Everything was going smoothly, especially when Harry arrived in blue faded jeans and a black polo shirt. He looked handsome as always, holding a bouquet of red roses for Valentine's Day—like a character straight out of a novel.
We drank wine, laughed, shared stories, and chatted about our days. The evening was perfect, but I couldn't ignore how nervous he seemed. He fidgeted with his hands and avoided eye contact, making me wonder if something was wrong.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, I just need to use the restroom," he said before excusing himself. As he walked away, I quickly jumped to my feet to prepare his gift.
I was a bundle of nerves—excited, scared, and anticipating the evening ahead. Harry had been a wonderful boyfriend: loving, caring, and patient. He never pressured me, especially about taking the next step in our relationship. But tonight, I was ready.
When Harry returned, I let my black wrap dress fall to the ground, revealing the new, sexy black lingerie I had bought. His eyes widened in surprise and shock, clearly not expecting this sudden turn in our relationship.
"Love what you see?" I asked, seductively biting my lower lip. He seemed momentarily speechless, opening and closing his mouth.
"I didn't expect this, but yeah, you look great," he finally said, his eyes lingering on me.
"So..." I drawled, walking slowly toward him. As I got closer, I noticed his eyes darting around nervously, which made me feel a pang of worry. "Are you really that scared to see me like this?" I teased, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"A little," he admitted, making me grin. "But I'm yours tonight." I leaned in and whispered next to his ear.
Before I knew it, Harry pulled me back slightly and kissed me. I smiled into the kiss as his hands slid down my back, the world around us fading away. We were lost in the moment until the door was flung open with a bang, jolting us apart. I gasped in shock and quickly hid behind Harry, bewildered by the sudden intrusion.
My heart pounded with fear as I saw the intruders rush into the room and recognized them immediately. They were the two beautiful girls from that fateful night when I had intervened to help them. I remembered picking up a stone and throwing it at one of the thugs, which allowed the girls to tackle the other guy. We had managed to subdue them and call the police.
...
"That was a nice throw," one of the intruders—a tall, dark, and stunning girl—remarked.
"Thanks," I laughed, trying to mask my anxiety.
"You could have run away and saved yourself. Why risk your life for strangers?" The other girl, fair-skinned and about 5′5", asked.
"I'm not sure. Maybe I just like the idea of us girls looking out for each other. My name is Madison, but you can call me Mandy."
"We do know you. You're well-known on campus," the fair-skinned girl said suggestively, making me furrow my eyebrows.
"I've heard a lot about you and your involvement in various activities," the dark-haired girl added with a smile.
"I'm Carrie from the fashion and design faculty, and this is Lizzy, our aspiring actress. If you don't mind me asking, why Mandy instead of Maddy when your name is Madison?" Carrie inquired. She seemed to be the talkative type.
"I prefer Mandy because it rolls off the tongue better," I replied.
I hadn't expected to see them again, especially not in this context.
…
"What the heck are you guys doing here? You shouldn't be here!" I blurted, clinging to Harry and hiding behind him. I was naked, after all!
"You too, princess. This place is completely bugged, and everything you do is being recorded live," Lizzy said, while her friend surveyed the surroundings, using the curtains to cover certain areas.
It took me a few seconds to process what she had just said.
"What?" I whispered, then burst out laughing.
Clearly, these two girls were just playing a prank on me. Were they into comedy or something?
Carrie, perhaps sensing my disbelief, pulled something from the window and threw it on the floor in front of Harry.
Harry was about to pick it up, but I beat him to it and realized they were telling the truth.
"Oh my God! What is this? How did it get here?" I gasped as I saw the recording device on the floor. Goosebumps lined my skin, and I shuddered as the reality sank in. We had been watched without our knowledge, and if Carrie and Lizzy knew about it, who else might have been watching?
My heart raced with horror. This was a blatant violation of our privacy, and the uneasy feeling settled over me like a heavy shroud.
Who... who could do something so heinous?
My mind spun out of control, struggling to grasp how anyone could be so callous and heartless.
Silvia!
The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. She was the only one capable of such cruelty. Was this her way of retaliating because Harry chose me?
"How could she do this?" My voice trembled as I struggled to process the betrayal.
Everything seemed to turn red with rage and disbelief.
"Well, she isn't the only one involved. Your lover boy here has a significant role in this too." Lizzy's words cut through the turmoil in my mind, freezing me in place.
No, this couldn't be true. I shook my head, hoping to dispel the nightmare.
Reluctantly, I turned to face Harry. Despite my desperate pleas with my eyes, despite my hope that he couldn't be involved, the guilt was evident. His face, his posture—all spoke of betrayal. My heart sank as the painful truth set in: I had been deceived by someone I trusted.
"Harry has been dating Silvia since before you even started at the university." Carrie's words hit me like a bomb, shattering the illusion of the special evening. The room, once decorated for romance, now seemed dreary and bleak, mirroring my shattered emotions.
I had thought I was in control, but it turned out I was merely a pawn in their game. The realization made me feel foolish and betrayed for not seeing the signs earlier. Accepting that I had invested so much time and emotion into a falsehood was excruciating.
The entire relationship had been a lie. I struggled to grasp the truth, and before I knew it, everything went dark.
When I awoke, I wished it had all been a dream. But the sterile environment of the hospital was a harsh reminder of reality. As the events replayed in my mind, I grabbed my phone with trembling hands and logged into the school's website. The sight that greeted me made my blood run cold.
I was trending on the internet, the comments about me harsh and derogatory. Overcome with shame and humiliation, I felt the weight of the world crashing down on me.
