm hard and now I'm hard and cold with no Sakura lying beside me—or on top of me for that matter."

Sakura kissed him playfully on his cheek. "How about we finish tonight?" She whispered coyly.

Kenji's pout was reminiscent of a whimpering child. "Aww, but I want you now."

"Well that's just too bad since you and your friend there are gonna have to wait until tonight." She giggled.

He snorted, "Party pooper."

"Anyways," Sakura rolled her eyes. "You're being extra nice today. No stress anymore?"

"The big boss is finally coming into town. There's nothing else I can do and besides, I'm trying to be nice for your birthday."

He placed a series of butterfly kisses all over her neck. His hands even softly touched her mounds that normally would have her aching with need. "How sweet, but you're still not getting any right now." Sakura smiled. "I need to get going or I'll be late."

Quickly, Sakura hurried into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Kenji sighed, looking down at his stiff erection. "Well buddy, it looks like you and me will have to wait."

The moment when Sakura found her lonesome, she allowed the white bed sheets to fall around her and turned on the shower stall. Stepping inside, she allowed the warm water to flow over her body. She closed her eyes with her head tilted back. As she was soothed by the sound of the water pounding against the ceramic tiles, forbidden memories crept into her mind and into her heart.

There he goes pacing again. It meant that he was thinking too hard. "Just talk to me." She pleaded, keeping her entire deposition calm. They've been fighting a lot now it seems. Sakura can barely remember the last time the two laughed or genuinely had a good time. He sighed, sitting on her bed. His face, so utterly handsome, never seemed to amaze her. Syaoran pushed his chestnut bangs away from his piercing bold and beautiful brown eyes. They were filled with emotions she had rarely seen: worry and desperation.

"I haven't been completely honest with you."

Sakura slightly tilted her head to the left. Emerald eyes blinked with curiosity. "About what?"

The moments of silence seemed to last forever. Syoaran looked directly into her eyes. "Remember when I decided to stay after we captured the Void?" He carefully asked Sakura.

She nodded. "Of course I do. What about it?"

Syaoran finally answered, "Well, it's a little more complicated than that."

The one person who had always been number one in her life suddenly wasn't making sense to her. "Tell me." She softly demanded. Her heart raced with anxiousness, wondering where his cryptic responses were going. A part of Sakura was admittedly afraid to know. Just by the grim look on his handsome visage, it was news that wouldn't be good.

"I was supposed to go back home after you transferred all the Clow Cards to Sakura cards." Syaoran began. "The only reason mother allowed me to stay was so that I can live a normal life. At least until I became of age and then return to my clan responsibilities. She never thought that while staying here, I'd fall in love with the Card Mistress."

"Syaoran..." Sakura gasped, pink hues coloring her cheeks. Even after a six-year courtship, Sakura always felt breathless whenever her boyfriend would say such sweet things.

Syaoran exhaled deeply as that affectionate look turned more solemn. "I never told you this, but I had to make a deal to stay." He further explained. "I promised that upon my eighteenth birthday, I would begin training for my Ascension and become the new leader of the Li Clan."

Sakura's visage contorted in confusion. "Ascension?" She repeated.

"In other words, I will one day govern all of the clans' magical, political, and industrial dominions that surrounds most of Asia and Europe."

"I don't understand. You're eighteen now and you're still here."

"Recently, my mother decided to extend my time here in Tomeda up to our graduation."

"That's not a lot of time!" Sakura replied, outraged. "Certainly they can't take you away that soon, can they? I need you!"

"I know." Syaoran said soothingly. "I'm sorry, Sakura. I wish I could do something about this, but it was all planned even before my birth."

Sakura's fist tightened at her sides as her lover's eyes looked at her with defeat. Tears streamed down her cheeks as Syaoran towered over hear, holding her petite form. "This can't be happening! You promised you'd stay with me!" She whimpered. Perhaps she was a bit selfish, maybe even inconsiderate given the nature of Syaoran's situation, but Sakura needed Syaoran. "What are we going to do? You can't leave!" She shouted. "There must be some other way!"

It seemed that the dreams of pursuing college together and living a happy life seemed to be just that: dreams. She couldn't stop her quiet sobs and if Syaoran wasn't holding her, she'd succumb to her knees. Like air, she grabbed onto her lover, squeezing him tightly. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I...I'm sorry for not telling you this. Forgive me." Syaoran pleaded.

"Why should I?" Sakura asked him coldly. Despite her hard punches against his rock chest, he never flinched. Syaoran stood there, calmly taking all of her hits, frustrations, anger, and the unbearable pain of her heart breaking. "You're leaving me alone! What about us! What about our family!"

"Sakura! Please!" He begged, attempting to soothe his lover. "This is hard on me too!"

She pushed him away. "I thought they knew about us! Don't they know you love me?! That I love you?!"

Syaoran's eyes cast down on the floor in shame. "I never told them, Sakura." He admitted.

"Why the hell not?!" It was rare for Sakura to curse.

"Because my family wouldn't approve that's why!" Syaoran countered, frustrated.

"How can that be? I met your family before! They loved me!"

"That was a different time." He replied. "We were only children and obviously weren't dating back then either. The Elders believe that this sort of relationship could very well disrupt the Balance of Powers as your magic also ties indirectly to Clow Reed. It may even had surpassed his in all aspects of magic, which is something my family is fearful of."

"That doesn't make sense!"

