Betrayal

'For as long as you live here, I will make your life a living hell, you worthless girl.'

Her stepmother's words rang in her ears as the car drove her toward her fiance's apartment. Those words were inscribed on her heart and she would never forget them.

She fiddled with the big silver band with an enormous sapphire gemstone sitting elegantly on it. She didn't like the ring and would have preferred it to be simpler but she had pretended to like it for Jack's sake. 

After all, he was her savior.

He had come into her life right on time when she needed it. And with their forthcoming wedding, she would be free of Medusa's wickedness. All she wanted was to be free of Medusa's wickedness. 

The worst part was that her father never said anything in her favor, instead he supported her stepmother in making her life full of agony. Her eyes watered as she traveled back to memory lane. She wiped the tears almost immediately.

The death of her mother had turned her life into hell. Her father became uncaring and when he married Medusa, it became worse. He gave his attention to their son, Brandon . 

And just like that, he acted like he no longer cared and became her father only on paper. She missed her mother so much and wished that her mother was still here.

She clutched the food package tight. Since Jack was so busy at the office or so he said, she had decided to take food home for him from the restaurant she worked at. They had been dating for two months now. She remembered the day he asked her out vividly.

She loved him even though he didn't always have much time for them. Ivy understood that his work at Grayson's corporation could be time-consuming and she loved the fact that he was hard-working. 

As long as he would soon marry her and take her away from hell, she would tolerate everything he did. Jack proposed to her on her birthday last month. She had turned twenty-five that day and he wanted it to be a memorable day for her, he said. 

She felt it was so early since they had just been dating for 2 months but she agreed anyway. And the urge to be free from Medusa's hold made her accept his proposal without a rethink. Her love for him could surpass any hurdles that came their way or so she thought.

 The taxi man's eye caught her engagement ring on the fourth finger of her left hand.

 "What a lovely ring you have there. Congratulations." He commented on it.

"Thank you." She flashed a weary smile at him. 

 She was so lucky to have a man like Jack. He was just too perfect and she couldn't wait to get married to him. They were already making preparations for the wedding.

 'I'll be a bride soon.' 

 She rested her head backward and closed her eyes to think about their marriage plans as they neared Jack's street.

"We are here ma'am." the old man burst into her introspection after a few minutes.

"Oh. Thank you." She quickly opened the door and stepped out onto the street. 

 Ivy was grateful the cab man didn't try to pick up any discussion with her. She was too stressed to fake discussions. 

Moreover, her mind was elsewhere. She had been daydreaming about her wedding. She wanted a perfect wedding with her man. Glam preparations had to be made ahead.

After paying him off, she turned to walk down the street that led to Jack's apartment. Sometimes, it was a lonely street so she had to walk fast. 

As she crossed the road, a car almost ran into her. She gasped and stumbled backward falling on the hard floor. Her mind reeled from fright.

His driver cursed when he realized his mistake and Alexander jerked his head up almost immediately.

 "What happened?" He asked when the car stopped suddenly and he heard a string of curses from his driver.

Alexander alighted from the car after his driver who had hurried to help her. He watched his driver help her up. She looked pale and was still recovering from the shock.

Although she knew it was her fault. She didn't take precautions before crossing because she was so tired. She wished she had taken her best friend's advice to go home after a long day at the restaurant. 

A sleek baritone voice burst into her thoughts as his firm muscular hands came around her slim waist holding her into an upright position. 

"Are you alright?" Alexander asked with concern etched on his features. 

The thought of hurting anyone in an accident chilled him to the bones.

Ivy was lost in his dark eyeballs. It was as if time had stopped. She studied his handsome features. He had a Roman nose, kissable lips, a handsome face, and a sexy figure. Ivy blinked twice as she registered his face.

This was Alexander Grayson! Her mind registered because she had seen him in the tabloids. He was a popular business tycoon known for his business acumen. 

The almighty Alexander Grayson, owner of the Grayson corporation and Jack's boss was before her flesh and blood. 

She bit her curved lips and quickly composed herself. Then she cleared her throat.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

Alexander 's heart fluttered. This was a beauty standing before him. He had seen many beautiful ladies before but this here was another beauty entirely. Her long black hair would make a soft pillow. He longed to nestle his hands in it. 

Her full pink lips were begging to be kissed. Even in her paleness, she looked so hot. He quickly drew his hand away from her body as she answered him. 

Her soft voice enchanted him. Where did this beauty drop from? He wondered as his eyes caught the glittering ring through the illumination of his headlights.  