The ironic part was that Harry's face was blurred in all those videos. His identity was never revealed. I felt utterly violated and helpless, as if my privacy had been completely invaded.
Was this what cyberbullying really felt like?
The invasion was so profound it could have lasting effects on my mental health and well-being. I struggled to breathe, spiraling into worst-case scenarios: What if there were more cameras in my room, or in the bathroom, or even here in the hospital?
My eyes welled up with tears as I struggled to accept the fact that Harry had been deceiving me all along. I couldn't believe the person I trusted the most had betrayed me. My heart was shattered into a million pieces, and I didn't know how to move on.
The fear of being constantly monitored and humiliated online caused me severe anxiety and depression, leading to social isolation and even suicidal thoughts.
"Can... can you believe that, Nick?" I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears from my vision as I returned back to the present..
"Having my life monitored and filmed—just the thought of strangers watching my most private moments is unbearable. I... I was terrified to leave the house, afraid to take a bath or use the bathroom. It felt like there were cameras everywhere."
I choked on a sob, struggling to keep my tears in check, but the emotions overwhelmed me. This is why I avoided revisiting those events; they brought nothing but pain and paranoia. I still felt the weight of how broken I was.
They were the darkest times I wanted to erase from my memories. I felt a warm hand on my cheek and lifted my eyes to see Nick gently caressing my face and wiping away my tears.
"You don't need to be afraid anymore. I'm here for you now," Nick murmured. His words warmed my heart, making it skip a beat. I smiled as he pulled me closer, wrapping his arms around me.
I'm not sure how we ended up in his bedroom, lying face to face on his bed, but there we were. As he drew me in closer, I burrowed my head into his chest, feeling his heartbeat and the warmth of his body.
It was an unexpected moment of intimacy, and I didn't want it to end. His presence alone dismantled my defenses and left me vulnerable. I allowed myself to briefly revisit those dreadful memories—the anger in my parents' eyes, not directed at me, but at the perpetrators.
I remembered their worried expressions and how hard they worked to find me the best psychologist. My friends, Carrie and Lizzy, never left my side, no matter how much I tried to shut them out—shut out the world. I didn't even realize when I started shaking and crying, but this time I didn't hold it back. I needed to feel the pain and let it out, hoping that, somehow, I'd start to heal.
As we lay there, I felt a level of comfort and safety I had never experienced before. "How did you get through it?" Nick asked after a while. I relished the way his chest vibrated when he spoke and the sensation of his arm around me as he gently rubbed my back. I slowly raised my head and opened my mouth to speak.
"It wasn't easy, but I had a great support system that helped me get through it," I replied, my voice cracking slightly. "I couldn't have done it without them." I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Too many therapy sessions. I didn't want to burden my family and friends any more than I already had. But mostly, I didn't want to give Silvia the satisfaction of seeing me broken and staying that way. So I toughened up and went back to school."
I paused, a small, rueful smile on my lips. "Surprisingly, no one made fun of me or gave me suggestive looks. Everyone acted like nothing had happened, and I wasn't trending on social media anymore. I later found out that my father and Lizzy's father had used their influence to persuade the dean to handle the situation or risk damaging the whole school's reputation."
I chuckled, though it was tinged with bitterness. "The power of money and influence, huh?" I looked up at Nick, the amusement fading from my expression. "But even with all that, it didn't wash away the shame. That part still lingers."
"But you made it," Nick said softly. "What you went through was terrible, but seeing you here, a lady who loves to smile and is so friendly to people, speaks volumes. You could have quit or switched schools, but like a soldier returning from battle, you embraced your scars and continued living."
"But I covered up my scars rather than embracing them," I replied. "Even though I appear strong, inside I cry every day. My nightmares still haunt me, but I can't tell my friends or family. They've already been through so much."
"But you told me..." Nick said gently.
Yes, I did. And it surprised me how easily I had opened up to him. Was this what my psychologist had talked about?
I raised my eyes to meet his, which were already looking at me. The room was dimly lit by the moonlight streaming through the window, and the faint scent of his cologne lingered in the air. As we locked eyes, I couldn't help but wonder what had brought us to this moment.
"What happened to those people?" Nick's question broke the silence that had settled between us.
"Harry was expelled from school, and a restraining order was issued," I explained. "As for Silvia, she was only suspended for a few months, causing a delay in her education, but she returned to university nonetheless. Her father is a politician," I added.
"She didn't even apologize or show any remorse," I grumbled.
"Mmh, sounds a lot like her," I thought I heard him say.
"Huh?" I asked, shifting my gaze to meet his.
"I said she sounded like a b***." I was momentarily taken aback by his choice of words, but then found myself laughing. His candor was both refreshing and amusing.
"That she is," I agreed, biting my lower lip.
As we lay there in silence, I marveled at how at ease I felt with Nick. It was as if we had known each other for a long time. Sometimes, all we need is someone to be there for us, to hold us, and to reassure us that everything will be okay—whether they're a stranger or not.
I buried my head in his chest and mumbled, "Harry is back."
I felt Nick stiffen. "Was he the reason you had a panic attack that day?" he asked carefully. I nodded in response.
"Did he try contacting you today?" Nick's arms tightened around me as I nodded again. He whispered, "I'm always here for you."
In his embrace, I felt safe and comforted, and I was grateful for his unwavering support.
"Go to sleep now," he said quietly, pressing a gentle kiss to my head. I closed my eyes and sighed deeply, feeling secure in his arms. For the first time in a long time, I was able to drift off into a peaceful sleep, my soft body nestled against his.