Valerie I had barely had gotten the relief to think that I will not have to worry about Drew when my phone rang again. Uhh, what the hell. I didn't want to pick the call but I knew I had to. He was threatning me. My job and a lot more was on reputation, on the line. "If you dare to cut my call I will ruin you my dear, Val," his words made me pause. "Here is the sweet deal Val," he paused. "If you don't come and see me within an hour I will call Laura and tell her that you made a pass on me when she was out to attend the call, that is why I was angry and furious when we left your office yesterday but right now I'm calm so I'm giving you one last opportunity." He spoke without shame. I wanted to slap him. "I'm quite sure Laura would believe anything I say. I mean she always believes my every word," he chuckled. "She would still marry me and I will be at no loss, but for you I see a great deal of loss, your employer will surely lose this contract because of you, the shame a
Valerie As I rushed towards Drew's office, with my heart pounding in my chest, a mix of fear and determination pushed me forward. I couldn't shake off the image of what he could do to me and Laura if I didn't make it in time. The urgency pushed my every step faster. The bustling city streets almost blurred as I rush through the pedestrians, avoiding collisions every now and then, that too closely. Sweat beads formed on my forehead as I continued to check my watch, the seconds ticking away like it was countdown. I was sure the Uber driver probably wondered why I had so suddenly abandoned the ride, but I couldn't afford to waste a single second. No one would be able to undertsand the gravity of the situation, how it intensified as I reached the building where Drew's office was. With each step, the fear of being too late gnawed at me. it ate me from the inside. Breathless and desperate, I burst through the entrance, frantically searching for the elevator. The receptionist gave me
Valerie The room felt tense as Drew's words hung in the air. I didn't know whether he was lying or saying the truth but his words shook me. I took a deep breath, trying to maintain my composure but it was of no use. He had to be lying. "Congratulations, Drew. You just proved my point. You're not capable of genuine love. You're just a manipulative, selfish person playing with people's emotions." I spat the words at him, feeling anger and disgust for him. He glared at me, and I could see the rage in his eyes but it could be nothing comapred to mine. "You think you're so smart, Val. Well, you're not going to ruin things for me. I'll make sure Laura will never believe a word you say," he seethed. "Believe what you want, Drew. But deep down, you know the truth. And sooner or later, she'll figure it out too. I won't let you use her as a pawn in your twisted games." I turned to leave, not wanting to engage in any more of his toxicity. As I reached for the doorknob, he grabbed my arm,
Valerie I was never loved for who I was. I couldn't believe the word he had said. I was just a doppelganger, loved for being her shadow. No that couldn't be the truth. The bang opening of the office door had me drew me out of my shock. "I’m going to destroy you for playing with Laura. I fucking love her and I’m going to take her away from you." Aiden shouted entering inside. My boyfriend, Aiden stood there confessing his love for Laura. The revelation hit me like a ton of bricks, and I felt emotions of betrayal, shock, and deep sadness. The person I thought loved me turned out to have other motives, and now I was caught in the middle of a web of lies and betrayal. As Aiden's words hung in the air, I could feel the weight of the truth sinking in. It wasn't about who I was as a person, I was just a substitute for someone else. “I’m not going to let you marry her,” his voice was filled with determination. The atmosphere in the room crackled with tension as Aiden's declaration
Valerie Through blurred vision, I took in the shocked faces of both the man. The pain I felt right now was million times more than when Drew left me. I felt vulnerable, with my broken heart. I wanted to rip my heart and mind for believing that I could be loved again, that someone was meant for me. Being loved under the illusion of some other person took my own self away from me. It took my identity away, swarmed my mind with doubts. Was I ever loved? Or both of the bastards imagined Laura under them whenever I was under them. Who they were, within their mind me or the illusion of me being Laura? My brain wanted to explode with this discovery, I wished to break things, have things shattered like my heart was. Tears rolled down my cheeks while the memories of Aiden and me yesterday swarm in my mind. Was that a lie too? Was I ever loved for who I am? Awareness of never being loved was a woodpecker knocking tiny holes into my soul. "Val." Aiden's voice made me angry at my own self. I sh
Valerie Crawling myself into a ball I cried for the betrayal I once again faced. Was it too hard to love me for me was the question that haunted me? Why did I have to make the mistake of giving my heart away once again to have it returned shattered more than before? Has it been my mistake to love someone so deeply that they couldn't love me for me? The banging on my door drew me out of my destructive thoughts. The distant voice of Shay reached my ears. I didn't have the power in me to let anyone see me like this, to see me this vulnerable, in a position where ending my life seemed more desirable than facing another day. I sobbed out in the pain I felt, cried in the agony of the burning feeling of this betrayal. "Val, please open the door. Please, my dear. For the sake of our friendship please let me in. I am here for you. Please open it." Shay pleaded. She has seen me like this before but this time, it was worse than before. The pain I burned in killed me from the inside. Yet I cra
Valerie"Val, dear wake up. Shay is going to be here soon!" Dad yelled while knocking at my door. I sleepily raised myself in the hopes of waking up in an instant but it wasn't possible.There was no denying the fact that I felt numb and cold from the inside. From somewhere deep inside I was hurting however cold inside me was turning me a bit stronger day by day. I knew very well that the day I lost the numbness and cold inside me, I was going to break down again. That's why I didn't want to lose the numbness inside of me. Right now it was what kept me alive, had me up working, it flamed my desire for revenge.I wanted both of them to pay and I was going to do that on my terms even if in the end it would be me who would be torn and crushed into nothing."Val!" Dad yelled once again. "You have twenty mins to get ready before Shay shows up," he informed and I heard his receding steps. He sensed something was wrong but he had not said anything or maybe Shay had told him but asked him not
Valerie As Shay and I reached the club, we headed straight for the bar. I was set in the mood to be wasted and so was Shay. We went for the shorts right away, had them kept coming our way until I could feel myself go lose. The beats were good enough to make me want to lose myself. I wanted to be free, calm, and wild. As I looked at the crowd on the floor, it made me smile. I wanted to be lost in the sea of bodies. Taking one last shot I dragged Shay to the dance floor. Our bodies swayed with the beats of the music. I was lost. I was free. I was whatever I wanted to be. My body swayed with every beat, I closed my eyes and let the music consume me. I didn't care who I danced with or whose body was next to mine, nor who grinded against me. I was in my own world. My hands my legs my hips they all tuned themselves with the beats. Carefree, wild, on my own with no burden on shoulders. It made me feel myself, as if I was in control of myself after so long. I wanted that, no I needed th