With a deep sense of trepidation, I pushed the door open, my trembling hand barely able to grip the handle.What I saw on the other side froze me in place, stealing the air from my lungs. It felt like a physical blow-a punch to the gut that left me reeling.
James was on the bed, his body tangled with another woman's. Their limbs entwined, their movements intimate, shameless. It wasn't just the betrayal that hit me; it was the raw reality of it-the way they were completely lost in each other, as though I didn't even exist.
I couldn't tear my eyes away. My gaze locked on James, and for a fleeting moment, time seemed to stop. His movements stilled as he looked up and saw me. For a heartbeat, our eyes met, and I saw it-a flash of guilt, of shame. But it disappeared as quickly as it came, and he looked away, his cowardice cutting deeper than any words could have.
The woman, oblivious to my presence, continued as though nothing had happened. Her soft moans pierced the silence, a mocking echo in the space between us. And then, she noticed me.
She froze, turning her head toward me, and my heart plummeted into a void so deep it felt bottomless.
It was Grace.
Her wide eyes met mine, and for a moment, something unspoken passed between us. Then, with no trace of shame, no apology, she reached for the blanket, wrapping it lazily around her exposed body. Her lips curved into a smirk-one that only added salt to the wound.
"What happened to knocking, Bella?" she asked, her voice dripping with mockery, her gaze throwing daggers at me. The casual disdain in her tone made my stomach churn. No remorse. No guilt. She wasn't sorry. Neither of them were. My world shattered in that moment, the jagged pieces cutting deep. The betrayal wasn't just his-it was hers too. A double-edged sword plunged straight into my chest, twisting and turning, with no way to dull the pain. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't even think. All I could do was stand there, drowning in the wreckage of everything I thought I knew.
For a long moment, I stood rooted to the floor, my mind unable to process the scene before me. The air in the room felt suffocating, thick with betrayal and the scent of something far too intimate for me to bear. My chest tightened as though a vice had clamped down on my ribs, squeezing the life out of me.
Grace.
Of all the people in the world, it had to be her.
My throat burned, but no words came out. I wanted to scream, to cry, to demand an explanation that could somehow make this less excruciating, but the sound lodged itself in my throat, caught in the knot of disbelief and anger rising within me.
James sat frozen on the bed, his face pale, his lips parting as though he wanted to say something. But what could he say? What excuse could possibly justify this?
I turned to James, my voice breaking as I demanded, "How could you? How could you do this to me?"
He flinched, but his eyes still didn't meet mine. Instead, he looked down at the bed, at his hands, anywhere but at me. The silence stretched between us, unbearable and damning.
"You don't even have an answer," I said, my voice rising, cracking under the weight of my heartbreak. "You don't even have the decency to explain yourself?"
"Stop being so dramatic," Grace cut in, her tone laced with irritation. "It's not like you didn't see this coming." I whipped around to face her, my hands trembling. "Excuse me?"
"Oh, come on," she said, rolling her eyes. "You've been walking around with your head in the clouds, acting like James is some perfect boyfriend.
Newsflash, Bella-he's not. You're just too blind to see it."
"Is that what you have to say?" I asked, staring at her with disgust, my voice trembling with anger.
Grace arched an eyebrow, unbothered by the weight of my fury. "What do you want me to say, Bella? That I'm sorry? Because I'm not." She shrugged as though her betrayal was nothing more than a minor inconvenience, her indifference stoking the fire in my chest."How can you stand there and act like this is nothing?" I hissed, my voice breaking under the weight of my emotions.
Grace rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by my reaction. "As a matter of fact, I did nothing wrong," she said coldly, her tone cutting through me like a knife.
I blinked, momentarily stunned by her audacity. "What?" I asked, disbelief flooding my voice.
She let out an exasperated sigh, turning her head toward James, who still hadn't said a word. "Tell her, James," she said, her impatience evident, as if she were growing tired of this scene.
"Tell me what?" I demanded, the knot in my stomach tightening. My gaze flicked between them, searching for answers in their faces, but neither seemed in any rush to give me one.
James sighed heavily, dragging a hand down his face before standing from the bed. He reached for his boxers, slipping them on as if that would somehow lessen the indecency of the situation. "Bella," he began, his voice soft, almost pleading, "let me explain."
I stared at him, my heart thundering in my chest. Did I even want to hear it? Did I want to know what excuse he could possibly have for this?
James ran a hand through his hair, a habit I once found endearing but now only filled me with disgust. He hesitated before speaking, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've been meaning to tell you..
"Tell me what?" I interrupted, my words sharp, biting. My hands trembled as I clenched them into fists at my sides. The tension in the room was suffocating. Grace let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling her eyes as if the entire ordeal bored her.
"Oh, for God's sake, James, just tell her already." She crossed her legs, the blanket still loosely draped over her, her demeanor screaming indifference. "He only approached you to get close to me.
