LOGINA R I A N A
I left the restaurant alone, my heart heavy as I thought of a thousand reasons why Angelo didn’t make it and why he lied to me. I called him twelve times. No answer. What could possibly be the reason behind his absence, i had so much planned out for us today, and he messed it up. I took a cab home, my stomach in knots. The baby, our baby was still a secret, I had been so excited to tell him. Now, I just felt sick. I dragged myself out of the cab my muscles weak, excitement now turned to hurt, anger and hint of worry. The apartment was dark when I walked in and quiet, too quiet. Then I saw it. A piece of clothing on the floor. A lacy black bra. Not mine. My heart stopped. I didn’t wear black lace, I never had. My hands shook as I bent down to pick it up. The fabric was soft, expensive. Familiar Bella’s, I remeber buying her the set for her birthday, but what could it possibly be doing here? My stomach twisted. No. No, no, no. I dropped the bra like it burned me my chest was so tight I could barely breathe it couldn’t be what I was thinking, it can’t be… Angelo would never do this to me maybe he was trying to play a prank on me. Then, A sound. A moan. From our bedroom. My legs moved before my mind could catch up. Each step felt like walking through mud. My pulse roared in my ears. The door was slightly open. The sounds were louder now. Gasps, grunt even the bed creaking. I pushed the door open. And then, I saw them. Angelo was naked on top of Bella. Her legs wrapped around him, his nails digging into his back, his lips all over her neck. “Fuck! That’s right baby… you like that?” Angela moaned thrusting into her harder and faster. “Yes! I’m cumming..” She screamed. “Come for me baby..” My world shattered. Everything stopped. The air left my lungs, my knees buckled. I gripped the doorframe to keep from falling. They didn’t even notice me. They were too lost in each other. Angele groaning Bella’s name as he took her harder on our matrimonial bed… It felt like a nightmare. It didn’t make any sense to me, I prayed that this was only just a bad dream one which I’d wake up and brush off. Angelo loves me, he’d never cheat on me with anyone not my best friend, Bella is more than just a friend but a sister, she would never hook up with my husband… it wasn’t possible. But if only wishes were horses. And that’s when I broke. A sob ripped from my throat. They froze. Angelo’s head snapped up. His eyes wide with panic locked onto mine. "Ariana—" Bella scrambled off the bed, grabbing the sheets to cover herself. "Oh my God." I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t move, if I did I would crumble to the ground. All I could do was stand there, my heart in pieces at my feet. Angelo jumped up, pulling on his pants. "Ariana, it’s not what it looks like—" I laughed, A broken, hollow sound. Not what it looks like? He was inside my best friend, in our bed. On our ANNIVERSARY!!! I turned and ran. "Ariana, wait!" I didn’t stop I couldn’t stop every piece of my heart was broken. I barely made it to the bathroom before I fell to my knees and vomited tears streamed down my face, my body shaking. I was pregnant. And my husband was a cheater. And my best friend was a traitor. I didn’t know which hurt more. All I knew was My life was over. I spent almost an hour in the bathroom before deciding to walk out and pack… I was leaving. If only I had listened to my parents, then maybe I wasn’t going to get my heartbroken by a fucking cheat. A man who I’ve gave up everything for, and returned I got my heart shattered. Bella? It didn’t even make sense that it was my best friend.. how could she do this to me? As I walked out of the bathroom I met Angelo pacing back and forth. “Aria…” “Don’t!” I warned stopping him from touching me, he had lost that right. “Just listen to me” he says but I ignored him heading for my box. I got it and zipped it open. As I gathered my clothes piling them in the box, tears streaming down my eyes, I felt pathetic. He caught my wrist “Just stop and listen to me!” He roared making my heart drop. He has never used that tune on me, it gave me a fright. “What do you want me to hear? You fucking cheated on my with my best friend on our wedding anniversary? How could you Angelo? I trusted you, I loved and cared for you, I did everything for you? And what did I get in return?” I spat in disgust. “Everything for me? What did you Ariana? Huh? Cause the last time I checked you’re leaching off of me… what have you ever brought to the table, huh? What is it?” He mocked. I stared at him in shock, what was wrong with Angelo, my Angelo would never say things like this to me, it was almost like he was a new person, a different person. “I’ll tel you what? Nothing! Absolutely nothing. I’ve been with you for years and I’ve only wanted a child but your damaged womb can’t even give me that!” He insults. His words sliced through my heart like an arrow. My lips trembled as I stared at him in disbelief. “Angelo…”A R I A N A"Sit. I'll get you some water. Or tea? Something stronger?""Water please " I whispered my throat was raw from crying.As promised marcus picked me up and brought me to his place. He came back with a glass and sat in the chair opposite me, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees. "Now start from the beginning. Tell me everything."I did, I told him about Melissa arriving. The argument in the garden, how Dante took her side. The crushing loneliness. Then, Angelo revealing the truth that Melissa was Dante's ex-wife, that Leo was his son. "I went to Angelo's I was desperate… I had no where to go after the incident in Dante’s office. I thought I could stay there for the night before o figure things out and he could maybe help." I took a gulp of water. "But he wasn't alone in his house, she was there, Melissa."Marcus's eyes widened. "At Angelo's?""Yes and I heard them talking. I heard everything." I repeated their conversation word for word as I remembered it the plan and
