Chapter 119

Chapter 119
I stormed back into the company like a hurricane. I didn't greet the receptionist. I didn't look at anyone. My heels hit the tiled floor like hammers.

I slammed my office door shut and threw my bag hard on the table. My hands were shaking. My chest was heavy. My heart was racing like it wanted to burst out of me.

That video. That stupid video. It was burning in my head, playing over and over like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

I couldn't sit. I couldn't think. I kept pacing around the office, tears silently pouring down my face. My makeup was ruined, but I didn't care. Nothing mattered. Nothing.

The door flung open, and Tricia rushed in like she already knew something had gone horribly wrong.

"Monalisa!" she gasped.

I didn't even look at her. I kept walking in circles, wiping tears that wouldn't stop falling.

She ran to me, grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into a tight hug. I froze for a second before letting it all out. I cried into her neck like a broken child.

"It's okay, babe," she whispered, rubbing my back. "It's okay to cry when you're hurting. Cry it all out. But please, remember... this is not the end of your story."

I sniffled. "I know... but he hurt me, Tricia. He really did. He broke something inside me."

She pulled back and wiped my cheek gently with her palm. "And you'll heal, love. You will. He's in the past now, alright? Don't let him keep wrecking you from a distance."

I nodded slowly, still sniffling. "Yes..."

She helped me sit on the couch, and I breathed out slowly, trying to calm the storm inside me.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

"A lot happened..." I exhaled shakily. "I... I got a strange message. From an unknown number."

Her brows furrowed. "What message? What message got my Bess this shaken?"

"One minute," I said, reaching for my phone from my bag.

We both sat close on the couch, and I scrolled quickly until I found it.

"There." I handed her the phone. "That's the video."

"The video?"

"Yes. Watch."

She hit play.

The room fell silent.

Jayden appeared on screen, sitting in a dim bar with someone beside him. The person's face wasn't visible, just their voice.

Jayden looked tipsy, clearly drunk, but his words were loud. Clear. Evil.

"Do you love her?" the voice asked.

Jayden laughed. "Love? I never loved her," he slurred. "Actually... I was just lusting after that hot, banging body. All I wanted was to fuck her and move on to the next hot chick. But guess what? She turned out to be a virgin." He laughed louder, disgusting and twisted. "That made it better. I've never fucked a virgin before. I wanted to ruin her... every night I thought about it. The positions I'd take her in... But she didn't let me. She was reserving her virginity for her husband... old-school, like it's the 1800s." He scoffed and took a drink.

"So why did you marry her if you didn't love her?"

Jayden chuckled again. "Simple. To fuck her! And when I'm done, I'd throw her out into the wild. Guess what? She gave me the perfect chance to do it. And I did. Ain't I smart?"

"Wow... You're evil," the person said, voice shaking. "How could you do that to a woman? I'm... I'm in shock."

Jayden smirked. "Come on, don't be."

"And now? How do you feel?"

He paused. Then he smiled faintly. "I don't know. Mixed feelings, maybe. A bit of excitement... and sadness. I really don't know."

The video ended.

The room was dead quiet.

Tricia's jaw was open. Her fingers clutched my phone like she was about to break it in half.

"What the fuck did I just watch?!"

I stared at the floor, wiping my face again.

"The reality," I whispered. "Jayden never loved me. I was just a joke to him. A game. A fucking target."

I broke into fresh tears. "I can't believe I fell for him. I'm so stupid. I gave him my heart. I let him in. I believed everything he said."

Tricia hugged me again. "Stop saying that, Monalisa. You're not stupid, you're human. You loved him. You trusted him. That's not weakness."

"But how did I not see it?" I cried. "He was a red flag. So many signs. And I ignored all of them."

"Red flag?" Tricia scoffed. "He's not a red flag. He's a whole red sea! Jesus, that son of a gun!"

"It's over," I whispered. "I already warned him to stay away from me. I meant it."

"Do you really think he will?" Tricia asked. "Jayden is a persistent, annoying bastard. You know that."

"Well, I don't care anymore," I said, breathing hard. "He can bang his head on a rock for all I care. I'm done. I'm not going to change my decision."

Tricia smiled and held my hand. "Good. And that's why he must never find out about Joshua. You need to get married to Donald. The sooner, the better."

"Tricia..." I sighed. "Let's talk about that at home. Right now, my head is not even there."

"Okay," she said gently. "I understand."

I stared into space. My heart was still pounding.

"What I'm worried about is... who sent that video?"

Tricia blinked. "The sender? Damn, you're right. Who is the sender?"

We both fell quiet.

Just then, my phone buzzed again.

Another message.

My heart skipped.

I reached for it quickly and read out loud.

"I have more evidence to prove that Jayden is a scoundrel."

I froze and slowly looked at Tricia.

She leaned in closer. "Keep reading."

"Jayden knew about you and Gerald. He knows the truth. The entire truth. He used it to kick you out. He plotted the whole incident. Cynthia carried out his orders."

My heart slammed into my chest. I dropped my phone like it burned my hand.

"What the actual fuck!!!" I screamed, standing up as my vision blurred with tears. "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!"

My voice echoed through the office. Tricia stood too, shocked and breathless.

We looked at the phone lying on the floor like it was cursed. My hands were trembling, my breath short, my chest tight.

And for the first time in a long time...

I felt scared.

But I also felt rage.

Whoever was behind this knew everything.

And I wasn't going to sit still anymore.