"Dave?" I sniffed, the smell of cheap perfume and alcohol hanging thick in the air.
His eyes, once warm, now glinted with cold rage as he turned toward me. "I thought I told you not to follow me?" he barked, his voice sharp and cutting as he pushed me towards the bathroom door with a force that nearly knocked the wind out of me.
My voice cracked as I whimpered, "How could you do this to me?" I stared at him, feeling the weight of betrayal in every word. I had put everything—my trust, my love—into him. "I trusted you. Both of you!" My words lashed out like a whip as I shoved him back, hands trembling with hurt and fury.
His face darkened. "We will talk about this at home," he retorted, voice low, threatening. But I wasn't going to let him silence me. Not now. Not after everything.
My eyes darted to Shirley, standing in the corner, her face pale and stained with tears. She was supposed to be my best friend. My confidante. "Shirley," I screamed, my voice breaking with anguish. "You're supposed to be my best friend!"
Her lower lip trembled as she whimpered, shrinking under the weight of my words. Tears cascaded down her cheeks, but they only made my anger burn hotter. "I'm sorry, Lena. I'm so sorry," she cried, her voice small and fragile, barely audible over the sound of my own heart pounding in my ears.
"Don't apologize to her," Dave spat, stepping between us. His presence was suffocating, his tone laced with venom as he pointed at me. "Get out of here!"
I ignored him, focusing only on Shirley, the pain in my chest sharp and relentless. "I trusted you with my life, and you were sleeping with my husband." My voice faltered, but I pressed on. "Talk to me, Shirley. Tell me what I did to deserve this!"
Shirley's sobs grew louder, her hands clasped together as if begging for forgiveness. "Stop raising your voice, Lena," she pleaded, her voice shaking.
I scoffed bitterly, the sound escaping me like a sharp blade. "Everybody needs to know what kind of evil, backstabbing friend you are!" I hissed, the words venomous. "You're a slut!" I spat, the insult hanging in the air like poison.
Before I could even process what had happened, Dave's rough palm collided with my cheek. The slap was so fast, so sudden, that I barely registered the sting until I was already on the floor. I fell hard, my hand instinctively reaching for my burning face as pain shot through my body. I screamed, more out of shock than anything else.
"Be quiet!" he barked again, his voice booming, but before he could do anything more, a loud banging echoed from the large door. The sound was sharp, insistent, and grew louder with each second. I didn't move. I couldn't.
The door swung open violently, revealing Delilah, her face red with fury, her presence almost palpable. She stormed in, her eyes blazing. "What the fuck have you done, you dumb brat?" she screamed at her brother, her voice cutting through the tension in the room like a knife.
Dave's eyes darkened at her intrusion. "Stay out of this," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.
Delilah scoffed, her eyes narrowing in disgust as she glanced around the room, taking in the sight of Shirley and me. "What are you even doing in the ladies' bathroom?" she demanded, glaring at Dave, then at Shirley, whose eyes were still swollen from crying.
"Don't tell me you had the guts to fuck some whore during a family function," Delilah said, her gaze icy as she stared down her brother. The tension was thick, suffocating, as everyone waited for Dave to deny her accusation. But when he didn't, her face twisted in disgust. "Fuck is wrong with you?"
"You were raised better than this," she snapped, shoving him aside as if he were nothing more than a pest. She rushed toward me, crouching down beside me, her expression softening as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?" she asked gently, concern etched into every word.
I brushed off my dress, trying to hide the shakiness in my hands, and bolted out of the bathroom without another word. The commotion had drawn a crowd, and they watched in silence as I rushed through the hallway, their eyes following my every move. It felt like the world had slowed down, like each step I took was dragging me deeper into the abyss of my own heartbreak.
I didn't stop until the sounds of music and laughter faded into the distance, and I found myself in a secluded corner of the house, where the night air was cool and silent. My legs gave way beneath me, and I slumped to the ground, burying my head in my hands. The tears came fast and heavy, my sobs breaking the stillness of the night.
I didn't know how long I sat there, the world around me fading into nothingness. All that remained was the quiet, broken only by the occasional sniffle as I cried myself dry. My body felt hollow, like all the pain and anger had drained every last bit of strength from me.
"You should dump his ass," a voice said quietly, startling me. I looked up to see Delilah sitting beside me, her arms wrapped around her knees as she gazed off into the distance.
"You should never let a man humiliate you like that," she added softly, her voice gentle but firm.
"Even if the man is your brother?" I asked, my voice hoarse from crying.
She shrugged, her eyes unwavering. "He's a loser, Lena. He doesn't deserve you." She reached over and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, her touch warm and comforting.
"I wish it was that easy," I sighed, shaking my head.
"But it is," she interrupted, her voice stronger this time.
I sighed deeply, the weight of the situation pressing down on me again. "My family is in debt, Delilah. Marrying Dave was the only way out."
She frowned, confusion flickering across her face. "In debt to who?"
"Dave Castille," I replied quietly.
Delilah's eyes widened in surprise. "So your family owed him, and he chose to marry you to settle it?"
"Not exactly," I said, feeling the old familiar shame creeping back. "Terrence was our company's last standing partner. It was either this or lose everything."
"Dave is such an ass," she muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.
"I can't believe I was in love with him," I said, my voice tinged with regret as I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to erase the memories.
"Who could possibly love that monster?" she spat bitterly, her words filled with disgust. "He's always had a reputation for mistreating girls, Lena. Hurting them. I've seen it for years."
I looked at her, my curiosity piqued. "I can see why you despise him so much," I said, attempting to lighten the mood with a weak chuckle.
But Delilah's face grew dark, her expression hardening as she fell silent. I had touched a nerve, though I wasn't sure why.
"Delilah?" I called out softly, hoping she would say something, anything, but she only stood up, her face unreadable.
"I'm sorry if I said something hurtful," I pleaded, my heart pounding in my chest. "I didn't mean—"
Without a word, she turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the darkness, confused and aching for her presence.