Bound By Contract, Tied By Faith

I couldn't breathe.

My chest felt tight, like something heavy was sitting on it. My eyes stayed fixed on them, Lucas and Serena like if I blinked, maybe everything would change. Maybe this wasn't real.

But it was.

"How... how could you do this to me?" My voice came out weak, shaking. "After everything... after two years... how long has this been going on?"

Lucas finally moved. He pulled away from her, adjusting his trousers like nothing serious had just happened. Like I didn't just walk in and catch him destroying everything we built.

"It's... it's nothing," he said. His voice was calm.

Too calm. "Don't take it personal. It was just... fun."

For a second, I just stared at him.

Then I laughed. A dry, broken sound that didn't even feel like it came from me.

"Fun?" I repeated slowly. "This is fun to you?"

My hands were shaking now. I could feel it in my fingers, my chest, everywhere.

I turned to Serena. My friend. The same girl who has been my friend from grade 6. The same girl who hugged me downstairs. The same girl who smiled at me like nothing was wrong.

"How long?" I asked her, my voice tighter now. "How long has this been going on?"

She didn't even look ashamed.

She leaned back on the bed like she was bored, picked up her phone, and shrugged.

"Like he said... it's nothing. Just for fun."

Something inside me cracked.

"You're my friend," I whispered. My voice broke this time. "You're my friend, Serena."

Lucas stepped closer. "Ivy, listen...".

"No!" I snapped, stepping back quickly. "Don't come close to me."

He sighed like I was the problem. Like I was overreacting.

"I said I'm sorry," he added. "I didn't think it would be this serious."

"Not serious?" My voice rose. "Two years, Lucas. Two whole years! And you're standing here telling me it's not serious?"

He ran his hand through his hair. "I didn't mean for you to find out like this."

That hurt more than anything.

So it wasn't about regret.

It was about getting caught.

Before I could say anything else, Maya's voice came from the door.

"Ivy, you found...".

She stopped immediately when she saw them.

Her eyes widened. Then her face hardened.

"What the hell is this? What's going on? she demanded.

I swallowed hard. My throat felt dry. "He was with her... Maya."

Silence filled the room.

Then Maya exploded.

"You idiot!" she snapped at Lucas. "You stupid, useless fool! A whole two-year relationship and this is what you're doing?"

She turned to Serena, her eyes sharp. "And you? You call yourself her friend? You're actually disgusting!"

Serena didn't even react. She rolled her eyes again, still focused on her phone like none of this mattered.

"It's not that deep," she said casually.

Maya let out a sharp laugh. "Not that deep?

You slept with your friend's boyfriend and you're saying it's not that deep?"

I just stood there, feeling empty.

Like everything inside me had gone quiet.

"Ivy please...listen to me...". He pleaded walking forward.

Maya got defensive immediately, blocking me from him.

"Don't you even dare touch her".

He turned to Maya.

"Please stay out of this, this is our business".

"To hell with YOUR business, you ruined it the moment you decided to cheat on her".

Maya grabbed my hand firmly. "We're leaving."

Lucas stepped forward quickly. "Ivy, wait...please. Let's talk."

"Talk?" Maya scoffed. "You should have talked before doing this nonsense."

She pulled me out of the room. I didn't even look back. I couldn't.

We walked down the stairs fast. My legs felt weak, but I forced myself to keep moving.

Outside, the cold night air hit me again.

This time, it felt worse.

I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly aware of the dress again. The way it clung to my body. The way it exposed me.

I hated it.

A thought slipped into my mind.

What if this was his plan?

What if he wanted me distracted?

Busy with people staring at me... talking to me...

While he came upstairs to be with her.

My stomach turned.

Maya was already trying to book an Uber.

"This stupid app..." she muttered under her breath.

"Call him," I said quietly.

She tried. Then frowned. "His number isn't going through."

Of course it wasn't.

"Let's just walk," she said finally.

We stepped out onto the road.

The party noise faded behind us, replaced by a strange silence. The streetlights cast long shadows on the ground. My heels clicked softly with every step, the sound echoing in the empty night.

The breeze brushed against my bare skin, making me shiver.

Then suddenly.

Three guys stepped in front of us.

Blocking the road.

"Where are you girls going?" one of them asked, smiling in a way that made my stomach twist.

"Move," Maya said immediately.

They didn't.

