Chapter 1

Arabella

The last thing I expected as I arrived at Nathan's apartment was the sound of moans that filled the air. The living room was messed up with a woman's bag and shoes tossed carelessly; used wine glasses lying on the couch with an empty bottle of wine on the floor.

My pulse raced as I stood frozen in the middle of the room with multiple thoughts crossing my mind about who was in. I'd come over to set up a romantic atmosphere for Nathan, my fiance's birthday. He had no idea that I'd be here, but then, he was currently on a plane back home after a one-week business trip. It couldn't be him.

It couldn't be him...the thought brought me momentary relief.

Perhaps, a friend of his brought a woman over. Nathan had friends who could do something like this. I just wondered why whoever it was didn't caution the woman about her loud voice or why he didn't take her somewhere else in the first place.

Should I call them out?... I contemplated, rolling my eyes at the mess they made.

The moans of the woman intensified and I frowned, heading toward the hallway where the sounds were coming from. However, when I got to the room that sourced the sound, dread annihilated my entire system. It was Nathan's bedroom. Rage simmered in my chest. How could they use Nathan's room for shit like this?

Annoyed, I spun on my heels to leave, but the woman cried out again, and I paused, wondering why her voice sounded so familiar.

"Yes! fuck me harder!" She cried out zealously and a man's grunt followed. Whatever was happening was intense fuckery because I could hear the slapping of their skin from outside. Ew!

I took a step away but then paused again as I heard Nathan's voice. "Good girl, take it all"

My spine went taut, beads of sweat formed on my forehead and my heartbeat roared in my ears. No, no! I was surely hearing things. I couldn't be... He was on a plane...

"You're such a slut!" His voice was louder than the first time, and his words were accompanied by a loud smack, which made the woman shriek, "Ah!"

No, no, no!

I didn't realize how I moved and when but when I did, I found myself standing by the door, my hands slapped over my mouth and my teary eyes glued to Nathan and his partner on the bed.

"Bella!" Nathan's face had paled and he was staring back at me, horrified. My eyes shifted to the woman beneath him and my blood went cold. It was Harley, my stepsister. My heart shattered completely when I saw the sinister smirk she had on her lips. Of all the whores around, he chose to cheat on me with the one person I didn't like.

I turned and sprinted down the hallway, the pounding of my heartbeat in my ears louder than my steps. The delayed flight was a lie. What else had been a lie? Us?

Oh. My. God!

"Bella, wait, fuck!" I heard his desperate call but didn't stop till I stumbled over a heel – it belonged to her. I fell on my face. I couldn't breathe. My face had become wet with tears but there was no sound from me.

I couldn't get up on my own till he came rushing to me and assisted me. The fact that I had to lean on him at such a time, made my anger boil over. I lifted my hand and struck his face, the sound echoing eerily through the room.

"How long has this been going on? For how long have you been fucking her?!" My breathing was labored.

Nathan stepped forward, trying to touch my shoulder, but I shifted back and clutched my bag.

"Bella, please let's sit and talk about this," He pleaded, but I'd made a beeline to the door already, my steps wobbly. He followed and tried to touch me again with those hands that had been touching another woman. I slapped them off and glared at him.

"No, I don't want to sit and talk about how you were fucking my stepsister–" I choked on my words, my heart constricting painfully. "You know... God!" I couldn't even form a whole sentence. It hurt so much.

"Bella, please wait." His arms wrapped around my waist, and he pulled me against his chest. "I know I fucked up but... I'm sorry" He said, his voice laced with guilt. And that was just because I'd caught him!

"Don't be! I guess I should have known earlier that I wasn't your type. No, you should have told me because I'm truly dumb and had no idea" I struggled to move away from his hold desperately, thrashing my feet and arms. I would have gotten help if there were other people around, but this cheater had the whole floor to himself.

My body went limp when I saw Harley stepping out of the apartment putting on the shirt I'd gotten for him a month ago. I almost screamed as the pain that had evaded my heart twisted my guts.

"Stay away from me, Nathan. We're over!" I yelled, pushing him back with all I could muster. I then continued to the elevator, and he was hot on my tail.

"Bella, can you please give me a chance to explain? I'm sorry... This isn't what you think it is!"

"Oh really? What else does it mean other than you banging another woman, Nathan!" I stopped to look at him in disbelief. I couldn't believe he was trying to justify what I'd seen with my own eyes.

"Sweetheart, Bella. Please listen to me, I love you, please..." These words used to make my whole world spin, but today, they only intensified the anger I was feeling.

My hand itched to strike him again but was it worth it? Instead, I began to run for the lift.

"God, Bella! Stop acting like this is all on me. You forced me! We never got any time together because you were always busy or buried in your shit! I didn't know what to do!" Nathan yelled, and I smiled bitterly as I came to an automatic halt. Now, he was blaming his lack of self-control on me.

"If that bothered you so much, you should have ended things rather than lying to me and going to fuck that bitch!" I snapped, my gaze falling on Harley whose face had turned red from anger. She had been quiet and it was the right choice for her. She knew she couldn't stand my anger.

I looked back at Nathan who was running a hand through his hair. I always thought he was adorable when he did that but not today or ever again. The sight of him disgusted me, it made me nauseous.

Unable to stand him – them – anymore, I turned and pressed the elevator button frantically, and when it finally opened, I jumped in. Nathan was behind me, and he pressed the emergency button, making the lift stay still.

"Are you serious, Bella?" He said, his voice threateningly low. "You're upset and that's fine. Just don't take too long to get over it. I won't wait forever"

I stared at him in disbelief. When had he changed so much? His dark eyes were pinned on mine and I saw a small smirk tugging at the side of his lips when he thought he had gotten me cornered.

"You don't need to wait because I'll never be back, Nathan, never!" I growled and his face fell, and before he could say a word, I moved forward and kicked him as hard as I could in the groin. He stumbled back and as I watched him groan in pain, I shakily pulled off the engagement ring he'd given me and threw it at him.

I then pressed the button that would take me down. As the doors slid shut, my knees gave out and I sank to the floor. A sob tore through my chest and my tears spilled over in torrents.