𝐔𝐍𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 [18+]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐗

AARON

Life's games are all but fun, the destination they depart for us all but compassionate. And how life's own gratitude can be taken from us by a single act. A single moment. A single misunderstanding.

What we once thought was our future, ideal in our minds, can become our biggest misfortune.

Eleanor was mine. But I would never take back what we had, for if I would, my biggest happiness would not be here. Finn.

We were a couple many looked up to to have in some point in their lives, but in the darkness of our own place, my mind was tricked into deceiving what was actually healthy and toxic. Until I pushed too far, until I let my desires reign free. And all she felt, was scared. And she made me feel Ike I was semantic to be scared about myself as well.

I looked around in confusion, until I saw her running towards me. Her beautiful brown hair was free from the tight bun she liked to wear it in, and her eyes were cold, but happy. She came and pulled me into an embrace. I felt like I could hug her all day, her scent and warmth were something that I could never hate.

Until she tricked me.Now it was what I hated the most.

"You're disgusting. Look what you did to me. It's all your fault," she cried as she looked at herself in the mirror, marks around her neck that my hands had delivered. And all the happiness in me was gone.

I looked at her, with no emotion on my face. I felt pain in how I made her feel, repeating in my mind that I would never do anything to hurt her.

She wiped her face with the back of her hand ready to leave.

Eleanor. Please don't leave."

She did not. "I'm not leaving you, you know how I am. I love you. You're a monster, but I just can't leave you," she pulled her hair back into a bun.

But a moment later she was fine again.

Her slender arms wrapped around my neck, her lips colliding with mine. She smiled against my mouth and I was grateful to still have her. It was my fault that she doubted my love, my fault only. So I hugged her and reminded myself that I was the monster in the situation, and she was just the angel that kept running back to me.

My hands went around her, feeling her warm skin, and I brought her inside, this time, determined not to hurt her.

My eyes closed, my hand running down my face as I tried to stop remembering those moments. How I had thought I loved her, and how much it hurt when she not only left my life, but took my son with her.

Tears had filled my eyes. The monster was me, I had let her go again. And let her take what was most important in my life with her.

But that was not love, and I was not the monster. That was the most menacing manipulation. She played with the strings of my heart and mind, until I was a crumpled paper in her hands to keep cutting.

"Mr. Ryan." My head shot up and my eyes opened, seeing my secretary standing in the doorway. "You have your 1 o'clock meeting."

"Yes," I nodded, standing up from the chair and straightening my suit jacket. "Thank you for reminding me."

———-

MADISON

I was glad I could pull Ember away at lunch, the awkward air was too noticeable as to cut through it. She sighed once I closed the bathroom door, making sure no one was inside with us.

"So?" I pushed.

She sighed, running her hands down her face, before answering, "We fucked."

"Oh. I wasn't expecting that. That's good, right?" I said with furrowed brows at her disappointed face.