Chapter 2: Desperate cries, unlikely saviour

My heart felt as if it had been brutally ripped from my chest. My mother - the woman who carried me for nine months, the one I would lay down my life for — and Damien, the only man I'd ever truly loved, had destroyed me. Their betrayal was a wound that consumed me.

I stood frozen in the doorway of Damien's bedroom, unable to move my eyes away from the scene that had shattered my life. My mother was still straddling him, her face showed no sign of shame or regret. While Damien had the audacity to smirk as if he had just won a lottery.

I couldn't take it anymore. I yanked off the veil from my hair and threw it to the ground. I tore my wedding dress, ripping it apart as anger consumed me. My legs became weak, barely able to hold my weight. "You were supposed to love me. Both of you."

" Love you?" Damien scoffed, leaning back against the pillows, completely unbothered by my presence. " Myla, do not be naive. I was never in love with you. I just wanted a taste, and now that I've had it. I'm done."

His words hit me like a punch to the chest. My knees went weak and I clutched the doorframe for support. "You're lying." I whispered, more to myself than to him. "This can't be real."

Damien chuckled darkly, running his hands through his messy hair. " Oh, it's real, sweetheart. And your mother? She's way better in bed than you could ever dream of been." 

" Damien!" I screamed, my voice raw from pain. " How dare you? How could you betray me after three good years?"

" Enough, Myla, or whatever you call yourself." My mother's cold voice cut through the air, shutting me up completely.

She climbed off Damien, her movements effortless, as if she haven't just destroyed me. She adjusted her gown, smoothing out the wrinkles. " You are embarrassing yourself."

“Embarrassing myself?” I gasped, my chest tight, struggling to catch my breath. "You've destroyed everything! You... you're my mother! How could you do this?"

Vanessa shrugged, her gaze as cold as her voice. "I've always wanted Damien. Myla. You were just a silly girl living in a fantasy. It's time you grew up."

My vision blurred as tears flooded my eyes. The woman standing before me wasn't my mother. She was a stranger, cruel, and heartless. 

" I... hate... you." I choked out, my voice breaking. "Both of you. I hate you."

But they didn't care. Vanessa turned to Damien. Her lips curving into a sly smile. "Let's go. Darling. We've wasted enough time here."

Damien slid out of bed, putting on his shirt with an infuriating smirk. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Myla."

"You two deserve each other," I spat, my voice laced with anger. " You're disgusting. Both of you."

Vanessa crossed her arms tightly around her chest. " Enough, Myla. Take what dignity you have left and leave this minute."

Tears streamed down my cheeks, but I refuse to let them see me break. Without another word, I stormed out of the house, slamming the door so hard it shook the walls.

~~~

Outside, the heat of the sun was scorching. With tears in my eyes, I slid into the car, fumbling for my phone. My fingers trembled as I dialed father's number.

"Dad." I cried as soon as he picked up. "Cancel the wedding. Send everyone home."

"Myla. what's going on? Are you okay?" His voice was laced with panic.

" I can't..." My words broke into sobs. "Please, just cancel it. I can't do this any longer."

"Myla. talk to me. What happened?" He asked, but I couldn't explain.

The pain was too much to bear. I hung up and ignited the engine. The dress I had once adored now felt suffocating, a cruel reminder of what I had witnessed. 

The street blurred as I drove recklessly, crashing into Streetlights, tears clouding my vision. I could hear people screaming and shouting for me to stop, but I didn't care. I couldn't go back to my father or the wedding venue. I couldn't face the guests, the pitying looks, or the whispered gossip.

I didn’t even notice the car in front of me until it was too late. The tires squealed, and the crash of metal brought me back to reality. I had collided with a sleek, black expensive SUV.

“Oh, great,” I muttered bitterly, stepping out of my car. The wedding dress remnants fluttered around me, making me look even more messed up. 

I walked toward the SUV, intending to apologize quickly and leave. The passenger's door of the SUV flew open, and a tall, handsome man stepped out. He had a piercing blue eyes and a confident charm that turned heads wherever he went. 

As he reached up to remove his sunglasses, everything else faded away.

It was him.

Jaxon Brooks.

My boss.

The man I hated more than anyone else on this planet. His face were etched with concern, his tailored suit was spotless despite the chaos around us. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered under my breath, cursing my luck.

"Myla?" His voice was deep, laced with surprise.

Jaxon’s piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, and his expression shifted from confusion to surprise, then concern.

 “Myla?” he called again. “Why are you dressed like that? What happened?”

I glared at him, anger boiling beneath my skin. “None of your business,” I snapped, turning back toward my car.

“Don’t even think about it.” He said, grabbing my arm before I could slid into the car. 

“You hate me. I know that. And I don’t care. You’re my secretary, and I demand to know what’s going on with you.”

“Let go of me, Jaxon,” I hissed, trying to yank my arm free.

Instead, he stepped closer, his hand gentle yet firm. “ I’m your boss, Myla. And I refuse to let you drive off like this. Look at yourself—you’re a mess. What happened?”

I opened my mouth to lash out at him, but his next words stopped me cold.

“Hey, talk to me,” he murmured, his hand moving to cup my face. “You’re clearly in pain. Talk to me.”

The tenderness in his voice shattered the walls I had tried so desperately to build. Without thinking, I collapsed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. I hated him, hated everything about him—but at that moment, I needed someone to hold tight.

Jaxon wrapped his arms around me, his touch surprisingly comforting. “Hey,” he said softly, his voice steady. “It’s okay. Let it out.”

I cried harder, clutching his shirt as if it was the only thing keeping me strong. My mother had ruined everything. Damien had betrayed me. My world had shattered, and I had no idea how to put it back together.

Jaxon didn’t say a word, just held me tightly and let me cry. When the sobs finally subsided, reality came crashing back. I was hugging him. My boss. The man I couldn’t stand.

I pushed him away immediately, my cheeks burning with shame. “Don’t touch me!” I snapped, my voice trembling with anger. “I don’t need your pity.”

“Myla…”

“No!” I interrupted, pointing a finger at his chest. “You think you can just come in and act like you care? You don’t know me, Jaxon. You know nothing about me.”

He sighed, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. “You’re right. I don’t know everything about you. But I do know that you’re hurting, and I’m not going to let you leave without telling me what’s wrong.”

“Watch me,” I muttered, turning back to my car.

“If you leave, I’ll call the police and report the havoc you caused on the road.”Jaxon said, his voice icy and sharp.

I froze, my anger boiling over. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Try me,” he said, arching his eyebrows. “One call from me, and you'll be locked up forever.”