A R I A N AMy legs moved on their own one step back then another as I tried to log me breath so they don’t hear me.I had come to Angelo’s apartment to seek comfort just like I did the other time when we had a fight.After what happened in the office, I didn’t have anywhere to go soI came here. Seeing them both together made my heart crunch in pain, it made my blood went cold. It couldn’t be.Angelo’s voice was smooth and approving.This was all part of their plan… how stupid could I be?“I told you I could handle him. Dante and I… we have a history.”Melissa’s voice.I had listened to every single word. The plan. The lies. The manipulation. The divorce papersa “masterstroke.” The children—a cruelty she decided on because she didn’t care. She wanted Dante miserable. I stumbled back and back into my hip hit a small side table a vase wobbled but I was quick to grab it, my fingers fumbling, and it settled with a soft clink.Had they heard?Panic, pure and electric, shot through
M E L I S S AI smiled as the door clicked open, I didn’t bother to turn I knew who it was, Angelo came up behind meHe looked… pleased. He set his hands on my shoulders.“You did a great job,” he said his voice a low hum in the quiet room. “Truly. I have to admit, I didn’t think you could make it all seem so… possible in a very short time.”I allowed myself a small tight smile in the reflection. “I told you I could handle him. Dante and I… we have a history and you know that… I know him better than anyone. I know what makes him feel guilty. What makes him panic. What makes him shut down.” I turned around to face him leaning back against the cool window. “I know every single one of his buttons All I had to do was push them in the right order.”Angelo’s eyes were bright admiring as he reached out and took the wine glass from my hand, taking a sip himself. “The divorce papers were a masterstroke. Handing them to her like that so cold and clinical. I almost believed it myself watching.”
A R I A N AFor a long time I just stared at him as I struggle to digest the words nothing making sense to me.Ex-wife. Son. His. I took a step back my back hitting the hard edge of my desk. The pain was sharp real. It grounded me in this nightmare.“No,” I whispered. Then louder. “No!”I looked right at Dante. “All this time,” I said my voice shaking. “All this distance. The coldness. You not looking at me not touching me.” I could feel my face getting hot the tears drying up replaced by so much rage and pain “No wonder It all makes sense now! No wonder you don’t give me the attention I want or spend all your time with her It’s because of her isn’t it? Your ex-wife!”I said the word like it was poison. Dante flinched.“It’s because you want her back!” I yelled the truth of it felt like a knife twisting. “That’s it right? You brought her here your secret family because you want her back! Was our whole marriage just a lie? Was I just some… some placeholder until she showed up again
A R I A N AI sat in my office unable to concentrate on my work, I’ve been trying to get the paper works sorted but nothing is moving.For days it had been like this a cold heavy silence, it was like I was losing myself day by by day.Dante had been so distant. He moved through the house like a ghost, h didn’t look at me.Not really. When he did his eyes were sad and tired but also closed off like he deserted me.. like he was regretting something.Maybe bringing me back.And Melissa… he was always with her, chit chatting. Laughing at silly jokes she made and then sometimes talking in low voices in the hallway. It was breaking my heart into tiny sharp pieces. He wasn’t just being kind anymore It felt like something else, something that left me out in the cold.He was off with the kids too. Short-tempered. Distracted. He barely spends time with them like he use to.Isabella asked him to read a story last night, and he just patted her head and walked away like he wasn’t the same p
D A N T E I watched Ariana run into the house her sobs tearing at something deep inside me hating myself even more than I already do. But Ariana shouldn’t have said those mean things to Melissa, it actually surprises me that she said those things… it’s that part of her that I’ve never seen before. “Oh Dante,” Melissa’s voice was a shaky fake whisper beside me as she clutched my arm her fingers digging in. “I’m so sorry…I didn’t mean to cause any trouble I just wanted to be her friend.” Melissa was faking whatever it was… and I wasn’t liking it. “Let’s go inside Melissa,” I said, my voice tired. I pulled my arm from her grip. “We need to talk.” I didn’t wait for her answer I just turned and walked towards the house my steps heavy. I heard her quick light footsteps following me we went upstairs forcing me myself to keep walking to the guest room and not run to Ariana and offer her comfort. I held the door open for Melissa and she walked in and the moment I closed t







