Chapter Two

Two hours passed before there was a knock at Aria's door. She wiped her tears, slowly walking over to open it. Standing on the other side was Natalie, wearing a smirk and holding a plate of food.

“I was ready to break you two up, but it looks like I don't have to do anything. Nicolas already hates you and is done with your bullshit,” Natalie sneered, her voice dripping with malice. Aria stared at her, bewildered, still struggling to understand the situation.

“You know what just happened downstairs?” Natalie asked with a cruel laugh. “Nicolas specifically asked not to call you for dinner because he couldn’t stand the thought of eating with you.” She laughed, the sound chilling as it echoed in Aria’s ears.

Frustrated and heartbroken, Aria’s voice rose. “Why do you have to be so cruel? I’ve never done anything to you!”

Natalie’s eyes narrowed with cold fury. “You being born was the worst mistake. You should never have come into our lives, and worse, you stole something that was mine from the beginning. You took Nicolas away from me, and I’ll never forgive you for that.”

The hatred in Natalie’s voice hit Aria like a slap, leaving her stunned. How could someone hate her so much just for being born? It wasn’t as though she had pursued Nicolas—he had been the one to chase after her. After his relentless pursuit, she had agreed to go on a date, and soon realized he was the best man she had ever met. But what she hadn’t known was the price she’d pay for falling in love with him.

Suddenly, Natalie flung the plate to the ground and collapsed, clutching her cheek. Aria stood frozen in confusion, watching as Natalie conjured tears, staring at her accusingly.

“Why do you have to be so cruel to me?” Natalie sobbed, her voice trembling as if in genuine pain. “I came here to apologize for what happened downstairs. I even brought you food since you didn’t eat dinner, and you slapped me!” she cried theatrically.

“What are you talking about? I never—” Aria started, but a voice from the hallway cut her off.

“I thought you were kind and innocent, but I didn’t know you were this evil,” Nicolas’s voice rang out, filled with disgust. Aria whirled around to see him standing there, his face twisted in anger. He rushed over to Natalie, helping her to her feet, while Aria stood there, completely blindsided.

“Nico, no! I didn’t do anything to her!” Aria pleaded desperately, trying to explain. But Rachel strode up and slapped her hard across the face. Aria stumbled back, holding her cheek, stunned by the blow. Nicolas, meanwhile, was entirely focused on comforting Natalie, ignoring the confrontation.

“How dare you hit my child!” Rachel shouted. “After everything we’ve done for you, this is how you repay us?”

Aria’s heart ached as she looked at Nicolas, her voice barely a whisper. “Nico...”

Rachel’s cold voice snapped her back. “Go to your room and don’t come out until I tell you to,” she ordered, grabbing Aria’s arm and forcefully pushing her back into the room. The door slammed shut, and the lock clicked from the outside.

“Please, Nico! Please listen to me!” Aria sobbed, pounding on the door. “I didn’t do anything! Please, trust me!”

But all she heard was the fading sound of footsteps as they walked away. Sinking to the floor, Aria’s heart broke into pieces. Nicolas, the man she loved, the one person she thought would stand by her no matter what, had turned his back on her.

Time passed in a blur of despair until finally, the door creaked open. Nicolas stood there, his expression hard and cold.

“Nico, thank God,” Aria said, her voice trembling with relief. She stood up, hoping to reach out to him. “What’s happening? Why are you behaving like this?”

But when she moved closer, Nicolas stepped back, his body rigid and unapproachable. Aria froze, her heart sinking. He had never pulled away from her like this before.

“I want to break up with you,” Nicolas said, his voice devoid of any warmth. The words cut through the air like a knife.

“What?! Are you serious? Why would you say something like that, Nicolas?” Aria cried, her voice breaking. She could hardly believe what she was hearing.

Nicolas’s eyes burned with anger. “Why? Because you’re a cheating, lying bitch. You’ve been betraying me since the beginning.”

“Cheating? Lying? What are you talking about?” Aria exclaimed, panic rising in her chest.

“Don’t act innocent now,” Nicolas sneered. “I know what kind of person you are. I loved you, and what did you give me in return? Lies. Deception. Sleeping with multiple men behind my back.”

“Nico, no! I would never do that to you. I love you! Who told you these lies?” Aria pleaded, her voice desperate.

“Lies?!” He pulled out a stack of photographs from his suit pocket and threw them at her feet. Aria bent down and picked up the pictures, her heart freezing in her chest. They showed a woman—someone who looked just like her—intimately close with several men.

“What are these? This isn’t me! Nico, please, you know I wouldn’t do this!” Aria’s voice shook as she tried to make him see reason.

“Shut the fuck up!” Nicolas’s voice was so harsh that she flinched. “Do you think I’m stupid? I had them checked, and they’re real. Every last one.”

Tears streamed down Aria’s face as she looked up at him. “Nico, they’re fake. I swear to you.”

He shook his head, his eyes filled with bitterness. “I’m done with your lies. I told you I didn’t like how close you were to Jackson, but you insisted he was just a friend. A brother.” He spat the word with disdain. “Is this what brothers and sisters do nowadays?” He showed her a photograph of her and Jackson.

“Nico, please, this isn’t true! We’ve never done anything! I love you!” Aria pleaded.

Nicolas’s face twisted in fury as he grabbed her roughly by the face. “Say those words again, and I swear I’ll kill you.”

Aria’s heart shattered completely. This wasn’t the man she knew. The man she loved had turned into a stranger, filled with hatred for her.

“Nico... you’re hurting me,” she whimpered between sobs, desperate to make him understand.

“It's Nicolas,” he snapped. “You lost the right to call me that the moment you let another man touch you.”

Aria stood there, shattered and helpless, watching as the love of her life, the man she thought would always protect her, walked away, leaving her broken.