…Anastasia POV…

I look at Zachariah, somewhat hesitating; I know I need to give him a truthful answer. But admitting it is like admitting I made a mistake, and by acknowledging that, I need to own up to a lie. A very blatant lie that I have been keeping from both him and Sebastian. The truth is, do you expect your past to come back to haunt you. But then again, that is such a stupid question; Sebastian has been a perfect example of this very thing.

So, I truly should just admit to myself that it was a bad error in judgment. Though, I did go there knowing full well what it would lead to. Not truly the end part, but definitely that there was an obsession, which I only but fuelled with my presence that night.

Now, this has become a secret that I need to reveal. Somehow I don't think it is going to hurt Zachariah quite as much Sebastian.

I know this needs to be done, and do I think by doing it that it shall make me feel relieved? I do hope so, but I also know for a fact that I am only going to feel so much worse. It is with a very heavy heart that I finally build up the courage.

"It is Augustus."

"Augustus? The doctor you used to work with?"

"Yes, the very one."

"Anastasia, why would he do this, though. It just makes no sense."

"Well," I shyly look away. "He, we," I continue to try to say. "I kind of slept with him."

I watch in horror as Zachariah finds it very hard to process the word that has just come flowing from my lips. Now the big question is about to follow.

"When? When did this happen?"

"That night," I stop as I feel as if my dead heart is going to burst through my chest.

"Anastasia, it is fine, you can tell me. I promise I will understand."

"Zachariah. That night when we came back after that damn stupid witch hunt."

If there was horror before, then I am not sure if this is disgust or just plain stunned silent shock. After a few minutes, he turns to me again, with somewhat of concern on his face.

"You need to tell Sebastian. Does Augustus know what you are?"

"I am afraid he does."

"Anastasia, I am your friend. But how could you have been so careless?"

"I know Zachariah. I was just…You know that is not even an excuse. I should have never gone there."

"We need to go tell Sebastian. You cannot deal with this yourself."

"I know, let me speak to him myself. I made this mess; I need to get myself out of it."

After trying for the better part of an hour of Zachariah trying to talk me into him coming with me, I manage to convince him that I shall call for him should I need his help.

"Promise you will let me know the moment you get home."

"I promise."

And that is just one more lie that I shall tell. I have never been one to keep secrets, even more, doing reckless things that I cannot bear to explain. At least Zachariah understood in a way why I did what I had done, but I know that Sebastian is not going to be quite as forgiving.

So I find myself taking the very road I took that fateful night I made the decision that is going to ruin my life. I should have gone straight to Zachariah that night, but along the way, as I was wandering the streets, I bumped into Augustus. He saw that I was in pain and offered me to have a drink with him. So very much in a daze, I followed him home, and not to cause any suspicion, I had several whiskeys with him. Now I would have been fine if I did not consume the amount I did, for, after a while, I did start to feel somewhat out of it. Much later that evening, I woke up in Augustus's bed. The moment I realized my mistake, I rush out there as fast as I came and made my way to Zachariah.

So it then began, Augustus was obsessed, he backed off for several months, but just before Sebastian disappear, he came back lurking in the shadows. I know that it is him that set fire to the Belmont House. I have not only destroyed my love, but I have destroyed his home.

After trying to convince myself to go home instead, I find myself knocking on the door, and as a smiling Augustus opens, I knew that I have just made my second mistake. I cannot turn back now; I need to get him to stop before Sebastian gets to him.

"Augustus, do you mind if I come in?"

"You need not even ask. Can I get you a drink?"

"I am not here for a social. I need you to stop."

"Anastasia, you know that I cannot do that. You know that we belong together."

Just his very words send a sickening blow to my stomach. Yes, Augustus is a man that every woman will desire, but the mere thought of him touching me makes my body cringe.

"Augustus, you know how dangerous Sebastian is. If he has to find out you are behind this, he will have no calm in killing you."

"You know that you do not deserve to be with that monster."

"And you seem to forget that I am one too. What happened that night was a mistake."

