Chapter 1 "Mistake"
1185 Words
Arwena looked around the room until her eyes landed on the frosted shower door, where she saw the hazy silhouette of a man.
"What have I done?" she whispered, her hand flying to her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes.
She rose unsteadily, gathered her clothes, dressed in a hurry, and slipped out of the room as quickly as possible.
Frustration bubbled up as she repeatedly tapped her forehead. She felt utterly foolish. For so long, she had protected herself, priding herself on self-restraint. It was the very reason her ex-boyfriend left her for her best friend. And yet, here she was, giving herself to a stranger.
"Tandre," she murmured—the name of the man who had saved her… and the man to whom she had surrendered.
***
"Arwena! Where have you been?" her mother’s voice, tinged with worry, greeted her as she stepped into the house. Her father simply shook his head in silent disappointment.
She longed to collapse into their arms, to tell them everything—the horrible events of the previous night, her boyfriend’s betrayal, and her best friend's deceit. But fear held her back. What if the truth shattered her parents, who trusted her so deeply?
Her chest ached, heavy with the weight of secrets. She had decided to carry her burdens alone.
"Mom, Dad, I’m tired—" she began, trying to deflect their questions. But her words froze in her throat as Jake, her ex-boyfriend, and Farah, her former best friend, emerged from the living room, hand in hand.
The sight hit her like a physical blow. Her heart clenched painfully, and her breathing turned shallow. Anger surged—hot and relentless.
They had destroyed her world with their betrayal. Yet here they were, brazenly standing in her home as if nothing had happened.
"What are you doing here?" Arwena’s voice cracked, her eyes burning, but she fought to hold back the tears. She would not cry—not in front of her parents, and certainly not in front of those two traitors.
"I called them. We were about to go look for you," her mother explained, her voice trembling as she clutched her chest in distress.
Arwena’s heart twisted. She hated herself for causing her parents such worry, but the bitterness inside her refused to fade.
"Yes, I know you were worried. I’m sorry," she said softly, forcing a faint smile. But her eyes shot daggers at Jake and Farah, who both avoided her gaze.
"What happened between you and Jake, Arwena? Did you fight?" her father asked, his brows furrowed in concern as he gently rubbed his wife’s back.
Arwena bit her lip, hoping Jake would speak up. But instead, he sighed dramatically, lowering his head and playing the victim, acting as if she were the one at fault.
"If you did fight, you should’ve talked it out. Problems can be solved through conversation, not by running away," her father continued, disappointment unmistakable in his tone.
Her chest tightened even more. Her father’s trust in her had always been unwavering, and the thought of letting him down was unbearable. Still, she remained silent, choosing to shield her parents from the ugly truth.
"You’re not like this, Arwena. You’ve never left without saying anything. And you’ve never dressed so… inappropriately," her father added, his tone heavy with reproach.
"Auntie, Uncle…" Farah’s soft voice interrupted.
Arwena stiffened as Farah stepped closer to her parents, placing a comforting hand on their shoulders.
Her anger flared. How dare Farah act like the perfect friend? She was nothing but a manipulative snake.
"Let’s let Arwena rest for now," Farah suggested sweetly, her gaze flickering toward Arwena. "What matters is that she’s home safely."
Arwena’s smile turned bitter. Flawless. Her act was flawless. How easily Farah deceived everyone.
"Thank you, Farah. We’re so grateful for your help," Arwena’s mother said warmly, holding Farah’s hand.
"No worries, Aunt. Arwena is my friend—we're family, and family helps one another," Farah replied with a smile, her eyes never leaving Arwena.
"I’ll be leaving now. I have a meeting with a potential franchisee for your coffee shop," she added, addressing Arwena’s parents, who lit up at her words.
"Alright, dear. Go ahead. I hope your meeting goes well," her mother said, almost babying her.
Arwena knew exactly what Farah was doing—showing her how important she was to her parents and their business. And it worked. It made it even harder for Arwena to tell them the truth. Farah had done so much for their business. So even though Arwena’s heart was on the verge of exploding, she chose silence.
She would rather carry the pain than let it crush the people she loved.
"Mom, Dad, I’m going to rest now," she muttered, avoiding Jake’s piercing gaze as she turned toward her room.
"Jake, go after her," her mother urged.
Arwena froze, fists clenched. She longed to scream at Jake to stay away—but instead, she kept walking.
"Arwena, wait," Jake called after her, his voice soft yet insistent.
She ignored him until he grabbed her arm.
"Where were you last night?" he demanded in a harsh whisper.
Arwena yanked her arm free.
"Don’t you dare ask me that! You cheated on me with my best friend, and now you have the audacity to question me?"
Jake’s expression darkened, but he said nothing.
"Don’t blame me for everything, Arwena! Yes, I made a mistake. But it was you who pushed me to do it."
Arwena let out a bitter laugh.
"You’ve got some nerve, blaming your infidelity on me! I’ve finally woken up. I did nothing wrong—my only fault was loving you too much!"
She struck him hard in the chest.
"It’s not my fault your heart ended up lower than it should be!"
She hit him again, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
"Stop it, or I’ll—" Jake growled, grabbing her wrist so tightly she thought her bones would snap.
"What will you do? Hurt me?" Arwena challenged, her voice trembling with rage.
"You’ve already done that. You didn’t just hurt me—you shattered me. There’s nothing worse you can do now than what you already did."
With all her strength, she yanked her hand free.
"Leave."
Jake fell silent, but the tension in his jaw betrayed his fury.
"I’m not leaving until you tell me where you were last night and what you were doing," he insisted.
Arwena laughed bitterly.
"Fine. You want to know?"
She leaned closer, her words like daggers.
"I slept at a hotel. And I woke up next to a man. Jake—it’s gone. What I had been saving for you is gone."
Jake’s eyes widened in shock. But before he could say a word, Arwena turned her back and slammed her bedroom door shut.
She leaned against it, tears cascading down her face.
Moments later, she turned on the shower, letting the cold water blend with her sobs.
"I’ve always been good," she whispered, her voice breaking. "So why does it feel like I’m being punished?"
- Writer
