TO LOVE OR TO LOSE?
Alexander’s POV.
As I walked away from her, my mind was still reeling. All this time, I thought I knew her. I agreed to get married to her and even took her to my bed and now this...pain and betrayal. The pain was like a physical ache in my chest. I knew that this matter needed to be handled discreetly, but to leave her alone with Ben? Every drop of blood in me screamed against it, but what choice did I have?
I could not involve the authorities without risking a scandal that would destroy everything I had built.
As I waked, each step I took reminded me of what she had done. Even though the air was cool, but I burned with rage. How could she have done this? I had given her a chance? A family, a life I had though we both wanted.
And all this time , she had been keeping something of this importance a secret from me. I had to get away to clear my head, to try to make sense of the chaos happening around me.
The slow beat of my footsteps seemed to echo in my head. The streets was hustling and bubbling with people, half of which did know who the man walking in their midst was. As I walked, I could feel the month of my relationship with Leila crumbling. Every memory I thoroughly was a treasure was nothing but a lie.
And yet, despite my anger and hurt, there was a seed of devout . “What if Leila has not been lying? What is she was a victim caught in a trap she could not escape? But I pushed those thought away.
Despite how hard I tried, the doubts still followed me. Raising my head up, I found myself at the pier, a place where Leila and I had walked hand in hand and watched sunset. But now, standing on the boardwalk, I felt like it was all lies.
I stood there, quiet and motionless as I washed the waves crash against each other. It seems even nature was having its own fights and troubles to deal with, too busy to notice mine.
Then the thoughts came back. What if she was telling the truth? What if she has been tricked ? Manipulated? Or even threatened? I had seen how Ben looked at Leila, the anger and the hurt in his eyes. Could he have forced her to do this back then? Did he take advantage of her and used her? The thought of that made me feel happy but I quickly tossed it to the side, as false hopes hurt even more.
I knew I could not forgive her betrayal, not yet, not without the right answers. But if Leila was telling the truth, If she really meant no harm...then I had to help her. But again...she has gone to him and claimed that I could not satisfy her in her.
Leila has confessed to Ben that my stamina was weak and I was not half the man he was. Her words felt like slaps on my face. Being tricked into taking such photos were one thing, saying something like this was another.
I turned from the sea and began to head to one of my many apartments here in Sablo. I moved down quickly, if I was ever going to get to the bottom of this I would have to talk to Leila and get the truth out of her. If really She did mean all she said about me then I am more than happy to end our fake marraige, regardless of the consequences or pains.
As I walked, my mind raced with the possible outcomes of our meeting, each one sparking a new question and a new fear in my head. What is Hen was holding something over Leila ? Be it physical or abstract? What if this was only a part of his lies and schemes to get revenge? But Leila herself did admit to me that she let herself get filmed by him, and the only thing that made me freeze was the positions she did in that photo, they made me question her past and the little I thought I knew about her. This whole thing was beginning to change everything, even the rules and foundation of our contract marriage.
I reached my apartment, my mind still reeling. I paused, my heart pounding in my chest. I hated the fact that I left her alone with Ben, but I needed some time to clear my head and understand what was happening.
I pushed the door open and I saw a figure standing. “Tammy?” I called out cause she was the only person who had access to this apartment.
“Why are you here?” I asked, after finally finding my voice.
“I heard what happened, after that poison incident I became scared and fled , I was scared of your wrath, but after hearing this,” Tammy said, her voice low and gentle. “I came as soon as I could. I wanted to be here for you, I know that I have done a lot of bad things...but I really love you and care for you.”
I stared at her, my mind still reeling in anger from Leila’s lies and betrayal. But as I looked at her, I could see genuine concern in her eyes. I let a wave of gratitude wash over me, even though she was not the picture perfect girlfriend, she was here for me...when I needed someone.
I took a step forward, closing the door behind me, my heart still aching
The silence in the room was deafening, but just as I was about to speak and ask what was wrong, Tammy spoke.
“There is something else,” she said, her hand dropping to her stomach.
I already dreaded the next words that would come out of her mouth. I prayed it was not what I thought, but her next words dashed my hopes.
“I am pregnant...with your child Alexander.”