Hazel's pov
""Ryan…" I started, my voice trailing off as I struggled to gather my thoughts. It felt like my brain had suddenly malfunctioned, leaving me fumbling for words.
"Yes, you… you're under a spell, right?" I demanded, turning sharply to face Monica. "What on earth did you do to my husband?"
My voice escalated into a frantic scream, desperation pouring out like water from a broken dam.
"Ex-husband," Ryan interjected, his tone laced with cold indifference.
"Ryan… please," I pleaded, my tone dropping to a whisper that was thick with emotion. The desperation clawing at my heart twisted deeper with each word. "I've sacrificed so much for you. How could you betray me like this?"
The moment he smirked, a dark glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes, it felt as if he had thrust a dagger into my chest.
He leaned back casually against the dining table, his relaxed demeanor slicing through me more painfully than any acidic remark ever could. His indifference felt like a mocking laugh, but I steeled myself against the crushing weight of despair.
"And what exactly have you done for me, Hazel?" he snarled, a sneer twisting his lips while his voice dripped with condescension.
His narrowed eyes bore into me, sharp and calculating, as if he was hunting for some vulnerability to pounce upon.
"Do you think I would ever fall for this?" He gestured dismissively at my long, flowing clothes, as though they were the rags of a beggar pulled from a trash bin.
"I have my reasons for dressing like this. But you never complained before… What's changed, Ryan?"
The tears pooled in my eyes, blurring his face until I could barely discern his features, painfully reflecting the reality of our shattered bond.
"What's so hard in signing the documents. Don't make this harder than it has to be ". Ryan crouched down in front of me, those brown eyes I once found comfort and solace in, those eyes that once looked at me with so much love were now replaced with a piercing coldness.
I couldn't stand the coldness of his eyes that I had to look away. He stared at me for so long, that for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me.
Then slowly, he leaned in. I closed my eyes waiting for the impact of his lips. It had been a joke all along. I breathed out a sigh of relief patiently waiting for it but it never came.
The words I heard next made me realize there was no going back. "You are no longer useful to me, so naturally, I have to discard you. If I insist on keeping you around, my family might notice something off".
He tilted his chin as if thinking of what to say next. "I advise you just let go. Or if you are interested, you might still be my mistress".
My tears momentarily paused, replaced by a suffocating numbness that spread through my chest. I felt like I just lost the ability to breathe. His words replayed in my mind.
It was at that point that realization dawned on me.
I had been played but in a more painful way. We were fucking married, yet he used me like we were teenage kids playing around with their relationship.
If he hadn't planned on keeping me for long, he should have just made me sign a contract. Yet he made sure I fell helplessly in love with him before showing off his true colors.
Was love this cruel?
My mind flashed back to the memories we shared. He was the perfect husband, the type every woman would wish for. I was so happy whenever I was around him.
I'd do anything for that kind of happiness. Throwing away the last shred of dignity I had left, I dropped to my knees. Tears blurred my vision as they fell freely without restraint.
My hands trembled as I clasped them together in a pitiful plea. " Please, don't leave me. I love you so much. I'll do anything you want."
I took in his amused expression with a heavy heart. He folded his arms across his chest, watching me like I was some spectacle.
"I never loved you". He said coldly, I held my chest in pain as the words pierced through my heart like a knife. He had no idea how much those words hurt me.
"You already served your purpose, there's no need to keep you around". His confession shattered the little hope I had left. I had been so naive to think that everything lasts forever.
Was that really what he thought of me? A tool? He thinks he can discard me like he wants to.
The man I loved? The man I trusted with everything I've got had never loved me. Every sweet word, every tender gesture, every promise, the vows had all been a lie?.
I shut my eyes tightly hoping that when I opened them again, all these would only be a dream.
Ryan harshly grabbed my face. "No more talking, sign the papers already. I'm getting impatient ".
I stared into the eyes of the man I used to call my husband but the look in his eyes mirrored the one his mother used to give me.
Coldness.
Disgust.
Hate.
Ruby walked in at this junction. Her silk dress clung to her body, accentuating her curves. She swayed her hips like some model on the runway. So this was the type of woman Ryan liked?
If he had told me, I would have dressed like that for him too.
Ruby snaked her arms against Ryan's neck. I am so jealous of their intimate position right now! Ryan peeled his gaze from my face, his eyes turning soft and gentle as he ran his hands from her waist down to her butt.
I watched in horror. And then it hit me. For them to be this intimate meant they have been doing this for long. My heart broke.
"You've replaced me already ". More like I was talking to myself cause he didn't spare me a glance.
He had never touched me like that, never kissed me with such unrestrained passion. Maybe the truth had been there all along, I just didn't pay it any attention because I knew nothing about love.
Ruby smirked at me, her expression dripping with the same look I was already accustomed to. Disgust.
I turned to Ryan "With your childhood sweetheart right? I should have known there was something more but I trusted you Ryan. How long have you been cheating on me with this thing".
"Pa". The sound of the slap resounded in my ear as I fell back to the floor. My ear stung from the impact.