Emily gasped, her heart stopping as she saw her boyfriend hugging her sister Enily, in his bed. Emily, just back from a business trip, had wanted to surprise Max her boyfriend at his apartment. But as she opened the door, a woman's heels and clothes were scattered all over the living room. Trembling, she pushed open the bedroom door and froze. There they were, Enily and Max, sleeping silently, Max's arms wrapped around Enily from behind.
"Ahhh!" Emily screamed, her voice tearing through the apartment. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest. The noise woke Max and Enily instantly.
"How could you, Max?!" she shouted, lunging at Enily with a pillow, but Max was faster, pulling Emily back to stop her.
"You… bitch! How could you do this again?!" Emily's voice was sharp, full of fury. Enily, lying on the bed, only smirked.
"Come here, you bitch! You'll never stop, will you?!" Emily shouted, struggling to escape Max's grip.
"Let me go! Let me go right now!" she demanded, trembling.
"Stop it, Emily!" Max's voice was firm. She froze, staring into his eyes in disbelief. The man she had loved for two years—the one who had always whispered sweet words—had changed so drastically, his warmth gone.
"Max… how could you do this to me? We've been together for two years! How could you change so… completely?" Her voice cracked, tears filling her eyes.
"Why, Max? Why?!" Emily cried, hitting his chest in anguish. Max caught her hand and looked down at her, his face serious, almost cold.
"I love you, Emily. I really do. The past two years, my love was sincere. But after learning the truth about how disgusting you are…" He shook his head. "…I can't love you anymore."
"What?" Emily's tears froze mid-fall.
Confusion and heartbreak hit her like a thunderbolt. She turned sharply to Enily.
"What did you tell him?!" she demanded.
"I just… told him the truth about you," Enily said arrogantly.
"What truth?! All you told him were lies!" Emily shouted.
"It's not a lie if you've been with other men," Enily replied smugly.
"You… you fucking bitch!" Emily yelled, rushing toward Enily but Max held her firmly.
Slap!
Emily froze as Max's hand struck her cheek. She cupped it in disbelief, her eyes wide. Enily watched silently, expressionless.
"How dare you, Max?!" Emily hissed. He looked at his hand, unmoved, feeling no guilt.
"Leave my house now. I never want to see your face again," Max said firmly.
"You believe everything she said over me?your girlfriend?" Emily's voice trembled with rage and heartbreak.
"Accept it, Emily," Max replied calmly. "The moment I realized how disgusting you are, I chose not to believe you."
Emily felt her chest sting with pain.
Summoning all her courage, she looked into his cold eyes with full of hatred.
"Fine! Then go fuck yourself!" she spat, storming out of the room.
Max sighed, glancing at Enily with a small smile, relieved that the nuisance had finally gone. As he moved to hold her, Enily pushed him away and walked to the living room to change into her own clothes.
"Where are you going?" Max asked, confused.
"Leaving. I want to leave," Enily said firmly.
"What? But it's still early for you to go work?!" said Max confused.
Once dressed, Enily grabbed her bag.
"We're done. I'm breaking up with you," she said firmly, walking toward the door.
"What!? What do you mean you're breaking up with me?!" Max shouted, grabbing her hand.
Enily sighed.
"The moment you slap my sister… it's already over. Just because you're a man doesn't give you the right to strike a woman."
"Huh! Wow… unbelievable. So now you feel guilty?" Max asked incredulously.
"This is never about my emotions. Guilty? Not at all. But being with you… I can't imagine the future. I won't stay with someone violent." She let go of his grip, walking away with her head held high.
"Goodbye. It was nice being with you… even if only for a while," she said arrogantly and left.
"You bi—!" Max's voice trailed off behind her, muffled. Enily smiled smugly, walking out of the apartment.
Inside the luxurious car that Emily drive, Emily let out a scream, tears streaming down her face. Her heart felt raw and stinging, far worse than the slap on her cheek.
"After everything… how could you do this to me?!" she sobbed, pounding the steering wheel in anger.
Memories of Max's sweet whispers, now turned icy and cruel, flooded her mind. Before she knew it, she had arrived at her office.
Wiping away her tears, she tried to compose herself, but her expression betrayed her sorrow.
Lily, her secretary, looked up in surprise, documents in hand.
"Boss…" she began. Emily suddenly hugged her, making Lily freeze.
"It happened again, Lily," Emily said, her voice trembling. Lily, knowing her situation, patted Emily's back gently.
"Why do you always end up choosing the with man?"
"It's alright, Boss. Whatever happened… it's over now. Everything will be okay," Lily said softly. Emily nodded and released her embrace.
Then Lily noticed the mark on Emily's cheek.
"Boss… your cheek! Did your sister do this? Or the man?!" she asked, worried. Emily shook her head.
"It's nothing," Emily murmured.
"How can it be nothing if it left a mark… on your pretty face!" Lily exclaimed.
"We should sue them," Lily said firmly.
"It's okay Lily… I don't want anything to do with them ever again," Emily replied quietly, walking past her into her office.
"No, that's not okay! You have a face to protect! How dare they—" Lily began, but Emily cut her off.
"Lily… I'm tired. Can I rest, please?"
"I'm sorry, Boss. I'll get you an ice pack to reduce the swelling," Lily said softly.
"Thank you, Lily," Emily whispered.
She sighed deeply. Just as she returned from an the business trip, she had hoped to rest and spend her time with her boyfriend but instead, here she was, carrying the weight of betrayal straight into her office. Emily closed her eyes as she tried to stop thinking about it.