Shattered Lines

The evening air was calm; Richard had insisted on the date.

The soft candlelight, the clinking of glasses, the romantic atmosphere, the way he made her feel seen for the first time in a while.

By the time they returned home, the car rolled into the driveway.

From the window, Lena spotted a figure; it was Jayden.

He stood just outside the house, beside a woman. They were laughing about something.

As Richard parked, Jayden glanced up. Their eyes met briefly before his expression settled into something unreadable.

“Hey,” he greeted casually as they approached.

The woman beside him turned too.

And that was when it hit her.

A flash of memory struck her hard.

The first day she arrived at the house. She was the lady that was Jayden.

Her stomach twisted violently.

The lady smiled politely, but her eyes lingered a little too long, scanning her in a way that made her skin crawl.

“Good evening,” she said softly.

Her voice felt distant, drowned under the rush of blood in her ears.

She forced a nod.

Jayden avoided her gaze entirely.

That confirmed that she was right.

As Richard placed a gentle hand on her back, guiding her toward the house, she couldn’t help herself. She turned.

And what she saw felt like a blade driven straight through her chest.

The woman slipped her arm around Jayden’s like she belonged there.

A broken laugh threatened to escape her, but she swallowed it down.

That night, sleep never came.

She tossed and turned, the sheets twisting around her. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw them together, smiling, while she stood somewhere in the background, invisible.

She let out a sigh, staring up at the ceiling.

“Funny…” she whispered to herself, her voice cracking. “I feel betrayed when I’m not even innocent.”

The irony burned.

Beside her, Richard stirred.

"Hey." His voice was hoarse with sleep as he shifted closer. “What’s wrong?”

She opened her mouth to speak, and a sob escaped.

Because what would she tell him?

He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he pulled her into his arms, wrapping her in warmth, his hand gently patting her back.

“It’s okay,” he murmured softly. I’m here.”

Those words were meant to comfort her but only made it worse.

Her grip on his shirt tightened as the tears finally spilled over. 

“I’m sorry…” she whispered under her breath, though she wasn’t even sure who she was apologizing to anymore.

Richard held her tightly. 

And she was grateful he was there.

Morning came, and the scent of breakfast pulled her from sleep, followed by the sunlight filtering through the curtains.

She blinked slowly, sitting up.

A tray sat neatly beside her bed, with toast, eggs, juice, and a folded note.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she picked it up.

Had to leave early for work. Already missing you. Eat well, okay? I love you.

A small smile found its way to her lips.

She folded the note carefully, placing it beside her.

She wasn’t going to spend the day 

Sulking like a teenager that got her heart broken a day before prom.

After getting dressed, she grabbed her phone and searched for somewhere, anywhere that could quiet her mind.

A museum, that will do.

Art had always been her escape. When words failed, when emotions tangled into something complicated. She turned to the beauty of art. 

The ride there was quiet.

And stepping inside felt like entering another world.

The receptionist greeted her politely. She paid, received a ticket and a band, and followed a small group as a guide led them through the exhibits.

They were told about the histories of paintings, sculptures, and stories frozen in time.

At one point, when the guide wasn’t looking, she slipped her phone out and took a few pictures.

A small, genuine smile curved her lips.

It had been a while since she felt this inner peace.

By the time she returned home, she saw Jayden.

Sitting casually on the couch watching TV 

Like he hadn’t just shattered something inside her.

“Hey,” he said, as if it were any normal day.

She didn’t respond.

She walked straight past, heading for the stairs.

“I thought we were over this,” he added with a shrug.

She stopped and scoffed.

Slowly, she turned, disbelief written all over her face.

“Are you serious right now?”

“What?” he asked, standing up. “What’s the problem?”

She let out a bitter laugh.

“Is it me or are you actually this daft?”

His jaw tightened.

“You’re the one ignoring me."

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she cut in sharply. “Is there a proper way to react when someone treats you like you meant nothing?”

He exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

“If this is about yesterday”

“Save it,” she snapped. “I don’t need it.”

“Can you at least let me talk?”

She crossed her arms. “Fine. Talk.”

He stepped closer, his voice calmer now.

“We’re adults. You know that, right?”

Her eyes narrowed. “And your point?”

“We did what adults do. No strings attached.”

For a moment, she just stared at him.

Then she laughed.

A hollow, disbelieving sound.

“No strings?” Her voice trembled. “That’s not what it felt like when you were holding me, when you kept saying things that made me feel special."

“I’m sorry,” he interrupted. “I didn’t mean to lead you on.”

Her heart dropped.

“I do care about you,” he continued. “I really do. But you’re with my dad. And you’re not leaving him anytime soon.”

“I’ll always remember what we had,” he added quietly.

That was all it took.

She shoved him hard.

“You’re a scumbag!”

Her voice cracked as tears filled her eyes.

“I hope you rot in hell!”

She turned and ran upstairs before he could say another word.

Days passed, and Richard became busier, barely home.

Jayden became persistent.

Trying to talk, like it could fix something that was already broken.

But she always shut him down.

At night, it was worse.

Every time she closed her eyes, she had a dream where she saw herself, standing alone, surrounded by laughter that sounded like mockery. 

She would wake up gasping, her body trembling.

And one night a heavy rain fell.

The rain battered the windows, thunder roaring through the sky.

She sat up abruptly, her heart racing.

Richard wasn’t home.

The silence between the thunderclaps felt louder than the storm itself.

She tried to calm down, but fear crept in.

Her feet carried her downstairs before she could stop herself.

A glass of water. That’s all she needed.

But the thunder cracked again, louder with a force unexplainable.

Her hands shook.

And before she knew it… she was standing in front of Jayden’s door.

Her mind warned her, but her hand lifted anyway.

She knocked.

The door opened almost instantly.

Surprise flashed across his face.

“…You okay?”

She didn’t answer.

He stepped aside silently, letting her in.

And from a harmless comfort she sorted to mind-blowing sex.

After that night, things changed.

It became something mutual.

They were always careful when Richard was at home.

But one day, in the kitchen, they were lost in their own world.

And Lena heard a footstep coming close.

They barely made it out.

Despite knowing the bitter truth that she and Jayden will never be together.

She was still falling for him.