CHAPTER FOUR

ANYA

As I hurriedly made my way through the dimly lit streets, my heart pounded in my chest. Every step took me closer to the one place where I knew I would find solace—Zoya's house. She had been my confidante, my rock, and my pillar of support for the past five years. Together, we had weathered storms and shared countless secrets, forming an unbreakable bond that transcended the facade of our lives.

Zoya's home was a sanctuary, a place where I could momentarily escape the suffocating grip of my uncle and aunt's influence. I knew she would welcome me with open arms and provide the comfort and understanding that I desperately craved in this moment of chaos.

As I stood frozen in the doorway, my heart sank and a wave of disbelief crashed over me. The sight before me felt like a cruel joke, shattering the trust I had placed in both Zoya and Alek, my boyfriend of two years. The room seemed to spin as I struggled to process the scene unfolding before my eyes.

Zoya's voice trembled as she stammered, attempting to find an explanation. "Anya... I... It's not what it looks like."

My voice caught in my throat, anger and hurt mingling within me. "I caught both of you in bed and it is not what it looks like? Are you kidding me, Zoya? How could you? And you, Alek? How could you betray me like this?"

Alek's face contorted with guilt and regret. "Anya, I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. It was a mistake, a moment of weakness."

I felt a searing pain in my chest as the reality of the situation sank in. The two people I trusted the most had deceived me, using my absence as an opportunity to betray my love and friendship. It was a betrayal that cut deeper than anything I had experienced before.

Rage surged within me, overpowering the pain. "You think sorry is going to fix this? After everything I've been through, this is how you repay me? I thought you were my friend, Zoya. And you, Alek... I trusted you with my heart."

My heart pounded in my chest as I confronted my best friend, Zoya, and the man I once believed loved me, Alek. I couldn't ignore the pain etched across my face, a physical reminder of the betrayal I have just discovered. My voice trembled with a mix of anger and hurt as I spoke.

"Anya, what happened to your face?" Zoya asked, her voice laced with worry, though her eyes held a deep sense of betrayal.

"Let's not talk about my face. I can't believe you guys would hurt me like this. You're supposed to be my best friend," Fury roared through my mind, threatening to consume me.

Zoya's voice cracked as she pleaded, "I am sorry, Anya."

I let out a bitter chuckle, my pain and anger mixing together. "Like that is going to help. I can't believe you, Alek. You said you loved me, so how could you do this to me, with my best friend of all people?"

Alek, unable to meet my gaze, lowered his head. Guilt hung heavy in the air as silence filled the room. I turned my attention to Zoya, searching for answers.

"Zoya, Alek," I said, my voice wavering, "I want both of you to be honest with me. How long has this been going on?"

I locked eyes with Alek, silently pleading for the truth. His hesitance only fuelled my anguish. I then turned to Zoya, hoping to find even a shred of remorse in my friend's face.

"Anya, just know I did not mean for any of this to happen. It just happened," Zoya said, her voice filled with regret.

My heart sank further, my emotions teetering between anger, sadness, and a profound sense of betrayal. The weight of the deception consumed me, threatening to crush the trust I had once placed in these two people I held dear.

"Alek? Zoya?" My voice was tinged with desperation as I pleaded for the truth, needing to know the extent of their deceit.

Their silence spoke volumes, confirming my worst fears. The pain cut deep, as if a knife had pierced my soul. The realization of their betrayal tore at the very fabric of my being, leaving me shattered and questioning everything I thought I knew.

I took a step back, my eyes welling up with tears. The room felt suffocating as the weight of their actions pressed upon me. I knew I couldn't stay here, not in the presence of the two people who had shattered my trust so profoundly.

Zoya approached me with outstretched hands, a desperate attempt to bridge the growing chasm between us. But I couldn't bear the thought of her touch, the touch of a betrayer.

"Don't touch me, you betrayer!" I yelled, my voice trembling with anger and hurt.

Her voice cracked as she whispered, "I am sorry, Anya."

I scoffed, my rage intensifying. "I'm sick and tired of you telling me sorry when we both know you don't mean it!"

Alek, stepped forward, trying to calm the storm within me. But his presence only fuelled my fury.

"How was it?" I seethed, my eyes blazing with a mix of pain and indignation. "Did you enjoy toying with me? You claimed to be my best friend, and you," I pointed at Alek, "my boyfriend. Did you both relish playing with my heart? You betrayed me, both of you. You knew what I was going through. You promised to always be there for me, so how could you hurt me like this?" The words spilled out of me, fuelled by the raw anguish in my soul.

Their blank stares only deepened my wounds. It felt as if their betrayal had ripped my heart to shreds, leaving me vulnerable and utterly alone. The pain was unbearable, and I couldn't comprehend how the people I had trusted so deeply could inflict such wounds upon me.

I cried out, my voice breaking with a mixture of anger and despair. "It hurts so much. The betrayal and the lies hurt so much. I trusted you both with my heart. You were my second family, and now I've been deserted. I'm all alone in this harsh world. I have no one to run to anymore."

Bitterness surged within me, directed at the universe that had allowed this cruel twist of fate to unfold. The universe had taken my trust, shattered it, and left me to pick up the shattered fragments alone.

"Anya, please," Alek pleaded, desperation etched across his face.

"For how long?" I cried, my voice laced with disbelief and anguish. "I don't even know how long your lies and deception went on. You both pretended right in front of me. You must be feeling so triumphant right now. How could you be so heartless?"

As tears streamed down my face, I realized that the pain of their betrayal ran deeper than any physical wound. It cut to the core of my being, leaving scars that would take a lifetime to heal.

With a final, desolate gaze at the two people who had torn my world apart, I turned my back on them, and walked away.

I continued walking, my surroundings blurring into a haze as my mind spiralled with the weight of betrayal. How could I have been so blind? How could I have trusted them, only to be left shattered and broken?

Betrayal happens after trust. That much I knew. But what hurt the most was realizing that it wasn't my enemies who had betrayed me—it was those I held closest to my heart. The ones I trusted implicitly.

A bitter taste settled in my mouth as I reflected on the signs that I had chosen to ignore. They had always been together, like an inseparable pair. Whenever I visited one of them, the other was there, their presence undeniable. They spoke of each other incessantly, their words carrying a familiarity that I had mistaken for mere friendship. But deep down, I knew. I had known all along.

What did I expect? No one had ever stayed close to me for long. They either abandoned me or inflicted the deepest wounds upon my soul. It seemed that betrayal was a constant companion in my life, a cruel reminder of the pain that comes from letting others in.

The realization struck me with a wave of desolation. That familiar ache of abandonment clawed at my heart once again. The pain of betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound, leaving scars that would forever remind me of my vulnerability.