"You are the Card Mistress now. When the Clow Cards chose you as their new master, the Elders explicitly stated that any personal relationship with the new owner of the cards is forbidden. My family's role in the Clow lineage were only meant to act as guardians and intermediaries, thus the reason why I will have to go back to Hong Kong and continue to ensure that the Balance of Powers stay in place. No matter how strong our feelings are for one another, this relationship was never supposed to exist, Sakura."

Sakura shook my head in confusion. It's amazing that someone like Syaoran to go to great lengths of his secrecy. More of his confessions continued to appall her. "So they don't know about us? At all?" She confirmed.

Still staring at the window, he looked down. "I'm sorry."

A sudden, resonating sound echoed in her room. It was expected for sure. Syaoran never moved, feeling the sting made from Sakura's hand. In her eyes, Syaoran deserved a hundred more for giving for lying! He knew she was pissed. Beyond pissed.

"I can't believe you!" She shouted. "You told me you were staying for good! How could you do this and hide this from me!"

"Shhh!" He hissed. "Your family will hear you!"

"I don't care!" Sakura challenged.

"You know I'm not supposed to be here after that stunt you pulled last week!"

Her glares became like daggers at this point. "Stunt?" She seethed. "Is that what you want to call it now? A stunt?"

"Well, you could have told me first!" His voice rose in frustration.

"At least I don't willingly hide things from the one I love!" Sakura crossed her arms indignantly.

Walking towards the open window, Syaoran opted to get out of another headache-stirring argument. "Why would you go to great lengths to keep this from me?" By then, Sakura's emotions were already clouding whatever reasoning she had left, not even factoring the nature of Syaoran's circumstances. She anticipated bad news, but not of this caliber. "We tell each other everything, Syaoran. That's what couples do. They keep no secrets. And now that I will always be a part of you," Sakura placed her hand on her stomach, "and share the same blood, how can you leave so willingly without finding out a way first? You didn't even try to fight for us, did you?"

"Don't you think I've tried already?" Syaoran questioned angrily. "In all honesty, I'd happily give up the Li name for the sake of our love, but I'm not even given that option! Because I am the direct descendant of Clow Reed, I am the only one who is powerful enough to equalize the Balance of Powers between the Clow and Li lineages. If I were to abandon my duties, my family would lose more than just their power and influence! Mother was only my filler until I was old enough to start where my father left off." Syaoran sighed heavily. His bangs covered the hurt and guilt that Sakura briefly saw in his eyes. Her lover was fighting tears. She could imagine that it was hard for him to tell her. No wonder they've been fighting so much lately. "There is another clan whose powers rivals the Li's. If that authority was lost, it would be very detrimental not only to the Li dominions, but to all of Asia! I can't let my family suffer because of my selfish choices!"

"Sakura!" Her older brother yelled. She heard his footsteps patting up the stairs.

"He's coming!" Sakura whispered. With swift ease, Syaoran hopped out the window in into a tree nearby. "I'll call you later." He nodded, as he carefully climbed down and ran off into the night.

"What are you doing?" Touya questioned, walking through her room nonchalantly. He crossed his arms with a suspicious glare.

"Don't you ever knock?" Sakura glared at him.

"I thought I heard another voice. Is there someone in this room with you?" His question made Sakura feel like a criminal, even if he was dead-on.

"You're hearing things." She lied, "I was just about to get into bed, so get out." Sakura pushed him out my room, quickly closing the door with a lock in place. She sighed, lying back down on my bed. Butterflies roamed in her stomach. It was bothersome and Sakura already knew what that meant. Oh well, she might as well get used to it for the next seven months.

"Sakura!" Kenji yelled from outside the bathroom door. "Tomoyo called. You're running late!"

Hearing her husband's voice immediately disrupted Sakura's reverie. "Oh, uh, coming!" She said, grabbing her pink luffa and squirted some body wash on it. She breathed deeply as she fought tears that threatened to brim around her beautiful emeralds. She prayed her husband couldn't hear the soft cries. "I'll be out in a second!"

It's been years since she first thought of that dreadful time. Since then, she wanted to put away her past and restart her life as a married woman. Kenji was her new happiness now. In the time they dated, he showed her he was ten times more than what Syaoran could ever be. In that, she felt indebted to him. He brought her the happiness she thought Syaoran took with him. She smiled softly, realizing this new life she had with Kenji. She already loved him, but perhaps Sakura could also learn to give her heart to Kenji the same way she once gave it to her old love.

After allowing the soap to lather her skin, Sakura stepped under the water to run through her precious locks. The soap was slowly falling into the drain. If only those memories could drain away with it.

Author's Note: So there's Chapter One! This story has been completely rewritten by my awesome beta Avina Rose-Bell and myself. (It was mostly her though, she is awesome!) Unfortunately, she left to go to the Navy, so we are not completely finished with the story. However, we've made good progress! Expect updates every 2-3 weeks! Leave a review please! I really want to read how you feel about the new update

P.S. When I first wrote the story, it was full of grammatical and punctuation errors, wordiness, and in some scenes, the characters were a bit OOC. Furthermore, the story have contradicted itself in many ways than I want to remember. (Some reviewers even complained about it) Admittedly, I really didn't care because it was just something to do at the time. However, the more involved I became with Unfaithful, the more I realized that my readers deserved a better quality story. Also, I just got married and I'm a school teacher by day, so I'm not able to update as often I want. However, Avina will be taking my place from time to time to help with the updates and stuff - with my direction of course. Enjoy this new revised story of Unfaithful. Any questions? Just PM me and I or Avina will be HAPPY to answer them to the best of our ability!

XOXO CherryB ;)