Chapter 002: The Cost of Deception

SAMANTHA

“But you know you can’t blame me, Sam.” I was about to get past the gate when I suddenly heard him speak. I froze. “We’re long over since the first time I cheated. You knew I’m not satisfied with you–”

“Then, why did you propose to me?” I turned around and asked the gut-wrenching question. “You got my hopes high, David…”

“That was my idea.” The pregnant woman said. I turned my blank gaze on her. “To make you happy at least before he leaves you. Don’t you realize that I’m being generous?” She added as she rolled her eyes. 

“Sarah…” David murmured as he looked at her with deep concern in his eyes. That reminds me. He never looked at me that way.

“But enough is enough, Sam. You can’t keep having an unhappy man around you. I spread my legs for him when you couldn’t. So, who's at fault here?” She muttered in a matter-of-fact tone. I couldn’t be more speechless to know my flaw from her mouth.

Just because… I kept… my legs closed…? That’s all it takes for him to leave me?

I looked at her, then to David, with my eyes coated with defeat of the long battle that I was the only one fighting for, only to be the loser–right in the first place. 

But… I shouldn’t have been surprised. I was a fucking fool. A pathetic fool who went to the length of deception just to win him over. I’ve seen him with the same woman since we were together–them making out, going on secret dates, dirty texts, and a lot more disgusting shits.

But this is where I draw the line. That bastard got a woman pregnant. I don’t want to ruin a family, even though I was the one being ruined. I don’t take things that way. I should’ve called it quits the first time I saw him with a woman. But… I couldn’t keep my ears closed. I keep hearing the same phrase in my mind.

I spread my legs for him when you couldn’t.

I spread my legs for him when you couldn’t. I closed my eyes earnestly, trying to shut my mind from recurring the same phrase. 

“Please bring me to the coastal road, Chan. Call Vanessa over as well.” Lifelessly, I spoke as I let the tears run down my cheeks while gazing at the blurring sceneries through the windshield.

The breeze collided with my body as I stood in front of the horizon with the gentle waves of the ocean. I don’t know how to describe these feelings crawling inside of me at all. I can’t scream out because I don’t know what kind of feeling I have at the moment. But the tears are the testament to those feelings. I just let it stream on my cheeks without minding anything.

“Hey, what the hell happened?!” All of a sudden, I heard Vanessa’s voice emerging from behind. The moment my eyes laid on her, the tears came running down unstoppably as I ran to hug her. “Is it about that bastard again?!” I cried on her shoulders while she was shouting angrily.

“I finally ended it with him, Van…” I murmured in the same position. Vanessa was silent, so I spoke more. “He… got a woman pregnant…” Those words seemed to have stuck in my tongue. It felt stung to utter it.

“What?!” Vanessa raised her voice as she was about to face me, but I just tightened my arms around her. “Oh God, Sam… Don’t you even let me see that bastard without preparing his burial!” She was mad, mad. This is Vanessa, my friend from freshman college, the only person who can express my rage.

“That guy has never been good to you at all, Sam! God, you don’t know how happy I am that you finally ended it with him!” Vanessa exclaimed, making me raise my head and looked at her with a sour face.

“Saying that while I’m completely in a mess, huh?” Vanessa’s eyes instantly dilated at the realization. 

“Oh, my dear. My bad, my bad, baby…” She soothed me with her voice as she wrapped her arms around me. “But seriously, Sam… I’m happy that you finally got out of this toxic relationship. It might be hard for now, but I’m certain you’ll see yourself glow again soon…” She spoke, which supposedly soothes me. But… something is bothering me, which was one thing she didn’t know yet.

It was about how I pretended to be sick just to have his attention. I know Vanessa wouldn’t like it, so I didn’t tell her… But I guess I should tell her now. I took a huge gulp first.

“Vanessa… I have something to tell you…” I started as I broke my arms around her. I looked her in the eyes with the most pathetic look on my face before pulling the pin of the grenade and told her about it.

“W-What?! What did you do?!” Bulged out eyes and mouth agape, Vanessa looked at me as though she heard the dumbest thing ever. I just nodded my head slowly, to confirm that she heard the things from me just right. “Oh my god…” Vanessa palmed her face as if she was washing her face, while I just remained my head low.

Silence took between us. I could hear her heavy breathing fighting against the sound of the waves. All of a sudden, she opened her mouth, making me finally raise my head to her.

“But girl… have you thought… of the consequences?” She asked, halting me. I furrowed my brows at the thought. What does she mean about the consequences… Oh my god. I clapped my hand over my mouth as I looked at her with wide eyes.

“I… I… blurted it out… in front of him… with his woman…” I could barely form a sentence because of the shock creeping my body. Wait, no! There was someone with them! That man I had eye contact with! They heard everything I said!

This… This is what has been bothering me that I couldn’t figure out at all… Oh my god.

“This would mean a disaster…” I murmured through my teeth. Oh my fucking god. I haven’t even thought about it! I was mindless for blurting it out in front of them! I began to bite my nails when I felt the anxiety seeping into my skin.

Fuck. At this point, I only wished for them to not ever say a word out of their mouths about it. The last thing I wanted to happen is for this news to reach my parents… and their company. Oh my god, please no!

“V-Vanessa… should I call… David and tell him not to tell anyone about it?” This is the only thought that makes sense to me right now. I can’t think properly. I feel like I’ve been running out of time! Heck, it’s only a matter of time for this day for that news to spread!

“Are you crazy?!” With sharp eyes, Vanessa gazed at me. Then, she let out a sigh, emerging a relaxed look in her face in the next second. She was about to open her mouth, when Chantal suddenly came running to our direction with her phone in her right hand.

Judging by the look on her face… it seemed as though not a single good thing would come out of her mouth next.

“Ma’am, Mrs. and Mr. Louis wished to have you at the residence–right now.” Chantal spoke, sounding nervous for me. Her eyes were at first unstable, couldn’t look at mine, until she finally found the guts to look into my eyes and utter the expected diabolical thing. “They knew about your… scheme.” 

It feels like I’ve been poured with a bucket of ice on my body.

“Not today.” All of a sudden, Vanessa held my hand and looked at my assistant with bold gazes. “Sam and I are going to unwind ourselves.”

Not showing up to my parents would just mean… something worse to happen, isn’t it? Oh my god, Vanessa… what the hell are you thinking?!

“Just tell them that Sam is stressed and she needs to blow some steam off.” Vanessa remarked. The look of my assistant indicated that she was against her idea. But when she looked at me, her face softened. In the end, Chantal heaved a sigh and just nodded.

I have the freedom to decline Van, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Well, I know what awaits when I come back home. Might as well just take the chance to blow some steam off, if I were to quote Van. There’s nothing I can do, the disappointment on my parents’ faces won't change even when I go there right now or later.