Chapter One

 

**Natasha’s POV**

Clubhouse 

Texas.

Friday, 15th April, 2022.

10:15PM.

“Another glass of vodka, please,”  I whispered to the bartender. My head was spinning, and the room seemed to split into two, making it hard to tell what was real.

I knew I shouldn’t be drinking because I can’t handle alcohol, but I didn’t care.

The bar was noisy with people enjoying themselves, but I was completely different. I didn't want to know what was going on because I hadn't come for fun but to forget my heartbreak.

I belched as I took the glass of vodka and gulped it down. I winced slightly as it burned it's way down my throat.

The memory of what I saw some minutes ago played itself again in my head.

************

The sun was shining so bright, almost as if it knew it was my special day. The air felt light, and the gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers from the garden near the hall. 

I stood in line with my classmates, my black graduation gown brushing against my legs, and my cap sitting a little awkwardly on my head. I kept touching it to make sure it wouldn’t fall off. My heart was beating fast, not from fear, but from the joy I could barely keep inside.

When they called my name, it was like the whole world went quiet for a second, and all I could hear was my own heartbeat. Then, the sound of clapping filled the air, and I felt a wave of warmth spread through me. 

I walked forward, my shoes clicking against the stage floor, my hands slightly shaking as I reached out to take my certificate. The dean smiled at me, and for some reason, that simple smile made me feel like I had achieved something truly great.

As I walked back to my seat, I looked around at the happy faces. Some people were crying, others laughing. Cameras flashed from every direction. The sound of cheers, laughter, and even a few whistles filled the hall. I could feel tears gathering in my eyes, not because I was sad, but because I was proud. Proud of the late nights, the early mornings, the days I wanted to give up but didn’t. This was the reward.

After the ceremony ended, I went and sat on a bench outside the hall, my graduation cap still in my hand. Everywhere was buzzing with excitement. Friends hugged each other tightly, some jumping up and down. I took photos with my classmates, and we threw our caps high into the air, our laughter mixing with the sound of the caps landing back on the ground. Someone handed me a bouquet of roses, and their sweet smell made me smile even wider.

Then my phone buzzed in my hand. It was a message from my boyfriend: Congratulations babe, I'm so proud of you. I smiled to myself, feeling a warm rush in my chest. 

He remembered. I had already booked a flight to his place because I wanted to surprise him. I could almost see his face in my mind, his smile, the way he would wrap his arms around me when he saw me standing at his door.

Without wasting time, I dialed my best friend’s number. She picked up on the first ring. “Congratulations darling on your graduation, I wish I was there to celebrate with you.”

“It’s fine,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady even though I was grinning. “I’m coming back today.”

“Today?!” she gasped. “You didn’t tell me you booked your flight already.”

“I wanted it to be a surprise,” I said, lowering my voice like we were sharing a secret. “Please, don’t tell Lucho that I’m coming.”

She laughed. “Alright, I won’t. But you’re so bad for keeping this from him.”

“That’s the point,” I said, smiling wider. “I want to see his face when I walk in.”

“Okay, okay. I'm right here waiting for you, come back let's celebrate.”

“Alright dear, we will see later.”

I hung up, still holding my phone close to my chest. The thought of seeing him again filled me with a bubbly kind of excitement.

A few hours later, I was at the airport, pulling my small suitcase along. The air inside smelled faintly of coffee and perfume. My flight to Texas was called, and I boarded with my heart racing.

As the plane took off, I looked out the window, watching New York shrink beneath me. I imagined his arms around me, his surprised smile… completely unaware that something much darker was waiting for me.

Our plane landed and I took a taxi and headed to my friend's place. I had already told her that I was coming. I dropped my bag so I could go to his place light-handed. We chatted for a bit, and I told her about how beautiful the ceremony had been, how proud I felt, and how I couldn’t wait to see him. 

I changed into something more sexy and classy and left, my heels clicking on the pavement. My cheeks were still warm from all the smiling. My heart felt full.

I didn’t know that, in just a few minutes, that full heart would feel like it had been shattered into pieces.

