Ex-husband's Regrets Worth Nothing

Faith's POV “Get the hell out of here as soon as possible! Your filthy face is the last thing I want to look at for the rest of the day!” In a fit of wrath, I screamed at the assistant I was working with. I watched as she jerked her shoulder as she dashed out the door. “Fucking bitch! How dare she make me feel this way!” I mumbled something under my breath as I roughly reorganized the papers on the table in front of me. I was in the middle of being angry when I heard a knock on the door. I heaved a sigh before inviting the person to come inside with a cold voice. “Come in,” I said. The door was then opened by Alex, who seemed to be completely bewildered as he approached it. With his customary low tone, he informed her, “You have a meeting at 2:00 o'clock.” “Alright,” I responded, maintaining my gaze on the papers that were spread out on the table in front of me. After I realized that he wasn't going to leave the house, I gave him a puzzled look and my eyebrows wrinkled. “Do you have anything else?” I asked. I could hear him sigh as his eyes fixed themselves on mine. A trace of skepticism may be detected in it. “When do you plan to make this stop?” He started by throwing that question on my face. That made my heart pound. “Faith, it has been three years since we last spoke. Why don't you simply let him go?” He proceeded with his line of questioning. After hearing those words, I felt a tightening across my whole body. In the midst of giving Alex a menacing look, I accidentally rumpled the papers that were sitting on my table. I cried, "Get out!" and he bolted out the door the second I finished speaking. I took a few slow, deep breaths, sat back in my chair, and closed my eyes as I did so. I allowed the pictures of my past to come back to me like a kaleidoscope of unpleasant recollections, despite the fact that I didn't want to do so. ** ELEVEN YEARS AGO… “I love you so very much, my darling. Now, give me a peck on the cheek.” This was a gesture I could never say no to, Atlas stated as he puckered his lips for a kiss on the cheek. After that, I laughed, caressed his face, and reacted by saying, “I love you too.” After that, I gave him a long and passionate kiss. At that time, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world. Nothing is more important to me than my relationship with Atlas. Me and him, that's enough for me. Then, all of a sudden… As Melissa broke into our little private time, things were just beginning to heat up. She welcomed us with “Hello guys,” which caused us to break the kiss short. Both of us were staring at her inappropriately. “Damn, Melissa. You really enjoyed pulling us apart when we were making out, didn't you?” I whimpered, making her roll her eyes. After that, she smirked cheekily at Atlas and said, "Looking handsome, Atlas." She gave him a teasing wink in jest. He said, “I know,” as he tightened his grip on my shoulder and put his arms around it. After that, he planted a kiss on my left cheek. “Jerk,” I mumbled, making him chuckle. We were the best of friends, the three of us, but particularly me and Atlas due to the fact that we had essentially known each other from the moment we were both born. Even before we were aware of what was going on in the outside world, we were inseparable from each other. We spent all of our time together, and despite how silly it may seem, both of us would sob when it was finally time to go home after spending so much time playing together. At least, that's what our parents had told us when we were younger. Because of the strength of our connection, we have a great bond like an invisible string between the two of us. I was able to give him my whole trust and my heart when he told me about his feelings for me. I discovered in him not just a lover but also a friend—a genuine one. As we began our first year of high school together, Melissa became a part of our life. Since that time, I have always interacted with her as if she were my own sister, and she has done the same with me. Since I care so deeply for this smart and lovely girl, I would risk my life to shield her from any danger that could come her way. I would agree with the many people who claimed that our personalities couldn't be more different from one another. I was a badass. However, certainly not the sort of blonde cheerleader with a snarky demeanor. Simply put, I was a rough girl—more accurately, a ruffian. Yet despite our differences, our mentalities were a perfect match for one other. Atlas, too, acted more like a brother toward her in his protectiveness toward her. But I'll tell you what, he was absolutely, one hundred percent, head over heels protective of me, and, if I'm being honest, a little possessive as well. It was anathema to him whenever other men made an attempt to talk to me. However, the quality that impressed me most about him was the respect he showed others. Even though he had a reputation as one of the school's more troublesome students, he never once tried to coerce me into engaging in ‘that thing’ with him. He was not in a hurry and could wait. Oh, how much I love this devil! “College is a rather dull experience. I despise it!” Melissa moaned as she rested her head on my shoulder and pressed her body on me. “Well, you're right, but at least we were in it together. I have no doubt that we can make this enjoyable,” I reacted to her while stroking the top of her head. “You mean having fun by making fun of the professors and other kids, or should I say getting into problems with them?” Atlas sneered and gave me a cheeky grin as he turned to me. I responded with a smile and said, "Maybe." “I believe it is time for us to go. It is so late already,” Melissa said as she glanced at the watch on her wrist. After that, she got up from her seat and continued. Melissa was a resident in her own apartment. She was an only child, and when she was eighteen years old, both of her parents passed away in a car accident. She grew up without a sibling. “Well, come on, Melissa. You live on your own. It's not like everyone is holding their breath for you to get back there. Relax and hang out with us for a little bit longer,” I urged as I assisted her in getting back on the ground. As she fled from us, she yelled behind us, "I have quite a few school assignments to accomplish." I just chuckled. She actually is a school girl, the kind of person who would be terrified of not completing her assignments. I immediately yelled out, "Watch out!" After that, she bade us farewell with a sweep of her hand. On the way back to the house, Atlas and I chose to stroll. To state the obvious, our families lived in the same neighborhood, and our parents were very close friends. When I turned around to unlock our front door, Atlas grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him. He leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "Don't leave me," which caused chills to run down my spine. I cherished the sensation of his hot breath passing over my body. After that, he began to kiss me all the way down my neck, which caused me to gasp as I pulled on his hair. "My parents may catch us," I whispered in between muffled laughs, thinking that they might. But without any prior warning, he pressed his lips against mine, forced his tongue into my mouth, and drank in the flavor of my saliva. I let out a groan as he tickled my buttocks in a fun manner. I said a friendly "Bye!" before I left. He returned my grin and kissed me quickly three times, not once or twice, but freaking three times! When he was leaving, he said, “Bye, my sweetie,” and then walked away. As we were still somewhat close, he blew me a kiss, which I was able to catch. I yelled out to them, “Love you!” “Love you too!” He responded with a yell. ** PRESENT… I forced myself to open my eyes and force myself to stop the fucktard thoughts that had been going through my head. I despise it because it irritates me. But all of it is now in the past where it belongs. Memories that I really ought to just put out of my mind. Remembering those past events isn't going to benefit me in any way. I did a quick comb-through with my fingertips. “I cannot believe how much I despise this... I despise these recollections! Fucking hate these memories…” There is no way for the three of us to get back together. After a piece of glass has been shattered, it cannot be reassembled into its original whole state by any means. And so did the nature of our friendship. I shouted at him and said, “I fucking hate you, Atlas Williams!”

