TORN APART

Aurora stared at her husband, her blue eyes filled with tears as she tried to stop the tiny sobs that wrecked her petite frame. Not even in her wildest dreams had she imagined today to turn out like this. It was supposed to be the happiest day in their lives but instead she was accused of cheating by her own husband — the husband she loved more than life itself.

"Alex, I swear there was a man in our room and he tried to rape me! Believe me, please! I love you. Only you!" She didn't care that she was yelling now, the thought of losing her husband over a misunderstanding filled her with a fear she had never felt before. Meanwhile, her husband just stood there, in front of her, his face devoid of any emotions but she saw the tight clench of his jaw that said more than his words could and his handsome features appeared as if they were carved out of stone. Aurora knew this side of her husband too well— it was one he showed to the outside world where he was Alexander King, the famous business tycoon who owned more than half of the city. He was a man to be respected and feared. But with her he had never masked his emotions, with her he was just Alex. Her Alex. The man she ferociously loved. And she wished he would say something — anything, because his calm was more threatening than his anger. She had seen it before— in his business meetings or with rival company employees, his silence usually meant that he was planning someone's downfall.

"Please say something! I swear I didn't cheat!" She tried again. "When I walked in our room, someone attacked me from behind! I tried to fight him off but he teared off my top leaving me in a bra and then Xander came and the man escaped through the window. I was scared and I hugged Xander that's when mom came in. I have never even kissed him in my whole life! I don't know why but he is lying!" She had now repeated the whole story a thousand times but nobody believed her as her so called best friend lied saying that they were having an affair behind Alex's back.

Slowly Alexander's mask cracked giving her a glimpse of the broken man inside. The pain in his eyes was enough to tear Aurora apart. And then he spoke, the words breaking something inside her, most probably her heart, which was already cracking into a thousand tiny pieces with every second that flew away as he refused to believe her. And she understood at some degree his hesitation. His mother had photos of her and Xander together from the time she had hugged him in a bra. In those photos it looked like an intimate moment which wasn't helping her case considering Xander's betrayal.

"Stop lying Aurora! I saw those pictures! Mom caught you both together and your best friend says that you were having sex with him for months even at the time we were dating! You really think I am going to believe you now? Do you know how it feels when your heart is ripped open by the person you love?" He stepped closer to her until their chests were almost touching. "I loved you Aurora. So much. Why wasn't I enough?" His voice dropped low to a whisper and Aurora saw the man she had loved. She saw how much pain he was in. His eyes gazed at her with so much hurt she wanted to erase the one who hurt him. Sadly, in that moment she was the reason he was in pain. Involuntarily She brought her hand up and touched his cheek maybe to caress it or maybe to hold it there , never letting go. Alexander flinched and she dropped her hand, hurt. And as if the moment never existed he stepped back and cut her a glare so harsh she almost stepped back with the force of his gaze.

"Alex I didn't cheat on you." This time her voice was just a mere whisper but he heard it because his face darkened. "Aurora just stop! Stop lying!" He yelled. "I'm not—" Her words were cut off when Alexander threw a nearby vase into a wall, smashing it to small pieces. She took a step back. Alexander had never been violent. Never.

Cynthia, her mother in law rushed over to Alexander while Xander, her best friend stood at the side nonchalant as ever as if he didn't just break her married life to pieces. Xander's betrayal hurt more than she would admit. They had been best friends, doing everything together. What changed that made him hate her?

"Witch, why did you have to come in my son's life? I told you Alex she was a gold digger when I first met her but you didn't listen. I always knew she would betray you. Bloody whore! Ruined my son's life! He loved you and this is how you repay him?" Aurora was stunned to her core when she heard the words coming out of her mother in law's mouth. Aurora had always loved her even when Cynthia had hated her.

"Mom, I–"

"You think I am a fucking fool? Tell me how many times you opened your legs for him? How many times you imagined it was him when I fucked you? Did you ever even love me or was all of this a game to you? Why did you even marry me when you loved him all this time? You know what? Don't tell me. I don't want to know how you loved him while you warmed my bed every night. My bed! How did he even love you knowing you slept with me every night? Well I fell for you didn't I? No surprise he did too. I feel pity for him that he loves a snake like you! My mother always told me that you were a gold digger but I was just too blind to see it. Bloody whore!" He spat. "Wipe those tears, they disgust me! You disgust me!"

