All That She Needs: The Betrayal of a Marriage

Part 31 Aiden

"That's it, no more drinks for you after this," Jake said firmly as he slid my drink over the bar.

I scrunched my brows in silent protest. He frowned. "You're already wasted, Aiden. That's your fifth. No more."

I grunted, knowing Jake wouldn't budge. He'd probably already told his staff not to serve me any more drinks for the night. I had been coming here regularly for months, and the number of drinks I was allowed had steadily decreased.

But it didn't matter. I had a steady stash of booze in the kitchen cupboard back at the apartment, waiting for me. It was only a temporary stopgap Jake was putting in place—one that wouldn't make a difference when I got home. The nights always ended the same way.

"What's gotten into you today?" Jake asked. I must've looked pretty awful for him to say that, considering I'd looked bad daily lately. I wasn't shaving like I used to, and the three-piece suits were long gone. Now it was just dress pants, a button-up shirt without a tie, and a scowl that seemed permanently etched on my face.

I shrugged, not really having an answer. Everything was wrong. Asha was still angry, banning me from the house, and I had a feeling that she was really, really done with me. Forgiveness from her seemed to be impossible now. Kayden wouldn't speak to me, and Chloe's sorrowful look every time she saw me only made it worse. I couldn't focus on work. And then there was Ryan, wandering around the office, reminding me of Vanessa every time I saw him.

Everything was wrong.

And nothing that I did was right.

Feeling watched, I glanced up to find Jake still frowning at me.

"What?" I sighed. "Don't tell me you're gonna start lecturing me now."

Jake crossed his arms, his expression unwavering. "I'm just saying, Aiden, this isn't the way to handle things. You've been drinking too much, and you're just going to make everything worse."

I stared at the glass in my hand, feeling the familiar frustration rise. "It can't get any worse than this."

Jake shook his head. "It can always get worse, Aiden. Like you becoming an alcoholic, for one."

"It's good for your business, though," I muttered.

Jake leaned in slightly, his tone sharper. "My business is about people having a good time—not nurturing a downward spiral."

I scoffed, but the words hit harder than I wanted to admit. I knew I was losing my shit.

"Leave me alone, Jake," I mumbled while spinning my stool around, looking for an empty table, but the bar was full, and I wasn't sure Jake would give me the table, anyway. He preferred me sitting right in front of him so that he could control how much I was drinking.

"Probably best if you head home after that drink," Jake said. "You need to sleep off whatever's been eating at you. Where's Roy?"

Since I usually ended up drunk when I left Jake's bar, I'd started asking Roy to pick me up and drive me back to the apartment. At first, Jake had been the one taking me home, as it was nearly impossible to get an Uber or taxi in this area. I didn't want to use one of the company's drivers. I didn't want them to see me like this. And I didn't want to keep bothering Jake, either.

"He's outside."

"Finish that quick and go home—" Jake's eyes suddenly shifted to something behind me, and a wide grin stretched across his face. "Hey, I'll be right back, okay? My little brother just walked in."

Without waiting for a response, Jake rushed toward the side door, disappearing for a moment before reappearing through another entrance, weaving his way through the crowd. My gaze followed him, curious, and I saw him hug a man who looked a lot like him. They talked for a moment, and I noticed Jake's shoulders shake with laughter.

And then I saw something—or rather, someone—that made my heart give a little thud.

Asha... Asha? “Asha!”

Without thinking—probably because I was a little drunk—I shouted out her name, excitement bubbling up at the sight of her. I rose from my stool, but then I saw it.

She was with the man Jake had just hugged.

That man was holding her hand. Their fingers intertwined.

And my heart sank.

I watched her glance around, trying to figure out where my voice had come from. When her eyes finally landed on me, she froze. There was surprise on her face, but no warmth—just shock.

Her mouth moved, forming my name.

Both Jake and his brother followed her gaze and spotted me. The man next to her—his eyes locked on mine, brimming with pure hostility.

Jake, though, wore a different expression. I could tell he was putting the pieces together. He knew this was the Asha I'd told him about during my many lowest moments, the woman I'd cheated on and was now trying to win back. He never gave his direct opinion on my situation; he mostly just listened, but now that his brother was involved, I wasn't sure if that would still be the case.