“Today, all of the work has to be completed by five o'clock. Understood?” I glared icily at my personal assistant, who was trembling under my watch, and gave her an order. After that, I gave all of the necessary files to her in a very dangerous manner. “There was a delay till five o'one. Get moving and get started right away.” I proceeded while giving her a menacing look in her direction. I was aware that she would submit her resignation any moment now, but I couldn't care less about that fact. When she exited the room, she responded with a trembling voice, “Y-yes, Ma'am,” and she came dangerously close to falling due to her anxiety and the pile of paperwork she was carrying. I let out a sigh, sat back in my chair, and began massaging my temples as soon as I realized that she had already left my office. I really cannot stand it when my head begins to hurt. After that, the phone in my workplace rang, which jolted me out of my trance. I responded with exhaustion to your question. “M-Madam, so someone is coming to see you…” That was my assistant calling me once again. I just despise the fact that she stuttered. “Are you unable to communicate clearly? Jesus! Talk properly!” I stated, to let her know that I am irritated with her talking like that. She repeated, “Madam, someone is coming to see you,” as she approached the door. I rolled my eyes in response to her voice, and then I hung up the phone without giving her another chance to speak. As I was just ready to leave the office, its door abruptly opened, allowing me to exit the building. “Mommy! Mommy!” he yelled. I answered when I heard a soft voice. As I glanced down at my legs, I saw a little child holding onto my skirt. He was only three years old. “I miss you!” He went on as he was holding onto one of my legs. “Get off me, kid!” I yelled as I violently wrenched my body away from him and shouted the words. For fuck sake! How on earth was this kid ever able to make it here? As I heard footsteps approaching into my office, the first thing that went through my thoughts was, ‘Damn it!’ When some time had passed, I was able to see his face. "Damn it," I muttered once again, really wanting to utter the phrase out loud. “My apologies to you, Faith. As I parked the car in front of the building, he bolted out of the car. He couldn't express how much he was missing you.” A well-known low and gruff voice spoke out next. As I glanced at him, I saw that he was wearing a grin on his face. I stared at him in confusion before turning my anger at the child. “Mr. Williams, what are you doing in this building?” I inquired in a manner that was very formal—cold and rigid. The grin that had been on his face vanished all of a sudden. It seemed as if he was suffering from... agony and pain. The idea made me laugh out loud. ‘Agony? Pain? Fucking ridiculous!’ Pain and him are not a very good match for one another. Putting them together in one sentence doesn’t make sense. “Come on, Faith. Do you still not remember that I own fifty percent of this company?” Atlas said, and in response to that, I rolled my eyes and settled back into my seat in the room. Again, the little kid yelled out, “Mommy...” After giving him some attention, I saw that the tears were welling up in his beautiful eyes. In addition to that, both of his arms are raised over his head. He requested that I carry him, but it is something I will never do. I diverted my gaze and pretended not to see him. “Daddy,” he began sobbing, “I need you.” I watched as the tears slid down his rounder face and landed on his blue eyes. “Honey, please come over here. It's alright, your mommy was just so busy at the time,” Atlas said in a low voice. I can't stand the way his voice makes the word ‘mommy’ sound. I snapped at him in exasperation, “I am not his mom.” After hearing these comments, Atlas's expression towards me became harsh. “Faith—” he started, but I stopped him off. “Would you just be quiet? Therefore, see to it that your child does not return to this place under any circumstances.” I told him right in front of his face. “This is not a damned nursery or a playground where you can bring your child whenever you want to,” I continued. “He is your son.” It made me laugh. That was freaking hilarious and I gave him that. “My son? What makes this child my son? To be very honest with you, Mr. Williams, I had no idea that I was even his mother.” I spit it out. “But he—” Once again, I severed communication with him. “I said shut up. He isn't my son so stop brainwashing the kid's mind!” I loudly said. He did nothing except stand there and stare at my face, which caused me to tighten my fists in complete and utter rage. ‘Why the heck he’s insisting that this kid is my son?’ I made a solemn vow that the rage, hate, and contempt that I felt against this man would never go away. It had been three fucking years, and although I believed that I could finally move on after such a lengthy period of time, the reality is that I would never be able to do so. I can’t fucking move on. The wounds were still here and were left unhealed. Never in a million years, especially considering the fact that I am the Chief Executive Officer of this firm and he just showed up out of the blue and identified himself as the other owner. Never, especially considering that I was aware that we were working in the same place and we would be sharing the same air. I repeated it with a little more composure this time as I returned to reviewing my files: “Go out, you're wasting my time.” I could hear the child choking back his tears and sniffling in an attempt to calm himself down. “I will never walk away from you, regardless of how much animosity you feel against both me and our kid Leo. Absolutely not, Faith. I will stop at nothing to win your forgiveness, so that you may return to loving me the way you once did and making me once again the center of your life. It was a vow I took to heart and kept with myself.” He spoke it with a firm resolve and an air of assurance. To tell you the truth, it made me want to throw up. As it came from him, those remarks immediately gave off an impression of being a falsehood. I sat up straight and began to intertwine my fingers with those of the person sitting next to me. “Mr. Williams, you may do anything you want, but I will never forgive you and Melissa for what you both did to me. I don't care what you do to me. My respect for myself is much more essential than your so-called love emotion or any other feeling you claim to have. I will never contact you again, and I will never allow you to reenter my life. You and I just owned this business together, and it will continue to serve as the foundation of our partnership moving forward. Nothing more than that. Now, get out.” I asserted in a loud and clear voice. He turned his head away, his face conveying regret, hurt, and guilt to no one in particular but himself. He carried his son with him as he made his way toward the entrance. As he quietly exited the room, he said, “I love you,” and then he was gone, leaving me with sad thoughts. ‘What the fuck? What the hell that I love you mean to me now? Nothing!’ ** FIVE YEARS AGO… “Faith, you have no idea how much I adore you.” He cried out in pain as he gnawed on my neck. “Oh God! I just can't get enough of you. I just can't. You are mine, all mine.” He spoke softly in my ear while biting the lobe of my other ear. I used to like the way it made me feel whenever I moaned his name. I responded in a hushed tone, “I love you too, Atlas—so much.” The door swung open with a thud all of a sudden. What a great timing! And here it is, it was our wonderful buddy Melissa who was a master at sabotaging our precious times. Atlas whimpered “Melissa,” which made me grin to myself. She expressed her regret while rolling her eyes and added, “I'm sorry, it was not my aim to disrupt your make-out session all the time.” She then approached the sofa while carrying a bag of Doritos in her hand. Melissa switched her position just as Atlas was about to kiss me, interrupting the kiss. She had moved seats and was now seated between Atlas and I. Atlas groaned and asked, “Mel, what the hell?” She flashed a wry grin as she switched on the television while saying, “Sorry.” That caused me to giggle once again. Atlas took a few moments to watch some television before grabbing the remote control and turning the television off. Melissa looked at Atlas and said, “What the heck are you doing? I was just watching that! You