The End of deception

Melanie's hands shake as she pushes open Alex's door after entering her fiancé's passcode. She hadn’t planned on coming here today, but the stress of a prospective pregnancy has forced her to seek consolation in the one person that she feels she can trust.

She is ten days overdue for her period, and she is beginning to lose her mind about her mother's likely response.

“How is mommy going to respond?” Her stomach knots at the thought.

Before taking a pregnancy test, she feels like she should speak with Alex face-to-face so that he can mentally get ready to become a parent if the findings are positive.

"Alex?” Melanie yells,

"I need to talk to you," She says as she enters, but no one answers.

Melanie starts to get nervous since she knows for sure that Alex is at home since his car is parked outside.

“How could he be anywhere else?” Her pulse is pounding as she moves from the living area to Alex's bedroom.

“What if he reacts badly?” she thinks and She notices them at that point.

Mel recognizes the lady on the bed as Ava Morales, Alex’s married best friend. Alex has been Melanie's boyfriend for two years and is her fiancé for three years now.

"Alex?" Melani’s world collapses as She musters all the bravery to utter, even though her legs feel like jelly, her head goes numb, and her vision becomes blurry.

Startled, Alex stops, his eyes bulging with shame as Ava scrambles to cover herself.

"Melanie, I...we...this isn't what it looks like," Alex stutters, but it is precisely what it appears to be.

Melanie's heart shatters into a gazillion fragments, She takes off running and doesn't stop until she gets back in her car and drives quickly away from the treachery.

“How could he subject me to this?” Melanie wimphers, She is in anguish because of Alex, and she has mistaken him for the solace that she needs at the moment.

She has no one to turn to as she now faces the potential of becoming a parent alone. Her future, her happiness, and everything wonderful in her life are on the line, so worrying about her mother's response becomes the least of her concerns.

Melanie leaves Alex's residence quickly, feeling betrayed within, she is aware that she cannot return to her house or her beauty studio at this time, as Alex will attempt to locate her and persuade her to stay.

As she makes her way home, her mind is constantly buzzing with all the things she needs to accomplish but Instead of thinking long and hard, she gets to her house and swiftly packs a tiny bag with essentials: clothes, a phone charger, a wallet, and a few toiletries.

"I'll be gone for a while, keeping quiet until I figure it out." She thinks,

Melanie disappears for a week. She doesn't have pals, so she crashes at the home of her assistant, Shirley.

She makes an effort to hide as she works through her feelings. She is upset, hurt, and perplexed, but above all, she is happy to be rid of Alex's toxic hold.

After a week of doubt, Melanie ultimately decides to take charge of her life. She decides that instead of depending on homemade tests or conjecture, she will visit the hospital for an accurate blood test and ultrasound to determine whether or not she is pregnant.

“And if it is true, How am I going to proceed?” Melanie is getting more nervous as she waits for the outcome.

The doctor enters the room, smiling warmly and Melanie realizes that she has been granted another chance,

"The test came back negative, Mrs Carson,” the doctor informs.

"You are not pregnant," The doctor confirms as she hands her an envelope.

Melanie feels like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders, and tears of relief flood down her face.

“It's time to finally approach Alex and end this once and for all.” she determines.

Melanie drives to Alex's house with her heart still heavy but her spirit unwavering, having discovered bravery. It's time for her to move on from this destructive phase of her life.

She inhales deeply as she stands outside Alex's house and rings the doorbell rather than entering the passcode because She is not here as Alex's fiancee but as a guest.

"Melanie, I...we need to talk." with a look of both surprise and shame on his face, Alex opens the door and says.

"Alex, I know what I saw," she begins in a firm voice.

“You and Ava were on your bed doing God knows what.” Melanie enters, her gaze fixed on his.

"It was not what it looked like, my love," Alex tries to confuse her, his tone takes on a hint of desperation.

"Try not to deny it.” She interrupts, annoyance seeping like poison from her voice.

“Melanie, it wasn't what you thought…It was an incident, an error and It just so happened that Ava was going through a difficult moment in her marriage." Alex groans and massages his temples.

“Alex, you are full of s***,” Melanie screams, adrenaline rising in her chest.

"It was a "mistake" but this is not the first time you have gone behind my back,” Melanie scoffs.

“Do you recall Astrid? And now, Ava?” In a much more aggressive tone, she scolds him,

“I was just… forget it.” Alex starts but stops mid-way.

“It will never happen again…I swear…I cherish you.” Alex says as he crawls closer.

“ You cherish me?” Melanie scoffs and she shakes her head.

“You have a strange way of expressing that,” she remarks.

“You cheated on me, you deceitful scum of a man.” she expresses, hurt and angry

“You're trash and you won't hear from me again.”

In the next sequence, her eyes burning with anger, Melanie takes off her engagement ring, tosses it in Alex's way, and she walks out on him and his flattery.

She knows she will never step foot in there again that she's finally broken free from the cycle, and toxic circle of their relationship.