I stood there, frozen, staring at my so-called boyfriend as another woman straddled him, both lost in their pleasure. They didn't even notice me standing at the door. For a moment, I felt like an intruder in my own nightmare.
I swallowed hard, my hands trembling as I tried to convince myself this wasn't real. Maybe I was dreaming. Maybe if I pinched myself hard enough, I'd wake up in my bed, and everything would be fine.
James wouldn't cheat on me, right? He told me he loved me. He promised. Their moans and groans filled the air, the woman moving her hips like a pro, riding him with ease. My stomach twisted as I stood there, frozen, unable to look away.
Then James saw me. The moment our eyes met, his expression shifted—guilt, shame, and panic flashing across his face. And that was when it truly sank in.
This wasn't a nightmare.
This wasn't a misunderstanding.
This was my reality.
"Bell... Bella, what are you doing here?" James stammered, his voice laced with panic.
At the mention of my name, the woman on top of him turned, and my world instantly collapsed.
No. No, no, no.
My chest tightened, and my head spun as if the walls around me were caving in. Of all people...
Scarlet.
My best friend.
I felt like I was going to be sick. My vision blurred as the betrayal sank in, a sharp, unbearable pain slicing through me. Scarlet gasped, her face paling as she scrambled for the bedsheet, yanking it over her body as if that could hide what she had done. But no amount of fabric could cover up disloyalty. No sheet could hide the shame or erase the betrayal.
"Bella, please... let me explain," she pleaded, her voice trembling, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Explain? Explain what?
James, still stark naked, hastily grabbed a pillow to cover himself before fumbling around the floor for his boxers. "It's not what it looks like," he blurted out.
I let out a bitter laugh, the sound hollow, lifeless. "Oh? Then tell me, James." My voice was eerily calm, too calm for the storm raging inside me. "What does it look like?" "Bella... please... please let me explain," Scarlet begged again, her voice barely above a whisper.
I tilted my head, staring at her—at them—with a calmness that felt unnatural, like I was standing outside my own body, watching this disaster unfold.
"Please do, Scarlet," I said, my voice steady, almost too steady. "I really need to hear this explanation. Maybe—just maybe—it'll help me believe this never happened. Maybe it'll make me realize that you two weren't just fucking two minutes ago." I leveled her with a gaze that held nothing but quiet devastation. "So go ahead. Explain."
Scarlet's lips quivered as she opened her mouth, but no words came out. She looked at James, as if expecting him to save her, but he was too busy throwing on his boxers, avoiding my eyes like the coward he was.
I felt like I was drowning in a sea of sadness, sinking deeper with every second that passed. Why me? What had I done to deserve this? Was I so easy to betray? So easy to throw away? Why did the people I loved always end up hurting me the most?
"You don't understand," James said, now finally dressed, his voice desperate.
I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "Exactly!" I shouted, my voice raw with emotion. "I don't understand! I don't understand why the two people I cared about the most would choose to betray me like this. I don't understand how you—" I jabbed a finger at him, "—the man who told me he loved me, could do this. And you—" I turned to Scarlet, who was clutching the bedsheet to her chest, looking ashamed, "—the girl who's been my best friend since we were thirteen. Why, Scarlet? Why him? Was it fun? Did it feel good knowing you were stabbing me in the back?"
"He was my ex, Bella," Scarlet said, her voice barely above a whisper.
James shot her a sharp look, as if she had just said something she wasn't supposed to.
I blinked, trying to process her words. "What?" I asked, my mind struggling to catch up.
Scarlet swallowed hard. "James was my ex before he met you."
A cold chill ran down my spine. I stared at both of them, my heart pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears. My eyes burned, as if the weight of this revelation was physically crushing me.
"You mean... James was your ex?" My voice cracked as I spoke. "I—I don't understand. You were the one who introduced him to me. You were the one who told me he liked me, Scarlet!" My hands shook as I tried to wrap my head around it. "Why would you do that if you still had feelings for him? Why pretend? Why lie to me?"
Scarlet lowered her head, guilt written all over her face. James sighed, rubbing his temple, as if this conversation was an inconvenience to him.
I felt sick. Everything I thought I knew had just been shattered.
Tears blurred my vision, but I refused to let them fall. They don't deserve my tears. They weren't worth it. Not anymore. I was just a pawn. A fool caught in their game to rekindle a lost love.
How could I have been so blind? I thought they cared. I thought I mattered. But in the end, I was nothing more than a placeholder.
"Bella," James called, his voice laced with guilt. "It was complicated. We wanted to tell you, but—"
"But you didn't," I cut him off sharply, my hands curling into fists. My breath was shaky, but my voice was firm. "I finally see it now. I was the intruder all along, wasn't I?"
James ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident on his face. "Look, Bella, this is just old flames. Nothing attached. I love you, honestly—"
I didn't let him finish. My palm connected with his cheek in a loud, resounding slap. His head snapped to the side, and when he turned back, a small trail of blood dripped from his busted lip.
"Don't you dare say that," I seethed, my body trembling with fury. "You animal."
James spat on the floor, his jaw tightening. Then, without warning, he lunged at me, shoving me so hard I barely had time to react. My back crashed against the wall, pain jolting up my spine. A sharp crack echoed through the room as a framed portrait of his family hit the floor, glass shattering around my feet.
For a split second, the breath was knocked out of me. The sting spread across my shoulder blades, but the real pain-the one searing through my chest-was far worse. Did he just...?
James took a step forward, fists clenched. My pulse spiked. Would he...?
"Bella!" Scarlet shrieked, rushing forward just as James moved again. She threw herself between us, hands pressing against his chest. "James, what the hell are you doing? Are you trying to hit her?"
James groaned, his hands balling into fists. "Crazy bitch," he spat, shooting me a glare. "All we ever did was kiss for eight damn months because you were too busy hiding away your golden pussy. I'm a man, Bella, not a damn priest!"
I steadied myself against the wall, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "You? A man?" I scoffed, shaking my head. "No, James. You're a coward."
His nostrils flared, but I didn't stop.
"And you know what? I thank God every day that you never got access to my golden pussy. You want to know why?" I took a step forward, glaring at him with every ounce of disgust I felt. "Because you don't deserve it. You were never worthy of it. Not then. Not now. Not ever." James clenched his jaw, looking like he wanted to lunge at me again, but Scarlet held him back.
"You two are a perfect match," I said coldly, my heart hardening. "Filth."
And with that, I turned and walked away."Bella! Bella, wait!" Scarlet called after me, but I didn't stop. I had heard enough. The cold night air hit me like a slap, a cruel reminder that I was outside, alone, and broken. But I didn't care.
I ran.
I ran as if I could outrun the pain clawing at my chest, as if I could escape the weight of betrayal crushing me from within. I ran like all the misfortunes of the world were chasing me, refusing to let me breathe.
But no matter how fast I moved, the agony stayed with me.
Reaching the pavement, my legs gave out, and I collapsed to my knees. A torrent of tears poured down my face, each sob ripping through me like a blade. I cried until my lungs burned, until my body trembled from exhaustion, until the only witnesses to my despair were the silent sky and the sleeping city.
The streets were nearly empty—a cruel reminder that life hadn't stopped just because mine had shattered.
With a deep, shaky breath, I forced myself up, only to stumble and crash back onto the cold pavement. A sharp sting shot through my leg. Looking down, I saw blood trickling from a fresh wound—probably from the broken glass back in James's room. The pain was nothing compared to the storm raging inside me.
Dragging myself upright, I wiped the tears streaking my face. A pair of headlights appeared in the distance, and I weakly raised my hand, signaling the approaching cab.
It slowed to a stop.
Without a second thought, I climbed inside, my body trembling as I sank into the seat.
"Where to?" the driver asked.
Home.
Even if it didn't feel like home anymore, it was the only place I had left to go. I gave him my address, and the cab driver pulled away, leaving James's house—and everything I thought I knew—behind. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop the tears from falling. The driver kept glancing at me in the rearview mirror, but he didn't say a word. I appreciated that.
The ride felt endless, each second stretching painfully as my mind replayed everything I had just witnessed.
"Ma'am, we're here," the driver finally said, pulling me back to reality.
I stared at my street, hesitation rooting me in place. I didn't want to get out. I didn't want to face the emptiness waiting for me. If only he could keep driving, take me anywhere but here.
With a deep breath, I forced myself to move. Stepping out, I handed him his fare and mumbled a quiet "thank you." The night air was cold against my skin, a bitter reminder that I was alone.
The street was silent, deserted, the stillness pressing down on me. Judging by the sky, it had to be around four in the morning—almost closing time at the club.
Not that it mattered.
I wasn't going to work today.
I wasn't going anywhere today.
All I wanted was to bury myself under the covers, shut the world out, and let the weight of my heartbreak consume me. I dragged my feet, exhaustion weighing me down as I neared our compound. The night was eerily silent, but just as I reached the gate, I heard a noise.
Too tired to care, I brushed it off—until I felt a presence behind me.
Before I could react, a hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my startled cry. Panic surged through me, and I struggled with everything I had, thrashing against the grip. But then—a sharp sting on my neck.
My eyes widened in horror. I had been injected.
Tears welled up as I fought to stay awake, to resist whatever was coursing through my veins, but my limbs were already losing strength. My vision blurred, the world spinning around me.
No. No, not like this.
I tried to fight it.
Tried to hold on.
But my body betrayed me.
The last thing I registered was the cold pavement beneath me before everything faded to black.