CONTRACT OF HEARTS (A forbidden kind of love)

“Ahh…Javier, harder!” What? Catalina’s hand froze on the door knob, her fingers pressing to the cold metal. A chill ran down her spine. For a moment, she couldn't breathe nor move. The sound crawled under her skin intrusively. Her heart pounded. Is Javier? No. Her chest tightened. “Javier would never…” she whispered, though the words sounded weak even to her own ears. She had left work early with a light heart and arms full of takeout from his favorite taco truck and a cheap bottle of champagne tucked under her arm. She had imagined his smile, the way he’d laugh when she told him she couldn’t wait to celebrate him. Board member. Promotion. Their future Another sound drifted down the hall, sharper this time. “Javier, I want to feel all of you… please don't stop!” “I’m not planning to.” That was followed by sounds of skin slapping hard against each other. “Until I make your legs tremble and your body realize that it belongs and should yearn for me alone.” “Oh myyy, I love youuuuu!” Came another louder cry. The mansion seemed to shrink around her, the towering walls and cold, polished floors pressing in. Her stomach rumbled. Her chest felt tighter every step forward heavy as if the air itself were resisting her. When the door finally gave, it groaned under her push, and there they were. Javier Montoya, naked, skin glistening with dropping sweat. And another naked body beneath him. Her knees tightened before she could fully comprehend. The duo was still unaware of her presence. “H…harder, baby” the lady cried in an unmistakably familiar voice. “H..harder!” Wait? What the f**k? Her eyes widened immediately she saw at Paloma. Her best friend. Same Paloma who had voluntarily helped with the distribution of her wedding invitations. Same Paloma who had sat beside her crying at the bridal fitting like she meant it. The same Paloma who promised to be godmother to her kids. For a split second, the world went completely silent. Catalina stumped her feet as tears began to pour. The sharp sound of her heel hitting the tiles snapped Paloma and Javier back to reality. Javier flinched. Paloma gasped, clutching the sheet to her chest. Catalina…” he trailed off, his voice a mix of shock and guilt. “Don’t." Catalina managed to say in a broken voice. “Don’t you dare say it’s not what it looks like” her voice struggled to not break. Paloma pressed a hand to her hair, visibly trembling, avoid eye contact with Catalina. “Catalina, I didn’t mean for this to happen. I'm s…” "Really Paloma?" Catalina scoffed, cutting in, wiping her runny nose just before it could get to her mouth. “Sorry you got caught, huh?” Javier pulled on his shirt, his eyes switching to irritation instead of remorse. “You need to calm down.” “Calm down?” her voice echoed through the room as anger spread through her chest. She hated the way her throat hurt. “You cheat on me with my best friend, and you want me to calm down? Javier, our wedding date has been set already!" He ran a hand through his hair. “Can you cut the act? I mean... you’re overreacting. We both knew this was already falling apart..." he paused, letting her time to take all the words in. "J.. Javier. You.." she stuttered. "You’re a good person, Catalina, but you’re, you're just...” he hesitated, as if the next words would sound kinder if he lowered his tone, or softened them. “You’re too simple, too plain, you're just too predictable. I need someone who fits my world.” Paloma got up and started to wear her panties and bra. “Your w-world?” her voice cracked. “And.. it took you five f*****g years to realize that I don't fit into your world? Javier, our wedding is in two weeks!” "It has been called off. Gosh" he said, rolling his eyes as he got into his trousers. Catalina caught the smirk on Paloma's face before she could hide it. Catalina's mouth fell open. "W..what are you talking about?" "I called off the wedding." He said again, sounding as if he wasn't the same person who once asked that they took a blood oath, promising he'd never leave her. I don't understand. What did I do wrong? "Javier, this marriage is supposed to be between the both of us, you can't just call it off without my consent" she half yelled, a bile forming in her throat. "W..." "I was going to text you about it, but then..." He interrupted her, sharing a knowing glance with Paloma before continuing. Paloma smirked as he continued. "It would have been of no use anyway, I mean, you only invited Paloma and she's aware already." Then like a whisper, he mumbled the words that followed. "You have no family, or friends." "Javier, you can't do this to me" She whispered with shaky lips. "You said you loved me, and ..." Catalina hated the way she started to sob in front of the two people who had betrayed her without giving a f**k. Javier's gaze wandered around the room, from the designer furniture, the expensive wine glasses, and he stared at the whole view, like he was just seeing it for the first time. " Don't remind me of what I said and didn't say. You still live paycheck to paycheck. You’re always talking about charity work, volunteering, and poor commoners. I’m trying so hard to move up, and you’re ju-.” "Javier" She gasped, wiping her tears with the back of her palm. "But y..." "Don't think too much about it, you don't want to get hurt." Paloma spoke softly breaking her silence as if Javier's act had given her the courage somehow. “He’s right. You’re not… like us, Em. You’ve always been kind, but being kind doesn’t get you far here. Javier's gonna be in charge of his family's empire very soon, and what he needs is a woman that can wield much power, not a nice lady” There it was. All the proof she needed to know that they meant it, that they planned it all. Her mind tried to drift to when they even started all of this and why she didn't even catch on. It didn't matter. Catalina wiped her tears one last time. She had worked hard, stayed honest and loyal, believing that love was supposed to make her efforts enough. But now, standing in front of the two people she’d trusted most, she saw what she truly meant to them; a stepping stone on someone else’s way up. With a heavy heart, she swallowed hard, her legs trembling. “You know what?” she said, barely above a whisper, nodding “You two deserve each other.” And then without looking back, she walked out, even though she heard them burst into a fit of laughter. As soon as she stepped outside, the cold hit her skin hard, whispering all of her losses along with the soft breeze. Her heart ached so bad that she wishes it was a heart attack instead. For the first time in her life, she was jealous of a street lamp. Why? It didn't feel any pain. It wasn't as stupid and naive as she felt. The dark lonely streets seem to be tilting around her. Everyone rushing on to their business. No one asking if she was okay. By the time she finally got to her apartment, it was pitch dark. She turned on the lights. A single room, bathroom and kitchen, and her room was barely big enough for her bed. She closed the door behind her, and leaning against it, she tried to breathe, while allowing her tears to fall again, and stream endlessly down her face. Dingg! A notification. Paloma? Javier? Was it actually all a stunt? She turned the screen on. "RENT IS OVERDUE, YOU HAVE UNTIL FRIDAY TO MOVE OUT!" "Oh no..." she whispered, her shaky fingers clinging tightly to her phone. Not now. Please, universe. Why now? No option to renew? What? Buzz. Another notification. An email from DIAH’s CORPORATION. "WE'RE SORRY TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR CONTRACT HAS BEEN TERMINATED, WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT" She held her chest out of fear that her heart would burst through. But they only said they were going bankrupt and would cut our salaries. Staring at her screen, she went numb. In one day, she lost her job, her fiancé, her best friend and in a few days, she'd lose her house too. Her knees gave way and she fell on her butt weakly. She started to laugh loudly with tears streaming like a waterfall down her cheeks. “Perfect,” she chuckled. “just perfect.” The room was quiet, a total contrast to the turmoil going on in her head. The last memory she has of her mum, words of encouragement echoed through her mind; "When life falls apart, don't cry... Build again." I need to do something. I can't let them have the last laugh. No.