9
1622 Words
(Alex’s POV)
The next day, I woke with one clear purpose in mind.
I had to see Ariana.
Not later.
Not tomorrow.
Not when it was convenient.
Now.
Every message I had read, every plan I had uncovered, every lie Vanessa and Lucas were weaving around her—none of it would matter if Ariana walked into their trap before I could warn her.
But I had to be careful.
If Vanessa noticed anything strange, if she sensed even the slightest shift in my behavior, the game would change. They would move faster. They would erase evidence. They would disappear.
So I decided the safest move was the quietest one.
I would stop by Ariana’s place on my way to work.
A simple detour.
A harmless visit.
Or at least, that’s how it had to look.
⸻
That morning, I kissed Vanessa goodbye, just like always.
“Drive safely,” she said, smiling softly.
“You too,” I replied.
Her smile was warm. Her voice was gentle. Her body carried life.
And yet, my heart felt heavier than ever.
I left the house, turned the corner, and headed straight toward Ariana’s place.
Every minute felt like a race against time.
⸻
When Ariana opened the door, her face told me everything before her mouth said a word.
She looked tired.
Not just physically—but emotionally.
Her eyes were dull, like someone who had cried too many tears and had none left to shed. Her shoulders were slumped, her movements slow, her spirit visibly wounded.
“Alex?” she said, surprised.
“I need to talk to you,” I said urgently. “It’s important.”
She stepped aside and let me in.
The moment I entered her living room, the weight of her pain filled the space. This was not just a woman who had been betrayed. This was a woman who had been broken.
I didn’t waste time.
“I know what Vanessa and Lucas are planning,” I said.
Her eyes widened.
“What?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“They’re working together,” I continued. “Against you.”
Her lips trembled. “I knew something was wrong… but I didn’t want to believe it.”
I sat down and explained everything.
The secret phone.
The messages.
The plans.
The documents.
The manipulation.
The lies.
I told her about the screenshots.
I told her about their intention to make her sign away her father’s properties.
I told her about their plan to disappear once everything was transferred.
I told her about how Vanessa was using her emotions against her.
As I spoke, Ariana’s hands shook.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Her breathing became uneven.
And in that moment, I realized something painfully clear:
She wasn’t just hurt.
She was shattered.
“This can’t be real,” she whispered. “Vanessa was my best friend.”
I nodded. “I know. That’s what makes it worse.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I trusted her,” she said. “I trusted them both.”
My heart tightened.
The truth was simple.
Ariana was a good person.
A kind person.
A genuine person.
She didn’t deserve this.
She didn’t deserve betrayal from the man she married.
She didn’t deserve betrayal from the friend she trusted.
She didn’t deserve to be hunted like prey by two people she once loved.
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly.
She wiped her face. “Why are they doing this to me?”
“Because they’re greedy,” I replied. “And because they think you’re weak.”
She shook her head slowly. “I’m not weak.”
“I know,” I said. “But they don’t.”
I reached into my pocket and showed her the screenshots.
She stared at them.
Her face went pale.
Her body went still.
Every word on that screen cut her deeper than a knife ever could.
“They… they said they would leave me with nothing,” she whispered.
“Yes,” I said. “That’s their plan.”
She looked up at me, her eyes filled with pain, confusion, and something else.
Fear.
“What should I do?” she asked.
I took a deep breath.
“This is what I need you to do,” I said. “Don’t confront them. Don’t accuse them. Don’t run.”
She frowned. “Then what?”
“Play along,” I said.
Her eyes widened. “Play along?”
“Yes,” I said. “Pretend you believe them. Pretend you’re considering their request. Pretend you trust them again.”
“That’s dangerous,” she said.
“So is signing anything they give you,” I replied. “But if you play along, we can catch them. We can stop them.”
She hesitated.
“I don’t know if I’m strong enough,” she said.
I looked at her firmly. “You are stronger than you think. And you’re not alone anymore.”
She was silent for a moment.
Then she nodded slowly.
“I’ll cooperate,” she said. “But only if you promise you won’t leave me in this.”
“I promise,” I said.
I meant it.
⸻
I stood up, preparing to leave.
“Before I go,” I said, “there’s one more thing.”
She looked at me.
“Don’t trust either of them,” I said. “Not a word. Not a tear. Not a smile. Everything they show you now is an act.”
She nodded. “I understand.”
“And whatever step you take,” I added, “call me first.”
“I will,” she said.
Just then, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Her face changed.
“It’s Vanessa,” she said.
My heart skipped.
“Put it on speaker,” I said immediately.
She hesitated.
Then she did.
“Hello?” Ariana said.
“Ariana…” Vanessa’s voice came through, soft and emotional. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“Yes,” Ariana replied cautiously.
“I just wanted to say… I’m sorry,” Vanessa said. “Truly. I know I hurt you deeply. I know I betrayed your trust. But I swear, I never meant for things to turn out this way.”
I clenched my fists.
Her voice sounded sincere.
Too sincere.
“I’ve thought about everything,” Vanessa continued. “And I’ve decided to let go of Lucas. I’ve decided to move on. I want peace. I want healing.”
Ariana stayed silent.
“I know I don’t deserve forgiveness,” Vanessa went on. “But please… please allow me to make things right. I want you to go back to him. I want your family to be whole again.”
I felt my chest tighten.
This was manipulation.
Pure manipulation.
“I just want you to be happy,” Vanessa said. “I swear on my unborn child.”
My heart dropped.
She was using her pregnancy.
Ariana finally spoke.
“I need time,” she said. “I need to think.”
“That’s fine,” Vanessa replied gently. “Take all the time you need. I’ll be here.”
The call ended.
Silence filled the room.
Ariana stared at her phone.
“Did you hear that?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said. “And none of it is real.”
She nodded slowly. “It sounded real.”
“That’s the danger,” I said. “She’s good at pretending.”
Ariana swallowed. “She wants me to go back to Lucas.”
“Yes,” I said. “Because they need you close.”
Ariana looked at me, fear in her eyes. “What if I go back and they hurt me?”
“That’s why you won’t go alone,” I said. “And that’s why you won’t sign anything.”
She nodded.
“I’ll play along,” she said again. “But I’m scared.”
“So am I,” I admitted. “But together, we’ll handle this.”
⸻
I left Ariana’s place with a heavy heart.
The sun was shining.
People were walking.
Cars were moving.
Life was going on.
But inside me, everything felt dark.
I wasn’t just fighting for Ariana.
I was fighting my own battle too.
Living with a woman who was pregnant by another man.
Protecting someone else’s wife.
Carrying secrets that could destroy lives.
I felt like I was standing between two worlds—one built on lies and one built on truth.
And I didn’t know which one would survive.
⸻
As I drove back home, my mind replayed Vanessa’s voice over and over again.
“I’ve decided to move on.”
“I want peace.”
“I swear on my unborn child.”
Lies.
All lies.
I turned onto my street.
That’s when I saw it.
A blue Toyota.
My heart stopped.
Lucas’s car.
It was just pulling out of my street.
Coming from my direction.
From my house.
My hands tightened on the steering wheel.
“What was he doing at my house?” I whispered.
Did he come to see Vanessa?
Did he come to see me?
Did he come to leave something behind?
Or did he come to take something away?
My mind raced with terrifying possibilities.
I slowed my car, watching as the blue Toyota disappeared around the corner.
My heart pounded.
My chest felt tight.
My hands trembled.
Something had just happened.
Something important.
Something dangerous.
And I had no idea what it was.
But I knew one thing.
This was not coincidence.
This was the next move.
And whatever Lucas came for…
Would change everything.
- Writer
