Phoebe hadn't meant to pry.

With Monty's jacket all stitched up and good as new, she only thought it a courteous gesture on her part to deliver it to his room. She had told Miss Shingle that she would personally deliver it to her husband, who after all, should have just been working on some papers in his office.

When Phoebe had found Monty's office empty, she got curious as to where he could be. He should have been there. The next place she thought to look was the bedroom.

The half-opened door should have been her first clue.

But Phoebe was always quite naïve when it came to such obvious clues such as that. And besides Mrs. Holland should have left by now. Her visit had been called off short, hadn't it? At least that's what Monty had told Phoebe when she thought she heard the blonde leave.

Alas, Sibella was still here.

Phoebe forgot to knock, she was so stunned at seeing the various clothes and garments discarded on the floor messily. A spare sock near the door, a pink corset by the chair, two pairs of shoes discarded one by one near the foot of the bed.

Her eyes rose, although she knew what she would see next. Her hands trembled slightly as she glanced at the sheets and then at the bodies tangled in them. Her eyes immediately had teared up at the sight, the terrible scene of Monty making love to Sibella.

She dropped the jacket lifelessly from her hands. It fell to floor without a sound.

An ache developed in her chest as she saw how lovingly Monty caressed Sibella's skin, how tenderly he kissed her. She felt as if her heart had shattered. She knew that she had agreed upon this arrangement between the three of them but it still hurt to see how much affection Monty held for the blonde woman, especially since he was married to Phoebe. This arrangement of Sibella being in a relationship with Monty and herself was strained and if anything, one sided. It was quite obvious that Monty preferred the blonde beauty to Phoebe herself and this instance was just proof of that.

Their voices were like knife-stabs in her heart, whispers and taunts of how Monty was more in love with Sibella than he was in love with her.

It hurt to see them together so intimately. It pained her to hear their laughter together, to hear their pleasured sighs, their moans, and their whispers.

Phoebe gripped the wall with a hand, fearing that she would faint. Her head spun. Her vision grew blurry and she drew away fast from the doorway.

She knew that neither of them had seen her, they had been too engrossed in each other. Everything about Sibella and Monty was always "theirs". It was "their" secret affair, it was "their" lovemaking, everything was about them.

Phoebe was always left to herself.

Only on occasion was it Phoebe and Monty. Only sometimes was it "them", or "us" or "we".

On even rarer occasion was it "the three of us".

Phoebe's bottom lip trembled as she leaned against the wall, her hands trembling, her body shaking with unshed sadness and tears. She had completely forgotten about the jacket that was still lying on the floor in the doorway. She didn't care. She was hurt, betrayed, humiliated.

What would people say if this got out? What things would they say about her?

Although, Phoebe had a pretty good indication of what they would say. All nasty things about her not being a satisfying wife for Monty, that maybe he had grown tired of her, that he didn't love her…

Phoebe felt ill. She sank to the floor, and put her head in her hands and tuned out the world for a moment.

"Countess?"

Phoebe glanced up, seeing pretty blonde hair frame a heart-shaped face.

"Mrs. Holland," Phoebe managed as she stood up quickly and faltered just a bit. Phoebe noticed that Mrs. Holland was now fully clothed. For a moment, she wondered where Monty was.

Sibella's eyes slanted at her. "Are you ill, Countess Navarro?" One of her eyebrows raised in question.

Phoebe shrunk under her intense glare, truth be told, Mrs. Holland frightened her immensely. She had a calculating way about her that made Phoebe tremble. This encounter was really their first official encounter as well. Before this Sibella and Phoebe had only really talked briefly before they decided to get Monty out of jail. Even when Sibella's visits became more frequently, she and Phoebe had never exchanged more than a few pleasantries before.

"No," she lied. Phoebe ran a hand through her hair nervously.

Sibella, whether she believed the lie or not, did not press matters.

"I believe this is yours," she claimed, handing Phoebe the jacket, "I did accidently tear it though… I stepped on it with my heel. Why ever did you leave it in the doorway?"

"I dropped it," said Phoebe hoarsely as she took the coat back in her arms and held it tightly to her chest.

Sibella glanced at her again. "Oh?"

Phoebe swallowed. This was her chance. If she was going to confront the blonde, she would have to do it now. Monty was nowhere to be found, and she knew she had to take care of this situation now or she never would.

"I saw you two… together."

If Sibella was embarrassed at the fact, she gave no indication whatsoever. She kept her face as blank as a doll's.

"You did, did you?" she mused quietly.

"Yes," Phoebe squeaked. "And I do not appreciate you and my husband lying to me! If we are in this together then there should be no secrets between any of us!"

Sibella nodded thoughtfully.

"I know you love him," Phoebe continued, "And I know he loves you. But I love him too! He's the only man that I have ever loved and you constantly take him away from me! You have your own life, Mrs. Holland, your own husband, your own marriage, why can't you leave mine alone? Have you no consideration at all for my feelings, do either you or Monty even care about me?" Her voice had risen to a shrill tone, her feelings all pouring out now, "I am not some maid to you and Monty. I am not your personal servant, I am his lawful and wedded wife and you are not. And you and Monty being intimate behind my back is an insult to me, to our marriage, to everything that I stand for. You've humiliated me in almost every way a wife can be humiliated, Mrs. Holland. I wish to not feel like such a fool in my own household."

