Chapter 2

 

Rhea

My name is Andrea Grayson and I’m such a big fool.

I've always watched scenes like these happen in movies, or books that I've read and I always wondered why the person being cheated on was too dumb to see it beforehand. In fact, I thought things like these only happened in those movies. I never imagined that I would find myself in that same situation. Being cheated on. Being made to look like a stupid fool. I want to laugh at my foolishness and terrible luck, but I'm completely frozen in place. I can’t move my limbs , I can’t even move my face.

How could I have been so foolish and unlucky? How?

I watch my boy friend and best friend as they scramble around, fishing for their clothes or anything to cover their nakedness. I have the strongest urge to laugh at them, but the ugliness of the whole situation makes it impossible. I look down and stare at the cupcakes that's now smashed on the floor, the cream spilling every which way. My whole body is shaking uncontrollably and every second I spend on my feet brings me closer to passing out.

I need to get out of here, but I can't move my legs. ‘No, you better face them head on.’ Sira’s voice in my head says. So she’s the one making me unable to move?

Marcus puts on his trousers and stops in front of me.

"Rhea, baby, please... I know what this looks like.

But please, just give me the chance to explain."

“Explain what exactly?” My voice is quiet and trembling no matter how hard I try to stop it. I don’t know what it is, but I can feel something bubbling from somewhere inside me. It’s like this uncontrollable rage that feels like a raw power, something powerful enough to make me burst into pieces. The feeling scares me.

“I know you’re very mad at me. I…I didn’t mean to do this. Nora and I, we’re just…”

“You’re just what? You’re just fucking. Right? Or do you want to deny what I just saw?”

“You don’t understand–“

“I don’t understand what? That you’ve been cheating on me with my fucking best friend?!” I yell in his face as the tears I’ve been holding finally fall freely. Nora just hides behind him like a pathetic lost animal. She doesn’t even try to look me in the face or say a word.

I can’t believe how heartbreaking and painful this moment feels. The anger in me keeps burning hot. I feel like I might do something I’ll regret if I don’t leave this place.

“I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you. I love you so much Rhea, you have to believe me. Actually, Nora and I have been meaning to talk to you about this.”

“Y-yes. We’re sorry, Rhea.” Nora steps forward, shaking. “It’s not like we planned for this to happen. It was just…”

“How long?” My voice is deceptively calm. They both pause and stare at each other before turning back to me.

“How long what?” Marcus asks.

“How long has this been happening! How long have you been cheating on me?”

There’s a long moment of silence, before Marcus looks down in defeat. “A month later after we got together.”

This is just so unfair. This is a level of cruelty that I can’t fathom. My chest literally burns as the pain threatens to consume me. I can’t believe I thought I was finally going to have sex with this piece of shit tonight.

I had missed him all week and was counting the days and hours to when I’ll finally be back with him, only to find out that he was with my friend, who I conveniently thought was somewhere far away. So this is how they met behind my back, under the guise of work.

Now that I think about it, I realize how obvious it looked when the both of them would tell me they’re held up at work or have been sent on a ‘work trip.’ Now I know what those trips were all about. Bile rises up in my throat but I force it back down.

I turn to leave but Marcus stops me, holding my shoulder and pulling me back. “Wait! Rhea. Don’t do this. Don’t condemn us. We really wanted to open up to you about this but we had no idea how. You see… Nora suggested we all have an open relationship. One which is beneficial to the three of us.”

“What..?” I whisper in shock. As if the betrayal wasn’t enough. What the fuck is he saying?? “Did I just hear you right?”

“Yes, Ree.” Nora answers, staring at me with fake tears in her eyes. “It was my idea. When you both started dating, Marcus opened up to me about how he was having trouble coping with your no-sex rule. He even broke down in front of me. He told me about how much he cared for you and was scared to tell you about it because he didn’t want to lose you, but he still had urges that needed to be satisfied.” Nora takes a breath for a second before continuing.

“Ree, I’m your friend and I was so worried that you’ll lose him because you aren’t ready for intimacy, so… I decided that I’ll satisfy those urges as a way to help you keep your love together. I’ve been meaning to tell you all about it, but I just couldn’t find the—”

“You slimy bitch!” I don’t even think twice as I slap her with so much force that my palm instantly gets hot. The slap reverberates throughout the room. Nora touches the cheek I slapped, the cheek that is now red. She stares at me with disbelief written on her face.

“What the–Rhea, can you fucking calm down? She’s your friend!” Marcus puts his hand out as if that’ll stop me.

“You too!” Whack!

The slap I give Marcus is even harder than the one I gave Nora. And it feels very satisfying. Like it tampered down the bubbling rage inside me. This is enough. I have to get out of here now.

Marcus' face turns red as he glares at me with so much anger. “How dare you hit your man?!”

“What man? A lying, cheating bastard? Fuck you, Marc” I turn around to leave, but Marcus grabs my wrist again and twists so hard that I let out a surprised scream.

“Let go of me!” I try to yank my hand away, but he doesn't let go. Instead he drags me forward and slams me on the bed while binding my hands in a death grip. His fingers catch on the bracelet on my wrist and he pulls hard.

I gasp in shock at the sound of diamonds and gemstones crashing to the floor and breaking into pieces. My heart literally stops beating for a second as I stare down at my wrist. My bracelet is broken and the pieces are scattered on the floor.

“No…” My voice comes out in a whisper. My chest hurts. That bracelet is the only thing I have left of my mother. The only thing I’ve worn every single day since she gave it to me and asked me to never lose it before she passed away.

“You gave me no choice when you resorted to violence!” Marcus grabs my neck and squeezes. Suddenly, a surge of power hits me, spreading through my body.

Before I realize what is happening, I let out a raw scream and with every strength in me, I push Marcus backwards with so much force, sending him flying into the wall like a ragdoll. He passes out immediately. Nora screams in shock at what just happened. I look down at my shaky hands, wondering what the hell just happened.

Nora stares at me as if she's looking at a ghost.

“Your eyes….”

I slightly turn my head and catch my reflection in the window and I almost scream at what I see. My eyes are glowing red. A deep, bright red color that I know is definitely not natural. My breath catches painfully in my throat. My heart starts racing so fast I feel dizzy. Heat spreads through my body all at once, hot and violent, like something is snapping awake inside me.

“What the hell…” I whisper as something powerful growls in my head. The sound is deep and angry and it makes my knees feel weak. I stumble back, my hands shaking, my whole body buzzing with a strength I don’t recognize.

Nora takes a step back. “What..what are you?”

I gather the broken pieces of my bracelet before turning to Nora with my odd glowing eyes. “I'm just a cheated woman in rage.”

I run out of the apartment, down the hallway, The growl in my head follows me, pounding in my skull, louder with every step I take. By the time I get to my car, my hands are shaking so badly I can barely unlock it. I throw myself inside and slam the door shut, locking it immediately like it’ll save me from whatever just happened.

I press my forehead against the steering wheel and try to breathe in and out.

Slowly, the heat fades. The growl goes quiet and my eyes stop glowing.

I open my hand and stare at the broken bracelet lying in my palm as fresh tears spill out of my once red eyes.

“What the fuck is wrong with me?” I whisper.

***