just spoiled the suspense!” I was concerned because of the tone with which he delivered the next statement: "I know, but listen. I forgot to tell you both something.” I asked Atlas what had occurred as I moved over to his side of the sofa and sat down next to him. “What happened?” After that, I put my hand on top of his, and I can feel him squeezing my hand even more tightly. He began by saying, “I have some news. One of them is good, and the other is bad.” After giving one other a glance that conveyed both anxiety and confusion, Melissa and I turned our attention back to Atlas and waited for him to continue. “I-I have been offered a position in New York's one of the top companies—in fact, top over the globe. It was controlled by Mr. Richard Bailey,” he continued, causing our eyes to widen in shock. Richard Bailey had a net worth of one billion dollars. Getting a job at one of the numerous businesses he controlled all across the globe was so desirable that people were willing to sacrifice their lives for it. It made Melissa and I shout with joy, and we both gave Atlas a bear hug as we were overcome with delight. “Oh my God! Congratulations, Atlas! I knew you could do it and I am beyond proud and happy for you,” I said with joy as I kissed his cheek firmly, causing him to expose his charming dimples. “I knew you could do it and I am so pleased and happy for you,” I added with delight. “Congrats!” Melissa extended her congratulations to Atlas and said that this was very wonderful news. “But,” Atlas remarked with anguish. I inquired with a “But what?” Then he stated that, “Getting that position means I have to remain in New York,” which he made, caused me to grimace. “With that, I will have to leave London... in three days,” he said. My body was instantly overcome by a feeling of sadness. I shook my head in disbelief and questioned in a trembling voice, “What? Three days?” As tears began to form in my eyes. Atlas swiftly grabbed my cheeks as soon as he saw that I was crying. He wiped my tears away with a kiss while saying, “No, no. Please, baby, don't cry.” He stated it with such love and sincerity, “I don't want to see tears in your beautiful eyes. If you don't want me to go, then I will happily remain for you. I'm sure I can find another fantastic job here in London. You, nonetheless, were my highest priority.” I felt guilty. He wanted it and waited for it. He really put forth a lot of effort to acquire this position. I can't let myself be the reason he gives up on his goals and ambitions. I wished for him to have the most success that was possible in this life. “No, you need to go there, and achieve what it is in life that you want, and I... I will gladly watch it. But you gotta promise me to keep in contact, okay? Please don't find any gi—” he interrupts me by passionately kissing my lips. “I promise to keep in contact. I promise to stay faithful to you as you are my badass angel. Remember? I am the only one who will take your virginity and you will be the only girl who will take mine,” he said, somewhat playfully. After that, he gave me a bear hug and proceeded by saying, “You are my first and last.” I considered myself quite fortunate to have this guy as my boyfriend... my Atlas. Our intimate moment was rudely interrupted by a cough. Melissa remarked this with an upset expression on her face, “I suppose you guys are forgetting that I am here.” That gave us reason to chuckle. I chuckled to myself as I looked at her and said, “Of course not. How could we forget you?” After that, I switched my attention to Atlas as though we were conspiring on something. In an attempt to defend herself, Melissa said, “Why does that look give me a negative feeling?” as both Atlas and I smiled devilishly at her. After that, we went on top of her and began to tickle Melissa on her collar bones and foot. She just managed to utter the words “Oh God, please stop!” in between her uncontrolled laughter. Instead of continuing, we decided to stop and give each other a group embrace. “Nothing's going to change, okay?” Melissa said. “Nothing,” both Atlas and I said together in unison. I couldn't have asked for anything better. These two people were everything to me. ** PRESENT… Just look at how fast the night changes… I felt my chest tighten with those memories. Atlas’ presence suddenly triggered these unnecessary memories. ‘I should have forgotten this bullshit!’ That's what I thought. But, I didn't. I can't. So I couldn't do anything whenever the memories of the three of us crossed my mind. It just hurts so bad. the kind of pain as if someone is cutting your skin with a sharp knife. That's how painful it was for me. As I wiped away the tears that were falling from my eyes, I murmured to myself, “Little did I realize that as the years go by, the same persons who were once my universe, once my lifeline, would become the cause for the broken heart.”

Faith's Point of View After Atlas's unwanted visit earlier, I'd lost my focus on work. I couldn't do my job well, and it frustrated the hell out of me. I knew I had to go somewhere to clear my head, so I left the office late in the afternoon and went to my favorite place—a secluded hill on the outskirts of the City. It was the perfect place with an excellent view of what I was about to do. Drink and scream at the world. "Damn you, Atlas! Damn you!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I couldn't control the pain anymore. I had to vent everything out, or else my grudges would consume me. They had hurt me enough for years, but that bastard just wouldn't let me be. Funny how life could sometimes be unpredictable. I didn't expect to arrive at this point of my life, living only by anger. Sometimes, I've wondered when the past would stop latching on me. But I'm only hurting my head from thinking about something uncertain. "Mommy..." I muttered as I looked at the bustling night cityscape and burst out laughing. I once imagined getting married to someone I love. That we'd create a family of our own, and one day a little boy would come running into my arms, calling me that dearly. However, I wouldn't be so sure about that now. I'm no longer the foolish woman who'd believe in such things. I opened a can of beer and drowned my woes with its bitter malty taste. Looking back, I didn't know what bitter tasted like until Atlas left five years ago. We didn't break up, but I hoped we did at that time. Perhaps things would have been different than now. The memory of me crying in his arms was still vivid in my mind. "I'm gonna miss you so much," I sobbed, hugging him tightly. I didn't care if I was making a scene at the airport back then. Seeing him leave broke my heart apart. "I'm gonna miss you too, my badass angel," he sweetly whispered back. I didn't want to let him go. He was my world, my obsession. How would I live without him by my side? "Baby, you have to let me go. It's time for my flight," he said, kissing my head. I hugged him tighter and continued sobbing. 'Just a bit more,' I thought until he broke the hug and cupped my face. A warm smile swept across his face, and he kissed me on my forehead. "Stop crying, Angel. I'll call you once I've arrived, I promise," he said, wiping the streams of tears off my face. I nodded and then smiled. "Now give me my kiss," he smirked and kissed me passionately on my lips which I, lovestruck, returned. "Take care and call me, okay?" I said while sniffing my tears back. He chuckled and pecked my lips once, twice, and then thrice. I remember giggling when Atlas did that. He always managed to make me laugh whenever I started crying. "I will, and you also take care," he said playfully, pinching my cheeks. "Don't create any problems for the teachers, you trouble maker," he added, making me chuckle. He then turned to Melissa, who stood there watching us. "Come here, Mel," Atlas said with open arms. She ran towards him and hugged him tightly, making him laugh. "I will miss you, Mel. Try and control this troublemaker. I don't want her getting into fights while I'm not here," he told her. She nodded. "I'll miss you, Atlas. Make sure to call us once you get there," she said in a sweet voice. It was such a gloomy day for all of us that I thought nothing of it when Atlas kissed her forehead. Melissa was my best friend, and like a sister to us, it was normal for a brother to treat his sister warmly. But that was just what I thought. I should have held on to that flag when they goddamn raised it. Melissa