My eyes dropped to their clasped hands. Then, without breaking his stare, Jake's brother let go—only to wrap his arm around her shoulder. And she let him. She looked up at him and smiled, that bright, genuine smile that used to be only for me. Then she turned away, leaving me to grapple with the rush of fury swelling inside me.

I jumped off my stool and marched over to them. The man beside her immediately tensed, his posture shifting to a defensive stance, and his glare turned murderous. He stepped forward, positioning himself between me and my wife .

Jake, sensing the tension, hurried over and pressed a hand to my chest. "Back off, Aiden." He studied my expression and frowned. "Just calm down."

I stepped around Jake, ignoring his warning, and reached out my hand to her. "Asha."

She touched the man's arm and said something to him. He turned to her, leaning down so she could speak directly into his ear.

"Fuck!" I snapped. I couldn't stand it. "Asha," I called again, trying to step forward, but Jake held me back, his grip firm on my arm. "Come over here."

"Aiden, you're drunk." Both Jake's hands were holding my shoulders now, pushing me back. "Just calm the fuck down, man."

"No!" I shook my head wildly. But at that moment, reality finally crashed down on me. I had lost her completely. There was no denying it. But damn it, I wouldn't stop trying. "Asha, baby," my voice cracked, desperate. "Please. Come to me."

Asha just stood there, tensed, staring at me. Then, as if by some miracle, she walked slowly toward me. "Asha," I breathed her name, feeling like I was about to cry.

"Aiden," God, to hear my name on her lips. "Go home."

I gazed down at her, longing twisting in my chest. "You're coming with me."

Asha shook her head.

"You're coming with me, Asha." I repeated. She was still standing too far away, and when I took a step closer, Jake's brother stepped forward, as if he was afraid that I would hurt her. I glared at him. My entire body vibrated with anger, my fists clenching at my sides.

"No, Aiden. I'm going to stay here and enjoy the night with Liam. You're drunk, and you're making a scene. Go home."

"Come on, Aiden." Jake pulled my arm, but I shook it away. "Asha, you have Roy's number? Call him."

"I'm not that drunk!" I shouted, completely losing my sanity. The words echoed around the bar, and I could feel the eyes of the patrons on me. But I didn't care about anyone else but Asha. Desperation clawed at my throat as I shook off Jake's deathly grip and grabbed her arms before anyone could stop me. From the corner of my eye, I saw Liam ready to jump forward, but Asha shook her head to stop him.

"Please, Asha, I need you to understand," I pleaded, my voice frantic. "I know what I'm saying. I want you to come with me. Please, baby. I love you. Come home with me."

"Aiden, you're scaring me." She whispered, looking at me with fear like I was a monster.

I faintly heard Jake barking orders to someone, telling them to find Roy outside, but my mind was still solely on Asha. Everything else blurred into the background—the bar, the voices, even Jake's attempts to calm me down. All I saw was her, standing there with that man, and it made my blood boil.

"Asha,"

"Aiden, stop." Asha's voice was quiet, but the tone was as hard as steel. "Please, just go home. You're not thinking straight."

I shook my head, refusing to accept what was happening, even though in the back of my fuzzy mind, I knew I was spiraling out of control. Asha pulled away, struggling against my grip as she pushed me away, panic in her expression. But I held on tighter, desperation overriding everything else. "Asha, don't."

"That's enough," Jake's brother growled, stepping in swiftly. He grabbed my wrist, yanking it away from Asha with a roughness that snapped me out of my haze for a split second. I swung my arm, instinctively trying to free myself from his grip.

And then hell broke loose.

Frustration surged through me, and before I could stop myself, my other arm swung around, landing a punch square on his jaw. Gasps echoed around the bar; the lively chatter stopped dead as every pair of eyes locked onto us.

Before I had time to process what I'd just done, Liam's fist flew toward me. His knuckles crashed into my nose with brutal force. Pain exploded across my face. The room spun wildly, my vision blurring as I staggered backward, disoriented and barely able to stay on my feet.

Then everything went dark.

*** *** ***

I woke up to a pounding headache, pain stabbing through my skull. My mouth was dry, and my limbs felt heavy, like I'd been hit by a truck. Groaning, I squinted against the harsh light filtering through the blinds, struggling to piece together what had happened last night.

