Chapter 6 One Painful Step at a Time

Tatiana's Point Of View

At the mention of our engagement, his demeanor turned icy. "Engaged?" He scoffed, and the sound was harsh, vicious. "That engagement became invalid the day I caught you cheating on me."

I staggered back, shocked. "Cheating? Scott, that's not true! You know that misunderstanding wasn't what it looked like!"

His laugh was cold, mocking. "Misunderstanding? Convenient excuse, Tatiana. But not enough."

I felt a pang of betrayal so sharp it nearly knocked the wind out of me. "And all the while, you made me believe we were fine, that we were working things out."

Scott's laugh, hollow and mocking, echoed in the room. "You believed what you wanted to believe. I never promised you anything."

The finality in his voice was the last straw. "So, this is it? You're just going to throw away everything we've built together?"

"Look around, Tatiana. We built a comfortable lie. It's time for the truth. It's time for me to live my truth." He walked towards the door, his steps resolute.

"You can't just walk away from everything!" I cried out, my voice hoarse with emotion.

"Scott! Katrina! How could you both do this to me? I trusted you both, what haven't I done for you? Just tell me, what is it that I haven't done?!!"

The words tore from my throat, raw and aching, as I faced them both, my heart shattering inside my chest. I had always believed we were close, that our bonds were unbreakable. But standing there, seeing the indifference in their eyes, I was forced to confront the painful truth: I knew nothing about them.

The betrayal sliced through me with a physical pain, its sharpness unbearable. I wanted answers, and craved some kind of explanation for this cruelty, but they remained just beyond my reach, their faces void of the warmth I once knew. How could they do this to me? Tears blurred my vision, grief washing over me in waves. Perhaps I had been the fool all along.

I had been there for them, consistently and loyally. Through every success, I had cheered louder than anyone else; through every failure, I was the shoulder to lean on. I had given advice, shared in their troubles, and invested my heart and soul into their well-being. Yet, now it seemed none of that had mattered to them. They had turned their backs on me, discarded me like an old memory, without a second thought.

The realization stung, and with each passing moment, it became clearer: perhaps my trust had been misplaced, my openness a gateway to my betrayal. I had been too trusting, too blind to the signs that maybe they harbored other intentions, intentions that didn't include my well-being.

Unable to contain the hurt any longer, I turned towards Katrina, who had just re-entered the room. "Why, Katrina? Why him? I thought we were friends."

She just stared back, her face a mask of neutrality that didn't reach her eyes. "I'm sorry, Tatiana. It just happened."

"Sorry doesn't fix this!" I screamed, my voice breaking under the strain. My hand lifted almost on its own accord, the need to release the building storm inside me overwhelming. But before my hand could meet her cheek, Scott's grip tightened around my wrist, pulling me back with such force that I stumbled and fell to the ground.

"Never," he hissed, leaning down so his face was mere inches from mine. "Never lay a hand on her. You're not to touch Katrina. Understand? If you do, it won't be easy for you."

The cold, hard tiles against my back, the sharp pain in my wrist where he gripped too tightly, the rain beginning outside, tapping against the windows-all of it felt surreal. "What did I do to deserve this?" I whispered into the void between us.

Scott stood up, towering over me. "You did nothing, Tatiana. That's just how life is. Now get lost before I make you regret coming here."

As I stood there, the cold wind from the open doorway whipped around me, but it was nothing compared to the icy chill of isolation that settled in my heart. Thoughts raced through my mind, a turbulent storm of disbelief and betrayal. Could I ever trust anyone again? Had I been foolish to place my faith in Scott and Katrina so completely? These questions pounded in my head, unyielding and loud, mirroring the ache in my chest. One thing was crystal clear-I would never be the same.

Scott's voice broke through my thoughts, cold and cutting, like a knife slicing through the last threads of hope I held onto. "As you can see, I was busy before you barged in. Can you be any more pathetic, showing up here like some lost puppy? Get out of my villa," he spat out, his words dripping with venom.

He didn't stop there, his eyes hard as he stared me down, enjoying the pain flickering across my face. "Honestly, Tatiana, look at yourself. You're a mess, and you're embarrassing yourself. How desperate do you have to be to chase after someone who clearly doesn't want you?"

Each word he hurled at me was a blow, knocking the air from my lungs, pinning me down with a weight I couldn't lift. I stood frozen, unable to form words, unable to move, unable to think beyond the crushing despair.

Katrina's voice then slid into the room, silk over steel, devastating in its nonchalance. "Scott, darling, let's not waste our evening on this...interruption. Come, let's leave this sad scene before it gets even more pathetic."

She gave me a look that managed to convey both pity and revulsion, as if I were something unpleasant she'd found stuck to her shoe. Her smirk was a clear message of victory, and it stung bitterly, knowing I was the defeated.

Scott chuckled, a sound that once warmed my heart now turned mocking. "Right, let's go. I'd hate for your night to be ruined by this...drama." He grabbed Katrina's hand, pulling her close, and shot me one last look. "Tatiana, do yourself a favor and move on. It's over. It's been over for a long time, and tonight just proves you haven't been paying attention."

And with that, he left, leaving me alone in the echoing silence of the environment, the sound of the door closing marking the end of everything we had. The ground spun under me as his words sank in, each one a nail in the coffin of our relationship. I slumped against the wall, the cold seeping through my clothes into my bones, mirroring the icy void where my heart used to be. From the corner of my eye, I caught Katrina's smirk, a silent, mocking confirmation of the new reality. The realization that I was truly alone, that the man I loved had turned into a stranger, was overwhelming. At that moment, the sheer weight of my heartbreak was suffocating, leaving me gasping for air in a life suddenly devoid of meaning. As I lay there, letting the cool floor numb my aching body, I wondered how love could die so quickly, how trust could turn to dust. I had come here seeking solace, only to find my worst nightmare unfolding before my eyes.

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably, each one a silent testament to the love I thought we had, the trust I thought was unbreakable. How had it all come to this? How had I not seen the signs? The questions tormented me, but no answers came-only the stinging realization that the Scott I loved, the man I had planned to marry, was gone, replaced by this stranger who wore his face and wielded his voice like a weapon.

But dwelling on these betrayals would lead me nowhere. Now, all I could do was gather the scattered pieces of my heart, hold them tight, and attempt to move forward, one painful step at a time.