CraftedBetrayalPt.01

晨柔夕

! p" T* S" m: `tropes. it's "The driveway." I parts. I'll order. a terms, words. list, a me. English. I feedback. a story, fiction, up, real. enjoy. Air's a godsend. a a bed, soft. office. SG1132 9 fresh, economy, 8am. Grab, style, office, a International. 40 20 back. easier, SG1133 7pm, sleep, International 7am. customs, a Brisbane, day. home. hall, Paddington, a quiet, leafy, suburb. a shoulders. should. a face, him. wasn't. bag, Point. again, again. a waited. 8 a morning, Singapore. 25 traffic. again, answer. a phone. a wasn't of, again, hadn't communicating lately. a driver, there. overcompensating, a it. triumphant. He'd ring, Affairs, Board, directly. skills. didn't overnight. university. opportunities Industry. hours, himself, family. hadn't suffered, a lifestyle, a Nanny/Housekeeper career. wasn't a years. hadn't way, a months, that, international he. Australia. Singapore. relocate, Singapore, a company, a week. a was, initially. happening, a away, Brisbane. in, Paddington, him, comfort, memories. street. driveway. a stop, driveway. A model, 2022 Fords. ride, there, a him. car, inside. door. house. quiet. asleep, thought. son's room, empty, daughter's too. his, her, office. a him. wrong. a visitor, kitchen. nothing. Then, stairs, it, snoring, a man's snoring, hall. sound, room, nothing. suite. bed, bed, wife, a man, asleep, naked, snoring. still, it. still. Looking. photos, a faces, clothing. man's pants. pocket, nothing.
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A easy, favours, fuck, I ... ... ... fuck. neither. churn. silently. sick. hallway, noise, stairs, silent. bottom, hesitated. a son's bat, door, up, them. achieve? scene: screaming, room, police. door. bag. out, him. door, POS. windshield. Instead, car. a windshield. a console. phone, a photo. footpath, a by, ... Airport. a fog, feel, process, streets. way, corporation's app. 10 hours, fuck, a crap. Ah, a flight, A380, a Class. it, it. flight. online, Terminal. Lounge, photos. lines, search. cabin. didn't sleep. didn't eat. didn't drink. there, one, over,
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4 ]# ]- A$ f$ g0 T/ LEmily's face. man's face.

Naked... together.
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A Emily's breast, hair. cloud. eyes, wouldn't come. him. 30,000 plan, home, to. cried, once. Singapore, carryon, entry, a point. I'm thought, ,000 ticket.

Outside, a slap.

***** Airport. seat, a gun. driver's mirror, quiet. didn't unpacking. kitchen. a glass. drink, metal. him. back: Emily's face, closed, open. chest. evidence.
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% `8 ?; m  _$ V7 t) X. wInsurance. revenge. all, more, table. him. out. didn't.

/ O5 i* r9 |( _. S0 pInstead, sat, thinking, remembering, crying. bed. morning, wasn't weeks. immediately. a Indian, Engineer, Melbourne, Australia. 10 James's Assistant. friends, years. role. a mind, a memory. James's moved. Asia.
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% a1 M, L8 M7 S9 `) H0 z"James? hell? You're early. happened, already?" Raj's lighter, him. smile. didn't eyes. "Yeah, couldn't enough" croaked.
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) p; p1 f; Y, M- z# P$ q5 F"You shit, man." squinted. "Jet lag?" swallowed. sand. "Something that, private?"

4 a, ?: g/ r$ ]' M! T, JRaj's shifted. nodded. a door. sagged, down, up. wall, folded. "Mate, you're me. What's on?" face. palms. couldn't Raj's eyes.

"I something," finally. photos. hesitated. a friend. ... this, mess. it. real. phone. Pics. open. didn't anything. Raj's hard. explode.
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  Q* }; W& m& \8 t9 W1 I"Jesus Christ, James." a didn't he'd holding. nose. "That's Emily?" once. a exhale. "Fuck." a minute.
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Finally, spoke. "Who's guy, he's familiar?" slowly. "I don't know." ... "Hold on." again. card. I can't a name, card. type. eyes. "Show again." ... "You've before?" head, closed, tears.

"I've somewhere." screen. up.
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"What mean?" screen.
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"I'm I've bastard. a Bay, year, September, I think, a staff. I wouldn't notice, out, asshole" a look, "I faces".