Memories started to come back in flashes—Asha, Liam, Jake's bar. My stomach twisted as I recalled the chaos, the shouting, the punch. Fuck me . I had completely lost it.

I forced myself to sit on the bed, wincing as the movement made the pain worse. I glanced around, realizing I was back in my apartment. Roy must have dragged me home again.

Great .

Feeling disappointed with myself, I sighed dejectedly.

"You're awake." I heard a familiar voice and looked up to find Jake and Roy standing at my bedroom door.

"Yeah," I whispered, barely able to muster the energy to speak louder. Roy walked over, holding a glass of water in one hand and a couple of pills in the other.

"Ibuprofen," he said, offering the pills. "We called Dr. Mendez to check on you last night."

My brows furrowed in confusion—I couldn't remember that.

"He said you'll be fine," Roy added, noticing my expression. "Just ice your nose for fifteen minutes every hour and keep your head elevated to reduce the swelling."

Jake walked further into the room and took a seat at the end of the bed. "Do you remember what happened last night?"

"Right until your brother punched my nose? Yeah, it's all coming back to me now." I rubbed my forehead, trying to ease the lingering ache.

Roy shook his head. He looked like he was utterly disappointed with me. "You really lost it, Aiden. I've never seen you like that before."

"Not exactly my proudest moment," I muttered, the weight of shame settling in. "What happened after I... you know? Where's Asha?"

"Liam took her home." Jake answered.

"Right..." I muttered. Didn't know how to respond to that.

"In my opinion, you deserved that punch, Aiden," Jake said, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "Not just because he's my brother, but because you scared her. You were hurting her."

I winced at his words, the guilt washing over me like an icy wave. Groaning in shame, my head fell to my hands.

"I never wanted to hurt her. I love her. I would never, ever hurt her." Not physically, at least. I knew I'd shattered her heart in ways that left deeper scars than any bruise.

"But you did," Jake continued, his tone unwavering as he pressed on, determined to make me understand. "Her arms were bruised, Aiden. None of us realized it at first, and she didn't even realize it herself—probably because she was in such a panic that she didn't feel it until later. When Liam saw that, he looked ready to kill you. I had to wrestle him away to prevent him from crushing your head on the floor with his boots."

The gravity of his words hit me like a punch to the gut. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, and I turned my gaze away, unable to meet his eyes. "I didn't mean to—"

"I know you didn't mean to, but intention doesn't matter right now," Jake interrupted, his frustration palpable. "You need to get a grip on yourself, Aiden. You can't continue living like this."

I heard Roy sigh before he said, "You know what Asha said to me, Aiden? She said that she was having a good time for the first time in almost a year. She was so happy, she said. And now the night is ruined."

I had to close my eyes as they stung. Guilt barely scratched the surface. The memory of how scared she was came flooding back. Her eyes were wide with terror as she looked at me. She was looking at me like I was a monster. She was right. I was a monster.

"How is she now?" I asked, anxiety tightening my chest. My voice trembled with frustration and shame.

"Physically, she's going to be fine," Jake replied. "But emotionally? I don't know, Aiden. She looked traumatized."

Oh, God. I could never forgive myself.

"I know it's not my place to say this," Roy said, pausing as if searching for the right words. "But I think you need to let her go."

Fuck.

"You're only hurting her, Aiden," he continued. "You keep breaking her heart. You need to start thinking about what makes her happy, not just what makes you happy. If you really love her, you have to prioritize her happiness over your own."

I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, processing everything they had said. Silence filled the room until I finally spoke. "Thank you. For everything. I know I've troubled both of you too much, but I think I need to be alone now."

"Yeah," Jake replied, standing up. "Rest well, okay? Call me if you need anything."

"I called Sean, so you'll have someone taking care of you," Roy said. "He's on the way here. I have to take the kids to school." As he turned to leave, he paused, remembering something. "Oh, yeah. I took all the booze from your cupboards and gave it to Jake. He'll put it to good use in his bar."

I remained staring at the ceiling long after they left the apartment. I stayed in that same position when Sean arrived, lost in thought about everything. Every wrong turn I had taken, every shameful thing I had done, until a decision took shape in my mind.

I needed to let Asha go.