A fresh wave of tears escaped her and she tried to hastily Wipe them off. Her heart felt like it was stomped upon. The pain was too intense. Her insides felt like they were being torn apart by a knife— a knife her husband was holding. She fell top her knees, her legs too weak to hold her upright. She wanted to held on to her dignity and slap Alex for calling her a whore but what will she do of her dignity when the man she existed for saw her as a whore? How will she ever prove her innocence? She had lost her family today. Her husband, her mom and her best friend— they all had left her, just like her parents. Why did they promise her they will always be there for her? Why did Xander betray her? Why didn't her husband believe her? Empty words. Empty promises.

Cynthia and Xander watched the drama unfold in front of their eyes with sick satisfied smiles. They both had achieved what they desired for.

To Cynthia, Aurora was a charity case who had trapped her son under her vicious claws. Cynthia had already fixed Alexander's wedding with her friend's daughter and was very excited to break the news to Alex until he introduced Aurora to her as his fiancée. That was the moment from which she started planning Aurora's demise, she started getting close to her and beautiful trusting Aurora fell straight into the trap. She had felt a little merciful and had let Aurora enjoy six months with her son. Then she paid a man to attack Aurora before convincing Xander to help her. She had noticed the way Xander stared at her daughter in law longingly. She knew about her son's trust issues and seized the perfect opportunity without any hint of remorse.

Xander looked at Cynthia and repressed the urge to stab her eyes. She had made his Aurora cry. He hated that snake with every fiber of his being. The only reason he tolerated her was because she had been a useful asset to him at times he wanted someone to help him. Xander loved Aurora. Plain and simple. He had loved her since they were kids. He had stood by her with her decision, he had been there for her when her parents died but what did he get? He was always going to be the best friend. He was okay with it until Aurora met Alexander and fell in love with him. How was he ever going to compete against a business tycoon for whom his Aurora was head over heels for? So he stayed at the back, laughed when he was supposed to, smiled when expected while watching the woman he loved love someone else. So when he got an opportunity he went for it. And he succeeded. Even if Aurora started hating him it wouldn't matter. If he couldn't have her than nobody else never would.

Cynthia leaned over to Xander when she came to stood beside him again.

"Strike when the iron is hot. Defend her. Alex would lose it." She whispered. Xander smirked. Perfect. He rushed over to Alexander and grabbed his collar with a menacing look on his face.

"Never and I mean never ever disrespect her again. She is everything to me and I won't stay quiet if you call her a whore again. I love her and she loves me back. Get it through your thick brain."

Aurora was shocked at the turn of events. Xander was defending her dignity while simultaneously making the situation worse. Alexander's face darkened and he punched Xander and Aurora flinched still on her knees. Alexander then saunters towards Aurora, picking her up by her hair then jerks her head closer to hers until their lips are almost touching.

"Never show your face here again! You hear me? Or you won't like what I do to that precious boyfriend of yours. Understood?" He whispers harshly and releases his hold on her hair before taking a couple of steps of back. Aurora staggers a few steps back before catching herself.

"Alex–"

"My lawyer will talk to you. And leave before I call security to drag you out of here." He spats without turning back.

"L-Lawyer?" Aurora asks confused. This time he turns back.

"We are getting a divorce. Isn't that what you want? To be with your lover boy? Now LEAVE." He says his voice calm but cold as if talking about the weather. He walks inside casually as if he didn't end her world a second ago. Pain subsides and the only thing that remains is numbness. Utter fucking numbness . She gets up from the floor picking up pieces of her broken heart and tarnished dignity and walks out of the mansion like a zombie. Alive but not living. The guards shoot worried looks at each other when they see their mistress in such a state but don't step forward as per their boss's orders.

As she walks out of the mansion with nowhere to go to, nobody to call, she looks up at the sky when the first drop of rain falls on her hand, she smiles. Even the sky is crying.

She stands there in the rain, lost and alone, a soulless body with nothing to look forward to, she promises herself that she will live. She promised her parents that she will live even when it hurts. And know what she doesn't break her promises.