Cruel Tides

Chapter1

Chapter1—- The Realization

“I'm so sorry Natalie, but I think it is time our relationship comes to an end.”

A note in a white envelope Natalie had found on her table the moment she came back from her night shift in the restaurant she works hoping to get a good night rest after a long day.

A note from her boyfriend–or at that point, her ex-boyfriend, Liam.

She sat on the floor with tears rolling down her eyes, making the note in her hand wet. Liam Carter, the man she dated for 10 years believing that the years she spent with him will lead to their marriage had just ended the relationship?

“This has to be a joke” Natalie said with her voice shaking

She picked up her phone and dialed Liam's number

“The number you are trying to call is not reachable at the moment, please try again later. Thank you” was all Natalie heard from her phone after 7 trials of reaching out to Liam.

She even tried calling his best friend, Landon Williams who is also a friend of hers hoping he would spill the beans that the whole things is a lie. A prank. A joke at least

His number wasn't even reachable, it was switched off. She knew Landon well and knew the one thing Landon hates most is when his phone is out of battery. To the extent he personally owned 3 power banks. So his phone being switched off could only mean, he had blocked her.

“Could this be real? No it can't! I must be dreaming.” Natalie thought to herself as she tried pinching her skin to realize if she was truly dreaming or not. Turns out it's just reality.

She stood up and wandered around her apartment that brought back core memories of she and Liam. But what troubled her the most was the memory of how she made Liam the man he his today.

The had started off with a relationship when they were about leaving highschool. They lived together through out their college days with barely enough to feed themselves.

A night came when Liam and Natalie decided to go to a poker game, betting with the little money they had left hoping they would be able to get double or even triple of the money they had. Apparently, luck was not on their side.

Just as they were about to leave, A billionaire who had kept his eyes on them the whole night, Natalie especially, approached them with a rather unexpected proposal.

“ A night with your girlfriend for $2 million dollars” the billionaire offered.

They immediately came to a conclusionsion to accept the offer as they saw it as an easy source of income for them.

The deal was done and they had their money with them, the money was what Liam used to start his company making him the billionaire he is now.

When Liam started his company, he faced several challenges from several business men like himself. But there was always one man who wouldn't get off his back. Damien Hale. There was always an issue with him.

It either a deliver clash, a drag for a contract or something totally unnecessary. Liam despises Damien a lot and from Damien's end, the feeling is mutual.

Whenever this issues arrived, Natalie was always the one bringing up solutions to help Liam out of the issue. Only for his to repay her like this.

The doorbell ranga which snapped Natalie out of her deep thoughts as she stood up to check who was at the door. She opened the door and it was the Pizza delivery guy. She had totally forgotten that she ordered Pizza for dinner.

She collected the Pizza and headed towards her table to place it down, only for her to notice. There was another envelope.

“Should I open it? What's in this envelope? Is it also from Liam?” Several thoughts than ran through Natalie's mind the moment her eyes came clashing with the envelope.

“How worst can it be? I mean he already broke up with me.” Natalie concluded as she aimed to pick of the envelope and open it.

Apparently, it was worse than a breakup note.

“A wedding invitation???” Natalie exclaimed.

She was filled with shock, pain and confusion amongst other feelings. Liam had sent her his wedding invitation which was to take place a week from that day.

She broke down into tears as she still had the thought that she and Liam would be able to settle their issue.

“Could this night ever get worse?” She cried out

And yes, it did.

She took a closer look at the invitation and to her greatest surprise, the identity of the bride was someone she knew deeply.

It was someone she would not even expect to do such a thing. It was Isabelle Rhodes. Her best friend. Whom she even nicknamed Izzy.