"If you love me, if you…truly, really love me. You will not do this. You will not betray me like this. There would not be a second woman in your life. You let her in. So, don't…"
"Don't you dare say you love me." Aeris closed her eyes tightly. A deep sigh left her lips as she tried to control her tears.
"What are we…who we are to each other…you and me. I wonder if our relationship is just some kind of a short dream? Is it time for me to open my eyes?" The young lady wearing a stunning black dress laughed lightly. Her eyes that had become colder as time passed never leave the man standing before her.
The man that was supposed to be her husband.
The man who proposed to her three weeks ago.
The man that claimed to chase Aeris to the end of the world just to receive her love.
He betrayed her.
He broke her trust.
Her love.
Her dreams.
He cheated on her.
With her best friend.
With the person she thought she would not have to guard against.
With the person she shared the happiness with.
Aeris, who was supposed to get married with the man she loves, was brutally humiliated. On her birthday party, on her happiest day. She saw the man she deemed as her only love, kissed her best friend.
"Aeris Ambroise."
"At least, let me give you an explanation!" The young man claimed as he tried to hold onto Aeris' shoulders.
"What explanation can you possibly give to me, Zayyan?" Aeris puts strength on her weak legs and closes the gap between her and her ex-fiance, Zayyan.
"Zayyan Hatra, what do you want to say? Are you going to tell me that it was all just a misunderstanding? That she tried to seduce you?" Aeris asked as she stared straight into Zayyan's eyes.
Those cold eyes tried to look for a glimpse of remorse from Zayyan's eyes. However, Zayyan broke their eye contact. He turned away, as if afraid that Aeris would find the truth.
"Tell me." Says Aeris as she took a glance toward the girl he cheated with.
"Tell me why you do this. How long has it been? Tell me everything, I will listen to you. I will listen to you right now. However, you only have one chance to explain everything. Zayyan Hatra, explain to me now." Zayyan laughed mockingly as he heard the cold voice that was intentionally pressuring him.
He stared at Aeris' face for a long time. As if he tried to memorise everything.
"It's been two weeks. Just two weeks." Zayyan opened his mouth slowly as he began to explain.
"It was two days after I proposed to you." He unknowingly stopped the words that were about to come out as he saw Aeris close her eyes.
"I love you."
"I truly did. However, I do not know who I am in your heart. You are too busy with your life. Never ask me anything, never tell me anything. Who am I in your life Aeris?"
"Am I just some guy who proposed to you? Or I am just some stupid guy you pick up so your parents will not pressure you to get married with the man they choose?" Zayyan brushed his hair out of frustration.
"I tried so hard to get your heart. I tried so hard to see even a glimpse of your smile. Why are you so cold to me? Even when I proposed to you, there was no reaction from you at all! Ah, at that time. I figured it out. You never liked me. You just need me to stop your parents from pestering you. You just need me to act as your lover. I was never in your heart." A mocked smile formed on his face.
Zayyan was mocking himself. For being an idiot. For being a fool who could not open his eyes earlier. He felt as if he had wasted three years of his life just to chase Aeris. To chase the woman he thought was the one.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Aeris asked in disbelief. Her eyes opened wide as she was shocked with the explanation that came out of Zayyan's mouth.
"You treat me like a fool. You never admit me to anyone as your boyfriend. All you think about is your pride, your career, your wealth. You don't even have time to think about me. I doubt you even know when my birthday is." Zayyan laughed, however tears started to form in his eyes.
Aeris was stunned.
For the first time in her 23 years of living in this world, she was stunned, left with no words to utter.
"I treat you like a fool?" Aeris looked at Zayyan's face carefully. The man who was crying in front of her right now looked unexpectedly sad. If anyone saw what happened between them from afar, they would think that it was Aeris who cheated.
Aeris never thought, the person she carefully cared for will one day tell her that she had never treated him kindly.
"Why do you look so shocked? Are you trying to say that you never treat me that way? Do you know how other lovers treat each other? They love, care, and respect their partner. But all you have ever done is belittling me. You looked at me with those judgy eyes. I AM YOUR LOVER!" Zayyan yelled, without caring of the prying eyes that were looking at them.
"Was."
"Wh-what?"
Aeris, who tried to understand the absurd explanation that just heard, looked at Zayyan coldly as she repeated, "You were my lover."
"I asked for your explanation. But it seems like all you want to say is I am at fault. I am the reason you cheated. Zayyan, be a man and don't try to put the blame on me. You know the truth yourself." Aeris said as she walked away from Zayyan.
"See."
Aeris stops herself. .
"You are still with your pride and ego." Zayyan mocked as he wiped the dried tears.
"You are wrong, Zayyan. You are terribly wrong."
"It was not my pride or ego that made me walk away. It was somewhere deep in my heart that forced me to leave." Aeris turned her body and she smiled softly at the stunned Zayyan.
"It is my broken heart that had been shattered in pieces that forced me to walk away. Because it looks like these shattered pieces are trying to go to you. It was trying to force you to say this was all a lie. How can I let it be?" Aeris wiped the tears at the corner of her eyes. Not letting it fall.
"How can I let my shattered heart beg you, the person who broke it?"
"I can't beg you to keep loving me. Because I would never be able to do it anymore."
"I loved you Zayyan."
Zayyan took a deep breath as he was shocked with Aeris' words. He holds onto the wall, trying to keep himself standing as he can feel his knee become weak.
"This love was something that I never expected. It bloomed suddenly and all I can do is cherish it."
"The flower has wilted, my heart has broken into pieces while yours has lost its ways. There is no home to go to anymore. Mine has lost the key, and yours has been demolished…"
"Our love does not give us strength. It ruined us." Aeris turned away from Zayyan. She refused to look at his crying face. She was afraid that her body would betray her mind and run into his arms.
"I wish you the happiness you could not get when you were with me."
"Aeris!" Zayyan tried to hold onto Aeris but failed as his legs betrayed him and fell down.
"Let's never meet each other anymore."
Aeris's voice faded away as she left.
That night, two hearts had shattered into pieces.
One was dragged back to be glued together.
The other was left on the cold floor, alone.
It was the heart that was betrayed.
The broken heart Aeris refused to fix.