Chapter 1

               

     The Betrayal 

The night air was crisp, wrapping around Isabella Paterson like a warning. 

She stepped through the grand glass doors of the office building, her heart pounding with excitement. 

A soft hum of fluorescent lights filled the nearly empty lobby, and the faint scent of cleaning supplies lingered in the air.

Her fingers tightened around the flask in her hands—his favorite meal, spicy spaghetti with garlic bread, still warm from the Italian restaurant he loved so much. 

She had planned this surprise meticulously. 

Tyler had been distant lately, buried under the weight of work, but tonight, she would remind him of their love.

  The receptionist, Alora, was already gathering her things for the night. 

Her eyes flickered up in mild surprise before she smiled.

“Miss Paterson,” Alora greeted, her voice polite but tired.

“Evening, Alora,” Isabella chirped, her lips stretching into a warm smile. 

“Tyler’s still here, right?”

“Yes, ma’am. Working late, as usual.” Alora chuckled softly. “You can go right up.”

“Thanks.” Isabella headed toward the elevator, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

The ride up felt longer than usual, each passing second building anticipation. 

She imagined the look on Tyler’s face when he saw her—his blue eyes lighting up, the tension in his shoulders melting away. 

She loved those moments, the ones where he made her feel like she was his entire world.

But the moment the elevator doors slid open, a chill crept down her spine.

The corridor was too quiet, too still. 

Isabella walked slowly, her stomach twisting for reasons she couldn’t explain.

Then she heard it.

A soft laugh. A woman’s voice.

Her steps faltered.

She knew that voice.

Nuella.

Her best friend.

Frowning, Isabella moved closer to Tyler’s office door. 

It wasn’t completely shut, and through the narrow gap, she could hear muffled whispers.

She swallowed hard. He’s probably just talking about work.

With a hopeful smile, she pushed the door open a little further.

Her world shattered in an instant.

Tyler wasn’t at his desk, buried in work. 

He was leaning against it, his arms wrapped tightly around Nuella’s waist, their lips locked in a heated kiss.

Isabella couldn’t breathe.

Her hands trembled violently, and the flask slipped from her grasp, hitting the floor with a dull thud.

Neither of them noticed.

Her pulse roared in her ears, drowning out everything else. Her knees wobbled, but she couldn’t move, couldn’t look away. 

The man she had planned to marry—the man she had loved for years—was tangled in the arms of the woman she trusted most.

“You’re sweet, you know that?” Tyler’s voice drifted to her ears, playful and carefree as he pulled back slightly to brush a hand through Nuella’s dark curls.

Nuella giggled, her voice dripping with affection. 

“You don’t seem to mind,” she teased, tilting her head for another kiss.

Isabella staggered back, pressing a trembling hand against her chest as nausea rolled through her.

 This can’t be happening.

Her mind screamed at her to barge in, to demand an explanation, but her body refused to move. 

She felt frozen, paralyzed by the raw betrayal slicing through her.

Then, with a strangled gasp, she turned and ran.

Her heels pounded against the marble floors as she rushed back down the corridor, past the rows of empty offices. 

Tears blurred her vision, but she didn’t stop—not until she was out of the building, standing under the dim streetlights.

The cold wind whipped against her tear-streaked cheeks, but she barely felt it. 

Her arms wrapped around herself in a desperate attempt to hold in the pain clawing at her chest.

How could they?

She had loved him. 

She had trusted Nuella with everything. 

And they had repaid her with this?

Her vision blurred again, and she let out a choked sob, leaning against the cold concrete wall.

A sleek black car rolled up beside her, the purr of the engine cutting through the night’s silence. 

The driver’s side window lowered, and a deep, familiar voice called out.

“Isabella?”

Her head snapped up, and through her tears, she saw him.

Xavier.

Tyler’s cousin.

Unlike Tyler, Xavier was always composed, always serious. 

His sharp brown eyes studied her now, concern etched across his features.

“What happened?” His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it—an urgency she couldn’t ignore.

Isabella shook her head, wiping at her face uselessly. “I—I can’t,” she stammered.

Xavier pushed open his door and stepped out. “You’re freezing,” he said, his gaze unwavering. “Get in the car, Isabella.”

For a moment, she hesitated. Xavier was family. What if he told Tyler? What if he thought she was overreacting?

But the look in his eyes—steady, understanding—made her feet move.

She slid into the passenger seat without a word.

Inside, warmth enveloped her as Xavier reached for the heater.

 He handed her a tissue from the glove compartment, watching her carefully.

“Tell me what happened.”

She sniffled, gripping the tissue tightly in her lap. “I went to surprise Tyler,” she whispered, staring at the dashboard.

 “I walked into his office and found him…” Her voice broke, and she took a shaky breath. “With Nuella.”

Xavier went still.

“Nuella?” he repeated, his voice darkening.

Isabella nodded, a fresh wave of tears spilling down her cheeks.

 “They were kissing. He—he was holding her like she was the only thing that mattered.”

For a moment, the only sound was the rhythmic clicking of the car’s turn signal. 

Then Xavier exhaled slowly, his knuckles tightening around the steering wheel.

“I can’t believe him,” he muttered.

Isabella turned to him, eyes wide with confusion. “What do you mean?”

Xavier clenched his jaw, staring straight ahead. “Tyler has always been reckless.

 I warned him about messing things up, but I didn’t think…” He trailed off, shaking his head.

A bitter laugh escaped Isabella’s lips. “So you’re saying you’re not surprised?”

Xavier hesitated before answering. “I didn’t expect him to be this much of an idiot,” he admitted.

 “But Tyler… he’s never been the kind of guy to appreciate what he has.”

Isabella’s heart ached at his words. Had she been fooling herself this entire time?

Xavier turned to her, his expression softening. “You don’t deserve this, Isabella. 

You deserve someone who actually sees you.”

She bit her lip, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. 

“I don’t even know what to do now.”

Xavier reached out, his hand resting lightly on hers.

 “You don’t have to figure it out tonight. Let me take you home.”

For a long moment, Isabella didn’t move.

 Then she slowly uttered.

 “No! Take me to the club!.”