Chapter one: The Beginning of the end
Friday night. The night my world shattered. I kept telling myself it wasn't real but deep down I knew I was lying. I just… couldn't convince myself otherwise.
They say love is beautiful finding someone who sees you who would go to the ends of the earth for you, who makes your world brighter just by existing. That was him. My boyfriend, my man, my emotional anchor. The only person who stood by me when everyone else called me "too much." He was my moon, lighting the darkness, my own personal sun. And yes I was jealous so jealous that I couldn't bear the thought of him with anyone else. Because that's love, isn't it? Love without jealousy… is it even real love?
"Can I take your order, miss?" The waiter's voice cut through my thoughts.
"Uh… yes. The most expensive wine, please."
He nodded politely and walked away and I couldn't stop checking my phone. An hour had passed. One hour and he hadn't shown. Not my punctual reliable man. My mind raced what if something happened? What if he got into an accident? I called himNo answer I texted Unread
Panic clawed at me. Valentine's Day our special night and he was nowhere. My heart thumped in my chest. What if… what if…
The waiter returned, polite and professional. "Your order madam. Anything else I can get you?"
I shook my head. "No, thank you."
Hours slipped by My mind was spinning drowning in the "what ifs." What if he was hurt? What if something terrible had happened on his way here? Every passing minute felt heavier than the last. I couldn't stay. not like this Not knowing.
I left the table The expensive wine the fancy dinner it didn't matter. All that mattered was him. My hands trembled as I drove to his apartment my eyes burning with unshed tears. Every red light felt like an eternity. Every passing car made me flinch.
Finally, I reached his building. The apartment door was closed silent. I knew the code. My heart trembled as I entered.
"Babe… honey… I'm here. Where are you?" My voice shamed . Silence.
The apartment looked normal. Tidy quiet. But my gut screamed that something was wrong. I went straight to his bedroom.
Then I saw them.
Shoes. Women's shoes. The exact style I was wearing tonight, but not mine. My stomach dropped. My hands went cold.
"No… no, this can't be real," I whispered.
I opened the door. And there they were. Together. Close, intimate… moving together, completely unaware I was standing there.
The sound of their passion filled the room. I froze. My heart shattered into pieces I didn't think could be mended. The betrayal was real. My trust, my love… everything I had built with him… gone in a single moment.
I wanted to scream, to run, to do anything but I was paralyzed, watching. Watching the man I loved betray me. Watching the life I thought we shared crumble before my eyes.
The room felt like it was spinning.
All those hours… all that waiting… all those calls.
For this.
"…Elijah?"
My voice came out weaker than I expected.
He froze.
Slowly, he turned his head toward me, his eyes widening in shock.
"Blossom… baby"
"Don't."
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.
"Don't call me that."
The girl beside him gasped, pulling the sheets over her body hiding her face like that would erase what I had just seen.
I let out a shaky laugh.
"Wow… wow."
I nodded slowly, my hands trembling at my sides.
"I was out there… waiting for you. For hours." My voice cracked. "Calling you like an idiot… thinking maybe you were hurt… maybe you got into an accident…"
I looked straight into his eyes.
"But you were here."
Silence.
Heavy. Suffocating silence.
"Elijah… tell me I'm dreaming."
He got off the bed quickly, wrapping the sheet around his waist.
"Baby, listen to me, it's not what it looks like"
I let out a sharp, broken laugh.
"Not what it looks like?" I stepped closer. "You're in bed with another woman on Valentine's Day. What exactly does it look like, Elijah? Explain it to me."
"Blossom, calm down"
"Calm down?!" who calms down in this fucking situation!!!! …huh????
My voice rose, echoing through the room.
"I thought you were dying!" With cracking shaky voice
The words hit harder than I expected. My chest tightened, my eyes burning.
"I was scared," I whispered. "I was so fucking scared baby…"
For a moment, my voice disappeared completely.
Then anger rushed back in, stronger.
"And this is what you were doing?" hmmmmm …. My eyes were full of tears
I pointed at the bed, at the girl, at him.
"This?"
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly panicking now.
"It didn't mean anything, okay? It just… happened."
"Just happened?" I repeated, disbelief all over my face. "Oh, so cheating just happens now?" "You just happened to cheat on me like serious is that you are trying to tell me "
"Baby, she ….she came on to me, I didn't even want …"
"Stop."
My voice dropped. Cold this time.
"Just stop talking."
Because every word he said made it worse.
I turned my eyes toward the girl.
"Who are you?"
She didn't answer. She just held the sheet tighter, avoiding my gaze.
I let out a small, bitter smile.
"Of course." "am dumb for questioning your whore ."
I looked back at him.
"Five years, Elijah. For God's sake baby"
My voice was quieter now, but heavier.
"Five years… and this is how you treat me?"
He stepped closer.
"Blossom, please… we can fix this"
I stepped back immediately.
"No."
That one word landed between us like a wall.
"You don't get to fix this."
My chest rose and fell slowly as I tried to steady myself.
"I was out there choosing you tonight."
I swallowed hard.
"And you were in here… choosing her."
Silence again.
But this time, it felt final.
I shook my head, tears finally slipping down my face.
"You didn't just cheat on me…"
I Looked at him one last time.
"You lost me."
Then I turned and walked away.
The hallway felt colder than the room.
I could barely see where I was going through the tears.
"Blossom! Wait "
His voice came from behind me, rushed, desperate.
I didn't stop.
"Blossom, stop walking away from me!"
His footsteps echoed louder, faster then suddenly
His hand grabbed my wrist.
I flinched.
"Let go of me."
"Just listen to me for one second!" His voice cracked, but there was something else in it… frustration.
I turned to face him, yanking my hand free.
"What else is there to say, Elijah? Huh? What else could you possibly say that makes this okay?"
"It's not about making it okay," he snapped, running a hand through his hair. "It's about you actually understanding what pushed me to this point!"
I froze.
"…what?" You want me to understand you …." In disbelief
"Yes!" he continued, stepping closer. "You think this just happened out of nowhere? You think I just woke up and decided to hurt you?"
I stared at him, disbelief slowly turning into something sharper.
"You're blaming me?"
"I'm not blaming you," he said quickly, his tone shifting softer now, calculated. "I'm saying you played a part in this."
A bitter laugh escaped me.
"A part?"….. "What part exactly , did i cheat on you maybe this is kind like a payback thing because clearly that is the part that will make sense sweetheart "
"No not that way" he replied smoothly but inconsiderate
"Then what part are you talking about here" I asked
"Blossom, look at yourself," he said, his voice lowering. "For the past three years , you've been… exhausting."
That word hit harder than anything else.
"Exhausting?" I repeated quietly.
"Yes," he pressed on. "Every day it's something your parents stressing you out about a professional major … and I get it, I do but you put all of that on me."
My chest tightened.
"I was there for you," I said, my voice shaking. "I trusted you." " I was there for you when your dad made you go in US all by yourself . Have you forgot that now "
"And I was there too " he shot back. "I was always there! But it was never enough for you!"
Silence.
Thick. Heavy.
"You wanted me to be your therapist, your support system, your escape… everything!" he continued. "Do you even realize how much pressure that is?"
I shook my head slowly.
"So that gives you the right to cheat?" My voice broke. "That gives you the right to betray me like this?" " with some random girl you even blew up our valentine date that we planned for weeks." " I pulled some strings for us to sit on that VIP restaurant you clearly know how hard it is to get those seats but still you stood me up". smiling bitterly " what a joke … I can't believe I went through hell to get those seats for nothing"
"I didn't plan it!" he said, frustration rising again. "I just needed space, Blossom! I needed to breathe!"