Betrayal by Blood

Peter had suspected it for weeks. The late night texts, the hushed phone calls, the way Lily suddenly kept her phone screen turned away from him; it all pointed to the same conclusion. She was seeing someone else.

But who?

Lily had told him she was heading to her friend’s house for a "girls' night," but Peter had his doubts. So, he followed her. He kept his distance, heart pounding in his chest, as he watched her car pull into a dimly lit parking lot behind a high end restaurant. Not exactly the setting for a casual night in with the girls.

He parked a block away, walking carefully toward the large front window of the restaurant. Peering in, he scanned the tables, looking for her; until his breath hitched.

There she was, sitting at an intimate candlelit table. And across from her…

Peter’s blood ran cold.

The man sitting there, leaning in close, touching her hand; was his brother, James.

Lily laughed at something James said, her fingers twirling a strand of her hair in that way Peter knew meant she was flirting.

He stumbled back from the window, his breath shaky. Anger, betrayal, disbelief; all swirled inside him like a storm. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to think, to breathe.

Then, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, already knowing who it was.

Lily: Hey, babe. Miss you. Girls' night is going great!

Peter let out a hollow laugh, shaking his head.

“Well, I didn’t see that coming!,” he muttered to himself.

~ ~ ~

Peter walked down the empty sidewalk, his breath coming in short, uneven bursts. His mind replayed the scene over and over; Lily’s soft laughter, James’s familiar smile, their hands almost touching across the table.

Bile rose in his throat. His own brother.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to steady himself. He had expected pain, betrayal; but there was something underneath it all. Rage.

His phone buzzed again. Another text.

James: Hey, man. Haven't seen you in a while. Let's catch up soon.

Peter let out a dry, bitter laugh.

His feet carried him forward, not toward home, but to the nearest bar. The dim lights and low hum of conversation were a welcome distraction. He slid onto a stool, nodding at the bartender.

"Whiskey. Neat."

The burn of the alcohol didn’t dull the anger, but it gave him something to focus on. He stared at the ice melting in his glass, his thoughts spiraling.

Should he confront them? Walk into that restaurant and let them know he knew? Or was that what they wanted; for him to break, to lash out?

No. That would be too easy for them.

Instead, a plan started forming in his mind.

~ ~ ~

The next evening, Peter stood outside his parents' house, gripping his phone. The family dinner had been planned for weeks, and tonight, everyone would be there. Including Lily and James.

He forced a smile as he walked inside, greeted by warm voices and the smell of his mother’s home cooked meal.

Lily was already there, sitting beside James, laughing at something he said. The sight made Peter’s stomach churn, but he kept his composure. He had a role to play tonight.

“Peter! There you are,” Lily said sweetly, standing to kiss his cheek like nothing was wrong. Like she wasn’t betraying him with the person sitting two feet away.

Peter kissed her back, just as sweetly.

James clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Good to see you, bro.”

Peter clenched his jaw, but he smiled. “You too, man.”

The dinner went on, conversations flowing, but Peter barely heard a word. His focus was on Lily and James; the small glances, the inside jokes, the way she seemed more herself with him than she ever did with Peter.

Finally, as dessert was being served, he leaned back in his chair and set down his fork with a deliberate clink.

“I have an announcement,” he said, his voice calm but firm.

Everyone turned to him. Lily smiled, oblivious. “Oh? What is it?”

Peter looked directly at James. Then at Lily.

“I know.”

The room fell silent. Lily blinked. “You know...what?”

Peter let the moment stretch before delivering the blow.

“I know you’ve been sleeping with my brother.”

Chaos erupted around the dinner table.

Peter’s mother covered her mouth in shock. His father’s grip tightened around his fork, his knuckles turning white. His younger sister, Emily, sat frozen, eyes darting between everyone like she had just stumbled into the world’s most intense soap opera.

James was the first to react. “Peter...”

“Shut up.” Peter’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade. His brother flinched, and for once in his life, James didn’t have a cocky comeback ready.

Lily’s face twisted with panic. “Babe, it’s not what you think.”

Peter laughed; an actual laugh, because the audacity of it was unreal. “Not what I think?” He turned to his parents. “Mom, Dad, tell me; what exactly does cheating with my brother mean, if not cheating with my brother?”

Their mother looked like she might cry. Their father just shook his head in disgust.

James tried again. “Look, man, it just happened. We didn’t plan it.”

“Oh, well, that makes it so much better,” Peter snapped, shoving back his chair and standing. “Wow, I feel so much better now.”

Lily reached for his arm, eyes pleading. “Peter, please. I still love you...”

He pulled away so fast it was almost a reflex. “Love me? Don’t. Don’t even say that. You don’t get to say that.”

His pulse was racing, but he was done. Done being the fool. Done pretending.

He turned to his father. “You always told me blood was thicker than water, Dad. So tell me; what happens when your own blood is the one stabbing you in the back?”

Their father looked at James, disappointment thick in his eyes. He didn’t say a word, just shook his head.