As I stood in front of the ajar door in the shadows, my heart pounded inside my chest as it slowly shattered and I physically felt like vomiting, how could Jeremiah do this to me?
There in the cold dim room with a romantic setting and roses spilled all over the floor were my cousin Lisa and my dear fiance Jerimiah, the very one that I was supposed to be getting married to in a month. They were both on the king-size bed, already halfway naked and locked in an intimate embrace moaning out loud the names of each other.
Once again, a knot formed in my stomach. I was filled with a mixture of anger, surprise, and a strange detachment from the entire issue. The betrayal of Jerimiah who I always saw as a friend cut through my bones, and the very image of him and Lisa took away the gentle image I had of him in my head.
Contrary to what I thought I would do in such a situation, I whipped out my phone, tapped on my camera, and pressed the record button, in hopes of getting evidence of their wrongdoing to me.
Although I was not lucky in love, I was lucky in other aspects, because almost immediately after I whipped out my phone, they paused in their actions due to Lisa pulling away with a look of dissatisfaction on her face.
I moved a little to the side to get a clear view of both their faces and I saw Jerimiah gently caress her face like she was a fragile doll while she pouted in dissatisfaction, I could only inwardly sigh at their interaction.
"Lisa baby what's wrong," Jeremiah said in a love-struck voice which made me cringe.
"Jerry baby, why are you prolonging this? You and Eliza will literally be getting married in a month. Why have you not put a stop to this", Lisa said while crossing her arms in a disgruntled manner, while my ears perked up when I heard her mention my name.
"I know, Lisa. I have tried every possible way to convince her to sign the full rights of the company away to your father, but she just never budges. Sometimes she does not even let me bring it up". He told Lisa while hugging her from behind, in a bid to comfort her while I gagged at his actions. So all this while, he was just scheming against me along with my bitchy cousin, even if there was no love in our relationship I already expected his respect and loyalty.
I was also happy that I did not let myself be deceived. Indeed, he did bring up the topic of me signing away my rights to my uncle as a sign of gratitude for raising me all these years and giving me familial love, but I knew that my uncle and aunt never gave me any form of love, and their bad attitude towards me robbed their spoilt daughters. Seeing me always reminded them of their humble past, so they never treated me well, perhaps seeing me struggle also gave them a sense of superiority. Eliza who was once treated like a princess was now begging for their mercy, that is what they wanted.
" That stupid bitch, she has always been so stubborn, my dad has always been nice to her and she cannot even let go of the company, is that too much to ask for, it's not like she knows how to run it anyways, plus we treat her pretty well," She said while flaying her hands frustratedly.
I looked at her through the door incredulously, the fact that she felt so badly entitled to the things my parents worked so hard for.
And yes it was too much to ask, that company was what my parents left for me before they passed away along with the few properties they left in my name, but they had put my uncle in charge of it until I reached a certain age or I got married.
When the company landed in the hands of my uncle, it faced a slow decline as the years went by and he never let me have a say in the company matters, but I was going to put a stop to it now that I found out about their betrayal, I would get my revenge.
" I know, the only plausible option now is to marry her, that way she would have to give me and even if she doesn't when we divorce, she will have no choice but to give me as part of the divorce process," he said causing me to quietly gasp, I started thanking my lucky stars that I found out about his betrayal, what if I did, in fact, end up marrying him, my life would have ended up in ruins, I would have lost everything.
"No that's too long, Dad already knows about our relationship and he is very enthusiastic to get us engaged, but I want to give him the company as the engagement suprise, let us do it like this.." she started and I was already to hear her new plan, but she was interrupted by a phone call.
"Yes Dad" she answered with an annoyed look.
"Who is there?" He asked as Lisa kept on talking with her dad I immediately went into an empty room by the side and hid in a corner, while she came out of the room with his footsteps resounding in the quiet house, I placed my hands over my mouth to cover up any sound I might mistakenly make.
"What's wrong baby?" Lisa said as I saw her shadow approach Jerimia's.
"I thought I saw somebody by the door" I heard him say and I leaned back on the wall praying that he would not find me.
" What are you talking about are you that drunk" Lisa laughed.
" I guess so" he laughed along before they went back to their making out and entered the room, but he did not forget to lock the door this time.
I slowly tip-toed my way out of his fancy apartment and made my way to my car. I decided to call Alexandra, my friend as I started to drive off from that disgusting man's house.
"Alex," I said once she picked up. Her name was Alexandra but I loved to call her Alex while she called me Liza.
"What's up girl" she said.
" I need to see you," I told her in a shaky voice.
" does it have to be now, I am about to catch some sleep," she said tiredly over the phone.
"I need to see you now," I told her once again.
"Girl, what's wrong?" She asked in a worried tone.
" I cannot tell you over the phone," I said as I sped off thinking of where I should meet Alex.
"Okay, where should we meet?" She asked.
"Don't worry about that, I will soon arrive at your house" I told her while I made a turn.
