Chapter 7 The Pain of Heartbreak

The problem was clear. I was his girlfriend and today was supposed to be our wedding day. And yet, he had the audacity to say such things to me. I never dreamt the man I had loved all these years would stoop so low.

"Thank you, Rina..." Liam murmured, his voice tinged with hesitation. Maybe he felt guilty over this.

Thank you? What a joke!

Seeing the visible relief on his face, I felt a piercing ache in my heart. This was the same man who had sworn to make me happy forever. And here he was, thanking me for calling off our wedding. The situation was both ridiculous and pathetic.

"Get out. I never want to see you again." I pointed toward the door. I was almost shouting. I feared that I would lose control and confront him about his betrayal.

"Didn't you hear her? Get out!" Enraged and irritated, Summer smacked Liam with a broom.

After he left, I felt like an empty husk. I sank to the floor, my eyes devoid of life. It would be a lie to say that it did not hurt having dedicated seven years of my life to a total jerk only for things to end this way.

"It’s okay to cry. Go ahead. You'll feel better after," Summer consoled as she wrapped me in a tight hug.

"Why would I cry for that worthless jerk? Never mention his name in front of me ever again." I lifted my head slightly, despite the tears that continued to spill over.

"Rina, I know you're in pain. Have a good cry and then forget about him. You can start anew," Summer said, clutching me even more tightly. A sob edged her voice. My pain was hers too. She was my best friend, after all.

I had no idea how long I cried, but my eyes became swollen and my head was dizzy. I felt drained of all my energy. I retreated to the bedroom and crawled back into bed, losing myself to sleep for nearly a day and night. Even in my dreams, the images of the intertwined Liam and Julia haunted me.

Three days into my emotional breakup, Summer, unable to stand seeing me in that state any longer, stormed into the room to wake me up.

"Get up and eat something, Rina.”

I pulled the blanket over my head, not wanting to utter a word. Food was the last thing on my mind. For the past couple of days, my thoughts had spiraled out of control. Every time I closed my eyes, images of Liam's deceit and betrayal flooded my mind.

"I don't wanna eat!" The blanket muffled my voice. I wanted nothing more than to lie there and do nothing.

Frustrated, Summer pulled back the blanket and glared at me. "Serena Hart, when did you become this pathetic? Are you really going to ruin yourself over some worthless jerk?"

I kept my mouth shut, my heart pounding with a dull ache. As much as I knew he was worthless, I had given him seven years of love. I had invested all my emotions in the dream of a lifetime together. I thought we were heading toward happiness—to a shared future. What welcomed me, however, was an abyss so deep that I couldn’t climb out.