My heart stopped. The words didn't register at first, as though my brain refused to process them. When they finally sank in, it felt like the floor beneath me had vanished. "What?" I whispered, the word barely audible as it escaped my lips.
"You heard me," Grace said, her tone laced with cruel amusement. She smirked, clearly enjoying the devastation she'd unleashed. "James has been asking me out for months, even before he met you. When he found out you were my cousin, he decided you'd be the easiest way to get close to me. And you, being the naive little fool you are, fell for it."
"No," I said, shaking my head violently, as though I could reject her words by sheer force of will. "That's a lie." I turned to James, searching his face for denial, for a shred of truth that could refute Grace's venom. But his eyes--those warm, chocolate-brown eyes I had once loved so much-held none of the reassurance I was looking for. Instead, they were filled with shame, his gaze dropping to the floor as if he couldn't bear to meet mine.
"James," I said, my voice cracking as tears spilled down my cheeks.
"Please... tell me it's not true."
But his silence was louder than any confession. The faintest nod of his head sealed the truth, shattering the last piece of my heart. Everything Grace said was true.
I staggered back a step, my knees threatening to give way. I felt like the ground had opened up beneath me, pulling me into a void of disbelief and anguish. Memories flashed through my mind-moments that now felt tainted. The way James always asked about
Grace, his overly casual questions about her interests and plans. I had thought he was just being considerate, polite. I had been such a fool.
Grace's laugh cut through my spiraling thoughts, sharp and grating. "What were you thinking, Bella? That someone like James would actually fall in love with vou?" Her voice was laced with cruel amusement, her words a dagger aimed straight at my insecurities. "You're the one to blame for this, you know. For thinking you were worth more than you are."
"This is the reason why I hate you, Bella," Grace sneered, her words laced with venom. "You never know your place."
Her statement cut deeper than I thought possible. My chest heaved as I tried to steady my breathing, my hands curling into fists at my sides.
"My place?" I repeated, my voice trembling with barely contained fury."And what is that, Grace? Enlighten me."
Grace scoffed, her smirk widening as she leaned back against the bed.
"You're nothing but an afterthought. A shadow. Always trying to play in a league you'll never belong to. She gave me a pitying look that made my blood boil. "You should've known better than to think someone like James would ever actually want you."
I stared at her, stunned, the weight of her words crushing me. It wasn't just the betrayal-it was the cruel pleasure she took in watching me crumble.
"You're unbelievable," I said, my voice shaking with both anger and disbelief."You think you're better than me? Is this your idea of winning?"
Grace let out a mocking laugh."Winning? Oh, Bella, this isn't a competition. You've already lost. You were never even in the game." Her words hit like a slap, and for a moment, I stood frozen, her cruelty washing over me like a wave I couldn't escape. But then, something inside me snapped. The grief, the heartbreak, the humiliation-it all twisted into a fiery rage that burned through my veins.
"You're right," I said, my voice low but firm. " did make a mistake. My mistake was trusting you. Loving you like family when all you ever wanted was to tear me down. But don't think for a second that I'II let you win this. You might've broken me today, Grace, but I'll pick up every single shattered piece and make sure you regret the day you ever underestimated me."
Her smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, but she quickly recovered, rolling her eyes. "Oh, spare me the dramatics, Bella. You'll go cry in a corner, and life will go on -mine, better than ever."
My expression hardening as I let out a bitter laugh.
"You can keep him," I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "He's not worth my tears, not worth my time, and certainly not worth my love." He's just a piece of shit-just like you are. Both of you deserve each other: liars, cowards, and manipulators."
Grace's smirk faltered, but she quickly recovered, crossing her arms with a defiant glare.
"Say what you want, Bella. At least I know how to get what I want. Maybe if you weren't so pathetic, you wouldn't keep getting walked all over." Her words stung, but I refused to let her see how deeply they cut. I took a step closer, my voice low but seething with anger. "Pathetic? The only pathetic one here is you, Grace. You're so desperate for attention that you'll settle for my leftovers. And him"-I pointed at James without looking at him-"he's just as desperate, jumping from one lie to the next because he's too much of a coward to be honest with anyone, including himself."
James shifted uncomfortably, finally speaking, his voice shaky. "Bella, I-
"See?" I cut him off, my voice dripping with scorn. "He can't even finish a sentence. Not man enough to speak up when it matters." I shot a mocking glance at Grace before turning back to him. "So congratulations," I continued, my words cutting through the air like a knife. "Enjoy your prize-a spineless liar."I looked at them both with disgust.
"Two pathetic idiots," I spat, turning to head for the door.
"Pathetic virgin," James muttered, his voice laced with spite, but it did nothing to shake me. I stopped mid-step, my back still to them, but my voice was steady, cold."At least I have dignity, James.
Something you wouldn't understand if it hit you in the face. Unlike your whore here, I have self-respect. I'm glad you weren't opportune enough to take that from me." I felt his presence behind me, but I didn't look back. I was done.