Chapter 002

*BETRAYAL AND HEARTBREAK*

BRIDGET

I took a slow sip of my tea, my eyes flickering toward him. “You’ve been quiet all morning,” I remarked, my voice soft but laced with concern. “Is everything okay?”

“I took a deep breath, my hands trembling slightly as I reached for him. “Derrick, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Derrick hesitated, his gaze dropping to the table before he finally looked up at me. His eyes, once filled with warmth and affection, now seemed distant, almost cold.

“I’m sorry to say this, Bridget,” he began, his voice steady but devoid of emotion, “but I think it’s high time we ended things and went our separate ways.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My hand jerked involuntarily, spilling a portion of my tea onto the table. I stared at him, my mind struggling to process what he had just said. “What… what are you talking about?” I stammered, my voice trembling. “Derrick, this isn’t funny.”

Derrick sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not joking, Bridget. I’ve thought about this for a while now, and I think it’s best for both of us to move on.”

My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to make sense of his words. We had been together since college, weathering every storm life had thrown at us.

I had stood by him through the struggles of finding a job, through the sleepless nights and the endless rejections. And now, just when things were finally looking up, just when he had landed a well-paying job at ATLAS CORP he wanted to end things?

“I don’t understand,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Why are you doing this? We’ve been through so much together. Our wedding is just around the corner. How can you just… throw all of that away?”

Derrick’s expression remained stoic, his jaw tightening as he avoided my gaze. “Look, Bridget, I don’t owe you an explanation. My mind is made up, and there’s nothing you can say or do to change it.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I searched his face for any sign of the man I had fallen in love with. But all I saw was a stranger, someone who seemed determined to hurt me.

“You’re getting married to someone else, aren’t you?” I choked out, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.

Derrick paused, his hand resting on the back of the chair as if he were considering his next words carefully. Then, with a sigh, he turned to face me fully.

“If you must know, yes. I’ve been in love with someone else for a while now.”

My breath caught in my throat. “Who?” I demanded, my voice rising in desperation. “Who could possibly mean more to you than me?”

Before Derrick could respond, a familiar voice echoed from the doorway. “Oh, I think you already know the answer to that, Bridget.”

My head snapped toward the sound, my heart sinking as I recognized the figure standing there. It was Vera, my best friend since high school, the person I had trusted with my deepest secrets and darkest fears.

Vera’s lips curved into a sly smile as she stepped into the room, her arm slipping possessively around Derrick’s waist.

“Vera?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “No… this can’t be happening. You’re my best friend. How could you do this to me?”

Vera’s smile widened, her eyes glinting with a mixture of triumph and malice. “I’m sorry, Bridget, but Derrick and I have been in love for a long time. We tried to fight it, but in the end, we couldn’t deny our feelings for each other. You understand, don’t you?”

I felt as though the ground had been ripped out from under me. I clutched the edge of the table for support, my mind reeling. “You… you’ve been seeing each other behind my back? How long has this been going on?”

Derrick shifted uncomfortably, but Vera seemed unfazed. “Does it really matter?” she asked, her tone dismissive.

“What’s important is that Derrick and I are together now, and we’re getting married in a few weeks. You should be happy for us, Bridget. After all, you’ve always wanted what’s best for me, haven’t you?”

My vision blurred as tears streamed down my cheeks. I felt as though I were trapped in a nightmare, one I couldn’t wake up from.

“And what about the baby?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “What am I supposed to do about the baby I’m carrying, Derrick?”

Derrick’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me. “What baby are you talking about, Bridget.

“I'm pregnant Derrick, I have your child, our baby” I voiced in a shaky voice.

“What?? What are you talking about? That’s not my child, I didn't get you pregnant Brie, You can’t pin that on me.” Derrick scoffed in a cold unwavering tone.

My heart shattered at his words. “How can you say that? You were the only one I was with. You know that!”

Vera let out a mocking laugh, her fingers tightening around Derrick’s arm. “Oh, please, Bridget. Stop trying to manipulate him. We all know you’ve been seeing other men. Go find the real father of that bastard and leave us alone.”

My hands clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms as I fought to keep my composure. “My baby is not a bastard,” I said through gritted teeth, my voice trembling with anger and pain.

“And you, Vera, were supposed to be my friend. How could you betray me like this?”

Vera’s smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered, her expression hardening. “Sometimes, Bridget, you have to do what’s best for yourself. Derrick and I are happy together, and that’s all that matters.”

I looked from Vera to Derrick, my heart breaking all over again as I saw the cold indifference in their eyes. I had given everything to this relationship. my love, my trust, my future and now, it was all being thrown back in my face.

“You know what?” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “Fine. I’ll leave.”