$ U& |- r% y" e9 y  m& c: r! R"Your wife's here. I'm he's photos. team, I think." website. Yes, that's ... Grant. Coordinator.

James's twisted. "You're sure?"

"Fuck" hand. "She International I Qatar, that's 12 ago, long?" confirmation, betrayal, nausea, spun. him.

9 s3 ]1 j7 H3 E" V"Listen," softly. "We is. a him. there's In, etc." temples. "I ... Everything. I lives. he's married. her." didn't flinch. eyes. hard. "I ... I don't do, Raj. a nightmare."

Raj's calm.
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9 @: c7 Y; ~9 B/ H7 a"You don't today. First, him. it. time, Mate, together. a do, here. yet?" scream, nod. Emily's website, Galleries, laptop. directory. Grant. Coordinator. headshot. smile. photo. Facebook. Grant. Married. kids. Milton, Brisbane. information, arsehole's him, children, a front. carefully. "You going?"
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James's ice. "Yes." nodded. office. President, Luu. a table. a weeks. couldn't handle. immediately. afternoon, outs. Grant: 39 old. 12 Christine, 32. kids, a girl. group. Michael's a redhead. not. out, revenge. buzzed, Emily, call. 17 times. Voicemails. Texts: me. aren't answering?? I'm scared.
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What's on?? ME. all, then, back.
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# J* W4 Z6 C" i9 \: ~Problems. Can't talk. down.
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***** Mrs. Patterson, 18 years. ring.
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"Hello?"

" l; _7 ]( y/ G6 b# y; y"Hi, Edith, it's James."

9 r! }  \9 s( T1 ?1 N"Oh, James! You're back! you?" normal.
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"I'm Fine. Actually, I'm back, crap, I something. a I'm away?"

# L# Q9 `3 H) Q' eA pause.

"Oh, that? yes, I have. Michael's Car" thumped.

' ^9 }+ L8 _0 R: k- ]8 ^"How often?"

"Most weeks. Tuesdays, I think. week. now." dry.

9 y) @2 N. h* d( X5 @3 F5 |3 u) d"How months?"

"Oh... I don't exactly. 11 months, least." eyes. talking.
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"He nice's a Niel's Barbeques. I knew. regular, first, I out, ... close. I things, you're away." a laugh.
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/ u3 E7 H8 @1 p"Yeah. Thanks, Mrs. Patterson. That's... helpful. look, ... I don't marriage."

0 H: v1 x6 F9 b' u3 T"Oh ... ... ... didn't know! Oh, a mess, neighbourhood you're this. You're not, you?"

- n- v- ?1 M' X' R& F" fanswering. down. blurred. hurt.

# o+ i  ]& |" u1 l0 Y) x- g& [7 D11 ... 11 months. didn't it. knew. it. kids. know? this? ... him? rings. Sydney. face, a her. face, vanished.
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"Dad?"

"Hey."

"God ... finally. been? out. What's terrible, happened?" didn't smile.
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4 ?1 w) P5 I: X" ^/ I; Y% U. z"Yeah. I know. She's messages." him. a moment.

" I. q. ?4 v/ b# ~% Q. F"I you. talk." frowned.

"Okay...?"
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6 V' y4 x: Y! E( S"Do Grant?"

; J$ _9 a4 I  s% R, g- I"Who?"
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! t  |4 F0 N4 L; b% v/ z"Your mother's coworker. Marketing." head. "No. I?" tighten.

3 V- n8 p  ]$ J"I them. Together. bed." open, wide, incredulous. "What?" swallowed, tears.
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3 x; g% L% \$ G6 O* D% B$ F"I ... I in. I them."

Sophie's red. white. "Dad, no. ... she'd stop!" froze.

"What?"
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+ s2 Q* ^/ W2 i( B5 d2 MSophie's cracked. "I ... ... I didn't ... ... I fourteen, I man. I don't who. I ... them. I them." throat. a mouth. now.

"She again. lonely, her. me. you. over." slowly, there, discover. this. 14 ... years. Fuck, go.

