3. MISTAKE

Aiden woke up with a headache, groaning at displeasure and the blurness before him, it took him some time to make sense of his surroundings and as he took in the condition of the room and his own, he remembered everything.

That's the thing, Aiden wasn't the type of person who'll forget what they did when they were drunk rather he was one of those who remembered everything clearly, so the whole night, all her moans and his own were coming to his mind one by one.

" Shit. It was a mistake. " He muttered before getting off his bed and going to the bathroom. In his hurry he failed to notice the flutter of the eyes of the girl beside him, and the tears that escaped them too.

Isabella got up as soon as he entered the bathroom, not thinking about his words, she tried to move out of them and pain shot through her legs as she stood, regaining her balance, she wore the clothes she had worn yesterday, forgoing the underwear due to it's shredded condition and after her ensuring she was coveted she went to her room.

The woman who came out after an hour wasn't the same who had left Aiden's room, this one had lost hope and just wanted to survive, the thought of living happily ever removed from her brain. She knew that Aiden would never love her and she also knew she couldn't love anyone else, so if this is her life, then she's gonna survive it the best she can.

𝘼𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣'𝙨 𝙋𝙊𝙑

She has been avoiding me, it's been a month since that night, a month of her avoiding me at every chance she gets. I want to talk to her, make her look at me, and she's not, she's been leaving the house more as if to stay away from me.

I've been going crazy, before she still initiated conversations between us, but now even when I'm the one who calls her she just ignores me. It's getting unbearable to see her like this.

She had always been like this, not talking much when I'm involved. She used to be so happy with Seth, both so in love that I could see it even from afar.

Even when we were younger, her features always hardened whenever I got near, the smiles she gave to Seth were never directed in my direction.

When grandpa announced our engagement, I hate to admit it but I was happy, she was finally going to be mine. She was grieving when we got married so I gave her time, not getting into her space that much just enough that she remembers I'm there if she needs me. But it never came, she still misses him, and I'm still faced with the same indifference as before.

It hurts, more than anything. Our anniversary just reminds me of my pathetic attempt at trying to make her mine when she will always be my brother's.

I wasn't sober that night but I knew she wanted it to, she never resisted but I never heard it from her, she never gave me a chance to talk to her about it. I don't even know where I stand between us.

Moreover I have to leave tonight, a subsidiary in Spain has some issues and it will take me at least a week to get it done.

Deciding to talk to her before leaving I got uo from my desk, just then a knock sounded and without waiting for my reply, the person entered. I wasn't expecting the person at the door, she wasn't on my list.

" Did you miss me? " She asked in her sultry voice, which I've always loathed, Sherley Mason. My Ex-girlfriend or more like a shield I used to hide the truth from my family.

Cheryl always had all my attention on her but with her being Seth's fiance, I knew I could never tell anyone. So to not arouse any suspicion I dated Shirley. A classmate I met during my college years.

" What are you doing here? "

" I missed you and moreover do I need a reason to visit my own boyfriend. " She reached over and tried to hug me but I stepped back as her steps faltered.

" I'm married Ms. Mason. And we broke up three years ago, you shouldn't be going around spouting nonsense in public. " I reminded her not so politely but she didn't seem to get the hint.

" We both know what kind of a marriage you are in. "

" What do you mean? "

" A little bit of digging darling, and anyone would know what kind of sham you're living in. You both have never been seen as much as holding hands in public, much less a kiss. Just that perfunctory hold on her waist, and baby I think we both know how territorial of a man you are. There's no way that if the marriage was real then you wouldn't be taking her with you everywhere you go. Afterall not everyone gets to marry their love even when they are engaged to their sibling. " She said in one go and only I knew how much self control it took me not throw her out. And that's the only courtesy she was receiving from me.

" Shut up. "

" Did the truth hurt? " The mocking smirk as if she got me, her words might've poked the right spots but I knew how not to give myself away.

" You're wrong. And I don't think you deserve anymore words from me. So just get lost. " Her expression changed now, the glee from before gone with shock on her face, as if she expected something else.

" Aiden. "

" Do you need me to call security? " She shut up, all my mood to go to Cheryl was ruined by her and I needed to rest from my trip. Our talk will have to wait a week, I placed my phone on the table and made my way to the built-in suite. Not bothering with her anymore, a buzz sounded, a notification but it's not like it'll be going anywhere. So I just went in to rest. A minute later she was out, from the sound of the door closing I assumed so and from what I knew of her, she's too arrogant to stay anymore.

I couldn't rest, even though I tried to close my eyes, and my mind needed rest my heart wasn't agreeing with it.

So I took out my laptop and opened her folder, and by her I mean just her.

I've noticed her for far longer than I'd like to admit. Even when she was fifteen, she had the charm of an enchantress. And as she grew up the charm only grew, she got more enthralling, more seductive as her body started to take shape but all that remained the same was her avoidance towards me.

It wasn't the same always, she started to grow distant just after I entered my college, at first I thought it was because I was home after a long time but as time passed I realised that it wasn't the distance between us that drifted us apart but rather she brought the distance between us.

She started to smile less, just at me, Seth still received the same amount of affection he did before, as for me I was the outsider between them.

And staying away wasn't that hard after she made no objection to her engagement with Seth, I knew the crush had to go. My sane self readily accepted that she wasn't mine now, but a part of me, a part that is insane for her, never really agreed with her decision. I wanted to blame her for accepting the proposal but for what? She did nothing wrong. She liked him, he liked her and they wanted to get married.

So I started to stay away, away from them, away from home, so that I wouldn't have to see them, see her with someone else, even if that someone was my brother.

There were pictures of her, smiling at the camera, her with Seth looking at him like he was her whole world and while looking at that hurt, I wanted to remember that expression so that if she shows it to me one day them I'll be able to recognize it.

I just hope that the day won't be too far away.