 'She's engaged. Too bad for you.' He thought to himself.

"It's my fault. I didn't concentrate. Please don't blame him." She pleaded with him, referring to his driver. 

"It's all fine. I'm coming." Alexander said before walking back to the car to get his handkerchief. 

He used it to clean her up and then gave it to her. 

"You can have it. Please take good care of yourself. Goodbye, and be careful." He said, 

"Thank you." She offered him a small smile.

Alexander nodded and beckoned to his driver. His driver hurried to open the car door for him and they zoomed off.

Ivy stared at the white handkerchief. It had the initials A.E Grayson boldly imprinted on it.

'He even has handkerchiefs specially made for him.' She was amazed.

 She took it to her nose inhaling the musky, aromatic spicy scent of his expensive perfume.

She made a mental note to get the perfume for Jack on his birthday that was if her measly salary could afford it. 

She shook the thoughts away, folded it into her bag, and hurried down the streets eager to tell Jake that she had seen his boss. 

Her phone chirped in her bag and she reached to pick it. A smile grazed her face when she saw the caller ID.

"Hey, Piper." Her voice sounded so active. 

"You sound energized. Did someone give you money?" Piper was curious to know.

She knew there was something else to this.

"You won't believe it, Piper." Ivy laughed out in excitement.

 "Believe what?" Piper asked.

 "Guess who I just saw?" 

"Who did you see?" Piper asked her

"I just saw him." 

Ivy continued intentionally putting Piper in suspense. Piper sometimes did it for her too.

 "Ivy dear! I'm so gonna thrash you if you don't say who you saw right now! I'm dying to know please." Piper raised her voice, unable to keep her excitement in check.

Ivy breathed in and out before breaking it to Piper.

 " You might not believe it but I just met with Billionaire Alexander Grayson. Jack's boss!" Ivy completed. 

" That rich man? You what? How? When? Where?" Piper chirped in. She stopped what she was doing to listen to her.

"He almost ran into me with his car a few minutes ago and dang! He's hot I must say though not like my Jack. My Jack is hotter. He even gave me his handkerchief."  

Ivy replied to her best friend's questions. Her eyeballs twinkled in delight. How many girls did Alexander Grayson give his handkerchief to? She felt so special. Her head was on cloud nine.

"Where are you? I gotta hear the full gist please today." Piper sounded exhilarated. 

"Girl, I just got to Jack's street. I have not gotten home yet. There was traffic. I'll tell you all about it later." Ivy replied.

 "Did you collect his number? Anything to meet with him some other time? Did he ask you out? What does he really look like? Tell me!" 

"All I have on me is his handkerchief with his initials boldly printed on it. I'll send you a picture when I get home."

"Also, I didn't collect his number or anything because as you can see I'm engaged to the best man in the whole world." Ivy completed. 

"You should have gotten his number for me. At least for your friend who doesn't have a man yet," Piper moaned.

"Can we speak later dear? I'm about to enter Jack's apartment. The lights are on which means he is home." Ivy said with a glint of excitement in her tone.

"Easy, lover girl. My regards to him and call me when you get home. Love you." Piper hung up.

Ivy used Jack's key card into his apartment and tiptoed in so he would be caught unawares. She scanned the living area after locking the door. Where was he?

She narrowed her eyes when she saw a familiar polo flung haphazardly on the chair. She paused for a moment taking it all in. Who was with Jack?

 She picked it up and inhaled the scent. It was familiar too.

She heard moans from his bedroom and darted her eyes at it. She dropped the polo as she moved closer to the bedroom to satisfy her curiosity.

 As she moved closer to the bedroom, she saw a pair of trousers tossed haphazardly on the cream marble floor. Something was going on. 

She swallowed and was about to knock on the locked bedroom door when she heard grunts in the room. She gasped and rested on the wall for support, unable to take in all that was going on.

"Hmmm, that was a good one. You always know how to turn me on."

The voice which was distinctly Jack's said. Pain slashed through her heart and the tears she was trying to keep at bay came rolling off her face the minute she heard him speak.

 Then he continued.

"I am glad she doesn't pressure me for sex. If only she knows this is the reason why I rushed the marriage preparations, not that I love her." He said 

She used her hands to snuff out the noise her tears made. How could he do this to her? After all her love for him, this was his payment. Ivy had been disillusioned to think that Jack had loved her.

Even in her tiredness, she brought him food, and here he was cheating on her without shame.

He didn't love her, so why did he want to marry her?  

 Ivy wasn't prepared for the next voice she heard beside him.