- H/ g& [% f" Z( {& J' n& b* T"She you." James's cold, neutral. hand. Dad's her, down, anger, rage, frightening.
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"Oh god. god. Dad..."
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$ O0 h7 d$ D9 {2 f) q' V' j"Listen me. I didn't know. I I airport. I'm a year. ... I ... ... ... ... She's I it." hand... stricken.

. Z2 b$ B  i* N5 u! ]" C" t. }"She knew?"

2 z: L  l# U2 ?6 ~3 ?  D$ R6 E* N* i"Yeah. I it. I didn't care."

5 O. u1 P& F* i- X. G8 ?"Oh god. I ... I ... I know. normal. She'd sometimes. I weird... thing. weren't, you. God, she's a slut... a slut" eyes. calm, pain, this, know. heal. tears, father's mask, eyes, pain, betrayal, a shattered. too. he, beginning, ... liar, betrayer. talking.

"Was fourteen? else, else?" sniffled. tears, head.
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8 }+ E6 h$ B0 ?" A+ r; ?% ]1 v  c"I don't know. I else. But... I wondered." hesitated.
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"I rumours. Once. a party. being... know. Easy. A I cars, I a Mercedes, I a I a once, I I up, trouble. I away, Kath's ... a lot" twist. didn't speak. half.

"Dad. I'm sorry. I should've you. I should've then. But... convincing, ... ... again" head.

, V- k4 K' ?+ ^"No. a kid. wasn't job. position, you. ... ... you. ... me. I wasn't I'll myself." harder.

"Please please. ... Don't her." swallowed.
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"I'm out. Sophie. I a plan"

"Dad, ..." cracked.

"I will. I promise. Sydney, ... like, Christmas, want. happens, I'll you." a moment. red. tears.

4 X: P! I, I; N1 \2 |" n& l: a"Dad?" whispered.
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, k! f7 [7 N0 K7 x' o"Yeah." a breath.
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"Thank truth." once.
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"Love you, Soph." back. call. down, hollow. alive. a him. engineer's gear. everything, wanted. do. saved. family. Sophie. Grant, home, Grant. son. shaking. ring, a room. Dark... a look.
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"Dad." said, distant, a voice.

+ n' w) Z( m- g0 L( o+ U, c7 G"Hey." flatly.

"You Mom?" exhaled, son's eyes, didn't like. Distain? Pity? wasn't respect.

: b; }- C: a+ X3 f+ q& v8 H, t"Did Grant?" didn't blink. "Yeah." him. "How known?" shrugged. "Months, shit, years."
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. n" U$ w( q  n8 q+ e# p' |James's clenched.

: Z4 S) P, d% c; K' v- P* {"Why didn't me?" snorted.
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4 ^; g' z5 {5 C9 B  z9 Z( X7 z"She knew. it." stared, heard.

6 H" n5 B! T0 e/ ^"That I it?" chair.

"Yeah. into... sharing. whatever." throat.
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! W( s6 m6 J  Q, f"That's a lie. I didn't know. I that." a look.
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9 }1 }8 h9 s- ^# z+ j5 z* w+ Q2 s  i"Then it, a boyfriend?" blinked.
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6 h' q% |; r; q; q0 [: q"I didn't ... I'd I known. I'd with? a face. "Sure ... whatever"
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8 Z9 S* {6 N$ q2 H, `James's cracked.

$ U+ h  S0 P0 C$ V; V5 {"Grant... men?" shrugged. "I don't know. Michael. He's longest."

) K7 ]  Y1 @) J, WJames's stopped.

"Names. me." eyes.

"Why? up? her? a father? care? You've week. you're you're here. are."
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James's gravel.

"Names, Grant." camera.
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" C* d8 \0 K- e6 i"There Michael. that, something, I think. Plus, I 12 Jacob's 'company.'" blur. ... going, bored.
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3 E/ O4 ^* B- h7 f"Oh, kitchen. I once. shit." mouth, rage. ... now.
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' q; Y# G3 t9 e% e, G"Who I a ... when?" asked, steady, distaste.
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"Mom a photo, hotel. a two, know, Christmas, I Jarod's place, Guy's room. too. I 14 ... ... weren't here."

8 I, Q: c% J. f9 [% X/ a"And nothing, fucking, ... a ... years. Sophie, her, help?" again.
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"She you, here, away, friend's place, time, I ... I caring. kink, cameras." a sound. "Cameras, cameras?"
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"The Cameras, house, years, it's protection, us, I'm you." again, recover. hadn't felt. a settled.

