Chapter 1 Wake up call

*GIANNA*

Was I being delusional holding onto the belief that he would change even after three years?

Was I being delusional or simply being stupid?

But right now as I stood in front of the mirror staring at my gorgeous gown.

I realized that it might've been worth the wait,the heartbreak and the pain.

We were finally going to get engaged.

Two months ago,my boyfriend Maximus had promised me that he'd stop hurting me.

And so far he had kept to his word.

And now,Maximus and I were about to celebrate our engagement party.

Soon,I'll be Mrs Lewis.

I smiled at myself again.The party planner walked up to me and informed me that it was time to make our appearance at the hall.

I grinned.I didn't want to keep my guests waiting for long.

"Have you told Maxim? Where is he?"I asked the host.

"I've searched everywhere for him, so I assumed he was with you,"the host replied, looking just as puzzled.

I had been so busy that I hadn't confirmed whether Maxim was here, but who wouldn't attend their own engagement party? No one would miss their own engagement party. Unless…no, I refused to believe he would abandon me again.

We need to make our appearance together as a couple.

I picked up my cellphone and gave him a call.

He picked up on the second ring.

"Yes?"

He sounded impatient.

"Where are you?We need to go into the hall together now."

"Oh,I'm sorry,Gianna.I can't make it."

I gulped."Wha…what do you mean you can't make it?Where are you?"

“Something important came up,Anna.Cancel the party."

My blood froze instantly, and it felt as if someone had poured ice water on me.

Cancel a party that had already started?

Cancel a party that had so many guests already seated?!

“Maxim,we can't…I can't…the guests, they're all waiting…Besides,what could be more important than our own engagement party…"I begged.

But soon there was a hanging sound on the other side of the phone, and he didn't even wait for me to finish.

I paused realizing he had hung up on me.

I dialed his number again and again but he didn't pick up.

My legs grew weak and I slump on the couch.

How…why…?

I thought he had promised to stop hurting me.

My phone beeped.

I quickly raised it to my face thinking that it was a response from him.

But it was a text from Nadia.

Nadia:I warned you, Anna.I told you that I'll forever be more important to him than anything else.

Tears fell from my eyes.

My heart was squeezed again, tears welled up in my eyes, and my fingers trembled.

Is he really going to see Nadia now?

For three years, he always canceled my dates, each time because of Nadia. He knew Nadia was deliberately interrupting my dates with him, but he always told me he couldn't ignore Nadia. He had an important commitment to her.

For three years,that was a major issue in our relationship.

And I couldn't believe he could cancel our engagement party for her too.

I realized now that I wasn't just delusional,I was equally stupid.

Did I actually think I could change him?

Did I actually think I could make a man care about me when he clearly doesn't give a fuck?

I was too blinded by my love for him.I ended up loving him more than I loved myself.

Pain wracked through my body and it felt as if I was hit by a truck.

But at the same time,it was like the wake up call I need.

How could I love a man who never for once cared about my feelings?

How could I lose myself to loving him?

Why did I do this to myself?

He would always belong to Nadia.

She just had to make one phone call and he'll go running to her.

He never brought up the idea of us breaking up, and now I realize he just likes to hurt me and then watch me grieve for him like a clown.

At the same time, I received another photo on my phone: Maxim gently holding Nadia in his arms.

The anger inside me replaced the pain. I have had enough!

Since he longs for Nadia so much, I will no longer be bound by him.

I am no longer stupid.

I'm not stupid anymore!

I clicked on his name and sent him a message.

“It's over between us!"

*************

I had left the party venue through the back door because I didn't want to be seen by anyone.

I knew this would cause a massive scandal but if I'm seen alone without Maxim,everyone's pitiful eyes will be on me .I know everyone believes I'm not good enough to match Maxim.

I'm just an ordinary small-town girl, and Maxim is the most powerful man in the country, with his good looks and perfect body like a GQ model. My ears are always full of ridicule, but I don't care because my eyes are only on Maxim.

Maxim didn't drive me away, he took me into his house after we had an unintentional one-night stand, which I thought was a good sign. But now I know, he was just going to get revenge on me.

I was sober, and I had to pick up the pride I had lost.

I walked into the villa I lived with him.I packed my bags, left his house, and left the city. Anyway, I refused to hear anything from him.

I quickly booked the next available flight,on the plane,I couldn't bring myself to read the news because I knew that the engagement scandal would be everywhere.

Reading comments from people would only make me feel worse so I avoided going online by all means.

I had the wrong definition of love for so long,I believed that I might be the problem but there was absolutely nothing wrong with me.

I had let a narcissist manipulate me for so long to the point that I believed that I could never live without him.

But now,I was going to show him that he had no right to treat me like trash.