and I watched Atlas waving at us, boarding his flight through the gates until we could no longer see him. That scene of him leaving was so sad that I cried again. "He will be fine. He will come back as a very successful man," Melissa comforted my heart as she hugged me from the side. "Yeah. He sure will..." I answered weakly and gazed into the sky. Time went by quickly. The days of Atlas and I, loving each other far apart, turned into weeks and months. I began to miss him badly, his cuddles, touch, kisses, and teasing. I missed him so much that we'd call and facetime each other almost daily. He'd always make time for me despite his tight schedule. Well, ain't he a loving guy. One time, Atlas got swamped with his workload and we didn't get to talk for a week. I understood his circumstances, yet I couldn't bear not hearing his voice for that long, so I checked up on him. He was tired, but he looked delighted when he heard my voice. "How was work?" I asked him. He sighed and lay on his bed. "Tiring, but good," he answered with a yawn. "Aw. Is my baby tired? Gosh, I want to cuddle up with you right now." I sounded crazy talking babyish, but at least I've made him chuckle. "Same here, babe. I want to hide my face in your neck and take in your beautiful scent. I've missed you so much, my angel," he said, blowing me a kiss on the phone. "I miss you too," I longingly told him back. "When will you come back home?" I asked with a slight frown. "I don't know, babe. Maybe in a few years?" he answered, looking uncertain. "What?! A Few years?!" I yelled in shock. I didn't know we'd be that apart for long. I thought he'd be able to come home, even if only once a year. Didn't he promise me he would? "Babe, calm down. I promise I'll come back to meet you every month," he said with a sad smile. "I can't live without you, Atlas. I could hold on for days, weeks, heck, even months! But years? I'll probably die by then." I sighed. "Don't you dare talk about death Fai!" His voice rose a little, snapping me out of it. "You are my life. Even death can't do us apart. Just wait for me, okay? I will come back for you, and then we can get married, and then we'll make a cute football team," he said, winking at me. "You want to marry me?" I exclaimed in surprise. He rolled his eyes at me and brought the phone closer to his face. "Of course, I will. I will make sure you marry me. I am the only man for you, and you will be the mother of our cute children," he said earnestly, making me blush. Didn't that just sound like a proposal? I heard him chuckle after seeing my blush. I'd laugh too. I looked red as a tomato. "Wait for me, baby. Time will fly. I'll soon come to you on my horse and then take you away with me," he teased, making me laugh. "I love you so so so much, my badass angel," he said and then yawned. "I love you too, my corny devil, and good night. You must be tired. I'll call you tomorrow," I said, kissing him on the phone. "Love you, good night, baby," he whispered and disconnected the call. I fell back on my bed, sighing, and then dreamt of the day we would get married, go on a honeymoon, and have kids. I was probably blushing even in my sleep. However, that was the first and last time we talked about it. Six months later, I was back at the airport, seeing another away. I was crying while saying goodbye to Melissa. "Mel, do you have to go?" I asked, greatly saddened. Mel cupped my cheeks apologetically. "I'm sorry, Fai. I wish I could stay, but my aunt is the only family I have left. I need to be there with her. I'll be back, I promise," she said with a sad smile. I sighed and looked away. How could I possibly take her away from the last family she had? But it was sad knowing I'd be left by them alone. "First Atlas and now you. Why does it have to be in New York?" I huffed. Thinking about it, I didn't see what her expression looked like after I said that. I even wished her aunt well and sent her off with care. Seeing the people I care about leave without knowing when we'd see each other again was painful. I wasn't practically alone. I still had my parents, two protective older brothers, and Atlas's parents with me here in London. But those two were once the most important people in my life. Fuck! I should've known. I shouldn't have been too trusting, especially when Atlas offered to pick up Melissa at the airport. Yes, I shouldn't have trusted Melissa. Time passed in a blur, and Atlas and Melissa had been in New York for a year. I've felt Atlas and me slowly drifting apart during that time. He started to distance himself from me for an unknown reason. Our texts, calls, and facetime calls were reducing day by day. At first, I thought it was because he was busy. But I was sure he wasn't that busy that he couldn't even spare two minutes to talk to me. Melissa was the only person who would talk to me at that lonely time. But that, too, also stopped. She did tell me once her Aunty was going through surgery, so I didn't want to annoy her. I just missed them so much. I was in London while they were in the same city together. They would even spend time together, and here I am, dying without them two. Atlas had also begun behaving strangely with me. He sounded bored and different whenever we talked. As if he was already tired of me. I felt a stab in my heart, thinking he might have found another girl. I didn't want to believe it, of course. I knew Atlas would never cheat on me. He made me a promise and always told me he loved me. I trusted him even though I'd never heard those words from him lately. I passed off the first few times he sent me that feeling as having lonely blues. People tend to exaggerate things when they are anxious. And yes, he made me uneasy. Whenever I would call or text him, he would always say he was busy. He didn't even have time for me anymore. That thought upset me, and I started holing up in my room. It went to the point that I made my family worried about me. One day, I went out of my room to clear my head. I didn't want to continue being depressed. "Hey, baby sis, what's up?" my older brother Noah asked, having heard me sigh. He sat beside me in the living room, playing on his phone, while I stared at mine, waiting for a call. "Nothing, just bored," I lied. "Have you talked with Atlas and Melissa?" he asked, not taking his eyes off his phone. "No, apparently, they are too busy even to make time for me," My voice dwindled as I lied again. But it was true when I said they didn't have time for me. "Hey, don't get upset." This time, Noah looked at me and smiled. "We're here for you, plus they are your best friends. I'm sure they'll make time. So, cheer up, sis." Noah nudged me, which somehow brought the laughter back to me. But I didn't laugh for a good reason. Neither my family nor Atlas's family knew of our relationship. They just think we're tightly close friends. Except Mrs. Williams had been shipping Atlas and me since we were in our mothers' womb. Another year went by, and our long-distance relationship had its second anniversary. Atlas had been colder to me. "Atlas, it's been two years. You have also stopped visiting me," I called him and complained. "I'm busy, Faith. I don't have time to chat with you," he said coldly. I frowned. "Atlas, what's wrong with you? Why are you acting like that? Have you found someone else?" I said furiously. "Shut Up, Faith!" He yelled, and I froze in shock. "Stop acting like a controlling, possessive girlfriend! I have a life here! I have a job unlike you, who lives off your parents' money!" I was horrified and frightened as he continued to yell at me. He changed. He treated me indifferently, as if I was a stranger. It felt like he was cruelly carving my heart out of my chest. "Now stop annoying me! I am busy." He disconnected the call leaving me petrified. "Controlling possessive girlfriend? Seriously?" I scoffed. Tears swelled in my eyes, recalling his words. What happened to my Atlas? Then one day, I heard he was coming back after five long years. I was so happy when Mr. and Mrs. Willaims called me telling me that Atlas was coming back. After he dropped that call, our communication ceased for three years. Still, I never stopped hoping he'd come back for me. I held on to his promise like crazy. "Fai! He's here!" Mrs. Williams yelled from downstairs, making me blush. It's been three years since I haven't seen his face. My man sure had become famous. I was so proud of him. He was finally the CEO of one of Mr. Bailey's