Lily
"Hello, I'm home,"
I called out as I stepped into the small one-bedroom apartment my boyfriend lived in. The familiar scent of his cologne lingered faintly in the air, mixed with something unfamiliar, but I was too excited to notice. My heart was pounding with happiness as I clutched my phone tightly in my hand. I couldn't wait to tell him the good news, I had gotten the job I applied for at Castellano Corp, the biggest and number one company in Silverton.
Everything was finally falling into place.
I had planned to surprise him, to see his face light up the way mine did when I received the acceptance email. I imagined him lifting me into his arms, spinning me around, telling me how proud he was. I didn't know that I was the one about to be surprised, and shattered.
"Steve," I called again, my voice louder this time.
"Where are you?"
There was no response.
Still smiling, still giddy, I hurried up the stairs, taking them two at a time. My excitement drowned out every warning sign. I reached the bedroom door and pushed it open without hesitation.
And then my world stopped.
On the bed, I saw my boyfriend of three years beneath a blonde woman who was riding him without shame. His hands were on her waist, gripping her tightly as if afraid she might disappear. Her body moved rhythmically, her breasts bouncing as she went up and down, her head thrown back in pleasure like she was having the time of her life. Her moans filled the room, loud and unapologetic.
My vision blurred instantly.
"What the hell, Steve?" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
They both froze. Steve scrambled away from her like a guilty child, grabbing his clothes and trying desperately to cover himself. I stood rooted to the spot, unable to move, unable to breathe. The blonde woman, on the other hand, didn't bother covering herself. She sat there naked, legs crossed casually, staring at me with a smug, satisfied look as if she had won a prize.
"I'm sorry, Lily. It's not what you think," Steve said quickly, stepping toward me and reaching for my hands.
I slapped his hands away with all the strength I had.
"It's not what I think?" I snapped. "What do you expect me to think, Steve? You're in bed with another woman!"
Tears burned my eyes, but I refused to let them fall, not yet.
"Three years," I continued, my voice shaking.
"Three years, Steve. And this is how you pay me back? By betraying me? After everything we've been through together?"
"I can explain," he said hurriedly. "It's not what you think. Camila is pregnant."
The words hit me like a slap.
"When did it start?" I asked quietly, my heart already breaking beyond repair.
"A year ago," he replied, his head hanging low.
"A year?" My voice cracked. "You've been cheating on me for over a year? Do you even have a conscience?"
I swallowed hard, my chest aching.
"What about all our plans?" I asked. "Our plans to get married? To build a future together?" I forced him to look at me, my eyes searching his face desperately for regret, for guilt, anything.
"Why don't you tell her the truth, Steve?" the blonde woman suddenly said, her lips curling into a cruel smile.
"What truth?" I asked, panic rising. "What truth?"
I screamed the words this time, my eyes bloodshot, my hands trembling. Steve refused to meet my gaze.
"He said all you care about is work," she continued smoothly. "You always refused to sleep with him when he asked. Men have needs, you know."
I turned back to Steve, my heart pounding violently. "Is that true?" I asked. "I thought we agreed, we promised, that we would do it on our wedding night."
"That was when you were young," Steve snapped impatiently. "I expected that once you came of age, things would change. But you still refused, holding on to your stupid beliefs. Then I met Jane. She's everything I need in a woman, considerate, always there when I need her. She satisfies me. And her family has money, so I don't have to work tedious jobs anymore to live a good life."
The room spun.
"No… no… Steve, please don't do this," I begged, throwing away every shred of pride I had left. I couldn't take it. He was all I had ever known—my family, my future, my entire world.
I dropped to my knees, pleading, promising him I would change. I even tried unbuttoning my shirt, desperate enough to offer myself if that would make him stay.
"Stop embarrassing yourself, Lily," he said coldly.
"It's over. It ended a year ago. I only stayed out of pity. Now that you've found out, just walk away. From today, we have nothing together anymore."
I stood there lifeless.
"No… no… please," I whispered. "You're all I have."
Before I could say more, the blonde woman got off the bed and walked toward him completely naked, her body moving deliberately. She pressed her breasts against his back, wrapped her arms around him, and pulled his head back. They kissed shamelessly right in front of me.
That was when I ran, I couldn't take it anymore
I forgot my bag. I forgot everything.
As soon as I got outside, my stomach churned violently. I bent over and retched, everything inside me spilling onto the pavement.
I walked aimlessly through the streets, tears blinding me, my heart completely numb. I didn't know where I was going until I stopped in front of an expensive-looking club. I didn't care. All I wanted was silence in my head.
I had never drank before. Steve always wanted me to, but I refused. Maybe if I had drunk with him, maybe if I had been different, he wouldn't have left.
The bouncer said something to me, but I barely heard him. All I caught was, "Go in. You really do need a drink."
I nodded and walked inside.
I went straight to the bar and sat down, my shoulders slumped.
"Rough night?" the bartender asked gently.
I nodded.
"What would you like?"
"Something strong," I replied.
He studied me for a moment before pouring a drink. I didn't even ask what it was. I chugged it down and immediately started coughing violently, almost spilling the rest.
It tasted horrible.
I stared at the glass, wondering how people drank this poison, and why heartbreak made it necessary.