Chapter Two

Vivienne 

The next morning I was up early, barely getting any sleep the previous night. Alias didn't come home and it was obvious what he was up to.

I came to a hard conclusion; if Alias didn't have a good excuse, things would be over between us.

My hands tightened around the thick duvet cover, I couldn't imagine a life without him but the evidence was real.

I heard the sound of the down stair door open and I braced myself. 

Soon Alias strolled into the room, caring less if I existed. His tie hung loosely around his neck, his hair messy and eyes dilated. He looked like he had a really good time. 

He didn’t even glance my way. Not once.

I inhaled deeply, fighting the urge to crumble. I was done being a foot mat.

“How was the party?” I asked calmly, trying to mask my anger.

“Good,” he muttered, not even looking up, his focus already on the bathroom door.

I watched him as he disappeared behind it, the sound of the shower rushing filled the room. My nails dug into my palms, the pain grounding me. I wasn’t going to let this go.

 Seven years. Seven years of devotion, love, and loyalty. Seven years of planning a life together, wasted.

The shower turned off, and Alias emerged moments later, toweling his hair dry. He didn’t even flinch when he caught me standing there, arms crossed, a storm brewing in my eyes.

“I need to talk to you,” I said, every word laced with steel.

His brows furrowed briefly before he shrugged. “What about?”

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat threatening to choke me. 

“You were hitting it off with my family yesterday,” I started, deliberately slow, my voice low but trembling with barely contained fury. “ You told me you had work and couldn’t make it.”

He paused, his expression unreadable, before walking toward the closet.

 “Yeah, I did. But afterward, I was close, and Amélie invited me over. What’s the big deal?”

The audacity of his nonchalance made my blood boil. I forced myself to breathe, to stay composed. But inside, I was already cracking.

“You have the gall to stand here and act like everything is normal?” My voice rose, shaking with every word. “Like I wouldn’t notice your lies?”

He turned back toward me, arms crossed, his gaze devoid of any emotion.

I didn’t wait for him to respond. I stepped to the side drawer, yanked it open, and grabbed the diamond earrings and the empty condom packet. I held them up between us like a verdict, my hands trembling under the weight of the truth.

“What is this, Alias?” I hissed, my eyes boring into his. “You know who owns these earrings. So why the hell were they in your suit pocket?”

His gaze flicked from my face to the items in my hand. There was no panic, no attempt to explain, no trace of guilt. Nothing.

“Did you sleep with Amélie?” The words felt like acid leaving my throat, burning every fiber of my being.

His answer was simple, brutal, and devoid of shame.

“I did.”

The room seemed to tilt. My breath hitched, and for a moment, I thought I might pass out.

“You... you did?” I whispered, more to myself than to him, as if saying it out loud would make it less real. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” 

My voice cracked, the dam inside me threatening to burst. 

“We’ve been together for seven years, Alias. Seven goddamn years! And you threw it all away—for what? For her?”

He finally met my gaze, and the cold, lifeless look in his eyes shattered something deep inside me.

“You’re just not exciting anymore.” His voice was calm, casual, as if he were commenting on the weather.

The air left my lungs, and I staggered back slightly, gripping the edge of the bed to steady myself.

“What?”

He shrugged, his indifference like a blow to the gut.

 “Just wanted a bit of fun before the wedding. Nothing wrong with that.”

His words were knives, stabbing repeatedly into every vulnerable part of me, leaving me exposed and bleeding.

I let out a hollow laugh, the sound foreign even to my own ears. 

“Fun?” My voice wavered. “You had an affair with my sister, Alias. My sister. And you call that fun?”

He said nothing, just stood there, emotionless.

The love I had for him, the trust I had poured into this relationship, shattered like glass. This was the man I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with?

I felt the tears prick my eyes, but I blinked them away. No. I wouldn’t let him see me cry. 

“It’s over,” I whispered, my voice quiet but firm.

“What?” His brows arched slightly, the first real reaction I’d seen from him.

“It’s over,” I repeated, louder this time. My trembling hands reached for the engagement ring on my finger. The diamond that once symbolized our love now felt like a shackle. 

I yanked it off and placed it on the table between us.

“If you want Amélie so bad, you can have her,” I said, my voice breaking despite my resolve. “Alias Rousseau, it’s over between us.”

For a moment, there was silence, a void stretching between us. Then he smirked—a cold, cruel twist of his lips that sent shivers down my spine.

“You’ll regret this,” he said, stepping closer, his voice low and dangerous. His eyes darkened, the look in them one I’d never seen before.

I squared my shoulders, forcing myself to hold his gaze despite the fear clawing at my chest.

“I’d rather regret this than regret spending another second with someone like you,” I spat, my voice trembling but fierce.

He stared at me for a moment longer, his smirk fading into something unreadable. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

The sound echoed through the room, and finally, the tears came. My body turned limp and I leaned against the wall, shaking with the force of my sobs. Seven years. Seven years, gone in an instant.

But if he thought I’d crumble, he was wrong. He’d regret this. Not me.

I pulled out a suitcase from the closet and yanked it open. My hands moved on their own, grabbing clothes and shoving them inside. 

My tears hadn't stopped. Every part of me ached—my chest, my head, my soul.

But I couldn’t stay here.

Not for another second.

I froze as my phone buzzed on the nightstand. For a brief second, my heart leapt, foolishly hoping it was him calling.  But when I picked it up and saw "Mom" flashing on the screen, my stomach twisted.

I hesitated before answering, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Hi, Mom.”

“Vivienne! Finally, I’ve been trying to reach you all day.” 

“Sorry,” I said, trying to steady my voice. “I’ve been... busy.”

“Well, I won’t keep you long, but I just wanted to remind you about Alias’s grandfather’s birthday party this weekend. It’s going to be quite the event, and you know how much he loves you. He’s practically been counting down the days to see you.”

Her words were like knives. I gripped the phone tightly, my breath hitching. “Oh. Right. The party,” I managed, forcing my voice to stay even.

“Of course you’ll be there, right? Alias told us you both were so excited about it.”

I closed my eyes, trying to block out the fresh wave of pain. The lies. The betrayal. 

“Yes, Mom. I’ll be there,” I said quickly, not trusting myself to say more.

“Good! And, Vivienne, don’t work too hard, alright? You’ve been looking so tired lately. We’ll see you soon!” I hung up before she could hear the crack in my voice. 

With a deep breath, I hurled my suitcase into the back of my car and started driving.