One of them stepped closer to me. Too close.

"You look good," he said, his eyes dropping slowly. "Very good."

Before I could react, his hand grabbed my arm.

Another hand pulled my hair slightly.

I gasped. "Let go of me!"

"You think you can walk around like this and nobody will touch?" he said with a smirk.

"Come on... don't act shy now."

His hand brushed against my chest.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Maya didn't hesitate. She kicked one of them hard. "Get off her!"

One of the men turned and grabbed her hair roughly.

"Ahh!" Maya cried out, her body jerking back.

"Maya!" I shouted, panic rushing through me.

I tried to reach her, but another man blocked me, grabbing my wrist tightly.

"Stay still," he said coldly.

I struggled, twisting, kicking, trying to break free. My breath came fast, uneven.

"Ivy, run!" Maya shouted.

"I'm not leaving you!" I yelled back.

"Go!" she screamed, her voice strained as her hair was pulled harder. "Just go!"

"I can't go without you!" I cried.

Then.

A car screeched to a stop.

The door opened.

A man stepped out. Tall. Slim. Dressed in a sharp, expensive suit.

Calm.

Too calm.

"Let them go," he said.

The men paused.

One of them scoffed. "Why? You think we're scared of you?"

Another added, "It's three of us... one of you. You should be the one backing off."

The man didn't move.

"I'm going to call the police," he said calmly. "And you can explain why you're assaulting two women."

He looked at them, steady. "Your choice."

The men exchanged looks.

One of them muttered, "Let's go, guys. These two ladies are not worth us ending up in jail."

They released us and walked away into the night.

Everything went quiet again.

I rushed to Maya. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, breathing hard. "That asshole almost ripe my brain out.Are you okay?

I nodded slowly.

The man looked at us. "You're safe now. Get in."

I hesitated for a while.

"C'mon you're safe".

We got into the car.

Maya gave him her address, before I did.

The ride was quiet. The city lights passed by in a blur.

I stared ahead... until my eyes slowly lifted to the rearview mirror.

And that was when I saw his face clearly.

My breath caught.

No way.

That was him.

The CEO of Nova FM.

My boss's boss's boss.

And he had no idea who I was.

The car slowed down as we reached Maya's street first.

Maya opened the door and stepped out, then leaned back in slightly.

"Thank you so much, sir, for the ride. We really appreciate you. Thank you... you are our knight in shining armor," she said with a small smile.

Then she added, pointing at me lightly, "Please, take good care of my friend. She's really heartbroken. She actually caught her boyfriend cheating on her... sleeping with her friend."

"Maya, jeez!" I said quickly, embarrassed.

She laughed softly. "Oh-sorry. Good night. Take care!"

She leaned closer to me.

"You know they best way to get over a heartbreak is a great one night stand, and he's handsome and filthy richIvy! Maya whispered,

"Maya!  I called unbelievably she said that.

"Go home ma".

"I will call you, or text me how it goes". She mouthed.

She shut the door and walked away.

I glanced at him.

For a brief second, I noticed it..

A small smile.

Not quite a full smile.

Just something subtle.

"I'm so sorry," I said quietly. "That's Maya for you. Her mouth doesn't have a filter."

"I understand," he replied calmly. "Friends like that... they are rare."

The rest of the ride was quiet again.

Soon, we got to my place.

Before I could open the door, he had already stepped out.

He walked around the car and opened the door for me.

That alone caught me off guard.

I stepped out slowly, still a little shaken from everything.

"Thank you... for tonight," I said softly. "And I'm really sorry about what my friend said earlier."

He shook his head slightly. "It's fine."

Then he looked at me properly this time.

"That boyfriend of yours is a fool to let you go," he added calmly. "You won't stay single for long... unless you choose to."

I didn't know what to say.

"Good night," he said.

"Good night," I replied.

He got back into his car.

And then.

He drove off.

Leaving me standing there...

Still trying to understand how my worst night...

Somehow ended like this.

I took the elevator,watching myself on the side mirror and seeing how miserable I look. And how my boyfriend was busy f*****king my friend.

"I have been a fool all my life". I wanted to shout so loudly that all the neighbors would rush outside.

I heard a loud clash on the elevator.

I froze.

"What is there?" I called out, my voice unsteady.

The lights flickered off, then on again.

A chill ran down my spine.

Slowly... the elevator doors slid open.