Thirteen Years Of His Lies

rom the boardroom, his face a mask of strained composure. He saw me, frozen in the alcove, and his eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed with a flicker of panic. H

s voice a ragged whisper.

devoid of any emotion. I watched his face crumple, the color draining from his cheeks. His jaw t

eaction that surprised even myself. "Averi, baby, I can explain," he pleaded

at I think, Bran

ng for an escape route. "I... I know it sounds bad. But Kendal, she w

genuinely distraught, so pitiful. For a fleeting second, a pang of my old affection stirred, a whisper of the gi

aid, my voice still eerily calm. "You fabricating th

a little more time. I' ll fix this, I swear. I' ll talk to Kendal. I' ll

fter five years? After a hundred deliberate sabotages? How much more time could he possibly ask for? My sil

irst time, a dark stain spreading on the sleeve of his expensive suit jacket. He had accepted his "penalty." A deep gash, bleedin

d, a reflex, despite

ng in his eyes. "It' s

attention. My lawyer's brain kicked in, detached and pra

s pale face. A doctor cleaned and stitched the wound, administering a tetanus shot. I sat in a plasti

ushed in. She wore a flimsy silk blouse, her dark hair disheveled, as if she had just rolled out of

ng towards him, oblivious to the doctor' s warni

ding on me like a venomous dart. "You! It was you,

er immediate assumption of my m

sharp and unyielding. "Kendal, stop. This has nothing

mouth agape, tears welling in her eyes. The picture

"I just... I was so worried about you. You didn' t come h

he stated, his voice cold.

n, then at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of heartbreak and pure, unadulterated hatred.

, perhaps, for her obvious distress. But mostly, a chilling clarity.

swear, she just gets like that sometimes. She does

ated, the words tasting like poi

' s not. She' s just... scared. She lost her parents young,

you," I stated, not as a question, but as a p

Averi," he said, his voice filled with a desperate earnestness. "I' m going t

ions and unfulfilled promises. But it was too late. The words from my aunt, Diego' s

t a man trapped. A man whose weakness had become a weapon against me. And I knew, with a ce

my voice barely a whisper, yet it r

w, primal fear. "What? No! Averi

ting to the window, to the city lights twinklin

sterile efficiency of the hospital. I simply turned and walked

national branch of my firm. The shock of Brandon' s betrayal had been so profound that it had almost numbed me, allowing me to handle the logistics with a calm I didn'

lating from pleading to desperate. I ignored them

itement. "Averi! Great news! My arm is healing perfectly. And I' ve got a surprise for

. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. He was so comple

s luxury sedan pulled up. Kendal was in the p

my voice flat, as I g

his face. "Oh, she just wanted to

ach her eyes. "Yes, Averi. I' m so happy for you

the passing scenery. I didn' t t

at now felt like a sinister metaphor.

t difference did it make? The blindness wa

was cool, carrying the faint scent of stale cigarette smoke a

in the single beam of light filtering through a grimy window. A faded banner, strung hapha

e used to sneak away from family functions, where he f

through me. "I know it' s a bit rustic, but I

ted, cheapened by its curr

p our song. A single spotlight illuminated a table set for two, adorned with wil

udly. "Just like old times. Averi, my love, a

g stiff. "It' s... lovely, Bran

was all wrong. It wasn' t a celebration. It was a poorly executed reenactment of a past that no longer ex

ed. "What' s this? These aren' t the roses I ordered! And the banner is crooked! Who a

ds. "But Ms. Scott, your sister, she insisted on making some... a

as leaning against a stack of crates, casually filing her nails. Sh

don growled. "W

er eyes twinkling mischievously. "You said Averi lov

ge the situation. "Averi, I' m so sorry. She

ixed on the sad, wilting r

tiful, multi-tiered confection. On top, a

g my lips. The cake was adorned with m

g?" Brandon a

voice empty. "I'm severe

urned to Kendal. "Kendal! You knew! Yo

lips. "Oh, did I? My mistake. There are so man

l, I' ve had enough of your games!" He stormed towards he

She stumbled, then dug in her heels. "No! I' m

andon thundered. "Not with you

g through the empty warehouse. I follow

with you?" he demanded, his voice trembling with fury. "Why do you

ou, Brandon! Don' t you see? I only want you to be happy! And

words, raw and unhing

"You love me! You always have! Remember all those times, Bran

Kendal, stop. You' re my sister. My adop

You just refuse to admit it!" She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a seductive whispe

"Kendal, stop this! I lo

t sneer on her face. "Why have you always chosen me over her? Why did you accept t

words hitting him hard. I watc

esperate. "Because I felt responsible! Because I thoug

d on him. "That you' re too weak to choose? That you l

his face. "Kiss me, Brandon. Just once.

or weakness, crossed his face. My heart hamm

waited. For all the times I' ve sacrificed for you." She paused, a glint in her eye. "It

nniversary. He had forgotten. Or perha

ned in, a feather-light touch of his lips on hers. It was

bandage, went to her waist, pulling her flush against him. The kiss deepened. It became long, lingering, a betrayal that

ragile threads of my love, snapped with a deafening

with triumph, a smirk playing on her lips. Brandon' s eyes, however, held a

-hand. Brandon saw me, standing like a statue in the doorway, my face

desperate, obviously lying. "I sent her away. She won' t bother us anymore."

e so silly. We just had a little talk. I told Averi I was sorry for the

ly showed me. The man who was now lying through his teeth, covering for her, defending her. My visio

h escaping my lips. This was my love story. A tragic

one. My face was a blank slate. My voice, when it c

It' s over. We' re done. And just so you know, I acc