Sibella was quiet. Phoebe was shaking, her rage still trembling within her but she felt better. She felt stronger, proud of herself for standing up to Mrs. Holland.

"I know he loves you," Phoebe said quietly again. "I know that. I'd be blind to think otherwise… But have you no idea how much this pains me? How much this hurts to see him with you?" Tears pricked at her eyes, "He is my husband, and yet he chooses you over me every-time-" She broke off, too upset to continue.

It was quiet for a while, with Phoebe trying to restrain her emotions and Sibella deathly silent.

"I'm sorry."

Phoebe looked up. Sibella did look sincere.

"What?" she asked even though she had heard her the first time.

"I'm sorry for making you feel that way. I can't speak for Monty but I know he loves you too and that he cares for you and would never want to hurt you like this. He just didn't think you were interested in that sort of intimacy."

Phoebe sniffled, "That doesn't mean that he should exclude me entirely."

"I quite agree," nodded Sibella, "I've tried to tell him that, but you know how Monty can be."

A half-smile came to Phoebe's face as she completely understood what Sibella was saying. "He's quite focused, once he gets something into his head, he doesn't change it very often."

Sibella nodded, "Stubborn is the word that I'd use."

Phoebe bit her lip and grinned at the blonde woman. They smiled at each other for a moment.

"If you really are feeling so lonely as you have told me, I would take it up with Monty," suggested Sibella, "He's in the drawing room if you want to see him."

Phoebe nodded, and she had half the mind to go see him when a question that had been lingering on her mind consumed her.

"Do you think we can work this out?" Phoebe asked naively. She paused. "I want to work this out. I really do. I love Monty and I think I can grow to love you too, if you let me in."

Sibella's eyes lit up at that. Phoebe's declaration of promised love was something she had not been expecting.

"I think we can. But I think you need to speak with Monty first," she said softly.

Phoebe nodded, wiping away at her tears.

Sibella smiled at her sympathetically.

"You must think me some horrid jealous wife," laughed Phoebe.

"No…. no not at all. I'm the one who is jealous actually," said the blonde.

Phoebe frowned. "What?"

Sibella sighed, "I'm jealous of you being married to Monty, of you being his lawful wife when I'm just his… mistress."

"You're more to Monty than a mistress, Mrs. Holland," said Phoebe.

Sibella glanced down at the floor while a bitter laugh escape from her lips, her blonde hair hiding her facial expression.

"If you say so, Countess."

"-Phoebe," she interrupted, "Please call me Phoebe."

Sibella glanced up at her. The bitterness on her face had faded just a bit.

"If you say so, Phoebe," she repeated. She turned to leave.

"Sibella, wait!" called out Phoebe, taking a step towards her. She strangely didn't want Sibella to leave. She felt drawn to her. She obviously knew why Monty was so in love with her, who wouldn't be? She was gorgeous. She was kind too, even though she rarely showed it. Phoebe didn't want her to leave just yet.

The blonde turned, her face surprised. "Yes?"

An idea popped into Phoebe's head at that moment.

Phoebe's hands started to shake again. They trembled as she leaned her body forward just a bit and pressed her quivering lips to Sibella's painted ones.

Phoebe pulled away jerkily after a moment, her face flushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement, her voice laughing giddily.

Sibella glanced at her wary as if she was suffering from some sort of fit.

"What was that for?" Sibella asked coolly.

Phoebe put a hand to her lips, and lightly pressed on them, her skin still tingling from the kiss.

"I wanted to see what Monty was tasting when he kissed you, I wanted to know why he was so intoxicated with you besides your obvious beauty."

Sibella grinned at the compliment.

"Besides," continued Phoebe, "I told you I want this to work, and I want us to get along. This is the start of that."

"You surprise me, Phoebe Navarro, you are most certainly not all that you appear to be," Sibella's lips turned into an amused smirk.

"I learned long ago not to judge those by their appearances," said Phoebe proudly, "And you are not so bad yourself, Sibella."

They stood there for a bit longer before Sibella ran a hand through her hair and said, "I should really get going, Lionel will be expecting me to be home soon."

Phoebe nodded, her fingers curling into the fabric of Monty's jacket. "I understand. I've kept you here long enough."

"I'm glad we could talk this out," said Sibella warmly. She paused. "Perhaps next time I visit we could all spend some time together…"

It took Phoebe a moment to catch on to what Sibella was implying, and when she did, her face turned bright red.

"Yes, yes I would like that very much," she stammered.

Sibella gave her a small smile. She then kissed Phoebe's lips briefly.

"I'll see you then," she said quietly as she climbed down the stairs, leaving Phoebe a flustered mess in the hallway.

Phoebe couldn't keep the smile off of her face as she went into the drawing room, happy to be included and happy that Sibella was interested in her.

She went into the drawing room with a blush on her cheeks and excitement in her heart.