BETRAYED BY DESIRE

The event

“Good afternoon,” I said, trying to put on a polite smile as I walked into the building. But one of the guards, a burly man with a stern expression, stepped forward and blocked my path.

“You’re not allowed inside the building anymore,” he said, his tone cold and final.

I had expected resistance, but hearing it still felt like a slap to the face. “Please,” I begged, trying to keep my voice steady. “I just need a few minutes with Ethan. It’s really important.”

The other guard, taller and just as intimidating, shook his head. “Sorry, ma’am. Orders are orders.”

My heart sank. “Please, I’m begging you. Just let me in this once. It’s urgent. I need to talk to him. It’s about something he needs to know.”

Their expressions didn’t change. If anything, they became more impatient. The burly guard stepped closer, his voice now edged with warning. “If you don’t leave now, we’ll have to remove you by force.”

I felt panic rising in my chest. “No, please. Just—”

“Stop!” A voice rang out from behind the guards. I turned to see Peter, Ethan’s assistant, walking toward us with a briefcase on his hand, a look of disbelief on his face. Looks like he’s heading out for a meeting.

“What the hell are you doing?”

The guards froze, fear flashing in their eyes as they turned to face Peter. “We were just following orders,” one of them stammered. “We were told not to let her in.”

Peter’s face hardened as he stepped closer. “Whose orders?” he demanded. “When did the boss say his wife was banned from entering his own company?”

The guards exchanged nervous glances. “We thought… we were told by… Sofia,” the taller guard mumbled. “She said Mrs. Hunter isn’t allowed in anymore.”

Peter’s eyes blazed with anger. “Sofia? Since when does she have authority over this company? Did the boss personally tell you to ban his wife? Or did you just decide to listen to someone who has no right to give orders here?”

The guards looked at each other in confusion, clearly unsure how to respond. “We didn’t mean any harm, sir,” one of them said quickly. “We thought—”

“You thought wrong,” Peter snapped. “Now apologize to Mrs. Hunter and let her through, or I’ll make sure you’re both out of a job by the end of the day.”

They immediately dropped to their knees, bowing their heads in apology. “We’re so sorry, Mrs. Hunter,” they muttered in unison, their voices laced with fear.

I glanced at Peter, my heart swelling with gratitude. “Thank you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He gave me a small nod, his expression softening. “It’s the least I could do,” he said, offering a reassuring smile. “Take care of yourself.” With that, he turned and headed toward the conference room.

I took a deep breath and walked past the guards, feeling their eyes on me as I made my way into the building. As I entered the office floor, I noticed the stares. The usual polite greetings were gone, replaced by cold looks and whispers. Some employees even sneered at me as I walked by. I knew why. The rumors had spread, and to them, I was no longer the respected Mrs. Hunter. I was just another discarded woman, unworthy of their respect.

Ignoring the stares, I headed straight for Ethan’s office, my heart pounding in my chest. I stood at the door for a moment, saying a silent prayer that Ethan would listen. That he would at least hear me out.

I knocked softly and pushed the door open. Ethan was sitting at his desk, completely engrossed in some paperwork. When he looked up and saw me, his expression darkened, a frown forming on his face.

“What do you want, Maya?” he asked, his voice cold and detached. “If you’re here for the compensation, I’ll have my lawyer handle it. Now leave. I’m busy.”

The words cut deep. There was no care, no warmth in his tone. Just a business-like dismissal, as if I were nothing more than a nuisance.

“Ethan, please,” I said, my voice trembling. “I just need a few minutes. It’s important. Please, just hear me out.”

He frowned, clearly annoyed by my presence. “I don’t have time for this.”

I opened my mouth to speak, ready to tell him about the baby, when the door burst open, and in walked the last person I wanted to see—Sofia.

She froze when she saw me, surprise and something that looks like fear flashing in her eyes before a malicious smile curled on her lips. “What are you doing here?” she sneered, her voice dripping with venom. “Didn’t you get the message that you’re no longer welcome?”

Sofia stepped closer, her eyes narrowing with contempt. “You really don’t know when to quit, do you? You’re pathetic, clinging to a man who doesn’t want you. Why can’t you just leave us alone?”