companies and owned many other clubs, restaurants, and high-rise buildings. Atlas was all over the papers, and girls were going crazy after him. I used to scoff at that thought. Atlas belonged to me, but I wondered if that was why he distanced himself from us. Was it because he became a famous businessman? I had plenty of questions in mind as I ran down the stairs in excitement, ready to meet the love of my life, the man I had waited for all my life. He promised he would come back for me. He told me to wait for him, which I did for five years, and finally, that day arrived. But damn, I was wrong about everything. There I was, desperately longing for Atlas, but my soul seemed to have escaped into the atmosphere at what I saw. "Congratulations on your wedding, son. You and Melissa look gorgeous together," Mrs. Williams said, looking at the couple with adoration and love while my heart and mind shattered. I felt numb. I couldn't even feel my tears as they fell like a waterfall from my eyes. Married. He was married! The confusion kept ringing in my head. I didn't know what to make of that betrayal as I looked at him with immense pain. Suddenly his eyes locked with mine making my heart freeze. I saw a flash of pain in his eyes, but he quickly replaced it with coldness. He looked at me blankly as if he didn't care. And he didn't care about how I felt. My five-year-long faithfulness got thrown in the dumps when he came home married to someone else. And not just any woman. It was with my best friend, Melissa. I looked at my friend in disgust, and she looked at me, flashing an evil smirk. I've run out of space in my head for asking the question, why. My world died down from the confusion and pain. I barely even heard Mr. Williams as he talked to his son. We were all distraught. None of us knew. None of them told us what they'd planned on doing. They came back, and we were forced to deal with it. Especially me. I remember the kind of look he had on me at that time. It was cold, dark, frightening, and indifferent. He didn't answer his father when he asked why and said nothing. Atlas only looked at me with raging eyes as if he wasn't looking at a human being. As I recall that disgusting gaze, I couldn't help crushing the beer can with my bare hands. Was my love a joke to him? He seemed hilarious more than I am. I couldn't help but laugh. The nerve of him barging with his son into my office, donning a pained look in his eyes! He was acting like I was the villain that wronged him. "Fuck you, Atlas Williams! Am I a joke to you? Was my heart just a game to you? Fuck you! Get off my back, will you?! Why are you still bugging me, bastard? Go die a thousand times and go to hell!" I screamed until I lost my breath. You heard that right. To hell with him.

ATLAS' POINT OF VIEW I am now at the office with my son seated on my lap. He was crying, still because of what Faith had said. "Mommy didn't mean to say that, okay? She was just tired and busy at that moment…" I tried my best to explain as I stare at him. Damn, he looked so much like me—everything, except for his eyes which he got from his mom. He looked up at me with his big, cute, and teary eyes. "Does mommy loves me?" He innocently asked with sobs in between. I then kissed his chubby cheeks. "Of course, mommy loves you. We love you, Leo—a lot," I said with a smile trying to give him assurance. I was so happy when I saw him smile and clapped his hands. He then crawled around the office floor. As I watched my son play on the floor, the scene that happened earlier played back in my mind. There were so much anger and hatred in her eyes. Faith could never forgive me, and I could easily say it just by looking at her. Well, I am a complete fool and a jerk. After everything that I have done to her, I totally deserve her hate—and I didn't deserve her, but I am selfish, and I just can't live without her. Faith was still my badass angel. She still was my girl, my damn life—my world. I don't know what to do anymore, but I know that I should do something. I don't know how to make her forgive me, but I want us to be okay like how we used to be before. I don't know how to get the love of my life to love me again, yet I want her to love me just like before and I want her to feel my love. My bubbly, lively, badass angel who always had a smile on her face was now a cold, and heartless businesswoman. There was no one else to blame but me. How can I be so stupid to believe in someone else's lies? If only I could turn back the time, then I would—over and over—just to make these right. FOUR YEARS AGO "Melissa?" I asked as I come near her. "What happened? Why are you crying?" I said in worry as I gave her a tight hug. Melissa was like a sister to me. She was someone whom I wanted to protect as much as I wanted to protect Faith. As I broke the hug, she looked at me with teary eyes. "Atlas…" She started. "Fai- Fai…" Her words were barely recognizable because of continues sobbing. I then looked her in the eyes. "Faith? Tell me what happened. What happened to Faith?" I yelled at her face making her flinch. "Tell me!" I repeated when she didn't give me an answer. "Atlas…" she finally spoke as she took the phone from her pocket. "You… you need to take a look at this," she continued as she gave me her phone. I first looked at her with confusion before I get the phone from her hand. There was a video. I gave her one last look before playing it and what I saw fucking broke me into million pieces. It was a video of my girl having an intimate moment with someone else. The video was full of her moans and the man was hovering over her in great pleasure. This can't be real. This can't be fucking real. "What the fuck is this, Melissa?" I paused the video and glared at her with tears in my eyes. "Stop playing pranks on me!" I yelled at her as I threw the phone onto the floor. "How I wish that this was just a prank, but Atlas… it isn't." She said, crying. "No, no, no!" Tears were still falling on my face. I feel like it won't stop. "Who sent you this, Melissa? Who?!" I was so mad. I can't control the surge of emotions and pain that I was feeling right now. "Re-remember Ben from- from our college? He- he was at the club at that time when he saw this. And he- he sent it to me…" she was stuttering so bad. "And you believed in that shit, Melissa? Why do you even have Ben in your contacts?" I asked furiously. Her face looked pale as she looked away. "He followed me on Instagram, and I- I followed him back but we never spoke. This was the first time." She said looking so nervous. She can't even look me in the eyes now. "I'm gonna kill the mother fucker!" I cursed. "Fucking send me the video, Melissa," I commanded her. "But—" "I said send it to me!" I cut her off. She then had no other choice but to pick up her broken phone and send the video to me. After receiving the disgusting video, I sent it over to a trusted friend and texted him if he could check if it was morphed, or edited. He was an expert at this. After a few minutes of waiting, I got a response from him. My world completely collapsed. According to my friend, the video was raw and there was no chance of it becoming an edit. I unconsciously dropped my phone. I cannot feel my whole body as tears began to fall again. My Faith, my girl, my love cheated on me. Suddenly, I felt warm arms wrapped around my shoulders. I looked up at her with my red and still crying eyes. "She- she cheated…" I said in such a low voice. "Shhh," she then hugged me even tighter. "Let it out, Atlas. Let it out," Melissa whispered beneath my ears making me cry even harder. I broke down in betrayal by the woman a trusted and loved the most. How can she even do this to me? Am I not enough? Am I not fucking enough? "I know you're already hurt, but I need to show you something else. You need to know everything," she said as she took her phone again. What more should I know? I feel like nothing could hurt me anymore. This was the most painful. I then heard a recording from her phone… It was Faith who was speaking. I knew the sound of her voice all too well. 'I only want Atlas for his money, Mr. Williams. He was going to be wealthy, you know that. Why would I even let go of that opportunity?' She even laughed at the end. The pain entirely ate me. And even though I do not want to, I started to feel hate towards her. I had the want of ruining her as much as she ruined me. Faith Abdella… I will make you regret playing with my heart.

