My Cheating Mate (Emma and Jeremy) novel Chapter 49

Vanessa, you made me feel like the problem. Like I was insecure, jealous, immature. You gaslit me into thinking my instincts were wrong when they were screaming that something was off ”

“I know,” Jeremy whispered, his own eyes wet. “Emma, I’m so

**

“Don’t apologize yet,” Dr. Chen interrupted. “Just listen. Let her speak.”

I nodded, grateful. “I tried so hard to be the perfect mate. I baked your favorite foods. I asked about your day. I swallowed my discomfort with Vanessa because you told me to. I made myself smaller, quieter, less demanding because I thought that’s what you needed.” The tears were coming faster now. “And the whole time, you were sleeping with her. Planning to throw me away. I wasn’t a person to you. I was just an inconvenient obligation.”

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Chapter 44

“That’s not tftic,” Jeremy said, his voice Breaking. “Emma, you were never

“It felt true!” I shouted, the anger finally breaking free. “It felt like I didn’t matter! Like was just a means to an end, a broodmare with the right bloodline!”

The words hung in the air between us, raw and painful.

“Jeremy,” Dr. Chen said quietly. “What Emma is describing-making her feel small, dismissing her concerns, planning to use her-those aren’t the actions of someone who valued her. Can you acknowledge that?”

He was crying now, tears running down his face unchecked. “Yes. I treated her like she was disposable. Like the mate bond was an obligation instead of a gift. And Emma” He turned to me, his expression devastated. “You’re right. i didn’t see you as a person. I saw you as an obstacle to what I thought I wanted. And I hate myself for it. I will hate myself for it for the rest of my life.

“Hating yourself doesn’t help me,” I said, my voice raw. “It doesn’t undo what you did. Doesn’t give me back the six months I spent thinking I was crazy.”

“I know. You’re right.” Jeremy wiped at his face. “What do you need from me? What can I do?”

“I don’t know!” The words came out as almost a wail. “I don’t know what I need. I don’t know how to trust you again. I don’t know how to stop seeing you with her every time I close my eyes.”

“That’s what we’re here to work on,” Dr. Chen said gently. “Emma, what you’re describing is traumatic betrayal. It’s not something that heals quickly or easily. Jeremy, what you’re describing is deep-seated guilt and self-loathing that’s manifesting in self-destructive behavior.”

“How do we fix it?” Jeremy asked desperately. “How do I fix what Ibroke?” 1

“There’s no quick fix,” Dr. Chen said. “Healing from betrayal trauma takes time. It requires Jeremy to consistently demonstrate through actions, not words, that he’s changed. It requires Emma to process her anger and hurt in healthy ways, not suppress it. And it requires both of you to learn new patterns of communication and trust-building.”

“How long?” I asked. “How long until I can trust him again?”

“There’s no timeline. For some people, it’s months. For others, years. And for some, trust can never be fully rebuilt.” Dr. Chen’s voice was compassionate but honest. “But Emma, healing isn’t about going back to how things were. It’s about building something new. Something stronger and more honest.”

enough.” “I don’t know if I can do that,” I admitted, the words feeling like failure. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough.”

“You took a silver blade for him,” Dr. Chen pointed out. “You stayed by his bedside for weeks. You came here today even though it terrifies you. You’re stronger than you think.”

“But what if it’s not enough?” The question came out small, lost. “What if I do all the work, process all the trauma, and I still can’t trust him?”

“Then we’ll deal with that when we come to it,” Dr. Chen said. “But right now, let’s focus on today. On this session. On taking the first step.”

She turned to Jeremy. “I want you to tell Emma, specifically and honestly, why you had the affair. Not excuses. Not justifications. The real reasons.”

Jeremy looked like he wanted to run. But he took a deep breath and met my eyes.

“I had the affair because I was selfish,” he said slowly. “Because I’d spent my whole life planning a future with Vanessa, and when the mate bond chose you instead, I felt robbed of my choice. I resented you for being chosen when I wanted someone else.

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bach word was a knife, but I forced myself to listen.

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