Victor's Apartment Summer 2028

Viper stood in the balcony, wrapped in a simple black overrobe, staring out at the breaking dawn, in utter shock at what she had done. She had broken yet another wedding vow. One she had, for once, every ounce of control over. From this moment on, she could and would be labelled as an adultress: a woman who betrayed the man who had been there for her at all her highest and lowest times, even when she pushed him away.

She inhaled sharply as she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her waist. A familiar pair of arms, yet not the familiarity she desperately wanted, yet knew was unlikely she would ever feel after what she had just done.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Victor asked softly, whispering into her ear.

Viper flinched at the words, for she remembered that they were the exact same words her husband had spoken to her when their relationship had first been established. All those years ago... back when everyone was happy...

"It shouldn't have happened." she replied bluntly, closing her eyes to try and ward off the tears. She wanted to blame Victor. Oh Merlin, how she wanted to... But when it all came down to it, there was no one to blame but herself.

Victor had kissed her first, but did she push him away? Not at all. In fact, she encouraged it. It was her who asked that they moved to a more comfortable location. It was her who knew that she was married with a loving husband who was waiting at home with their three beautiful children. It was her who forsook everything and everyone. And for what? A brief moment of pure sinful selfishness where she somehow made herself believe that she felt happy. To have that one moment and force herself into believing that she was a teenager once more, carefree, with the entire world and endless opportunities ahead of her, in total control of her fate.

To have one single moment, reliving nothing more than a fool's dream and a ghost's memory. How utterly stupid...

Victor only rubbed her back in a comforting gesture, by now starting to feel a stab of guilt over his part in their actions. "No one has to know... I swear, Amaranth, I won't tell a soul. No one will ever know what we did."

Viper wiped away the lone tear that had slid it's way down her face. "But I would." she replied, the emotion thick in her voice. "I'll always know that I betrayed my husband in more ways than one... I-I have to go..." she breathed out as she summoned her cloak and fled, not once looking back at the room and the man she had used for her own benefit.

She dashed out of the apartment, running down stairs in a blind fury, trying desperately to run. Run from the evidence, run from her sins, run from reality, and run from her life.

She gasped as she nearly collided into a hallway mirror, looking at her reflection long and hard. There was no point running from Victor and his apartment, for all the evidence of their dark deed was written all over her, particularly her eyes.









God, she was despicable.

A sob escaped her throat before her fist made contact with the mirror, smashing it into shards, piercing her hand, creating a ripple of rapidly dripping blood.

Yet all went ignored as Viper leaned back against the wall, sinking to the ground with tears cascading down her face, as all she could think of was of what she had done.

"F-Forgive Me..."