CHAPTER 3

Are you sure your girlfriend loves you?" The blonde hair guy cried out as he screamed from his climax.

Angela's eyes flew open as she saw Austin red from anger she quickly put on her skirt and straightened her top and she spoke softly 

“Austin it isn't what you think. Let me explain”

The blonde hair guy stared at Austin with his Hazel eyes as he put on his jeans and wore his pollo. 

Angela took a few strides to her boyfriend and touched his hands bringing his gaze to her.

“Austin?” She called out.

Austin ignored her his gaze going back to where Hazel 's eyes were. He pushed Angela out of the way and punched the smirk off the taller man's face. The guy held his cheek where he had been punched and laughed.”I guess you can see that she doesn't love you”

Angela's face was red from embarrassment and she didn't say anything again, only that Austin should come out so they could talk.

Austin felt his stomach churn, a dark bile rose through his throat and he had the urge to hit the man who had slept with his girlfriend till he lost his breath. So he dragged the taller man's shirt and landed another punch at his cheek while wiping the tears that fell off his eyes. He moved his hand to throw another punch as the taller man did nothing to defend himself and Angela was screaming at him to stop. His hands however were stopped midway by Oliver.

The taller man and Oliver exchanged looks and the football captain smirked and walked away from the room and out into the party. 

Austin pushed Oliver aside and made his way out of the room 

His eyes blurred as he stumbled out of the hotel, his mind reeling in shock. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. Angela, the love of his life, the woman he had given his heart to, was cheating on him.

He staggered to his car, and drove and he felt like suffocating so he parked by the side of the road, and collapsed against the door. The engine was still running, the headlights casting an eerie glow on the darkening street.

Austin's body shook as he sobbed uncontrollably. He felt like he had been punched in the gut, his breath knocked out of him. He couldn't understand why Angela would do this to him. Didn't she love him? Didn't she care about his feelings?

He thought back to all the memories they had shared, the laughter, the adventures, the quiet moments together. He remembered the way she used to look at him, with eyes that shone like stars. He remembered the way she used to touch him, with hands that felt like home.

And now, it was all a lie.

He couldn't feel when the rain had started. His sobs grew louder, more desperate. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of pain, unable to find a lifeline. He pounded his fists against the car door, as if trying to punch his way out of the agony.

The engine continued to purr, a steady hum that seemed to mock him. Austin's tears streamed down his face, mixing with the rain that had started to fall. He felt like he was losing himself, like he was disappearing into the darkness.

As the minutes ticked by, Austin's sobs slowly subsided, replaced by a numbness that seemed to suffocate him. He stood there, frozen, as the rain washed away his tears, and his heart turned to stone.

He entered his house and met his mum sitting with a worried expression 

“Benjamin called me to ask if you were home. You weren't picking your calls, what happened” She walked to him. Austin drew his phone out and saw the missed calls from Angela, Benjamin and Oliver. He put the phone back in his pockets as he felt his mum touch the side of his cheeks. His eyes were red. He was drenched from the rain and just seeing his mother's soft eyes and warm smile. He started sobbing and his mother hugged him. They stood like that for a few minutes before Lydia dressed in her pyjamas stood by the stairs watching them. He quickly wiped his face and answered her questions with an affirmative yes. He told her he was okay, nothing to worry about. He put her back to sleep and went to his room and shut the door.

He showered,  changed his clothes and texted his friends that he was okay. Remembering the number. He texted the number asking how they knew about Angela cheating on him. He waited for a reply and slept off. 

Sunday morning came and Lydia and his mother made their way to church. If his father was back he would have forced him to go to church. For this moment he was glad that his father was overseas on business and he settled on the couch watching a movie refusing to think of Angela. He turned off his phone. Wraps of snacks surrounded him with bottles of beers 

It was around 10 am when the doorbell rang and he went to answer and a lady smiled at him. He let her inside and he was sure it was his mother that called her over. 

