The Billionaire’s Scorned Bride

Ang gabi sa lungsod ay laging maingay, pero para kay Aria, the noise felt like a celebration. Magaan ang kaniyang mga hakbang habang tinatahak ang pamilyar na sidewalk patungo sa apartment na tatlong taon na nilang tinatawag na "home" ni Mark. She was carefully holding a paper bag with a thermal liner. Sa loob niyon ay ang mainit-init pang lasagna—ang dish na pinagpuyatan niyang iluto before going to her internship sa isang sikat na architecture firm. She also bought a bottle of expensive wine na tatlong buwan niyang pinag-ipunan mula sa kaniyang kakarampot na allowance.

Tonight was their third anniversary.

Three years. Para kay Aria, this number wasn't just about time; it was a symbol of loyalty. Mark was her home, her sanctuary ever since her mother passed away. Noong mga panahong lugmok siya sa pighati and the world turned its back on her, si Mark lang ang naniwala sa kaniya. She worked so hard as a working student para lang mabayaran ang tuition ni Mark during his final year in college. She believed that every drop of sweat was an investment for their future family. She was the architect of their plans, and Mark was the foundation. Or so she thought.

Pagdating sa tapat ng Unit 402, she slowly turned the key in the door. She didn't want to make any noise; she wanted to surprise him. Pero pagbukas ng pinto, she didn't smell the familiar scent of lavender na madalas niyang gamitin sa sala. Instead, the air felt heavy, filled with a strong and expensive floral perfume—isang amoy na she knew wasn't hers.

The living room was dark, tanging ang asul na anino mula sa bukas na TV ang nagbibigay ng kaunting liwanag. But it was enough for Aria to see traces of "someone else" sa sahig. A pair of red high heels that weren't hers. Isang black lace bra was shamelessly hanging sa sofa.

Aria frowned. Her style was simple and practical, very different from the provocative piece in front of her. A cold feeling started to crawl up her chest, starting from her fingers down to her heart.

Habang papalapit siya sa bedroom door, a sound broke the silence of the night. It wasn't a thief. It was a soft laugh. Isang ungol that sounded like a cruel melody to her ears.

“Oh, Mark... faster,” whispered a voice that tasted like poison to Aria.

She knew that voice very well. It was Chloe. Her step-sister na mula pagkabata ay walang ibang ginawa kundi agawin ang lahat ng atensyon ni Daddy and make Aria’s life a living hell.

Nanginig ang kamay ni Aria sa doorknob. In an instant, all her tiredness disappeared and was replaced by a pain she couldn't explain. She pushed the door open. The room was filled with the glow of dozens of lit candles, giving it a romantic atmosphere na para sana sa kaniya. But in the middle of the bed, she saw the truth that was more painful than death. Mark, the man she gave everything to, was on top of Chloe.

“A-Aria?” Mark suddenly sat up, his face turning pale as if he saw a ghost.

Chloe, however, didn't even look bothered. Walang bakas ng gulat o takot sa kaniyang mga mata. She calmly pulled the blanket to cover her naked body, while a mocking smile slowly formed on her lips.

“Happy anniversary, Aria,” Chloe said, her voice full of bitterness and triumph. “Sorry, we couldn't wait for you. Masyado ka kasing boring sa kama, according to Mark. And besides, you're too busy building buildings for other people while you forgot that your own relationship already has no foundation.”

Aria couldn't speak. Her whole body froze. The paper bag she was holding slowly slipped from her fingers. Crash. The bottle of expensive wine broke on the floor. Ang pulang likido spread quickly on the white tiles, looking like fresh blood from a wounded heart. The smell of lasagna and wine mixed with the scent of the candles—isang halo-halong amoy ng betrayal.

“Mark... why?” Aria whispered, her voice barely audible.

Mark stood up and quickly put on his shorts, no trace of regret in his eyes. Instead, he looked annoyed. “Aria, let’s be realistic. Three years na tayo pero nasaan ka pa rin? You're just an intern. Isang hamak na draftsman with no connections. I've been enduring you in this small apartment for three years.”

He walked over to Chloe and put his arm around her right in front of Aria. “Chloe is the daughter of the owner of Rivera Development. She can give me the life I want. She can make me a partner in their firm. What can you give me? Drawings? Dreams that will take ten years to achieve?”

“So, it's just about money?” Aria’s voice trembled, her tears starting to fall. “Lahat ng sakripisyo ko, Mark? I sent you to school! I was a working student, I stayed up late, I went hungry, just to help you with your tuition! I did your plates, I even did your thesis just so you could graduate!”

“Correction, Aria,” Chloe interrupted while fixing her hair, as if she was just watching a drama. “You were just a stepping stone. Isang hagdan para marating niya ang kinatatayuan niya ngayon. And now that we're done with you, you’re just a piece of trash. Oh, and by the way, don’t bother going to work tomorrow. You’re fired.”

“What?” Aria’s eyes widened. As if her broken heart wasn't enough, they were also killing her career.

“Don't you know? My Daddy already appointed me as the Head Architect of the internship program you're in. And you? You have no place in our company. I already sent the termination letter to HR five minutes ago,” Chloe laughed, a sound that felt like nails on Aria’s coffin. “You're too smart for your own good. And I don't want competition in the firm.”

Chloe walked towards Aria and roughly pushed her out of the room. “Get out of here. This apartment? It's under Mark’s name now—my Daddy paid for the remaining debt and bought the unit for us. You have no rights here. Kunin mo na ang mga basura mong gamit tomorrow, or I'll throw them in the trash.”

Before Aria could even answer, Mark pushed her out the door and quickly closed it. The sound of the lock felt like a final judgment. Aria was left in the hallway, wearing her messy uniform, holding nothing but her small bag and a pain in her chest that felt like it was stealing her breath. Everything felt too small and too dark.

But her nightmare wasn't over. Habang naglalakad siya palayo sa building, her phone suddenly vibrated. It was a call from her Dean in the university.

“Hello, Dean?” she answered, trying to stop her sobbing.

“Miss Rivera,” the Dean’s voice was serious and cold. “We received an anonymous report and strong evidence regarding your thesis design. A student filed a plagiarism case against you. She showed earlier drafts and digital timestamps of your exact design.”

“Dean, that's not true! I made that! I worked on that for three years!” Aria shouted in the empty street.

“We have to follow protocol, Miss Rivera. You are being summoned for a disciplinary hearing tomorrow at 8:00 AM. If proven guilty, you won't just be disqualified from graduation, you might be banned from taking the Architecture Board Exam for life.”

Aria dropped her phone. It hit the pavement, cracking the screen just like her life. In one night, she lost her home, her love, her job, and now—her future. Everything she worked for, everything she built from the ashes of her past, had finally collapsed.

Habang bumubuhos ang ulan, it felt like the sky was crying with her. Aria stood in the middle of the rain, soaked, and for the first time in her life, she felt the true meaning of the word "broken."

This night was not just the end of her suffering; it was the start of a hell she wasn't sure she could survive. But behind her eyes, in the middle of the pain, a small flame of anger started to burn. Isang galit that could either lead to her rise or her final destruction.