I took another taxi and gave the driver direction of where I was going to. I arrived at his apartment at exactly 9:20pm. The air was soft and cool. I kept smiling to myself, replaying the ceremony in my head and imagining the look on his face when he saw me at his door. I gently opened the door and walked in secretly.

I was tired but at the same time happy to see him after months apart. I really wanted to throw myself into his embrace. 

I walked to his bedroom expecting to see his cute sleeping face because it was already late. I didn’t bother knocking loudly; I wanted it to be a quiet surprise.

The first thing I heard was the faint sound of music playing inside. It was soft, slow and romantic. My smile widened. I thought maybe he had planned something for me, but on a second thought, I remembered that I didn't tell him that I was coming and I told Ashley not to tell him also because it was a surprise and I know that she won't tell him. I trust her so much.

But then as I got closer. I heard another sound.

“Oh….fuck me…harder….oh…faster  baby….yeah…good….oh yeah……harder baby.” I didn't want to believe my ears but I was eager to know what was going on.

So, I turned the handle slowly. It wasn’t locked, I opened it gently and quietly but not completely. My feet felt heavy, but I pushed the door open and forced myself to take a step inside.

What appeared shocked me. Clothes were scattered all over the floor and the disgusting smell of alcohol in the air caused me to cover my mouth. 

I froze as I saw my boyfriend naked and his pants down to his ankle. The lady was bent over, she held the bed with one hand for support and her other hand was touching her ankle while her ass was raised in the air. He was busy pushing his dick in and out of her pussy fast and hard.

His eyes looked strange—half-closed, glassy—and there was a faint flush on his cheeks, like he wasn’t fully in control of himself. He was so lost and she was moaning in delight that they didn't see or hear me come in. But in that moment, I didn’t think about it. All I saw was betrayal.

For a moment, my mind refused to believe what my eyes were seeing. My body went cold, and my ears rang so loudly I could barely hear the music anymore. The bag slipped from my hand, falling to the floor with a soft thud. Both of them turned to look at me, their faces filled with shock. 

“Baby……” he started, but I didn’t wait to hear the rest. My chest felt tight, and my eyes burned with tears I didn’t want to let fall. I picked up my bag, turned and ran out as fast as possible, my heels clicking too loudly against the floor, each step heavier than the last.

By the time I reached the street, my vision was blurry. The night air felt sharp against my skin. I didn’t know where I was going, but my feet carried me, one step after another, until I found myself standing outside the clubhouse.

I didn’t care about anything anymore. I just walked inside.

*************

The club was loud, the kind of loud that made your chest vibrate with the beat of the music. Flashing lights danced over the crowd, turning faces into quick blurs of color. I pushed my way past people laughing, shouting, and swaying to the music until I reached the bar.

The smell of alcohol mixed with perfume and sweat. I climbed onto one of the stools, my legs feeling heavier than they should. My hands trembled slightly as I placed them on the counter.

“One glass of vodka, please,” I said to the bartender. My voice sounded distant, like it didn’t even belong to me. 

The bartender gave me a look, the kind people give when they’re not sure if you’ve had too much already. But he poured the drink anyway, sliding the glass toward me. The clear liquid caught the light, and for a second, I just stared at it.

I wrapped my fingers around the glass and took a deep swallow. The burn spread down my throat and into my chest, but it didn’t hurt as much as the picture still stuck in my mind—my boyfriend with another woman, his eyes half-closed like she was the only thing that mattered.

I told myself I was already half-drunk, and I knew I shouldn’t be drinking more because alcohol never sat well with me. But I didn’t care. Tonight, I didn’t care about anythig.

A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I set the glass back down on the counter. “You know,” I said to no one in particular, “a few hours ago I was the happiest girl in the world. I thought my day couldn’t get any better. I thought…” My voice broke, and I swallowed hard before continuing. “I thought I was going to surprise the man I love.”

The bartender glanced at me but said nothing, busying himself with cleaning a glass. I wasn’t even sure why I was talking—maybe to him, maybe to myself, maybe to the buzzing air around me.

“But when I opened his door…” I let out a shaky breath and reached for the glass again. “He was already busy. With someone else.”

I drained the rest of the vodka in one gulp. The burn was sharper this time, but I welcomed it. It was better than feeling the ache in my chest.