CHAPTER ONE(THE BETRAYAL)

Kaylee’s POV

“Help me out here, Kay,” Harvey said. His pleading eyes as he held my hand.

I shook my head, standing on my resolve. “I can’t accept your proposal and you know the exact reason.”

He stormed out of my gallery with a frown on his face. I shook my head to clear the thoughts from my head as cars honked in front of me. A busy day on these streets and the only thing I could be grateful for was heading to this party on time.

I sighed as I tapped my hand on my steering wheel, taking the free time to look away from the jammed road.

“I wish I had my own family.” The thought of a client of mine who came with his family for a picnic blitzed through my mind, causing me to smile as I faced the road. “Can’t wait to get married to Harvey,” I thought with a giggle, clinging to the steering wheel.

The continued traffic jam reminded me of something I felt I was missing as I turned to my bag on the next seat.

“Is he still mad at me?” I asked myself as I switched on my phone. Its logbook was the first place I could think of as I clicked on the application. “Not even a call.” I muttered as I saw no missed calls from him, changing the application to my messages.

I sighed as he didn’t leave even a text on any of the social media platforms we text ourselves on.

“Still mad at me, Harvey?” I said as I placed my nails into my mouth. I shrugged my shoulders, pulling my handbag closer to search for the invitation letter handed to me, since there was no movement of cars in front of me.

I brought the paper out with little trouble, heaving as I felt it. It was almost like silk, slipping open as I peeked at the intricate designs of gold and letters.

I hummed as I looked at it, noticing the difference it presented from the customary wedding invitation letters — there was no name, not from the bride or the groom.

“That’s weird,” I said to myself, closing the paper as I shrugged my shoulders. They had their reasons, and none of it was my business, except for me being their guest.

I muttered a brief word of gratitude as the car in front of me moved. The venue of the party was decorated as what befitted people with the means.

“Definitely going to have something like this with Harvey,” I said with a smile, fantasizing about things to come during my wedding. 

“Mother,” I called out, a smile on my face as I walked to Harvey’s mother. She stood with an older lady, and the way she dressed gave off the scent of one who demanded respect.

“My son’s just returned from the States. I’ve arranged for him to get married to Silvia,” the elder woman said with Harvey’s mother, ignoring my call.

“The daughter of a senate?” Harvey’s mother asked as her eyes twinkled, almost like she never heard my call as well. “And I can vouch Ella made the match for you.”

The elderly woman shrugged her shoulders. “Your guess is good.”

“If Ella’s match made your son with Silvia, rest assured it’s a hundred percent. Ella’s made a match for my son, and I can tell you it is more than perfect for me.”

I smiled as Harvey’s mother spoke, walking away from them as talks concerning marriage were no longer my concern. I shrugged off the feeling she was ignoring me intentionally as I walked around the place.

I stopped at a spot, taking a drink from a passing waiter to watch as the party caught it's grove. The music swelled with people dancing. Lights flashed at the center towards the couple.

They looked perfect from where I stood, and I thought to say a word of congratulations to the bride as she was my client, pushing myself to the front of those present in the room.

“Harvey!” I did not know when I had mentioned his name out loud, he turned towards me.

His eyes held the same surprise as mine as he grabbed my hands, pulling me away from the crowd into a room like my sight irritated him. “I’m really sorry you had to see this, K.”

I looked at my feet, unable to conjure a thought to myself as he stood in front of me. “What do you mean by this, Harvey?”

“It’s kinda... har..d....” he was stuttering, fiddling with his hands.

“Speak up, Harvey. Say something I can understand and the reason you are the groom?” I felt my voice drop a notch as I asked him. It felt like I was afraid to know the truth for myself.

He rubbed his hand over his face, placing the room like a caged tiger. “I had to do it, K. It was the only option left for me.”

“It was the only option left for you, Harvey? We are engaged,” I said, raising my hands to show him the engagement ring he put on my finger.”

“I know we are engaged, K, but this has to happen,” he grumbled, lowering his face to the ground.

I could feel the tears ready to pour from my eyes if he said another word. “This has to happen, like you and I never existed?”

He sighed as his footsteps echoed, stopping in front of me. “I had to do this, K. I could not keep on waiting for you while you focused on your gallery. You, of all people, know of this.”

“What did you do?” I asked, feeling there was more he had to say concerning the matter. I let my head drop to let him stare me in the face as he tried to make more excuses.

He put his hands to his hair, brushing it backwards. “I went to meet her in her office and things spiraled out of control. We ended it with a one-night affair and things just happened.”

I could feel my jaw loosen from their sockets as he explained. “You had an affair with her even when you were engaged to me?”

“What did you expect me to do, K? I asked for your hand in marriage, but you turned me down, stating how it’d help you but it wouldn’t serve any purpose to me.” His tone grew louder as he reminded me of my words.

I rejected his proposal, knowing it would slow down my business, and I wanted him to wait for a bit while I settled things with my gallery, but here we were, standing while he was getting married. “And you felt the only way to satisfy yourself was if you married another behind my back?”

“That is the only thing that could do, K. You left me no other option.”

“That is the only thing men without pride in themselves do when they feel they owe nothing to their partner,” I said, feeling adrenaline pump into my system when he raised his hand.

The slap echoed in the room, scattering my hair over my face. I raised my head, staring at the mirror in the room. Blood streaked down my face, borne from the ring on his hand — the same ring I wanted him to have for me for our wedding.

My eyes burned with tears aching to pour from them. “I wouldn’t cry here; even if it was the last thing I’d do,” I said to myself as I raised my head, storming out of the room.

“Kaylee!”

The tears fell as I reached the door, unable to hold them back. I shut it behind me, watching as music blared. The bride danced in with her friends, unaware of what I went through. I shook my head, rushing towards my car as I escaped whatever trap I almost found myself.

My phone buzzed as I reached my car — it was a call from the hospital, and the last time they called; it wasn’t for something nice.

“Dad,” I muttered. My hand shook, dropping the phone back on the chair as I dropped my head on my steering wheel. The tears fell freely now — I was broken in more places than one.