Betrayed By My Ex Claimed By His Two Friends

CHAPTER 2

Lena's POV

Darkness. Cold. Silence.

I lay on the floor, curled in a ball for I do not know how long, my heart heavy with agony. The words of Trey brought me down, crushing me until an empty shell lay before me, my head was spinning, weak limbs. Time passed sometime, the world before my vision started darkening. All that had remained with me was the echo of distant footfalls before darkness consumed everything else.

The Morning After

A dull ache throbbed in my head as I slowly opened my eyes. My body felt heavy, my limbs stiff. I blinked against the sunlight streaming through the windows, trying to piece together where I was.

My room.

My heart skipped a beat as last night's events came crashing back. The argument. The divorce papers. Trey's cruel words.

I sucked in a breath and sat up. No. I refuse to accept this.

Trey didn't say another girl. If he'd taken a liking to someone else, he would have told me, right? There could still be—there had to be.

A rap on the door made me jump. It swung open to reveal a diffident voice.

"Ma'am… your breakfast is ready," Martha, one of the housemaids, said softly.

Her eyes sparkled with commiseration before she looked hastily away. They had to have heard everything.

I forced a smile, though my heart felt like it was bleeding. "Thank you, Martha."

As soon as she was gone, I snatched up my phone and dialed my boss.

"Lena?" His voice came through.

"Sir, I need a week off," I said, my voice firmer than I expected. "Something urgent came up."

A pause. Then a sigh. "Alright. Just make sure to take care of yourself."

I murmured a thank-you before hanging up.

I couldn't afford distractions right now. My marriage was falling apart, and I needed to fix it.

Pushing the dizziness aside, I got up and went to the bathroom. As I washed my face, I stared at my reflection. My eyes were puffy, my lips chapped. I looked weak. Broken.

No. I can't let him see me like this.

By the time I had finished my morning routine and was heading downstairs, I felt a little steadier. But as I entered the dining room, I saw something odd.

The maids wouldn't look at me.

They moved stiffly around, heads down, voices hushed. My throat tightened. They know. They heard.

I balled my hands into fists, willing myself not to lose it. I could not fall apart now.

I sat at the table, but as I began to pick at my food, my mind strayed back in time—to a time long before Trey and I became man and wife.

Flashback – 18 Years Ago

My world shattered at the age of six.

One moment, I had parents who loved me. The next, I was an orphan. A car accident took them away from me. I was shifted to my uncle and aunt after that.

Their house never quite felt like a home, though.

My aunt, Sylvia, never allowed me to forget I was unwanted. My cousin Melissa treated me like a servant, ensuring I knew I was beneath her. The only kindness came from my uncle, though he was always busy with work and never noticed how his wife and daughter treated me.

And then… there was Trey.

He was chubby then, chubby cheeks, stumbling steps. He would follow me around the neighborhood a few paces behind.

One afternoon, I found him sitting alone on the sidewalk, sniffling.

I frowned and walked over. "Why are you crying?"

He looked up at me, rubbing his eyes. "Melissa and her friends pushed me," he mumbled.

Anger flared in me. I knew how mean Melissa could be, but bullying a boy who'd done nothing? That boiled my blood.

"Come on," I said, holding out my hand.

He took it after a moment, his small fingers closing tight around mine.

From that moment on, we were inseparable.

Flashforward – High School Years

Years passed and Trey was no longer the chubby kid. He had grown tall, leaner; his round face was sharp and striking now. His deep-set eyes and confident smirk made him irresistible.

Girls fawned over him, and boys envied him. And I'd changed too—I wasn't that awkward, bullied girl anymore. I had grown into someone confident, someone people noticed.

We were the "It" couple of our school—Trey, the heartthrob, and me, the prettiest girl in class. Our love story seemed picture-perfect.

Then everything changed.

Trey started avoiding me.

He no longer waited for me after class. He no longer called me at night. He just distanced himself, his eyes, once so warm and expressive, turning unreadable.

Before I could even confront him, fate made the decision for us.

My uncle got transferred, and we had to move away.

I stared blankly at my congealed breakfast as memories swirled in my head. Trey wasn't always like this.

There had been a time when he loved me. A time when he wanted me.

Flashback – 10 Years Ago

I was twenty the second time I saw him.

Ten years had passed since he transferred and took the job away from me, and I had buried my broken heart deep inside when Trey left. I had moved to another city and started all over again, never thinking I would ever see his face again—until that night in the hospital.

I was finishing my shift when a patient rushed into the emergency room. Paramedics were screaming medical jargon, nurses hurrying to keep up, but all I focused on was him.

Trey.

Blood smudged across his forehead; his face bruised, yet there was no mistaking the eyes. Those dark eyes which once held such warmth for me.

My breath caught. "Trey?"

His dazed gaze flickered toward me, confusion crossing his features. "Lena…?" he mumbled before passing out.

The next few days were a blur. I checked on him constantly, even when I wasn't assigned to his case. I told myself it was just my duty as a nurse, but deep down, I knew the truth.

When he was finally discharged, I thought that was the end of it—that we would revert to being strangers. But Trey had other plans.

One month later, out of the blue, he appeared at my doorstep.

Dressed in a sleek suit, looking as handsome as ever, he said, "Marry me."

I laughed, thinking it was a joke. "Trey, we barely—"

"I don't care," he cut me off, stepping closer. "I lost you once, Lena. I don't want to lose you again."

My heart was pounding, my mind screaming at me to think rationally. But my heart… my heart was already his.

And just like that, I said yes.

I thought our love story was finally getting the happy ending it deserved.

But six months into our marriage, everything came crashing down.

Present Day

I clenched my fists, shaking off the painful memories. No. I won't let him walk away this time.

If Trey truly wanted a divorce, there had to be a reason. Something had changed, but I just wouldn't accept that his love for me would have vanished into thin air overnight.

I picked up my phone and quickly dialed a number I knew well.

After a few rings, a chipper voice answered. "Good morning, Mrs. Carter! What can I do for you?"

Lucy, Trey's secretary.

"Lucy," I said, fighting to keep my voice level.

"Ah," she replied after a pause, "I was checking Trey's schedule for the day."

I furrowed my brows. Why would he clear his morning? Before I could ask, Lucy bubbled on excitedly, "Ooh! I think it's actually a surprise for you! He reserved a suite at the LeisureQ 5-star hotel this morning."

My breath caught. A surprise?

I sat up straighter, my heart hammering in my chest. Did this mean… he regretted last night?

The divorce papers. His cruel words. Could it all have been a mistake?

Hope bloomed in my chest.

"T-Thank you, Lucy," I stammered, barely able to contain my emotions.

I didn't waste another second. I grabbed my car keys and rushed out the door.