"You know it was not. You would not have come here if you were not looking for more."

This man is completely obsessed. I don't know why I even came to him. I was foolish to think that I could talk sense into him. I guess it is time to go face Sebastian and tell him the truth about what happened.

"Augustus, I am leaving. Please, I beg of you, stop following me. You need to understand that I am with Sebastian."

As I spin on my heels to leave, he grabs for my arm; in an instant, I swing at him with so much force that his body crashes against the wall. Before he can get to his feet, I rush out the door. He is furious now; he is for certain going to come for me. I need to get home; I need to tell Sebastian.

And just as I step through the door of our new home, I find Sebastian waiting for me. He seems very troubled; now, I am not sure if he is concerned about where I was or if he is, in fact, mad at me. We shall soon find out.

"Anastasia, where have you been?"

He is calling me by name; he is definitely mad at me.

"I…I went for a walk," my third lie flows much easier of my tongue.

"Please do not lie to me. I had a frantic Zachariah phoning me asking for you. According to him, you should have been home hours ago."

"I told you that I went for a walk."

"Do not lie to me," his voice thunders to every corner of the small room that is starting to feel like it is closing in.

"I am not Sebastian."

"I can read your goddamn mind! Who the fuck is Augustus?"

I am completely blown away. Did he just say he can read my mind? When? When did this happen? Why has he not told me about it? It seems I am not the only one that is keeping secrets.

"Anastasia. I beg of you, do not test my patience. I want to know who Augustus is?"

"He is a friend I use to work with."

"Really? Is that going to be your answer? The way Zachariah explained, he sounds to be rather dangerous."

"Sebastian, get off my back. I cannot deal with your shit now."

It does not even take a moment of hesitation, and I rush to the safety of my room. So much for telling him; he probably already knows what happened.

…Sebastian POV…

Never did I think that my beloved shall betray me in such a way. I know that something happened between her and this man, but I do prefer for her to tell me instead of me intruding on the privacy of her mind. I have done fairly well with not doing it thus far, but my temper just boiled out of control. This is not in any way going to be left unsaid. I immediately follow her close to her heels.

Before she even can slam the door shut, I push my way through and kick it with so much force behind me that you can hear it crack.

"Sebastian, I told you to leave me alone."

"Well, I am afraid that is not going to happen, my dear. You, and I dare even to say, you go on a rampage, nearly killing the members of this household because my scorned lovers came back to take revenge. Now somehow, I do believe that this man Augustus might just be your very own."

"That is absurd."

I grab the bridge of my nose as I feel the anger swell up. Grinding as hard as I down on my teeth, I slam my fist into the wall.

"Anastasia. Stop lying to me. The sooner you tell me what happened, the sooner I can deal with this man."

"Fine, it is a man that I had a brief sexual encounter with."

"Do I dare and even ask when?"

"Well, you can read my mind; what do you think."

"Anastasia, I shall not ask again."

She nervously starts fidgeting with her fingers as she looks down to her feet. I refuse to read her mind; I want to hear the truth from her lips. Every aching bone in my body tells me that I am not going to like what I am going to hear.

"Anastasia."

"After the witch hunt."

"You…did…what?"

That anger that is boiling has now reached its peak. I cannot believe the words that are coming from her mouth. Do I even ask what kind of a sexual encounter, for I know the things that body can do. I am sickened to think what they did, not truly a thought I wish to have in my mind.

Now let us take this into perspective, my scorned lovers come from my past before I ever set my eyes on Anastasia. Her very own, is from when we were very much together, yes, it might have been at a rather trying time in our relationship, but nothing justifies it.

This stings my heart beyond belief, being betrayed by the woman you love, the woman that I have put my life in danger for, the woman that is my wife. She shall not see my tears; she shall not have the satisfaction of seeing me break down. Yes, I have done this so many times in my earlier years, but god, this hurts hard. It cuts deeper than a thousand daggers.

And before I even know what takes over my mind, I utter the words that I shall probably regret later.

"Get out!"