Alina stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her dress for the dinner party they were about to attend. She could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on her chest. The silence between her and Aariz had grown louder over the past few weeks, and tonight felt like a turning point. The smile she forced onto her face didn't reach her eyes anymore.
It wasn't just the silence; it was the distance. Aariz had become a stranger, and she felt herself sinking in the abyss of uncertainty. She had tried to ignore it—tried to believe that the love they once shared would resurface, like a flame rekindled. But something inside her told her that wasn't going to happen. Not now.
Aariz entered the room, his presence once commanding and now strangely distant. He didn't notice the apprehension in her eyes, the way her fingers trembled as she adjusted the collar of his shirt. He didn't notice how Alina had stopped expecting the tenderness he used to show.
"Aariz…" Alina's voice cracked as she spoke his name.
He turned toward her, but his gaze was distant, as if the world outside that room was calling him more urgently than she was. She couldn't understand it. Just a few months ago, they were talking about their future, their dreams of children and growing old together. But now… now, it felt like all those promises were slipping away.
"You alright?" he asked, his voice low and detached. He didn't ask with the same warmth he once did. It was a polite question, one that barely scratched the surface.
She nodded, forcing a smile, but her heart ached. She could see the distance between them now more clearly than ever. His absence wasn't just physical—it was emotional. Something had shifted in him, and she was no longer sure she could reach him.
---
The Strain Builds: Aariz's Inner Struggle
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Aariz sat at his desk that evening, the divorce papers in front of him, waiting for him to make the hardest decision of his life. His hands trembled, his mind conflicted. He had always believed in love, in the sacred bond of marriage, but the weight of the truth had become unbearable.
It wasn't that he didn't love Alina anymore; it was more complicated than that. There was something—someone—who had changed everything. He had tried to ignore it, tried to convince himself that his marriage was enough to drown out the emotions that were pulling him elsewhere. But it hadn't worked. No matter how much he tried, his mind kept returning to Layla.
Layla. The woman who had come into his life unexpectedly, reigniting feelings he thought were long buried. At first, it had been innocent—just friendly meetings, casual conversations. But as the weeks passed, he found himself thinking about her more and more, feeling something for her that he hadn't felt in years.
He never planned for it to go this far. He never intended to betray Alina, but the emotional weight of his attraction to Layla was consuming him. It made him question everything. His marriage. His commitment. His loyalty to Alina. He couldn't stand to look her in the eye anymore without feeling the shame and guilt gnaw at his soul.
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The Moment of Truth: The Divorce Decision
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It was late when Alina entered their bedroom, finding Aariz sitting by the window, staring into the darkness. She walked up to him slowly, her footsteps soft against the hardwood floor.
"Aariz, what's going on?" Her voice trembled, the weight of the question hanging in the air.
He didn't respond immediately. The silence stretched on, heavy and thick. Then, finally, he turned to face her. His eyes—once so full of love and passion—now held nothing but guilt and sorrow.
"Alina, I…" His voice broke slightly. He didn't know where to start, didn't know how to explain what was tearing him apart.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I've been… I've been seeing someone else," he confessed, the words coming out almost in a whisper, as if he feared they would be his undoing.
Alina froze, her breath catching in her throat. She couldn't understand. Couldn't process what he was saying.
"Layla… It's Layla," Aariz continued, his voice hollow. "I didn't mean for it to happen. I never wanted to hurt you, Alina. But I can't keep living this lie. I thought I could control it, but I can't."
Alina took a step back, as if the words had physically struck her. The man she had devoted her life to—the man she had trusted with her heart—had betrayed her. She had known something was off, but hearing the confession felt like a blade to her soul.
Her eyes burned with unshed tears, but she refused to let them fall. She had always been strong, but this? This shattered everything.
"I'm sorry," Aariz said, his voice cracking. "I thought I could fix this, but I can't. I… I've fallen for her."
Alina stood there, stunned, the weight of his words crashing down on her like a tidal wave. She felt as if she were drowning. This wasn't the man she had loved. This wasn't the Aariz she had built a life with.
Without another word, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Aariz to his own guilt and regret.
---
The Aftermath: The Reality of a Broken Heart
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In the days that followed, Alina felt numb. She couldn't process what had happened. Her life, her marriage, the love she had given Aariz—it all felt like a cruel joke. How could he do this to her? How could he betray her like this?
The house felt empty. The silence that had once been comforting now suffocated her. She couldn't bring herself to look at their wedding photos, couldn't bear to be surrounded by the remnants of a love that had died too soon.
Alina knew she had to move on. But how? How could she pick up the pieces of a heart that had been shattered into so many pieces?