The CEO’s Masked Bride

Betrayal

Aria’s POV

“Damn it!”

I stood frozen in the doorway, my fragile heart shattering into a million and one pieces as my eyes caught sight of what I had never, for once, thought about. Right in front of me was my fiancé, Nick, entangled with his secretary, Jessica, who also happened to be his best friend.

The sight of them twisted together, like a sulking toddler in the arms of his mother, was like a two-edged sword to my heart, and for a moment, I was dumbstruck, unable to process the betrayal unfolding before my naked eyes.

The pain that surged through me was so intense that my grip on the doorknob tightened involuntarily until it snapped off in my hand. The sound of the metal breaking out of its position made me jolt out of my thoughts, bringing me back to the harsh reality.

Nick scrambled to cover himself with the white duvet that they were under while Jessica, with a smug look on her face, barely made any effort to hide her shame. “What are you doing here, Aria?” knitting his brows until several short lines appeared between them, Nick barked. His voice was laced with both anger and annoyance.

“I can't remember inviting you over. Last I checked, we had an appointment booked out this weekend,” he went on, glaring at me with piercing eyes that mirrored the hatred that was consuming his soul at that point. “So why exactly do you have to show up here today, unannounced?”

I stood transfixed on the spot. I was like a statue, mute and devastated as I wondered where the hatred Nick was pouring out was coming from. The question he was asking, and his tone screamed hatred, and Nick had never acted like he didn't want me for a second before now. Although he was always too busy for us to spend time together, and he didn't touch me lovingly in bed, I didn't think that it was in any way connected to the fact that he was having an affair.

His piercing gaze burned deeper into my soul with every second that passed by, and I wondered how long he had been harboring such contempt for me. “I have told you times without number never to badge into my house without informing me first, and you went on to do what you please,” he yelled, and after his voice died down, silence pitched the room for a while.

“I am not sorry for what you just saw”, he broke the silence. “You invaded my privacy, and this is what you get for going against my rules.”

His words hit me like a punch in the gut. I had always dismissed his distant attitude, and sometimes made excuses for it. How could I be so stupid to read the handwriting on the wall? He had warned me indirectly several times, but I failed to listen, and now everything made sense.

“Get out!” he continued, rolling his eyes at me and his voice dripping with disdain, “I need to get back to what you just interrupted.”

Jessica dragged herself up to him and pressed her body against his, before leaning in for a kiss. “Are you dumb or are you just pretending to be dumb?” She asked after the kiss, “Didn't you hear what he said? You were asked to get out” she taunted.

Something snapped inside of me and I knew it was her words that had just triggered me. All the whole while, Nick’s words did not get to me as much as Jessica’s words, and I know that is because I was a complete fool who was blinded by love to see Nick’s true color, but as for Jessica, she had no right to throw words at me when she was the slut here who couldn't take her eyes off someone else's property.

I immediately stormed further into the room, enraged, grabbed Jessica by the arm, and slapped her head across the face. The sound of it reverberating around the room was dead silent as all eyes fell on me speechless, and before they could react, I was gone, disappearing out of the door.

Outside the busy street, Nick’s house opened up. I flagged down a taxi coming in my direction and slipped into the back seat of it after I mumbled Zoey’s address to the driver. Upon getting to my destination, I paid for the ride and dragged my feet along the interlocked pathway to her flat.

“Aria?” Zoey called quizzically as she opened the door, my disheveled look a shock to her.

Not being able to bear the burden I had on me, I burst into tears as I staggered into her arms and she held me to herself in a firm hug. She supported me further into the house, and we both collapsed on one of the sofas in the living room. Remaining in her arms, I sobbed uncontrollably like a child, with Zoey stroking my hair gently without saying any words to interrupt my tears.

When I was finally able to get a grip of myself, I pushed myself away from her, got on my feet, and swaggered over to the mini bar at the far end of her living room. I turned myself a shot of Vodka and downed it in one go, the alcohol burning through my throat as it found its way down.

“What happened, Aria?” Zoey asked, staring intently at me.

“Nick”

“I told you he was a scumbag” Zoey blurted out in a joking way, but her expression hardened.

“You don't even know what he has done” I replied softly before going on to give myself another shot of Vodka, relishing the burning sensation I felt in my throat.

“Aria” Zoey called, her tone urging me to go on.

“I…” I stammered, then paused to get a hold of myself, “I found him in bed with Jessica, his Godforsaken best friend”, I let out.

“I thought you said that was his secretary.”

“Yeah, a secretary who also happened to be his best friend,” I sniffed, twitching my nose with my hand, “I don't even know anymore.”

There was another moment of silence as tears started flowing down me again as I realized how stupid it was of me to trust Nick with a female best friend. “He never deserved you, I did not fail in making that obvious to you” Zoey broke the silence as she got up to meet with me at the bar.

“But I didn't think things would get as bad as this, Zoe” I replied, wiping the tears away from my face. As I wanted to turn myself another shot of drink, she snatched the bottle from me.

“I am not going to let you get wasted and then cry yourself to sleep, baby girl,” Zoey said with a smirk on her face.

“Then what would you rather have me do?” I questioned.

“First of all, I want you to know this is a win for you because now you can move on and find someone else worthy of your love, who would cherish you, who would…” She paused abruptly and poked me on the abdomen, a reassuring smile on her face, “You get me right?”

“I do, Zoe, but that is too sudden. Thinking of moving on to someone, I need my space.”

“I know, that is why we are going to a party tonight, to welcome you back to the single hood” Zoey responded with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“I am not doing that either” I stated.

“Come on Aria, you need to take your mind off this. Throwing your hands up in the air and swaying your waste might do the trick” She pressed further.

After being reluctant to her plan for a while, I finally gave in. Maybe a night out is undoubtedly what I just need currently to transcend myself from my misery and get into a fresh start.