She wore a wrap dress with flowery design and flat shoes. As she moved into the house. Her straight ombre hair was tied in a neat bun and she began packing the beers and wraps off the floor. 

He paid no attention to her as he down another bottle of beer and placed it on the floor.

“Have you had a bath?” She stood blocking his line of site to the TV 

Did my mum send you down here to be my nanny?” He spat out vehemently 

“You are hurting I know but I won't let you talk to me anyhow” She said with her hands on her waist

“Then what the fuck are you doing here Emilia?” 

“I am here to be with you and make sure you don't drink yourself to death.” 

“How kind , I don't need a chaperone.”

Emila smiled and went to the kitchen. She quickly microwaved some leftover spaghetti and brought it to him. He ate and thanked her.

He asked her how she found out. She said his mum called her and she called Benjamin and found out what happened. She told him that they would be here soon. 

Emilia had been Austin's friend since high school. Her dad and Austin's dad were business partners. They became friends regardless and they cared for each other. Austin knew his parents would approve of Emilia because it would strengthen the business partnership and she was the typical idle wife any mother would want. She was studying law and she was in the same college as Austin. 

Austin felt like Emilia liked him but he couldn't be sure when he started dating Angi. He wasn't so close to Emilia because he didn't want to make Angela jealous but they still chatted and had occasional hangouts with Benjamin and Olivia. 

She always came to his house on Sundays for dinner with his mother and on Fridays along with her father when Austin's dad was in town. 

Today she had come to console him and be there for him and he asked himself why he couldn't like her as much as she may have liked him.

The doorbell interrupted his thoughts, Emilia went for it and his mum and Lydia came through the door. Emilia took Lydia in her arms as the little girl hugged her. They went into the kitchen leaving Austin with his mum.

Austin slumped into the worn, velvet parlour chair, his eyes fixed on the floor as he struggled to hold back tears. The Tv was turned off by his mum. His mother, Bridget, sat beside him, her expression soft and concerned. She looked so beautiful in her long caftan dress and her hoop earrings and her dark brown hair, the front hair merged at the back and was fastened with a big hair pin and the rest  falling around her shoulders 

"Hey, sweetie, what's wrong?" Bridget asked, her voice gentle and soothing. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on Austin's knee. She could roughly guess but she wanted her son to say it.

Austin took a deep breath before speaking, his voice cracking with emotion. "Angela... she cheated on me, Mum." He looked up, his eyes welling up with tears. "I saw her with another guy. I feel like such a fool."

Bridget's expression turned sympathetic, her eyes filling with tears. "Oh, Austin, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice filled with compassion. "That must be incredibly painful for you."

Austin shook his head, his face twisted in anguish. "I don't know if I can ever trust anyone again, Mum. I feel like I'm losing faith in love altogether." His voice broke, and he buried his face in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

Bridget wrapped her arms around Austin, holding him close as he cried. "Shh, sweetie, it's okay," she whispered, her voice calm and reassuring. "You're not alone, and you're not defined by this one experience. You are so much more than this heartbreak."

As Austin cried, his mum stroked his hair, her touch gentle and comforting. After a few moments, Austin's sobs began to subside, and he looked up at his mother, his eyes red and puffy.

She smiled softly, her eyes filled with love and encouragement. "You know, Austin, love is worth the risk. It's worth the possibility of getting hurt, because the alternative is living a life without love, without connection, without joy." She paused, her expression serious. "Don't give up on love, sweetie. You deserve to find someone who loves and cherishes you for who you are." Her gaze fell on Emilia who stood by the door to the kitchen watching mother and son. The younger woman was smiling at them before returning back to the kitchen.

Austin nodded slowly, feeling a glimmer of hope in his chest. He looked at his mother, her face etched with concern and love, and felt grateful for her unwavering support.

He called Benjamin and told him that he would meet Oliver and him at school on Monday. He texted Angela the location of the reservation he had booked for their anniversary and went to wear a suit. He came down the stairs looking clean, prim and sharp. He hugged Emilia and dashed out the door to his car.