Book four

Bella’s POV 

I sank to the floor. My body would not stop trembling. Tears streamed down my face without control. I could not believe what had happened. The clock on the wall showed 8:00 PM. Four hours had passed since I left the hotel, but I still sat here frozen in the same spot. I had not eaten anything. My stomach felt empty, but the emptiness in my heart felt much bigger and heavier. The pain was stronger than anything I had ever known before.

My best friend had betrayed me. Ciara. The woman I called my sister for years. She had taken Leo, the man I loved with every part of me. How could she do this? How could she smile at me every day and then destroy me in one night? The thought made my chest hurt even more.

A loud knock sounded at the door. My chest tightened fast. I knew it was Ciara. I did not want to see her. I did not want to hear her voice. I did not want her near me. But I forced myself to stand up. Anger and hurt fought hard inside me as I walked slowly to the door. I opened it with shaking hands.

There she stood. Smiling like nothing was wrong. “Hey, Bella! Ugh, I’m so tired,” she said with her fake cheer. That smile cut me deeper than any knife. How dare she act normal after everything she did to me?

I stared at her. Tears fell freely down my face. My chest felt tight. My heart felt raw and open. I wanted to scream at her. I wanted to hit her. My body shook as the images returned again — her on top of Leo, her satisfied face when she saw me, her moan filling the room. It all came back fresh and painful.

“Bella, please. I need to come inside. Can you move out of the way?” she said, stepping forward like she owned the place.

“No,” I said firmly, even though my voice shook with tears. “You cannot come in. Not after what you did. Not after what I saw in that hotel room.”

She lifted her eyebrows like she was confused. “What are you talking about? Why can’t I come inside?” she asked, keeping her voice calm and pretending she knew nothing.

Rage rose like fire in my chest. I felt it burning hot. “I saw you with Leo. I saw everything. You were on top of him. You were enjoying it. You looked at me and smirked like you had won a prize. How could you do that to me?”

Ciara’s smile slowly changed into a cruel smirk. “Leo finds me more attractive than you, honey. I can give him what you never could. That is the truth.”

Her words felt like fresh cuts in my skin. Bile rose in my throat. Tears streamed harder down my face. “You were my best friend. You helped me choose my engagement dress. You told me you wanted my happiness more than anything. All of it was fake. Every word was a lie.”

She laughed — a cold, mocking laugh that filled the room. “Why should you have him, Bella? You always think you are better than everyone else. Leo belongs with me now. He needs someone like me.”

My blood boiled hotter. I grabbed her bags from the corner of the room and started throwing them into the hallway. The perfume bottle hit the floor and shattered into pieces. Shoes flew everywhere. Every single throw helped me release some of the pain and anger I carried inside.

“Get out!” I shouted loud. “We are finished. You are not my friend anymore. You never were my friend. You were only waiting to take what I had.”

Ciara watched me with that same cruel smirk. She did not even move to pick up her things. “You are such a loser, Bella. Always thinking everyone loves you. Enjoy being alone now. You will see how it feels.”

Her words stung deep, but I refused to show any more weakness. I did not need her. I did not need Leo. I did not need anyone who could betray me like this. I kept throwing her things. “You knew we were getting married soon. You knew how much I loved him. And you still slept with him. You laughed at me behind my back. You pretended to care while you planned everything.”

She laughed again, slow and deliberate. “Leo was never going to stay with you. He needs someone who can give him more. You have nothing to offer him, Bella. Nothing at all.”

I froze for one second. Then the anger exploded completely. “Leave! Now!” I screamed. I pushed her toward the door with all my strength. “You have lost everything. My friendship. My trust. My home. Everything!”

Ciara stepped back into the hallway. She still smirked like my pain was funny to her. “I wasn’t really your friend anyway. Why did it have to be you? You always act like you are better than everyone. Such a loser.”

She turned and walked away slowly, laughing softly. I slammed the door hard and locked it. The loud sound echoed through the room. I sank back to the floor right away. My hands shook badly. The pain sat heavy in my chest, but beside it grew something stronger — cold, hard determination.

I stood up after some time. My legs felt weak but I forced them to move. I picked up my phone and blocked both Leo and Ciara’s numbers. I did not want to hear from them ever again. Then I took out the red lingerie from my bag and threw it straight into the trash. No more dreams. No more stupid hope. No more trust in anyone.

I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a long time. The old Bella who believed in people so easily was gone forever. The new Bella felt broken but also awake for the first time. I would never let anyone hurt me this way again. The betrayal was deep and painful, but it taught me one clear lesson: I had to protect myself now. I had to put myself first.

I closed my eyes. Tears still came, but they felt different. They were the last tears for tonight. Tomorrow I would start again. Stronger. Alone. But free. I thought about the days ahead. I thought about how I would move on without Leo and without Ciara. The pain would stay for a while. It would hurt every time their faces came to my mind. But I would not let it control me. I would not let it make me weak again.

I sat up and wiped my face with both hands. My hands still trembled a little, but my mind felt clearer than before. Ciara had shown her true self. Leo had shown his true self. Now I knew the truth about both of them. I would build a new life. A life where I came first. A life where no one could break me like this again.

The night felt long and heavy. But I was still here. Still breathing. Still standing. That was enough for now. I would survive this. I would become someone stronger. Someone who would never trust too easily again. Someone who would fight for herself.