Chapter 1: Betrayal
1109 Words
Aria Bennett hated surprises.
Which was why standing outside apartment 4B with a small white cake box in her hands felt strangely ironic.
She stared at the pink bakery ribbon tied neatly around the package and exhaled softly.
Today was supposed to be simple.
Jason had gotten promoted at work two days ago, and despite barely having enough money after paying part of her mother’s hospital bills that morning, she still wanted to celebrate with him.
Because that was what she always did.
She showed up.
Even when nobody showed up for her.
Adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder, Aria reached into her pocket for the spare key Jason himself had given her months ago.
For when you miss me.
That was what he had said.
A bitter laugh would come later.
Right now, she simply unlocked the door quietly and stepped inside.
The apartment was dim.
No lights.
Only the faint yellow glow leaking from the bedroom down the hallway.
Aria smiled faintly.
He’s probably setting something up.
For a brief second, warmth touched her chest.
Then—
A sound.
A woman’s laugh.
Soft.
Breathy.
Followed by a low masculine chuckle she knew too well.
Aria stopped moving.
Every muscle in her body went still.
No.
No.
No.
Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the cake box.
Then another sound came.
A moan.
Female.
Pleasure.
And suddenly the entire apartment felt too small.
Her heart started pounding violently against her ribs as if warning her not to move forward.
But she did.
One step.
Then another.
The hallway stretched endlessly beneath her feet until she finally reached the half-open bedroom door.
And looked inside.
Everything stopped.
The cake slipped from her fingers.
The white box hit the floor.
Cream and strawberries splattered against the hardwood.
Jason froze.
So did the woman beneath him.
But somehow—
That wasn’t what hurt most.
What hurt most…
Was recognizing her.
Sophie Carter.
Her best friend.
Three years.
Three years of friendship.
Three years of love.
Three years of trust.
Destroyed in one second.
Jason was shirtless.
Sophie was wrapped halfway in his bedsheet.
And both of them stared at her like she was the one interrupting something important.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then Sophie had the audacity to speak first.
“Aria…”
Her voice carried guilt.
Weak guilt.
The kind people showed when they had already decided they didn’t care.
Aria slowly lifted her eyes.
Straight to Jason.
His expression had already changed.
No shame.
No regret.
Only annoyance.
Like he was tired of pretending.
“Well,” Jason muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I guess you found out.”
Aria blinked.
That was it?
That was all?
Her throat tightened painfully.
“You…” her voice cracked. “You’ve been sleeping with her?”
Jason sighed.
Actually sighed.
Like she was exhausting him.
“Don’t do this dramatic thing right now.”
Aria stared at him.
Then looked at Sophie.
Sophie couldn’t even meet her eyes.
Something inside her chest twisted so violently she thought she might actually throw up.
“You knew,” Aria whispered.
Sophie said nothing.
Aria laughed.
But it sounded broken.
“Oh my God…”
Jason swung his legs off the bed casually.
“You act surprised,” he said flatly. “Aria, look at your life.”
She looked at him slowly.
“What?”
He stood up fully now.
No embarrassment.
No shame.
Nothing.
“You spend all your time worrying about hospital bills.”
He pointed toward her.
“Your mother is sick.”
“Your clothes are average.”
“You’re broke half the time.”
“You live in survival mode.”
Every word landed like a slap.
Aria couldn’t speak.
Jason continued.
“You think I was going to build a future with someone dragging this much baggage?”
Something in her eyes shattered.
Sophie finally stood up.
“Jason, stop—”
“No.”
His expression hardened.
“I’m tired of pretending.”
Then he looked directly at Aria.
And smiled cruelly.
“I stayed because I thought your design career would eventually go somewhere useful.”
Silence.
Her breathing stopped.
He stepped closer.
Voice quieter now.
More disgusting.
“But I got tired of waiting.”
Aria felt tears gathering.
Hot.
Humiliating.
Jason noticed.
And delivered the final knife.
“You were supposed to become an opportunity.”
A pause.
Then—
“You turned into a burden.”
The apartment went dead silent.
No sound.
No movement.
Just the sound of something inside her collapsing completely.
Three years.
Three entire years.
Gone.
Because she had been convenient.
Not loved.
Used.
Sophie reached toward her weakly.
“Aria please…”
Aria slapped her hand away instantly.
Hard.
Sophie gasped.
Aria looked between both of them.
Slowly.
Her face had gone completely expressionless now.
And somehow—
That was worse than crying.
Jason frowned.
“Look, stop overreacting—”
SLAP.
The sound cracked violently across the room.
Jason’s face snapped sideways.
A red mark instantly appeared on his cheek.
For the first time—
He looked shocked.
Aria stared at him with eyes full of hatred.
Pure hatred.
“You are disgusting.”
Jason’s jaw tightened.
“Watch your mouth.”
Aria laughed.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
“No.”
She stepped backward toward the door.
“You know what hurts most?”
Jason said nothing.
Aria smiled bitterly.
“It’s not that you cheated.”
She looked at Sophie.
Then back at him.
“It’s realizing I wasted three years loving people who were never human enough to deserve it.”
Sophie started crying.
Aria ignored her completely.
Then she turned around—
And walked straight out.
Fast.
Sharp footsteps.
No hesitation.
The moment she stepped outside the apartment building—
The sky split open.
Heavy rain crashed down violently.
Within seconds her hair was soaked.
Her blouse clung to her skin.
Cars rushed past on the street.
Thunder rumbled overhead.
But Aria didn’t care.
She stood there breathing heavily.
Trying not to scream.
Trying not to break.
Trying not to think about every sacrifice she had made while that man was calculating her worth like some business transaction.
Then suddenly—
She looked up.
Eyes burning.
And whispered into the storm.
“Fine.”
Her voice shook.
But her next words didn’t.
“If everyone wants to treat me like I have nothing left to lose…”
Lightning flashed across the black sky.
Her eyes hardened.
“…then maybe tonight…”
A slow dangerous smile touched her lips.
“…I stop being the good girl.”
- Writer