Faith's POV Tiredness gradually crept into my body as I took my steps toward our house from work. My eyes were getting heavy, and I felt like something was sucking my soul. I badly wanted to pass out until I heard my mother's sweet voice calling me softly, saying, "Faith, sweetheart, are you home?" And just like that, all the exhaustion I felt evaporated into thin air. "Yes, Mom," I replied, smiling. "Why do you look so tired today?" she worriedly asked, which I merely chuckled at. "Anyway, dinner's ready. Why don't you go upstairs first and change? I'll call your dad, and let's have dinner together." I then nodded, kissed her on her cheek, and went upstairs. I took a quick shower, prepped my skin, dressed in comfortable pajamas, and dashed downstairs. I was on a full smile because dinner with my family had always been something I looked forward to after a long exhausting day. However, what flashed before my eyes when I arrived at our dining area instantly flipped my mood upside down. "Why are you still standing there, Faith?" asked my mother, seeing that I hadn't moved an inch from my position. "Come and sit, sweetheart. Dinner's waiting." "What is he doing here?" I coldly asked, completely ignoring my mother's invitation. My eyes met Atlas' wherein, unlike before, I felt no sparks — just a volt of hatred. He looked affected and hurt by my indifference, but I couldn't care any less about that. At this moment, I had no love or sympathy left for him. "Don't be rude, Faith. Atlas is our guest," Dad firmly said before inviting me to sit for the second time. Left with no choice, I did as instructed. I sat down next to him, but I made sure not to make him feel like it was fine being around him. My eyes remained focused on my plate and my plate alone. I neither raised my head to look at him nor did I join their conversation. There were four of us at the dining table, but here I was — immersed in my own world. "So, how's our dear Leo doing?" My mom asked with a broad smile painted on her face. Did she just call Atlas' son dear Leo? God! Did my mom bump her head somewhere without me knowing? How could she mention that kid's name as if he was her grandson?! "He's doing fine, Aunt," Atlas replied with a shy smile. "He badly wanted to come here with me, but I thought it was already time for his bed, so I left him with my parents." "Oh, right!" Mom exclaimed. "How's Kate and Dave, Atlas? It's been a while since I've last seen them. I also lost contact with them when we moved," she sadly added. "They were actually planning to visit you and Uncle Kiel soon, saying they miss talking to you both," Atlas answered, making me lose my appetite even more. I had been so close with his parents, but many things had already happened. Thinking about meeting them after so many years made me feel uncomfortable. Uninterested, I continued playing with my food using a fork. "Faith, sweetheart, why aren't you eating?" Mom asked in concern. "I'm not hungry, mom," I casually lied. However, my mother knew me better than anyone. She didn't even believe my excuse and said, "Come on, sweetheart. I know you haven't eaten anything since you came to work because you are hardworking. Now, eat up and fill your belly." Mom didn't even let me respond as she immediately filled my plate with a serving of pasta. Not wanting to offend her, I took a bite, which I didn't regret. For me, Mom's cooking would always be incomparable! I took one bite after another then I felt Atlas' gaze on me, making me clench my left hand under the table. Fucking bastard, can't he see that I am eating? Didn't he know that staring that intensely at someone is rude? "Faith," Mom called, breaking the suffocating silence. I looked at her and waited for what she would say, but Dad answered on her behalf, saying, "Your mother and I have been wanting to talk to you about something, Faith." Sensing the seriousness in my father's tone, I put down my fork and signaled them to continue. When my parents exchanged suggestive glances with Atlas, I knew what they would say next would be bad. "Faith, sweetheart, you're not getting any younger," Mom said, making me frown inwardly. "You're already twenty-seven. Atlas is now a single parent, so your father and I thought that you two —" If there were was a skill I had mastered throughout my twenty-seven years of existence, that was to pick up through my mother's odd gestures. She was yet to finish her sentence, but I already knew what she wanted to say. Not wanting this conversation to drift further, I rose from my seat, causing a screeching sound they didn't like. Still, I stood unfazed and said, "I'm full." I prepared myself to leave, but mom spoke again. "You can't keep avoiding this conversation, Faith," she said with a sad voice. "You and Atlas have known each other since you guys were young, so if there's anyone who knows you better than yourself, that would be each other." Mom paused for a while and looked at me with a pair of pleading eyes. She said, "Leo loves you so much, sweetheart. He even thinks that you are his mother. Like you, we are not getting any younger. Faith, we also want to see you get married and be happy." "Be happy?" I sarcastically repeated before chuckling and giving them a stern look. "Mom, do you think I'll be happy if I marry the person who has ruined my life?" "Fai—" Atlas called from the side, which I immediately cut off when I yelled, "Shut up!" "I'm not talking to you, so don't you dare intervene," I added while pointing my finger at him, unable to control my rage. "You're being disrespectful, young lady," Dad scolded, making me sneer in disbelief. "We didn't raise you to be rude," he added. "I'm not being disrespectful, Dad. I'm just stating the truth," I scoffed as I approached them. Then, I looked at Atlas and said, "Besides, didn't you teach me that respect is to be earned, not to be given?" "Stop wasting your energy trying to put together something that has long been broken. Our relationship will no longer be the same," I firmly stated despite my parents' unhappy expressions. "But Faith, Leo is—" "What about Leo, Mom?" I asked, cutting her off. "I haven't even spent a minute with that kid, so I don't get why he thinks I'm his mother. Well, it's obvious who has been brainwashing him." "Faith, I know what she did couldn't be more painful, but her last wish was for you to look after Leo," Dad said, making my blood boil even more. "Her last wish? Dad, do you think I give a damn about her fucking last wish?" I asked in disbelief. "Hell no! She could've left this world without causing trouble to others, but she still had the guts to leave a burden to me." "Faith!" Atlas yelled, which I didn't like. Why the hell was he yelling at me?! I glared at him, and he did the same. He walked toward me and said, "Leo isn't a burden, Faith. He's my son." Of course, he was. He was yours and that traitor's son. "I'm glad you know that he's your son, Atlas," I sarcastically remarked. "He's your responsibility alone, not mine. I have nothing to do with him, so find someone else who wants to be his mother, and stop bugging me!" After that, I walked away and didn't bother to look back. "Fuck you, Atlas Williams," I whispered in anger.

