2. Betrayal and Humiliation

Chapter 2 Betrayal and Humiliation

 

Elizabeth travels in one of her father's cars with one of the drivers while sitting in the back seat, sending several messages to Taylor.

 

"Where are you? Why aren't you responding to any of my messages? I'm heading to the college to meet you," she warned impatiently.

 

But Taylor wasn't at the college, and a woman picked up his phone, reading the message and stifling a laugh before tossing the phone to the other side of the bed.

 

"Who was it?" Taylor asked disinterestedly, lying relaxed on the bed.

 

"Your screwed-up girlfriend," she mocked. "I don't know how you manage a relationship with her. She has nothing to offer. You haven't even been intimate."

 

"Yeah..." He lamented sarcastically.

 

"When will you break up?" she asked, sitting at the edge of the bed, showing disinterest.

 

"Soon. I don't want any connection with her since I fell in love with you. After all, she's nobody compared to you."

 

"But... even if she doesn't give you anything, you've spent so many years with her. Do you like her?" She asked, displaying insecurity. He sighed, showing some impatience but quickly masked it.

 

"It's not like that. I never felt anything for her. Elizabeth has always been naive, and I only fell for her beauty. But everything lost its charm for me when I met you. You're beautiful, intelligent, polite, and much more sophisticated."

 

"Of course..." She sighed, lying down beside him. Both were dressed minimally and showed great intimacy. "Oh... I'm so happy that we'll be getting married in the future," she celebrated, stretching her arm to admire the expensive diamond ring she had just received.

 

Meanwhile, Elizabeth was halfway to the college.

 

Her phone suddenly vibrated.

 

"Huh? Since when can an unknown number know this number?" She wondered, confused, opening the anonymous message.

 

As soon as she opened the message, it seemed as if everything around her turned to stone and then suddenly began to shatter when she recognized her boyfriend holding hands with a woman who was not a stranger to her.

 

"Is this a prank?" She asked with teary eyes.

 

"These photos were taken at 10 am today," the message said, and she checked the time on her phone; it was still 11 am.

 

"Could it be?" She murmured thoughtfully, heart anxious. "Stop the car!" she ordered the driver, "Go to the apartment... apartment on Asareis Avenue..." she explained, her voice trembling.

 

The driver dropped her off in front of the apartment, but she ordered him to leave.

 

Passing the reception, she knew a discreet alarm would sound, alerting someone had taken the elevator, so she took the stairs, climbing five floors. With every passing second, she tried to deceive herself into thinking it was all a lie.

 

As she stood at her door, she keyed in the door code she already knew by heart, opening it discreetly.

 

She swallowed hard when she saw the first evidence of betrayal. There were scattered women's clothes, a heel right in front of the bedroom door.

 

Her trembling hands barely had the strength to turn the doorknob, yet she did and recoiled upon seeing the scene of her boyfriend cheating on her with another woman.

 

Emma, the popular student on campus where they studied, Taylor, as soon as he saw Elizabeth, jumped off the bed, startled and confused.

 

"Liz... what are you doing here?" he asked, trying to come up with excuses to deceive her.

 

"What are you doing here?" she retorted, her voice faltering as tears fell against her will.

 

"It's not what you think... if... if you give me a chance, let me explain!" he pleaded anxiously.

 

"Explain what's already clear?" she asked indignantly, looking away, feeling disgust at the sight of those two undressed in front of her while they tried to cover their bodies with sheets.

 

"No! It's not what you think!" He tried to cover himself with one of the sheets.

 

"Please..." Emma murmured skeptically and mockingly. "Just tell her the truth. You don't love her anymore, besides, we're engaged!" She got up from the bed, facing Elizabeth with arrogance and a sense of superiority that clearly belittled Elizabeth.

 

"Engaged? What do you mean engaged?" she asked, stammering, holding the ring on her finger.

 

"Look at this! Isn't it beautiful?" Emma asked, wrapped in the sheet. "Unlike that piece of junk you have on your finger, I got a genuine ring as proof of his love."

 

Elizabeth knew jewelry well and knew her ring was a cheap replica, and the ring Emma had was obviously very expensive and authentic. At the time she received the ring, she didn't care, thinking Taylor was poor, but also pretending just like her.

 

At that moment, she felt frustrated by the ring.

 

"Taylor..." she murmured hopefully.

 

"Oh... what else are you waiting for? Are you that lacking in self-respect?" Emma asked, still mocking. "He never loved you, you raggedy girl. How could you think you had a chance with people from our class? The only valuable thing you got was that ring, which is more expensive than you." She insulted her, then laughed loudly.

 

"You!" Elizabeth growled, advancing towards Emma, slapping her hard enough to leave a mark on her face. She moved forward, but Taylor stopped her, pushing her away, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground near the door.