I bit my lip, the words catching in my throat. I wanted to fight back, to scream at her, but the weight of everything I had been through left me too exhausted to argue. Instead, I turned to Ethan, hoping he would intervene, hoping he would tell her to stop. But he didn’t. He simply sat there, ignoring the entire exchange as if it was beneath him.

Sofia smirked, clearly enjoying my silence. “Security!” she called out, her voice ringing through the office. “Get her out of here. And don’t ever let her back in.”

Ethan didn’t even flinch. He just continued with his work, as if I didn’t exist. As the guards approached, I felt a wave of desperation wash over me. “Ethan, please,” I begged, tears welling in my eyes. “Just give me five minutes. I need to tell you something important!”

But he didn’t even look at me. The guards grabbed me, and Sofia’s smirk widened as they dragged me toward the door. My heart sank, knowing that this was it. The last shred of hope I had was slipping through my fingers.

As I was pulled out of the office, I saw Sofia’s expression shift from smugness to something darker. She was relieved—whatever it was she feared I would tell Ethan, she was certain now that I hadn’t said it.

Meanwhile, I stumbled out of the building, feeling completely lost. My mind was a blur, my heart aching with the weight of everything I had been through. I hailed a cab, not even sure where I wanted to go. When the driver asked for my destination, I hesitated for a moment before whispering, “The cemetery.”

I needed to visit my mother’s grave. Maybe there, I could find some peace, some comfort.

***********

The cab driver was humming softly to himself, completely oblivious to the storm raging in my mind. My thoughts were a blur of pain, betrayal, and desperation as we approached the T-junction. The streetlights flickered past us, and I tried to steady my breath, but the dread in my chest only grew heavier. Something wasn’t right, but I couldn’t place it.

The cab slowed slightly as we neared the intersection. Just as we started to cross, blinding headlights from the left caught my attention. My heart lurched. A truck was barreling toward us, its speed far too fast. There was no time to react.

The moment the truck slammed into us, the world became a chaotic whirl of noise, pain, and confusion. My body was thrown violently to the side as the cab flipped, the crunch of metal and the sound of shattering glass filling the air. I could feel my bones scream in agony as I was slammed repeatedly against the inside of the car. When it finally came to a crashing halt, upside down, the world was a blur of pain.

Everything felt wrong. My body was trapped, pinned awkwardly against the crumpled roof. I could barely move. Blood trickled down the side of my face, stinging my eyes and blurring my vision. I tried to blink it away, but it didn’t help. My breaths were shallow and painful, my ribs protesting with every attempt to draw air.

“Help...” I whimpered weakly, my voice barely a whisper. “Please...someone…”

The cab driver was motionless beside me, knocked unconscious. I couldn’t tell if he was alive or not.

"Help... please..." I repeated, my voice shaking. But there was no answer, only the eerie sound of distant traffic and the creaking of the destroyed cab.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps. Hope flared weakly in my chest. Maybe it was help. Maybe someone had seen the accident and was coming to get me out of here. I tried to move, but my body wouldn’t obey. I could barely lift my head, let alone escape this twisted metal prison.

Through my blurred vision, I saw a figure approach. He was coming closer, moving through the debris with an unnatural calmness. My breath hitched as he crouched by the window. It wasn’t a paramedic. It wasn’t a bystander. It was the driver of the truck—the man responsible for this.

I could barely see him, but I recognized something familiar. I squinted through the blood and darkness. He wasn’t just any random truck driver. He looked familiar, my mind searching for where I had once seen him. Just then, a memory flashed in my mind—Ethan’s office, a few months ago. This man had been there, standing by the door, watching me with the same expressionless stare.

Ethan... could he have ordered this? My heart pounded in my chest, a cold, creeping fear swallowing me whole. The shock left me breathless, my body trembling despite the pain. I could barely process the thought—Ethan, the man I once loved, might actually want me dead.

He stared at me for a moment, emotionless, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone. With cold precision, he dialed a number, his eyes never leaving mine.

“It’s done,” he said, his voice low and detached. Then he hung up and walked away, leaving me in the wreckage.

My vision faded, darkness overtaking me as I slipped into unconsciousness.