Fated to Wed (English)

Chapter Twenty-two

The moment I stepped through the front door, the air felt heavy, charged with the tension of unspoken words. Theo was standing in the living room, his back to me. I could feel my heart racing, anticipating the storm that was about to break.

"Delilah!" His voice boomed, sending a shiver down my spine. "What the hell were you thinking, kissing Marlon?"

I clenched my fists at my sides, refusing to back down. "If we're talking about kissing, Theo, you were the one who did it first! How is this any different?"

His head snapped around, eyes wide with fury. "That was an accident!"

I let out a harsh laugh, the sound bitter on my tongue. "An accident? It sure didn’t look like one when Liana was sitting in your lap! You think I’m just going to sit here and take your crap after what you did?"

"She was upset! I was trying to comfort her!" His voice was sharp, slicing through the air.

“Comfort?” I sneered, fury bubbling over. “That’s rich coming from you. You’re angry at me for something I did while you’re the one who was practically all over her!”

As the argument escalated, I could feel the weight of the past few weeks crashing down on me. The pain, the betrayal, all of it boiling to the surface.

The tension hung thick in the air, neither of us willing to back down. We stood in silence for a moment, glaring at each other, both of us breathing heavily.

“I can’t believe you,” Theo finally said, his voice low and tight. "You’re making a bigger mess of this."

I was tired of it. Tired of feeling like I was the villain in this story. "Maybe I wouldn't have to if you weren’t making me feel this way!"

The next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache, remnants of last night’s anger and alcohol festering in my skull. I stumbled into the kitchen, desperate for a hangover pill. As I reached for the bottle, the door swung open, and in walked Liana, looking impossibly cheerful.

"Well, well, if it isn't the queen of disaster," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I heard you had quite the night last night."

I rolled my eyes, unwilling to engage. "What do you want, Liana?"

She sauntered closer, a smug smile on her face. "I just wanted to let you know that I was there for Theo when he was mad. If you know what I mean." Her laughter cut through me like glass.

I felt a flash of anger rise within me, but I clamped down on it, knowing I couldn’t afford to lose control. Not today. "Whatever, Liana. I don't care."

"You should," she said, her tone condescending. "After all, he was upset, and you know how comforting I can be."

I ignored her and turned to head back to our bedroom. Each step felt heavy with the burden of her words, but I was getting used to this feeling. I couldn’t let her get to me. Not anymore.

Days passed, and a strange sense of relief washed over me when Liana finally left our home. The tension shifted, and even though Theo and I were still far from okay, at least I didn’t have the person I hated hovering around. I began serving Theo again, cooking meals, and even greeting him whenever we crossed paths. I could see the smallest signs of appreciation in his eyes when he’d say thank you.

I had realized something essential: if he wanted to cheat, he would do it regardless of whether I kept tabs on him or not. If he respected me, he wouldn’t betray me.

Two days from now, it would be Tyrone's birthday, and I was determined to make it special for him. I went to the mall to pick up a Superman shirt he had been begging for. As I strolled through the department store, I spotted a familiar figure. Liana. I froze for a moment, watching as she chatted animatedly with a friend.

I wasn’t nosy, but something compelled me to listen. I edged closer, hiding behind a rack of clothes.

"Did you hear? Theo’s taking Tyrone to Canada," Liana said, her voice dripping with glee.

My heart sank. "What? When?" her friend asked.

"Today," Liana replied, her smile wide.

My heart dropped. “How do you know?” her friend asked.

“Because he told me he wants me to join him, but I can’t leave just yet. I have work.” She laughed as if the whole thing was a joke.

That was it. I felt the ground shift beneath me. Canada? Today? I couldn’t believe it. Without another thought, I bolted toward the exit, my heart racing as panic set in.

“Cab!” I shouted, and when one stopped, I scrambled in, urgency coursing through me. “Get me to the airport, faster, please!”

The driver wore a mask, and I noticed the way he kept glancing at me in the rearview mirror, but I brushed it off. “Just hurry!”

He nodded, and I felt the adrenaline spike. Thoughts raced through my mind. Why would Theo take Tyrone without telling me? Why didn’t I know about this trip?

I was so consumed with my thoughts that I barely noticed when the driver sprayed something in the air. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. “Stop the cab! Stop!”

The driver chuckled darkly, and I felt a surge of panic. I lunged forward, my hand grasping his shoulder. “Stop this car!” I yelled, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Get off me!” he growled, shoving my hand away, but I wasn’t going to back down. I drew back my fist and punched him hard in the arm, hoping to distract him long enough to regain control of the situation.

He swerved, the tires screeching against the pavement as he struggled to maintain control. My heart raced as the cab lurched to the side. I could feel the vehicle tilting, and I knew I had to act quickly.

“Stop the car!” I screamed again, desperation flooding my voice. I reached for the door handle, but it was locked. Panic surged through me, and I punched him again, harder this time. The driver grunted, momentarily losing control of the wheel.

The cab veered violently, and for a brief moment, I felt a rush of hope. But just as quickly, the driver regained his grip, snarling at me. “You think you can stop me like that?”

I lunged for him again, determined to wrestle him away from the steering wheel. I could see the bridge ahead, the concrete railings looming like a grim reminder of my situation. The world outside was a blur as we sped toward the edge.

“Stop the cab!” I screamed, my voice a raw, desperate plea. I grabbed at his collar, pulling him toward me as I pushed down hard on the gas pedal with my foot, trying to wrestle the control back.

But he fought back, and our struggle sent the cab spiraling off course. I could see the railing of the bridge rushing up to meet us, and I knew we were out of time. In a final attempt, I threw my weight against him, forcing him to jerk the wheel just as we hit the railing.

The cab went over, and time slowed as I felt the rush of air and weightlessness. My thoughts raced through my mind: Tyrone… Theo.

Then, darkness swallowed me whole as we fell into the abyss below.