Chapter Two

Lenora 

I stopped the car, turning to the house I’d reached. Stepping out to her doorway, my heart was heavy, only left with a sole lingering hope.

It felt like an eternity had passed after I left what was once my home, Liam ’s scathing words and Amy’s laughter replaying in my head throughout.

 The people I loved had betrayed me and she was the only one I had left.

“Lenora?” Reese asked, looking surprised and confused after she opened the door for me.

 “What are you doing here? Did something happen?”

In the face of her concern and questions,  I reached my breaking point. My knees couldn’t hold me up anymore and I collapsed as the sobs I had been holding back for so long broke me. Her arms wrapped around me.

“Lenora?” she asked, her voice even more alarmed but I couldn't speak.

Without a word I was led into her room.

After my tears had waned I told her everything, from finding them cheating to. Reese’s face went from pale to red instantly.

“That shameless bastard, both of them. And Amy, how could she do this to you?” she cried out angrily, holding me in comfort.

I closed my eyes against her embrace. Inside I was thinking the same thing.

How could he do this to me? When did things change between us? When did he start to see me and treat me so lowly?

Perhaps he had always been like this. I had simply been blind to it this entire time. 

“It doesn't matter,” I said brokenly. Reese separated from me, 

…

After spending the night in her place, she followed me the next morning to the apartment. It was thankfully empty  as we packed the remnants on my things from his apartment. 

On leaving, she offered that we go to the nearby mall cafe to clear our heads. Reese had gone to collect our orders, whispering words of assurances before she left me alone on the outside table.

When I spotted them.

Liam  was walking beside Amy, his hand on her waist publicly. There was a person holding bags behind them, as if they'd gone shopping.

I tensed when they noticed me. In a flash there were matching smirks on their faces as they moved towards me.

“Well look who the cat dragged in babe, it's my dear fiance. Sorry, ex-fiance,” he said loudly while Amy giggled beside him.

Somehow seeing him now with her the heartache was gone, replaced with irritation.

“What are you two doing?” I asked carefully,

“Our engagement is just as well over, so now we're free to go public.” Amy said,

That wasn't the reason why they approached me. No, they were trying to humiliate me.

I was about to speak when a voice shouted loudly,

“What the hell?”

I turned in time to find Reese moving towards us, our drink orders with her and righteous anger as she looked at Amy.

“You bastards should be ashamed of yourself. And you, Amy, what's wrong with you? I never thought you of all people would be a homewrecker.” Reese spat out, 

“Please, spare me your sob story.” Amy rolled her eyes. 

“Now I don't have to pretend to be friends with either of you. You low class bitches aren't worth my time.” Her words elicited a gasp from Reese but I could only look at her in shock.

Between yesterday and now she had changed drastically. I couldn't even recognize the person that was once my friend. 

“You, bitch.” I heard Reese growl beside me, filling me with alarm.

I could tell by the look on Reese's face when she was about to lose it and do something drastic- like pouring the coffee cup onto Amy. Standing up out, I held her arm to calm her down, not wanting to cause a scene more than necessary.

Although considering the attention surrounding us, it was already too late for that.

“Do you have no shame?” I spat out, trying to ignore the stares surrounding us..

In this city, the Hamptons were one of the wealthy influential people. The beginning of the engagement itself was already a fanfare that I tried to hide away from, so there was no doubt in me that news of this would spread just as quickly.

Liam  simply smirked proudly in response. 

“I don't need to be ashamed of being with a woman of my status. That's all you. Have fun telling my family about the wedding being cancelled. We have places to be.” 

With that, both of them left while we remained subject to everyone's stares. A mix of shame  and humiliation filled me as u turned away. Reese left the cafe with me. 

As we reached the car I stopped, Liam 's words a bitter reminder.

“Reese, can you take my things back? I need to go somewhere.” I said, earning a look of confusion from her.

“Where are you going?” she asked, looking confused. I sucked in a breath.

“To the Hamptons mansion.”

To meet my now ex-fiance's family and officially call off the wedding.

Liam 's words enraged me. Despite him being the main culprit, I was the one he was holding responsible to tell them? Yet after much thought it was for the best that things were like this. It was like ripping off a bandaid. 

I had suffered enough humiliation from Liam  already. The faster I told the family, the faster I could leave and get my life back together.

 Reese left me reluctantly, driving off while I took a taxi to my destination. Immediately I reached Liam 's family home, I silently braced myself for what would come next.

Despite their qualms about me in the beginning, they had supported our relationship- even though it seemed more for Liam 's sake. When we had officially gotten engaged, they had made every effort to plan said wedding.

To cancel the wedding so close to the event was already bad enough, considering all the press, publicity and fanfare it got thanks to them.

But surely they would understand when I told them the reason why, right?

The moment I stepped in, I was met with multiple stares.

Janine, Liam's cousin, was the first to respond, rolling her eyes.

“Look who dragged herself in.”

“Lenora, what are those clothes you're wearing? Aren't you aware of our reputation? Imagine if someone sees you like this,” my future mother in law stood up. Looking over me with something akin to distaste.

“Anyways. Where's my son? Didn't you-”

“The wedding is off.” I announced, cutting every other thing off. The entire family fell silent instantly looking at me like I had grown two heads. I tried to not fidget under the attention as I continued.

“Liam  has been cheating on me. I found out last night so I broke off the wedding. I'm sorry for all this, but I can't marry him.” I said.

At first there was silence. I shifted my gaze to the ground with nerves and anxiety when I heard my mother-in-law’s voice.

“Is that all?”

What?

I couldn't believe my ears. I shot up instantly to find my father in law on his feet towards me. His face didn't have any ounce of shock.

Now that I thought about it, looking here was no ounce of shock on any of their faces. Even my mother in law didn't look angry or enraged, instead her gaze was focused on me.

They instead looked simply disgruntled like I had given them an inconvenience.

There was no time to think as I was faced with my mother in law close to me.

Smack!