That was when the sadness suddenly hit me, ever since I was five years old, I got engaged to Jerimiah Taleson who was from a high-class family and so were we.
Our family had a very close bond and they wanted to become one big family so they agreed on our engagement ever since then my mother always made sure I knew that I was engaged to Jerimiah. We were forced to go on several dates and to look after each other in school, it was draining but I always accepted the fact that I would get married to him, so I tried to make it work.
We both knew that we did not have that many feelings for each other but we agreed on respect, we became pretty good friends and his warm gentle smile always warmed up my day, but I guess it was only a one-sided friendship, the only reason he had not ended the engagement was because of my parents entertainment agency and other properties. I was not surprised about Lisa's betrayal, she has always been a bitch to me and she had always been jealous of me.
she always coveted my stuff and my uncle who doted on her always obliged to her request leaving me with nothing, but I could not do anything about it as I was an orphan. His wife was even worse, treating me like a sore in her eyes, I guess it was because I reminded her that all the wealth that belonged to their family was not really theirs but borrowed.
And ever since I could afford it, when I had the chance, I moved out of their toxic house, which was technically mine which they hijacked.
I pulled up in front of Alex's house and pressed my horn to indicate my arrival and after a few minutes, she came out of the house in her nightgown, she was rubbing her hands over her eyes while yawning as she walked towards me at a normal pace.
" Liza what's up" she said as she entered the passenger seat and gave me a firm hug.
" I don't know how to say this" I started trying to block out the image of the nude Lisa and Jerimiah off my head, but I could not, the image was still very vivid in my mind.
" Girl, just calm down, and say it," She said in a warm voice while slowly rubbing my shoulder.
" Jerimiah cheated on me," I told her, and when I said it for real, the waterworks came gushing down my eyes, i could not believe someone who I had always regarded as a friend would do that to me, especially with Lisa.
"What!" Alex shouted in shock.
"That's not possible, he is always affectionate to you, why would he do such a thing?" She said with shock very evident on her face and I was not surprised by her reaction, I thought he was loyal too because of his gentle and easy-going character, who knew that he was a snake, secretly plotting to steal what belonged to me.
" Yes Alex, I just saw them with, my perfect two eyes" I defended.
"Him and who?" She asked.
"Lisa," I sighed.
"Lisa?Really?" She asked in shock.
"Yes," I answered.
"That bitch I am gonna kill her!" Alex shouted in an angry tone.
" Not now, let me tell you what happened first", I started while holding her back.
" Go on," She said while trying to calm herself down, but she could not stop the veins threatening to pop out of her forehead due to anger.
" I and Jerimiah were supposed to meet tonight for a date his mum prepared for both of us, but he canceled at the last minute claiming to be sick. I asked him if I should come and he said no, that it was not that serious and that it was just the flu."
"Without his permission, I decided to go anyway because I was worried. I got to his house and everywhere was dark except for his room, where I heard noises and the door was slightly ajar. I saw him and Lisa, literally having s*x. Turns out the only reason why he has not canceled our engagement, is because he wants to help my uncle get my dad's company from me officially. I heard them say they were in the middle of their nonsense", I cried, while Alex patted my back with an angry look on her face.
"Gosh Liza, your uncle is in on this too?" She asked angrily while I just nodded with tears streaming down my face.
" I don't think he knows, Lisa said she wanted to surprise him with it on her engagement. How pathetic"
"Why am I even crying, he is not worth my tears," I said, trying to stop the tears, but they could not stop.
"Girl cry all you want, you were literally cheated on," Alex said while I rested my head on her shoulders.
" I told you to stop having mercy on your uncle's stupid family. Before your parents passed, they always praised the ground you walked on, and ever since they had access to your parents' property, they have been treating you like shit. Eliza, you have to keep in mind that the property, everything belongs to you girl, just take it from them and you can teach that slutty ass bitch a lesson", Alex said with venom dripping from her words.
" I can't, according to my parents' annoying rule. I have to reach thirty years old before I can acquire it, or if I get married". I sighed with frustration.
"Your parents messed up with that rule," Alex said, disappointed, while I nodded. She was right, my father trusted his brother too much and I was the one suffering for it. I really wish they were still alive, but no, that car accident took them away.
"Can I sleep here for the night?" I asked her even though I knew that she would say yes.
"Girl, why would you ask me that? You know you can sleep here anytime" Alex said, suddenly becoming excited.
"Thanks so much, Alex…" I started but she interrupted me.
"Not so fast, Liza, I was not done. You are free to sleep over anytime, only if you come to the club with me tonight" she said, and I looked up and sighed frustratedly.
"Alex, I don't want to go to the club," I said.
"You have to, Lisa, maybe when you meet a good man and, you know, he will help you let off some steam" she suggested.
" Alex, I am not going to have sex with a random man at the club," I told her with a deadpan face.
"Okay okay, no sex then, but at least you can let off some steam. Come on girl, let's get drunk tonight" She clapped happily while I reluctantly nodded.
