Chapter 1 Betrayal

Chapter 1

Lorraine

"No! it can't be true," I tried to ignore the words I heard from the anonymous caller as I stormed towards the church.

Dressed in my silky black nightgown, with my hair packed in a messy bun, I didn't look like I belonged here and it could be seen by how people kept glancing at me. I was just woken from sleep with words I never expected to hear--not in a million years though.

We are in love for Christ's sake! Or were.

I blinked for the fifth time wondering if my eyes were deceiving me because there was no way Eden could have used the same venue we booked for our wedding..

"Now it's time to exchange the rings..." The priest announced and I gulped. He was the same priest I had booked!

"What is going on here?" I thundered as I advanced towards Iris and Eden who stood facing each other with bright smiles on their faces in front of everyone, my presence interrupting their happy moment.

Surprise and shock were evident in their expressions as I was probably the last person they expected to see in their wedding, at least not when they were about to exchange the rings and become a couple.

"I-I can explain, Lorraine." Iris pleaded, stuttering and palming her hands while loud whispers went round in the congregation.

I stared at the two people who meant everything to me with my eyes turning misty, but I willed myself not to cry or give them the satisfaction that they had broken me.

My lips curled in a smirk as I flashed a deep glare at her. "Now you stutter, but you didn't while you were declaring your vows without shame. What the hell did I do wrong to deserve this, Eden? I thought you loved me. We were supposed to get married next week....." My voice didn't come out sounding as confident as I wanted it to, but it didn't matter anymore.

I needed clarity.

Eden's expression switched from apologetic to stoic and nonchalant within a fleeting second.

"What makes you think that I can get married to a woman like you? You are timid and lack foresight. I do every single thing for you and with the baggage of your step father, I don't think I'll be able to deal with that in marriage." He spurted out.

The tears I'd been trying to keep in finally rolled down my eyes, but I wiped them off without hesitating, seeing that I was only making a fool of myself.

My stepfather was one of the reasons I turned out the way I did. After my mother died while I was nine years old, he treated me well for sometime but the moment I turned thirteen he began to make strange advances towards me.

I ignored it all, and stayed in school later than usual just to avoid him but when I returned home he'd hit me and tell me never to return late from school.

"After everything I've done for you, Iris, you saw no one else to be with but my fiancé?" I yelled at her, clenching my fist to punch the annoying expression off her face but she snorted then cocked her head to the side.

"It's not my fault that you were stupid and dumb and allowed him to do whatever he wanted with you. He never loved you from the onset, it was just some deep sympathy he felt for you because no one wanted to date a timid and needy girl like you. To him, you are the case of a lost puppy found under the rain, so leave here before we call the security to throw you out." She snarled, hissing like she couldn't stand my presence anymore.

My lips parted and I didn't bother to shut it. Here I was thinking that I'd gotten a family, but they just showed me that it was all an illusion. I inclined my head and touched my stomach, I couldn't even tell him that I was pregnant.

"You don't need to go that far, but I want you to remember that a stolen property never lasts. It will be taken from you the same way you took it."

Her face turned pale at my words but I'd said everything that needed to be said. As I walked through the aisle with my shoulders hanging loosely and my face lowered, the sad memories of my life began to replay in my head. I made sure not to look sideways or the sight of the guests flashing pitiful looks at me would make me cry harder.

Now I was pregnant and alone; no boyfriend or even a best friend. I hadn't seen my stepfather in a few years as he was my worst nightmare, but now that I was left with no house or property to myself there was only one choice left but to run away.

On my way out of the church, I sighted someone who looked just like my stepfather. I darted my eyes away from the man chewing his burger and taking a sip from the bottle of water on the wooden chair he sat on and looked around.

'It can't be him.' I muttered under my breath and trudged away from the church.

I scrolled through my phone and dialed the number of the person who had called anonymously to inform me about the wedding but it was unreachable. Goosebumps rose on my skin as I felt someone following me.

I turned around sharply, the action causing a wave of dizziness to hit me hard but I shook it off and searched for who might be following me and I found no one.

Unnerved by the eerie feeling, I increased my pace and began a sprint. Footsteps sounded behind me but I didn't bother looking back again as it was confirmed that I was being followed. The dizziness continued but I kept running till I got to the main road.

I glanced at the traffic lights which signified that it wasn't time for me to cross yet, but seeing that I had a stalker, I threw caution to the wind and ran across the road.

Cars honked their horns, the drivers throwing snide remarks at me but I kept running, gasping for breath at the same time. I paused my race then summoned the courage to check if I was still being followed but that was the worst mistake I'd ever made, as a black jeep which was coming with uncontrollable speed collided into me.

The force of the hit sent me flying in the air, and when my head connected to the ground, everything turned pitch black.