01- The betrayal
Aurora's POV
I was supposed to surprise my fiancé on his birthday.
Instead, I was the one who got the surprise.
I had barely stepped out of the elevator when I heard it.
A soft, breathless moan came from Ethan's office.
I froze.
Then I heard the woman's voice again.
“Natalia…”
My heart stopped.
I stared at the door, desperately searching for an explanation. There had to be one.
Then her voice came again.
“Ah, yes, Ethan…”
I pushed the door open.
My world came crashing down.
Ethan was bent over the office table, with Natalia beneath him.
They scrambled apart when they saw me.
The birthday cake slipped from my hands and crashed onto the floor.
For several seconds, I couldn't breathe.
I could only stare at the two people I trusted most.
Then Ashley's warning came rushing back.
She had told me Natalia was sleeping with Ethan. She had even shown me pictures.
But I hadn't believed her.
I'd accused Ashley of creating fake images because of her grudge against Natalia.
I'd chosen my sister over my best friend.
And now Ashley had been right.
My eyes moved to Natalia.
She clutched her clothes against her chest, tears filling her eyes.
“Natalia…” My voice cracked. “How could you?”
She lowered her head.
Ethan was the first to speak.
“Aurora, wait.”
“Wait?” I laughed bitterly. “I just caught you with my sister. What exactly am I supposed to think?”
“It isn't what you think.”
“Then tell me what it is.”
He sighed.
“It was a mistake.”
“A mistake?”
“It happened. That's all.”
My chest tightened.
“You're sleeping with my sister, Ethan!”
“I said it was a mistake!”
“And you expect me to forgive you?”
“I expect you to understand that things happen.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
Things happen.
As if our relationship meant nothing.
“You were supposed to marry me.”
“I know.”
“You told me I was the only woman you wanted.”
“I know, Aurora.”
“Then how could you do this?”
His expression hardened.
“Because I was starving.”
I blinked.
“What?”
“For months, I've been trying to make you understand that I have needs too.”
“You're blaming me?”
“You refused to sleep with me.”
“I told you I wanted to wait until marriage!”
“And I agreed!” he snapped. “I waited. But Natalia understood me.”
His eyes shifted toward her.
“She became my safe space.”
My heart shattered.
I looked at Natalia.
The girl I'd protected for years.
The girl I'd defended whenever people criticized her.
“You were my sister,” I whispered.
Tears streamed down her face.
“Aurora, I'm sorry.”
“Don't.”
She fell silent.
“I defended you,” I continued. “When Dad wanted to send you away after you broke his car, I took the blame. When you came home drunk, I covered for you. When Ashley told me about you and Ethan, I defended you then too.”
Natalia covered her mouth.
“I didn't believe her,” I whispered. “I believed you.”
She sobbed.
“And you knew.”
She couldn't answer.
“You knew I loved him.”
“I'm sorry.”
I shook my head.
“I should have listened to Ashley. She was trying to warn me, and I chose you over her.”
I wiped away a tear.
“I regret that now.”
Ethan sighed.
“Are we really going to keep doing this?”
I turned toward him.
“What?”
“I'm tired, Aurora. Tired of pretending this relationship is working.”
My heart pounded.
Then he said the words that destroyed whatever was left of me.
“I love Natalia.”
The room went silent.
Natalia's eyes widened.
“Ethan…”
“I love her,” he repeated.
I felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath my feet.
“You don't mean that.”
“I do.”
My fingers trembled.
“What about me?”
He looked at me.
“I care about you.”
A broken laugh escaped my lips.
“But you don't love me.”
He said nothing.
His silence was enough.
I looked down at my engagement ring.
For months, I'd imagined our wedding, our home, our future together.
I'd imagined growing old beside Ethan.
Now, all those dreams were gone.
“I can't do this.”
“Aurora—”
“Don't.”
I turned and ran.
I stormed toward the elevator, tears streaming down my face. I didn't care who saw me.
All I knew was that the man I loved had chosen my sister.
And the sister I'd spent years protecting had broken my heart.
The elevator doors opened, and I stepped inside.
Just before they closed, I saw Ethan standing in his doorway.
He didn't come after me.
That hurt most of all.
The doors shut.
I pressed my back against the wall and finally released the sob I'd been holding inside.
My trembling hand moved to the engagement ring.
I stared at it through blurred eyes.
“How could the two people I loved most be the ones who destroyed me?”
And as the elevator descended, I cried, knowing that nothing would ever be the same again.
