Shattered Inside (Yandere!Cheater x Reader)

LI

James' footsteps awkwardly padded down the stairs and through the living room as he made his way to the kitchen, where he assumed his parents would be. The tension between his parents had calmed down to a degree where Ethan and you could bear to be in one room again — although you spent your time in silence and avoiding each other, mostly from your side. And slowly, Ethan was giving up on his attempts to apologise to you.

At times like these, James liked to be out of the house, avoiding eating shared meals like dinner like the plague. He simply couldn't bear to see his family so torn apart, his parents acting like they were strangers to one another. If he could, he usually took Hannah with him to wherever he went, so that she wouldn't be left alone at home to torture herself with the awkward mood that inhabited the house.

Finally, James had reached the completely silent kitchen — and he would have thought it to be empty if it weren't for his eyes spotting you reading the newspaper by the kitchen table and Ethan silently sipping on his coffee, his eyes more often than not drifting over to you.

"Mom, Dad... I'm going out today." There was a certain excitement inside of James with how he couldn't take it anymore to get away from such a depressing atmosphere.

You hummed, your mannerisms absent-minded as you looked up and shot him the brightest smile you could muster — the most genuine you had given him in a while. Even if the whole world was falling apart, James would always be your little baby — your anchor in the chaos and darkness. So, giving him a little wave, you replied, "Alright, James. Don't come home too late..."

Ethan shot James a tired nod. "Look out for yourself."

"Will do!" The youth nodded eagerly, reminiscent of a little child, before turning on his heel and walking over to the front door as quickly as he could, fearing that he would suffocate if he stayed any longer. "See you guys later," he yelled out, although his voice was drowned out with how loudly he slammed the door close.

Once the boy was gone, awkward silence continued to hang over the kitchen, and your husband finally had enough of it. So, slamming his mug of coffee down onto the kitchen counter, he ventured over to you and tried to catch your gaze. He grew more and more desperate when you did your best to not pay him any mind.

"(Y/n), little cupcake— please—"

"No, Ethan..." You immediately raised your gaze and glared at him in such a cold way that he froze in his movement. "Leave me alone."

"We should talk about this—" he continued to press, growing more and more desperate.

Although you tried your best to stay civilised, you couldn't hold it in anymore when he wrapped his hand around your wrist in an attempt to stop you from leaving. "What's there to talk about?!" you snapped angrily, your voice shrill and loud. Ethan winced in surprise as you, much calmer now, ripped your hand out of his grasp and left. "Anyway, please... stop trying to make me forgive you, because I need some time for myself first... make sense of it all."

Much unaware of whatever awakened tension was unfurling in the kitchen of his home, James trudged through the front yard with his usually so tense shoulders slouched forward in relief. He immediately walked over to the sleek, black car parked next to the sidewalk. A smile appeared on his lips as he could already see the faint outline of a man through the tinted windows.

And truly, he was greeted warmly when he climbed into the car and closed the door. The driver eyed him up and down before exclaiming, "Good morning, son!" Matthew always was in high spirits whenever James was around, and he had no intentions to hide that. James, almost as delighted to see Matthew as he was, hummed and settled into the comfortable leather seat as the engine sprang to life. "Did you sleep well?"