The Betrayal.

Aria’s POV.

A sudden chill crept up my spine, chasing shivers down my body before it disappeared. And moments after, my left little finger began trembling uncontrollably. Frowning, I lifted my left hand to watch the increasingly trembling finger before letting it drop.

Something is wrong.

The trembling finger didn’t stop. I glanced down my blank screen of phone in time just as a message from Ethan, my boyfriend, popped in and that uncomfortable feeling continued. Something definitely was wrong.

Without a second thought, I opened the message to see a video of Ethan’s naked back, followed by heavy groans and the sounds of flesh slapping heavily against flesh echoed in full blast around empty living room.

The glass of whiskey I held slipped from my grip and crashed to the marbled floor as I watched Ethan pounding furiously into my cousin, Annette, completely unaware she was making a video of them fucking.

“This had to be a mistake. Ethan… Ethan would never…” I whispered, shocked beyond words as the sounds from the video played.

The phone in my grip vibrated and I picked it up with tears blurring my eyes without looking at the caller ID. “H—hello?...”

“Did you enjoy the video?” Annette purred with the air of a satisfied kitten.

“What have you done, Annette?” My voice trembled from the weight of barely held back tears.

“What have I done? Nothing, except take back what is rightfully mine, Aria.” She laughed scornfully.

“Ethan is my boyfriend. He chose me!” I cried.

“He was mine first until you stole him away like the thieving slut that you are.” Annette hisses, her initial smugness vanished under the force of her hatred. “Anyways,” Her smug tone returned with a satisfied sigh. “God, I feel so sore all over.”

Tears slid down freely, staining my face. “ Ethan will never love you. He loves me!”

“Oh, fucking grow up Aria. Surely, you can’t be this naïve.” Annette giggled spitefully. “Ethan never loved you. You were nothing more than tool used to scratch an itch.”

“You’re fucking lying!”

“Ethan, Aria is on the phone. Say something to her.”

Ethan grunted in disgust in the background over the shuffling of feet. “Aria –”

“Tell me this isn’t true. Tell me—” I cried, desperately trying to believe that all this was a bad dream.

“We’re over.” He answered coldly, then ended the call.

I staggered backwards, crashing onto the marble floor as silence and shock greeted me. I looked down at to see the shards of shattered glass embedded in my foot and could barely recognize the pain.

Ethan hadn’t just been my boyfriend. He was my anchor… and my first love. How could he do this to me? After everything we’ve been through.

I don’t know for how long I sat there in the dark silence of my living room weeping and heartbroken from betrayal, but my phone buzzed. Hope lit up my heart as I immediately snatched it from the floor. Maybe it was a message from Ethan.

Except it wasn’t.

It was an invite to a high-society party thrown by The Kane Family. They must have thought Ethan and I were still together. Smiling grimly to myself as a nasty thought formed in my mind, I accepted the invite.

And here I am two days later, dressed in the most seductive navy blue dress, sipping champagne and flirting shamelessly at the Kane’s party as one of Ethan’s friend, Marcus, pulled me close and began touching me lightly.

I allowed it simply because Ethan and Annette within my sight looking like the picture perfect couple.

“Did you and Ethan break up?” Marcus asked, pressing a kiss on my neck.

“What makes you say that?” I murmured seductively trying to mask the flicker of hurt and insecurity in my voice.

Marcus glanced at Ethan and Annette laughing a little distance away from us, then glanced back at me with a pointed look that said he saw through my bullshit.

“What happened to Aria?” A man in Ethan’s friend group asked a little distance away. “I saw her alone and thought it was weird you two weren’t together.”

Ethan scoffed. “Please, we weren’t even serious. She was practice, and I’ve moved on to the best thing.” He nuzzled Annette’s slender neck, causing her to squeal in delight.

“Really? So that means she’s up for grabs?” Another man asked, sipping his drink.

