A Stepmother for the CEO's Heir

The buzzing sound of the busy street filled Bea’s ear as soon as she got out of the cab. Her face crumpled when she was met by the crowd of people walking along the sidewalk and the smell of the smoke-filled air which made it clear that she was finally in the city.

Annoyed by the noise of the vendors and the shoppers on the side of the street, Bea looked at her wristwatch and frowned when she realized the time.

“I need to arrive on time or else the surprise won’t be successful.” She giggled after imagining the expression on her boyfriend’s face once he saw her.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror of a store right behind her and smiled. In front of her was a beautiful girl in a long-sleeved black cropped top that emphasized her milky white skin. Her top was paired with blue high-waist jeans that hugged her slender legs. To complete her outfit, she wore black sneakers that were much more comfortable for her to wear. Additionally, her shoulder-length black wavy hair was in a half bun and she removed her eye-glasses to give her a better city girl look.

She prepared earnestly for that day and she would not let the traffic ruin all her hard work!

She started walking forward as her eyes moved quickly from one sign to another. There were too many signboards that her head almost ached but her expression changed when she saw the sign of the restaurant where her boyfriend was supposed to be dining. She excitedly opened the door and earnestly looked around hoping that William would not find her first.

She giggled when she saw William at the left corner of the room. She walked silently towards him as she anticipated his surprised face. However, her excitement faded when she saw that he had a companion.

She just stood there watching how her boyfriend smiled at the woman seated across from him. She tried to calm herself and reminded herself that the woman could be just a workmate. What was wrong with eating out with colleagues from time to time?

Keeping that in mind, Bea walked towards him again with an excited smile on her face. She was just a few steps away when William suddenly stood up and knelt in front of the woman.

“Will you marry me?” Her boyfriend was smiling widely and his eyes were full of happiness as he said those words.

But those words were not meant for her. It was meant for the woman whom she thought was his workmate. How could he?

 “What is going on here?” She could not stop herself from voicing out the question in her head.

Her lips trembled and she could feel her face heating up. Her chest felt heavy and something within her made her feel so weak. Her knees wobbled and her heart ached when the man that she loved the most looked at her with a surprised face.

She was expecting his surprised face but not this way! She was supposed to be the one giving him a surprise so, why did she end up being surprised by him?

“Bea, what are you doing here?” William asked as he stood up.

The sound of her hand that forcefully landed on her boyfriend's left cheek filled the room and even attracted the attention of a few customers. She bit her lips as she tried to stop herself from trembling.

“Is this the reason why you don’t want me to visit you?” She asked calmly in between deep breaths.

“I’m sorry.” William looked down.

Bea let out an exasperated sigh before she closed her eyes. She did not want to see him look so pathetic right in front of her. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself before opening up her eyes again. She refrained from blinking because the tears started pooling in her eyes as soon as she saw the sad smile on William's face.

“Let’s talk outside, Bea.” William offered his hand but she just stared at it for a moment before she wiped her cheeks after a few tears trickled from her eyes.

“This won’t be fixed by talking.” She tried to stop herself but her lips shook before she could even cover it and a series of tears flowed again.

“|’m sorry.” That was all he could say. He just looked down as he stood in front of her.

He looked even more pathetic when he looked at her with apologetic eyes. Even if he looked at her like that, the situation would not change. She waited, but he cheated. She was still there! She was still his girlfriend! How could he propose to someone else without even breaking up with her first?

“Bea…”

She looked at her with pain and disgust. “Just don’t show your face in front of me anymore.”

That was it. Without even saying goodbye or thank you, Bea left the restaurant.

“You’re so pathetic, Beatrice.” She started sobbing as soon as she entered the restroom in a nearby establishment. “You worked hard to make yourself look beautiful,” she said bitterly as she wiped her tears on her face.

She frowned when she saw her reflection and she felt even more pathetic for putting much effort into her looks just to end the celebration with a breakup.

"You even wore clothes that you don't usually wear to impress him." She pulled the tissue from her bag and wiped her eyes because her makeup was all smudged from all the crying she did.

“You prepared to surprise him on your anniversary but there he was, proposing to someone else!” She bit her lips as her cries grow louder. She felt relieved that she locked the door before coming in. At least no one would see her in such a pathetic state.

She cried even harder when she realized what just happened. She felt so weak that she ended up slumped on the floor. She hugged her knees as she continued to cry.

She liked William since her freshman years in college and he was the reason why she was able to graduate with flying colors. He was her inspiration and motivation to work harder and be the best version of herself.

There had been rumors that there was a big chance to know him more if she were to be an outstanding student, so she tried her best to be noticed.

He was her first love and that love lingered until they met again right after graduation. They were lovers for 5 long years and she devoted her love, time, and even money to him. She thought that he would ask for her hand in marriage once he became successful in his chosen field but she was wrong.

She cried again when she remembered how her beloved kneeled in front of another woman. She felt betrayed. She felt as if her world crumbled in front of her eyes. She was angry, but more than that, she was hurt. It was painful as if her heart was being squeezed, wrung, and torn to pieces.

After all those years of loving him even at his worst, he chose to dump her after reaching his best. She could not believe that she had been had. She was used as a tool by someone she loved so dearly, but the worst part was that she still loved him. Deep inside, she was hoping that he would run after her and choose her instead. She would be willing to forget his cheating as long as he stayed by her side.

“Stupid William! Was it easy to throw away our five-year relationship?” She mumbled with a heavy heart.