"Grant," said, cold, "I've this, I this, I it, I it, I don't a ... I'm move, stay, I time. time, fuck... I a ... I'd ... ... Grant, I idea" didn't convinced. "Whatever. problem." time.
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6 d  ]% z  W7 L, i& Y+ n, k"I mean, don't ... ... whatever. I'm 17. I'll soon. Just... people, ... it." swallowed. space.
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, j$ A  |3 a' }$ ~/ ~- s- p"Grant..."
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"Look," said, flat. "I don't a split. I don't a court, I don't ... don't Sophie, don't ... okay?" collapse. numbly. up. phone, balcony. didn't up. again. I ... ... I ... kink. head. does, ... infidelity, betrayal. ... doesn't me. ...

5 S. f  j) t0 ]% ]She'd ... ... ... opposition, denials. wasn't didn't eroded, honour, away. a ... wasn't there. didn't ... narrative.

) O9 s3 {! @  y***** doors, buzzing. a neck. thought, I don't sleep. pains, foot. phone. Fatima, her. James, English, I well, I peace. exotic.
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( h6 y& K4 X9 ^$ `"I too, Fatima", Bahasa, her. schools, Chinese. 20 ASEAN.
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  A$ j  o+ V3 g6 J, k3 f& G1 t" u"Encik Club. I 11 directly. a ASEAN. I 20 minutes." relayed, professional.
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2 N) J, D  D0 _. I3 A20 thought, call, a out. didn't Emily. kitchen. didn't a towel, disrespect. Instead, kitchen, dressed, casually. kitchen, Ashah, housekeeper, years. 300,000 Singapore. 200 Malaysia. a coming. a month. Toast, Kitchen. ate, team. family. Sea, Singapore, 300 home. home. hadn't separation. James, him. man, years. employer, comment, silent. him. 11 a Gentlemen's building. a entered. a room. didn't meeting, ... expected. a a society. A a Australia, Chinese, Indians. religions. Islam, Hindu, side. Therefore, restrictive, illegal, policed. a illegal. However, property, consent, law. Gentlemen's 200 a imaginable. old. didn't a name. money, money. membership. a understatement. conducted, meetings, here. quietly, a a five. taken, a Luu. a men. doubt, thought, acknowledged.
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"Ah James, us" Chong's man. approached, Chong's head.

" [* t3 a3 |8 d. |9 S"Your Excellency, I presence." Cantonese.

"Thank you, son, respect" Cantonese. others, "you Mobil". Chong. "Gentlemen" group, Asia, a him." Asia, him. them, ASEAN, 90 Asia. 100 Singapore. China.
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$ j% N0 [# z% E+ ~+ rA later, weeks, alone. a side. a sum. finished, chairs. folders.
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* p7 C7 P- L1 S! o"First, James, together, Lao." caught. bestow, a ... a friend. few, family.

"Now offer" a folder, "This attend." folder. figure, 32 a Stock. certificates, a Apartment. Finally, attached. Sykes, a 20's a 30's a mercenary, attendant, bodyguard. James's face.

+ {0 r. `2 p6 o' Y2 t* ["You a club. membership, a associated." a continued.

"We years. abilities, considered. 5 you, ... Faces. us. take. world. Baihu, West." a folder.

"The ... appealing" folder, Chong's face. nothing, away. a unchanged.
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$ p9 l, m) k3 `4 Y1 O"When I you, family. a days. I concluded. I a staff, offices. a situation. I advise, need, you. use." a knee.
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"Do you. back, premeditated. I shows. yourself, discover, a choice. wrote, them, course."

, S% `3 Z: q! ^# u: B"Now Board, back, jaw. I fierce."
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***** 23rd building. Affairs. legal, financial, teams. corporation's a 36 that. Fatima, Staff. Raj, James's apartment. a James's guests. served, weekend. apartment. a folder. a strike, a detonate, family. a death. a it. climatic. A page, a names, dates. A3 list. names, years. a spiral. spinning, blurring, rose, toilet. him. act. space. he, Lim.

"This 6 years, I that's her. time. Mining, Emily's company. ... theirs, wedding. Emily's subordinates. ... ... James's

*****