“I could care less if you wanted to fuck her right here.” Ethan replied nonchalantly with an arrogant smile while his group laughed at his cruel words.

All of a sudden I couldn’t breathe, and the walls of the room threatened to close around me. “E—excuse me for a moment.” I whispered, stumbling away from Marcus’ grasp as humiliated tears burned my eyes.

Marcus shouted something at me but I didn’t hear it. Cold air chased down my spine as I blindly stumbled away from the party, away from Ethan’s cruel words and Annette’s smug smile. I could hear the whispers of Ethan’s new fling circulating, further humiliating me.

“God, I can’t breathe.” I gasped stumbling in a private corridor that over looked the beautiful garden lit with moonlight and orange lamps illuminating them further. Instantly helpless tears fuelled with anger at my situation slid down my face. “Fucking coward.”

“I need to get out of here.” I muttered shakily, gripping the rails tightly before letting go. Mind made up, I stormed off, still blinded by tears.

Only to collide against a warm wall of muscle. Strong arms immediately snaked around my waist to steady my body, and the warm, smoky-sweet dark scent of leather and sandalwood teased my nose.

“Are you okay?” the deep raspy voice asked, chasing shivers down my spine.

I angrily wiped my wet face with the back of my hands then glared at the older man towering above me. “ Watch where you’re fucking going.” I hissed rudely.

The man stepped out of the shadows and into the soft golden lights with an arched brow. “Excuse me?”

My eyes widened briefly at the sight of Ethan’s father, Daniel Kane. But my earlier rage and the fact that he was Ethan’s father angered me further, pulling me away from his hold. “Are you deaf? You clearly bumped into me.”

A rough chuckle escaped Daniel as he slid his hands into the pockets of his dress pants, watching me with curious eyes. “Aria, is it? No wonder my son left you. With that unpleasant attitude, who wouldn’t?”

I smirked bitterly at Daniel’s cutting remark and took a step forward, matching my icy glaze for his aloof, yet curious ones. “Is that the best you can come up with? Really? And for your information, we broke up because your son is a fucking whore! The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree it seems.” I concluded with an icy glare.

Daniel threw his head back and laughed richly. “Well, he’s my son. I expect nothing less.”

For some reason, the angry flames licked my skin. I had to leave before I did something I’ll regret. Daniel Kane was… intense and intimidating, exuding a kind of power and aura that deeply unsettled me, despite my brave front.

“If you’re done laughing at my expense, get out of my way.” I said with a tight smile. I had barely taken a few steps away when a large warm hand grabbed my arm and pulled me back to face Daniel watching me with a soft smile.

“I admire your fiery spirit, Aria. It’s a shame truly.” He whispered, his gaze dropped briefly to my lips before meeting my gaze with challenge written in his eyes.

For once since my unpleasant encounter with the older man before me, I was shocked out of words. The unspoken tension between us and heat in his topaz blue eyes had me swallowing against my suddenly dry throat.

What the fuck do I say to that?

Acting on impulse, I snatched my arm free from his grip and stormed off, ignoring my pounding heart and clammy hands as I returned to the party. Ignoring the whispers and stares and Annette’s laughter I could here from a distance.

I was too preoccupied with getting my belongings not to notice the masked stranger dressed in black — which was weird; this wasn’t a masked party — standing next to me. “Can I help you?”

The masked figure smiled briefly. “Beware of Daniel… He’s not all he appears to be.”

Goosebumps erupted on my skin . “Then what is he?”

But the masked stranger vanished into the crowd faster than I could blink.

I frowned, annoyed and irritated. “What the hell…” The hairs at my nape stood at the sensations of being watched. I turned towards the direction of sensation to see Daniel Kane watching me with a light mocking smile, raising a glass of champagne in salute at me before mouthing:

“Until next time, little bird.”

“Fucking bastard.” I gritted out, taking my coat and purse from the staff before storming out of the ruined party and away from Daniel Kane.