The Man She Betrayed

28. A Pinch Of Misunderstanding

Aaron

I looked for her everywhere in the party. It has been almost half an hour when I sent Crystal to help her and I haven't seen both of them since then. Crystal would be fine but the main problem was Clara. She was like in a lion's den right now. People who know me, people who actually know me would remember her too and it won't be long until one of them confronts her and humiliate her for leaving.

I sighed when I found Crystal in the kitchen, stealing pizza from the refrigerator. "Where is Clara?" I asked.

"I don't know. Last I remember, she was in your room." she shrugged and then turned her attention to the microwave to heat up the left over pizza.

'Why is she still in the room?' I scratched my chin in confusion and then made my way towards my room, passing through the corridor which was illuminated by a dim bluish light.

I entered inside the room at the end of the corridor, casting a brief glance all over my room and the closed bathroom door. I was about to turn away when a small movement at my right caught my attention.

Walking forwards, I angled my neck and saw Clara propped on the floor, her back resting against the bed. Furrowing my brows, I took few steps towards her, my shoes making noise against the hard floor but she still hadn't noticed my presence.

She had the photo frame in her hands I had hidden in my dressing table, her eyes zoomed in our faces in the picture. She was silent, her face blank and emotionless, but the stains of tears in her eyes said otherwise.

I kneeled down beside her and that's when she acknowledged me. The moisture brightened her green eyes, like a shiny diamond, as she stared into mine.

"You lost the right to grieve over us the night you left me." I whispered, pulling the frame out of her hands. Her lower lip trembled and she scrunched her nose, tears once again welling inside her huge eyes.

"Please.." her eyes switched between my face and that photo.

"The night you left me waiting for you to come back, worrying for your safety, regretting over upsetting you with that ring."

"Don't... Please." she mumbled, her face dripping with sadness.

"Why? Does it hurt?" I leaned closer to her, my gaze flicking to her lips covered in cherry tint.

She nodded, deep red color rose to her cheeks.

"Good." I said, our noses almost touching. I wasn't planning on kissing her but suddenly, I felt like an invisible string was tugging me towards her. My cheeks heated due to our proximity, her warm breath tickling the lower half of my face.

She closed the eyes and my lips briefly brushed against hers, for a nanosecond. It was too short that it couldn't be classified as a peck but it was long enough to cause my veins throb with longing and desire.

I don't know what I would have done if it was not for the photo frame that caught my attention again. I saw her face in the photo, the the faint grimace on her face, the emptiness of her eyes and the events that followed our wedding.

"Once a cheater, always a cheater." I taunted, jerking myself away from her. She saw me with eyes filled with confusion and lips slightly parted.

"Just get out Miss. Avery." I spat and flushing in embarrassment, she stood up. Her eyes didn't leave the floor as she walked past me and exited my room.

I didn't leave the room after that and thankfully, nobody came to check up on me. Pouring wine in a glass, I gulped it down my throat and groaned in frustration.

Why did she come back? I was fine without her. It took me six fucking years to forget her and now she was back, to turn my life into a hell. Having her breathing the same air as mine makes me want to do something, anything that will calm the negativity brewing inside me. Worse, her presence excites my heart in a way no girl ever did and this thoughts itself is like a slap on my face.

Putting the glass on the night stand, I walked towards the window hiding behind the curtains of my room. Sliding them aside, I peeked through the glass. Except the muffled barking noise of a dog, not a single voice could be heard from outside.

I stood there, fighting the countless thoughts brewing inside me, weaving a tangled mess inside my mind. After every few minutes, a familiar face would leave the house and make their way to the array of cars parked in front of my main gate.

Among all those faces, a particular face stood out the most, Clara's. She walked through the street wobbling because of her heels, tightening her arms around her. Her face had lost all the color that was decorating it before and a mask of indifference had coated it now.

I watched her curiously as she made her way to the opposite side of the street where a car was waiting for her. A man stepped out of the car, the same man she hugged in the restaurant. When she reached him, he stepped nearer and snaked his arm around me.

It looked like she was crying and he was patting her back in circles, trying to comfort her. The image added to my fury and my hands itched to push that man away from my.... Ugh! from her.

"Some people never change." a voice sounded from my side, a voice I haven't heard from two years.

"What are you doing here?" my tone was dry. I couldn't bring myself to look at his perfect face that ruined my happiness once.

"How could I miss my brother's birthday?" his hands moved to my shoulder but I stepped away.

"I'm tired." I said and walked towards my bed to sleep.

"Please Aaron. I'm seeing you after two years. Do I not deserve at least a smile?" he complained, his voice laced with exasperation.

"Let's not talk about what you deserve. You won't like the answer." I mocked, a taunting smile hovering over my lips as I shifted into the bed.

"It's because of her. Isn't it? Consider it an advice brother, stay away from that woman. She is a liar, a cheater, a fucking-"

"Get out Ryan. Get out of my sight before I ruin this pretty face of yours." I fumed, my eyes throwing daggers at him. He began to say something but then the sane part of his mind must have stopped him. Muttering something under his breath, he walked out of my room.

Why does hearing him say those words against Clara hurt me when that's exactly what I think about her? Why is the instinct to protect her still there stirring somewhere inside me? Why can't I move on like her?

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