His Mate, Her Redemption

Chapter 2; DROWNING IN SORROW

Camila

I couldn't bear to look at the disgusting scene in front of me, so I turned and ran out, slamming the door behind me so forcefully that even the deaf would have heard it.

As I entered the living room, I saw the bottle of champagne on the floor and grabbed it. My initial impulse was to throw it and shatter it, but I knew that if I did, I wouldn't stop until every breakable item in my house was in pieces. However, I didn't care because that's how intense my anger can be.

I was gasping for breath, tears still flowing down my cheeks uncontrollably as the pain of betrayal weighed heavily on my heart. I hurled the bottles against the wall, watching them shatter into shards on the floor. As I stopped to pick up the broken glass, Leo's sweaty hands grabbed my arms, halting me.

He lifted my arms up gently, and as I stared at his hands gripping my arm, my gaze hardened. I met his gaze and glared at him, causing him to release me as if I was a burning flame.

“Ca—Mila," he stammered, his voice trembling as he reached out to me. I took two steps back, avoiding his touch. "I can explain," he said, lowering his gaze in shame and embarrassment.

I walked towards Leo, pushing him back and shouting, "How could you betray me like this?!"

As he tried to grab me, I slapped him across the chin. "You ungrateful bastard, I'm done with you," I yelled, walking past him and brushing my shoulder against his.

“And you believe you're a saint?" He suddenly retorted, causing me to stop in my tracks. I slowly turned around to face him and was surprised to see his once pitiful expression replaced with a mischievous smirk. He looked at me nonchalantly and then scoffed loudly, rolling his eyes.

‘Oh my God. He was pretending this whole time? Was this actually his true color?’

He laughed maniacally, rubbing his chin where I had slapped him, his eyes closed and humming softly. When he opened his eyes and looked at me with bloodshot eyes, he moved towards me slowly, still wearing the evil smirk on his lips.

“Speaking of betrayal? Speaking of being deceived? Speaking of being fooled? You dished it out to me first!" He yelled at me as he approached, "Why didn't you tell me I was dating a half dead woman!" He quickly added in anger, "Damn it!" He cursed and slumped onto my couch, running his hands through his hair in frustration.

My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened as I tried to process what he had just said. I quickly approached him, meeting his gaze as he stood up to face me.

"What did you just call me?" I asked, my voice trembling as I struggled to come to terms with his words. "What the hell did you just call me, you f*****g bastard?!” I shouted, pushing him back when he remained silent.

“Half-dead woman! Yes, that’s what you are! " He boldly shouted in my face.

It felt like I couldn't breathe, and I clutched my chest tightly, hoping to ease the unbearable pain. Every word he spoke felt like a bomb, destroying every piece of me.

"And you said you were done with me? I ended things long ago. I was only here for the benefit." He added in the cruelest voice I have ever heard from him.

"No!" I screamed, feeling my heart break. It was all too overwhelming, and I couldn't hold back the tears.

Looking behind me, I saw the witch stepping out of my bedroom dressed in his polo and shorts. She didn't even spare me a glance as she walked past me, scoffing loudly, “Leo, that’s enough.” She whined like a baby, smoothing his chest with her hand, which only fueled my anger and I stood up from the floor.

“Sia, how could you? We were like sisters... I have always stood by you. Why did you choose to break me like this?” I sniffled weakly as my shoulders slumped.

“I can't keep things from my man,” she replied nonchalantly, pulling Leo to sit on the couch and rolling her eyes at me.

I was shocked when she referred to Leo as her man. "What did you just call him?" I asked, my eyes widening as the truth unfolded.

She stood up confidently, stating, "Leo is my boyfriend. We've been together for three years, and today is our anniversary. Too bad you never noticed anything." She smirked as she explained.

I struggled to process everything, my back hitting the wall as I tried to maintain my balance. I vividly remember Sia telling me to break up with Leo the first day I introduced him as my boyfriend, which I refused because I was in love.