Faith's POV I was in my room when my thoughts drifted further to what happened three years ago. Even though I had been trying to erase this memory of betrayal in my mind, my heart had always remembered. "What the fuck is this, Mel?!" I screamed in anger after forcing Melissa to face me. I tried not to roam my eyes around her room, which was obviously Atlas' room, because I knew it would trigger waves of memories. "Don't touch me!" she yelled back, making me dumbfounded. Melissa used to embrace me whenever I was at my worst, but now —she was brushing the part of her cloth that I touched as if I had some contagious disease. She used to be the first person I went to for comforting words whenever I needed reassurance, but now — she was screaming at me as if I was the person she hated most. She used to be my best friend, but now — I wasn't sure if she was still the person I once knew. "Are you pretending not to understand, or were you merely dumb, Faith?" Melissa asked as she walked closer to me. Her eyes had traces of wickedness, which I had never seen before. When did my best friend change so much? "If you really don't get it, let me clarify things for you. I am now Atlas' wife, while you? You are no longer part of his life," Melissa mockingly said. "Tell me you're joking, Mel," I pleaded as tears slowly formed in the corner of my eyes. "You're my best friend, and I know you wouldn't do such a thing to me. I missed you both, and God knows how much I wanted you guys to return." I was yet to finish my sentence when I felt like my energy was gradually dissipating. I knew what I wanted to say but struggled to let the words escape my mouth. "You two came back, but how could you come back — married?" I uttered in a breaking voice. "How could you guys do this to me?" I asked, and this time, I failed to stop my tears from falling. "I'll tell you why," said a familiar voice from behind. I didn't have to turn around to check who spoke because I already knew. How wouldn't I, though? It was the voice of the man I loved, which used to be music to my ears. Still, I looked back. "A-Atlas," I whispered as I faced the man I treasured more than my life. I cupped his cheeks with my trembling hands and stared closely at his face, but he only pushed my hands away and looked at me in disgust. "Don't touch me, bitch!" he yelled, making my eyes widen in shock. Bitch? Did he just call me a bitch? "W-why are you calling me like that, Atlas?" I asked, utterly confused. "Why? Do you have a problem with that?" he provocatively asked back. "I called you bitch because it suits you!" I would be lying if I said I didn't get hurt by his words. However, the confusion I was feeling now was far greater than the pain I had received. "Faith, did you think I wouldn't find out? I know you have always been a badass, but what gives you the right to play with my feelings while I am away?" Atlas asked in anger and frustration, which made me even more confused. "W-what are you talking about, Atlas?" I waited for him to give me a clear-cut answer, but he only glared at me in response. He pushed me aside, and I watched him walk closer to Melissa. I wasn't ready for this. My heartbeat instantly accelerated seeing my man and best friend together, and it even went mad when I saw what happened next. Atlas held Melissa's face and unhesitatingly pressed his lips on hers. They kissed hungrily, not minding whether I was still here or not. Was I too evil in my previous life for the heavens to punish me like this? Unable to watch them any longer, I strode forward and separated them from each other. Furious, I asked, "How could you do this to me, Mel?! I treated you like a sister. How dare you steal my boyfriend?!" "What did I do to you for you to betray me like this?!" I cried, unable to conceal my emotions. I then looked at my man and felt even more betrayed. I gave him nothing but love. I stayed pure for him. I never kissed another man beside him, but he? He kissed my best friend. "Don't you dare raise your voice at my wife," he warned, making me feel numb. "What about your promises to me, Atlas?" I whispered as my gaze fell to the ground. "You said you'll come back for me. You promised to marry me. And most importantly, you pleaded to stay pure for me." "You don't deserve to be my wife," Atlas coldly said while holding Melissa's hand. I raised my head to meet his gaze, only to see him staring at my best friend. He didn't even glance at me when he said, "Now, get out of our room. I want to spend time with my wife." Then, he kissed her from her cheeks down to her neck, making me feel betrayed. I had only been here for a few minutes, but seeing them together had constantly stabbed my heart a hundred times. "M-May I ask why you chose her over me, Atlas?" I asked in a breaking voice. "You already know why," he coldly replied. "Don't pretend like you didn't do anything wrong, Faith. You won't fool anyone here." Confused, I cried, "Tell me what I did, Atlas, because I don't know what you are talking about!" I pleaded for answers, but all I received from him was rage, which I wasn't sure where it was coming from. "Get out of our room, you whore!" What happened to my man? What happened to the one who had never talked back to me? What happened to the one who had never called me names? What happened to the one who had never had the guts to curse on me? What happened to the one who had always been afraid to hurt me? And what happened to the one who had always loved me? Where was he? "Were you with her during the days you were avoiding me?" I bluntly asked with all the remaining courage and energy I had. "Were you so preoccupied with her that you forgot that someone was waiting for you back here?" I honestly didn't know where I got the strength to say such things because this matter had already drained me to my core last time I checked. "Shame on you, Atlas. Shame on you," I said as I sneered. "I thought you're not like other men, but maybe I expected too much from you." "Likewise," he scoffed. He kept giving me vague answers, and my patience couldn't hold on any longer. "Just tell me directly what your problem is, Atlas! What do you mean?" However, he only firmly said, "Get out of here before I drag you out myself. I want to spend time with my wife, and you are disturbing us." After that, he wrapped his arms around Melissa's waist and gave her a peck. I was only in the room next door, so I could hear them moaning non-stop. They didn't stop wailing in pleasure while I didn't stop sobbing in pain. Unable to take it anymore, I ran out of his house and returned to ours. Furious, I threw everything my hands laid on, including my pillows, books, vases, and all. I threw everything on the ground until I calmed down. My best friend betrayed me while my man cheated on me. Why couldn't life be simple and easy?

