Fading facades: love beyond the deal Novels & Stories

I had grown accustomed to it, a routine that I despised. I clutch the piece of paper, scanning my eyes over the words I had just written. A touch to her shoulder Fingers lacing between her own A night to remember Never leaving home alone A flip of her heart as he smile She took in a sharp breath Oh how she wished they could stay like this for a while He drew her closer Filling her with warmth Her head lay upon his shoulder She let out a sigh, knowing forever They would be together I snorted, mocking my very own words. Love was just a facade. There is no such thing as having love forever. I placed the paper down on the desk when I heard the sound of an engine dying. I rose from the chair and

Alicia is way up there and Alina is way down there. “I don’t love Alina and I don’t love Alicia either. I am not capable of love.” I know I never trust anyone and all that bullshit but at this moment, I know he is not bullshitting me. And he really did think he doesn’t know how to love. “Did you really think that I am capable of love? Has my calm and nice facade deceived you that much?” I looked at him surprised. It is all a facade? All the chick flicks and all the joining of F******k and the friendship speech he gave me this morning is all a lie? This is the part where I should throw him out of my pack for deceiving me but I kept my cool.

Love. END

I obeyed, my heart racing. He bent his head forward and stared at me. "I won't waste your time. I have a proposal for you." My brows furrowed. "A proposal?" “A marriage contract, " he said, like it was the most usual thing in the world. "One year. After that, it ends." I stared at him, stunned. "You can't be serious." "I'm very serious." His gaze didn't falter. "This agreement will be mutually useful." I shook my head. "I can't agree to that, I barely even know you."

I hoped to leave our story with the last bit of grace. However, he did not even give me that chance, so I did not want that dignity anymore. Besides, what dignity was there in a relationship already broken beyond repair, soaked in betrayal and lies? It was just my own self-deception. Zach stared at me, desperately searching my eyes for even the slightest emotion. Yet there was nothing left there he recognized. There was no love, no anger, no sadness, not even hatred. His hand dropped abruptly. The ring fell to the ground, and he did not even notice.

Stained. This isn’t love. This is possession.

"You call this stalking redemption? I don't need your guilt-driven babysitting. You owed me loyalty. You owed me faith. Not this... this obsessive shadowing!" His chin dropped to his chest. "...I'm sorry." Bella inhaled sharply, forcing the lump in her throat down. "Stop trespassing in my life. Just... disappear." She spun on her heel before he could see her eyes glisten. Damian remained rooted, arms limp at his sides. Tears blurred his vision as his nails bit into his palms. "Then tell me," he whispered to the empty space she'd occupied, "how do I stop loving you?"

It wasn't until he picked that recording pen up… With a slight push of the button, the sounds of him and Beth making love resounded in the room. In a split second, the confused look on Matthew's face was replaced by embarrassment. Lastly, he looked despairing when he heard the message I left for him at the end of the recording. "This is where it ends for us. This is goodbye for good, Alpha Matthew."

Jonathan's sentimental promises had come too late, and I no longer needed them. He tried to grab my hand but ended up grabbing thin air instead. "Please, Tess, give me another chance." The company's car slowly rolled to a stop before me. I brushed past Jonathan and headed into the car. The moment the door closed behind me, I heard his anguished sob cut through the crisp, autumn air. But I didn't so much as give him a backward glance. … A week later, I came across a video online. I clicked on it to find that it was footage of Jonathan and Charlotte.