She made it clear that they were sworn enemies, and I witnessed their animosity towards each other in my presence. So, it was all a facade to deceive me and prevent me from suspecting anything between them. They pretended to be enemies in front of me while secretly becoming lovebirds behind my back. I realize now that I was foolish to have trusted the wrong people.

Without saying a word, I went to my bedroom, packed my belongings, and rolled out my luggage to the living room.

As I walked towards the door, Leo shamelessly asked, "Who's going to pay the house rent when you leave? There’s also no food in this house. Could you cook before leaving?” I shook my head in disbelief, realizing that I only had myself to blame for falling for someone like him.

Just three days into our new relationship, the bastard claimed he lost his job and insisted on only working in a bank because he was a banker.

Since then, he has been living in my apartment for the past three years, with me providing for him by covering his expenses, rent, and shelter. It's disappointing how ungrateful and selfish some people can be.

Why can't they show genuine love and appreciation? Despite my efforts, this is how he repaid me? Are all those romantic movie scenes where people sacrifice and stay loyal to each other just a fantasy? Is true love just a myth?

I turned around and walked back into the house to grab the gift I had purchased for him, leaving my luggage by the door.

Leo mocked me, saying, “She wouldn't leave me because she loves me!” as he and Sia laughed.

Ignoring their comments, I picked up the wrapped gift and started walking towards the door, only to be blocked by him. "Looks like you got me a gift, baby," he taunted with a smirk.

Feeling a surge of anger, I clenched and unclenched my fists, regretting the money I had spent on the gift. Without hesitation, I pushed him out of my way, causing him to fall onto the couch and hit his head on the glass table, resulting in a deep cut on his forehead and blood starting to flow.

“Leo!” Sia screamed and hurried towards him, but accidentally stepped on the shattered glass scattered on the floor, resulting in a deep cut on her toe. "Ouch!" she exclaimed in pain and sat down to carefully remove the glass shards from her foot.

As they lay there injured, I thought to myself, 'That's what you get for hurting me.' I grabbed my luggage and left the apartment, shouting "Karma!" as I walked out.

“b***h! I will come for you…!” Sia yelled after me.

I waited outside for the cab I had booked online, but after thirty minutes, it still hadn't arrived. Luckily, I saw another cab approaching and flagged it down.

"Nice to see you again, miss," a familiar voice greeted me as the driver popped his head out of the window. I was surprised to see that it was the same driver who had dropped me off earlier in the day.

“Our paths crossed again," I said, flashing him a small smile before getting into the car with my luggage and shutting the door. "Take me to Skywheel Hotel," I instructed him, and our journey began. I immediately looked out the window, not feeling up for any conversation, and he understood too and focused on his driving.

After a three-hour drive stuck in traffic, he finally pulled up in the Skywheel hotel garage. I got out, paid him, and rolled my luggage out of his cab, heading into the hotel without even waving goodbye as I had done earlier.

Once inside, I booked a room for myself and collapsed onto the bed, shutting my eyes. "I wish all of this were just a dream," I whispered, feeling tears welling up. Suddenly, there was a knock on my door. "Come in," I called out.

A young woman who looked like my age, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, entered with clean duvets in hand. She quickly arranged them in my wardrobe. As she turned to leave, I stopped her.

“Could you please tell me if there's a club nearby?” I asked quietly.

She smiled at me and then glanced away shyly. "When you step outside this hotel, you'll see a club directly across from it," she said before quickly leaving.

After she left, I took a shower and changed into my usual casual attire. I wasn't going to the club to party; I just wanted to drown my sorrows in alcohol, even though I had never consumed alcohol before due to my doctor's strict advice because of my weak heart. But at this point, my heart was already damaged and broken, so what did I have left to lose?

I left the hotel premises and spotted the club just as the woman had described, across the way. I entered and heard music blasting throughout, but I paid it no mind as that wasn't my reason for being there.

I found the bar and took a seat on the long stool. "Can I have seven shots of a strong alcohol," I ordered loudly.