From Revenge to Lust

Her heart raced.

Something felt off.

The house was quiet-too quiet.

The scent hit her first-perfume that wasn't hers, like the watery smell of the ocean beating on the seashore.

A blouse and bra lay discarded on the armrest, lacy with red embroidery. She couldn't believe her eyes.

In fact, she was stunned, gazing at the offending piece of clothing, wondering what on earth it was doing there. And what exactly was going on?

Why was there a blouse and bra that didn't belong to her on the sofa she bought with her own money?

Why was it in her fiancé's house in the first place?

Indignation burned through her as her mind immediately fit the pieces together. She resolved to put a face to the mystery woman.

Her breath quickened as she marched up the stairs towards her room.

The peace in the still air was shattered by the laughter echoing from her bedroom. The laughter was a mix of voices.

The warm, ebony tang of her man's voice-and another voice, foreign.

Another voice-female.

Arica imagined a shirtless woman in the same room with her fiancé.

His eyes feasting on her titties, probably salivating over them. "Your boobs are too small," he had once complained to her.

Another peal of laughter erupted between them again and Arica saw red. Heck, her man wasn't even that funny.

Were they laughing at her? At her foolishness?

Foolishness to travel to New York and do long distance with him for two years?

Did she really think he'd remain faithful to her all these years?

Was she foolish when she said yes to his marriage proposal he made over video call, over Skype?

Thoughts like these ran berserk through her mind as her heart and mind failed her.

She paused outside her bedroom door, dread inking into her very being.

That was when she heard it.

A smack of flesh on flesh.

A feminine, disgusting giggle.

A husky voice saying, "You love my ass too much, Bryan."

Shaky breath.

Trembling fingers.

A sudden migraine.

Vision hazy with tears.

After spending two years building her mother's company in New York and being newly engaged, she had expected to come back to Italy running into the loving arms of her fiancé-not this. Never this.

With trembling fingers, she touched her room door, and it gave way a little. She managed to choke back a bitter chuckle. They didn't even bother locking the door. Her own bedroom!

He didn't know she was coming back today. She wanted it to be a surprise for him, but the tables turned and she ended up being the one rendered speechless.

Three days ago, he'd begged for her to come back. She could still recall his voice as clear as day.

"Babe, you've achieved so much success in growing your mom's conglomerate. Come back to me. Come back so we can get married as soon as possible, so we can start creating mini-me's."

A pouty face. Puppy eyes.

Eyes and lips that she once loved-but now another woman was licking up, and who knows for how long?

She breathed in and peeped inside.

Her man was on their supposed matrimonial bed, affectionately stroking the silk hair of someone else-that wasn't her!

He was saying something, and Arica strained her ears to hear.

"Oh, she wouldn't know what hit her. When we get married, I'll work my way to the top of her company, transfer and launder enough funds to carry us for a lifetime, and then we'll both elope to wherever you want, my love. Build a new life and a business there."

A cold numbness spread through her veins as if her body couldn't decide between fight and flight.

She couldn't believe that someone she cherished with her life could say this. He was her teenage sweetheart-they had been together for the past nine years.

All those years he showered her with love and care, and yet it was the same person who said this.

"I hate her so much, you know," the woman said. The voice sounded familiar. "I hate that I was always bland and insignificant next to her. Whatever I did, she got the credit, you know?"

It was her ex-assistant, Amaris. "Walked over me like I was the scum of the earth. It's her turn now."

"She deserves it," he affirmed.

Arica's chest tightened as she looked down at her engagement ring glittering on her ring finger.

She recalled how he'd proposed to her via video call and had the engagement ring flown down the next day to her.

It was the most romantic thing in the world. Or so she thought.

But Amaris wasn't done talking. "Let's arrange for her mother's death, then destroy her company. It will truly shatter her."

His reply shocked her to the marrow. "I agree with you. But it will be after our wedding, then our plan of actions will suffice."

"Can't believe she fell for your charms though," Amaris quipped. "It all feels too good to be true."

"Oh baby," Bryan chuckled. "I've been scheming for five years for this."

A wave of nausea whipped through her, rising to her throat. What exactly had she done to him to warrant him saying all these hurtful things?

Each forced breath was harder than the last as she tried to calm herself down.

Anger coursed through every fiber of her being as she tore the ring off her finger and stuck it on top of the cake she bought for him.

She kept it with the flowers on the ground. When he came out, he'd see it and know she was done with him.

All the tears she was holding back silently streamed down her face.

How could the love of her life lie tangled in another's arms and talk about destroying her life and all she'd built like it was the most normal thing in the world?

As she was about to retract, her foot mistakenly kicked the door open. The two abruptly sat up, eyes widened like deer caught in the headlights of a car.

Her eyes flitted from the sweaty bare chest of her fiancé to Amaris' bare body, partly covered by the duvet. Amaris' shocked face broke into a smile-and then a smirk.

Arica's hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms.

He didn't look guilty, or even sorry.

He only stared at her like she was a cockroach he would step on for interrupting them.

There and then, all the emotions she'd tried to suffocate boiled and bubbled to the surface.

She found herself screeching, voice cracking with tears, "How could you, Bryan?!"

She flung the cake at them. "How could you?!"