Faith's POV A new day began, and my eyes and mind couldn't be busier as a thick pack of documents rested on the left side of my table. This was a typical day in my life. I was reviewing a couple of proposals and signing countless progress reports when my assistant came into my office and said, "Mr. Campbell has constantly expressed huge interest in our newly approved project, Ma'am Faith. Do you want me to book an appointment with him?" Not minding raising my head at her, I only nodded and calmly replied, "Yes, but make sure to set an appointment in the afternoon because I have a lot of meetings to attend and things to settle in the morning." "Noted on that, Ma'am," she replied and asked, "Anything else you want me to do?" I then closed the folder on my table to look at her briefly and said, "That should be all, Lily. You can leave for the day. Thank you." After nodding at me, she left. I continued reading a few more important files until I heard a knock on the door. If there were anything I hated whenever I was in the middle of something important, it would be any form of destruction. Annoyed, I clenched my jaw and shouted, "Come in!" The door creaked open and heavy footsteps soon followed. I knew it wasn't Lily, so I raised my head to check. I wish I hadn't done that, though. Now, I'd be spending the rest of my day in a bad mood. Why did he always have to show up wherever I was and ruin my mood? Was this a talent he had developed lately? God! Unwilling to talk to him, I said nothing and looked at the documents again. I tried to focus on reading what was in front of me, but the screeching sound made by the chair he pulled rang in my ears. Then, I felt his scorching gaze on me, which made me frustrated and annoyed. "Can you stop staring at me?!" I snapped as I glared at him, unable to control myself anymore. "What the fuck is your problem? Can't you see that I am working? Don't you have other things to do aside from bugging me?" My heart was brimming with rage, and I couldn't care any less if I looked like a mad lion right now. This guy was getting on my nerves! "Finally, you noticed me," he replied with a smile as if none of what I said mattered. "What are you doing here?" I coldly asked. "I miss you," he replied, not even bothering to beat around the bush. If he thought he could win me over with this strategy, he thought wrongly. My once soft heart for him had been processed and molded into a rock, so I would never fall for him again. I looked at him expressionlessly, and he did the same. If I was the same Faith in the past and he was the same man I loved, I would've stared at him the entire day without getting tired. However, even glancing at him had become a hard thing to do for me. Unable to match his gaze, I retracted my eyes and flatly said, "I'm busy, Mr. Williams, so please leave at once. You're disturbing my work." "Atlas. Call me Atlas," he corrected, looking like he was in pain. "I hate it when you're being formal with me. Faith, we've been together for years. There's no need to call me that way," he added. I wanted to speak and correct him, but he continued, saying, "I hate it when you're calling me Mr. Williams. Also, it's been a while since my name came out of your mouth." "Isn't that your surname, though?" I scoffed as I asked. "If you don't want me to call you that, what do you want me to do then? Would you prefer if I call you a jerk? Douchbag? Cheater? Choose one." I saw traces of regret and guilt in his eyes, which I only ignored. You made me like this, Atlas, so bear with it. "Faith, please..." "Miss Abdella. Call me Miss Abdella," I corrected, imitating his tone when he spoke earlier. "Why are you being like that, Fa—" "Didn't you hear me? You know me, Mr. Williams. I hate repeating myself twice," I stated in annoyance. "We're not in a relationship, so please address me formally." "Fai—" he uttered once more, but when he saw the warning signs in my eyes, he immediately corrected himself. "Miss Abdella, please don't do this to me— to us," he muttered. "Us?" I sarcastically repeated and chuckled. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but there's no such thing as 'us,' Mr. Williams. Stop dreaming, and face the reality that we will never be the same again. You had your chance, and you blew it up! Now, be a man and face the consequences of your actions," I remarked, raising my brows. I glared at him for a few seconds as silence enveloped the two of us. It felt so suffocating, and I couldn't stand it. Annoyed, I stood up and walked toward my door. "Where are you going?" he asked in a confused tone. "To a place away from you," I casually replied and continued walking. However, I had only taken a few steps when he grabbed me and pulled me toward his rock-hard chest. "What the fuck are you doing?! Get off me!" I snapped in anger. Wasn't he aware that what he was doing was harassment?! Still, instead of moving his body away, he only wrapped his hands around my waist and pulled me closer. I tried to resist and push him away from me, but my efforts didn't affect him at all. After all, he was much stronger than me. "You are crossing your limits now, Mr. Williams," I warned before demanding, "Get your filthy hands off my body right now! You disgust me!" "Filthy hands?" he repeated with a smirk. "Faith, these are the same hands I used to touch you, and—" he started and stopped as if he realized something. When I felt his grip slightly loosen, I took that opportunity to break free from his embrace. Of course, that alone wasn't enough. I pushed him with all my strength, causing him to stumble a bit. "Faith, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to —" he said while looking at me with eyes full of guilt. "No, go ahead! Why did you stop?" I asked, cutting him off. "Do you mean they are the same hands you used to explore her body? Are they the ones that cupped her cheeks? Or are they the ones that held her hand?" I knew my words hurt, but I had no plan to stop here. "They're also the ones you used when you raised your hand at me, right?" I mocked. "F-Faith," he called with a shaky voice. "I'm sorry..." "Your sorry won't change anything, Mr. Williams. It won't take away the pain you've made me feel," I hardly said as tears streamed down my cheeks. "I don't understand why you complete me just to break me into a hundred more pieces. Stop chasing after me because I find it annoying. I will not forgive you— not now, not ever," I added as I sniffed and looked away. "Faith," he whispered as he moved closer to me. His eyes swelled red as tears fell from his eyes, but that wouldn't erase all the pain and lies. "I promise I won't hurt you again. I won't leave you like before," Atlas muttered in sorrow. "You are mine, and you have always been. I'm never going to give up on you — on us. Never, Faith." Still, I remained unfazed. "I'm no longer yours, Mr. Williams, and I will never be yours again. You already belong to someone else, and she's the one who belongs to you, not me," I stated. "I am now choosing to walk out of your life, so move on and let go. Perhaps one day, I could also find someone who could genuinely love me and trust me beyond words." I once knew the feeling of being loved, so I wouldn't deny that I still longed to experience that again. However, I had been through a lot, and the pain Atlas gave me was still scorching hot. Years had passed, but time still hadn't cooled the flame. I'm not ready for another heartache yet. Atlas' embrace instantly pulled me out of my trance. He hugged me tightly as he said, "No one can love you like I do, Faith. I won't let you be in somebody else's arms. You're mine and mine alone. Understood? I won't let anyone steal you away from me before I can even win you back." "I know I hurt you and that I don't deserve you, but Faith, I love you so much," he sobbed as he held my cheeks. "I love you so fucking much that I can't stand hearing you mention loving another man. Just the idea of seeing you with others is fucking killing me inside!" "It's fucking killing you?" I chuckled as I asked him in disbelief. "It kills you thinking that I am with another man? It kills you hearing me mentioning another guy?" "Well, what the fuck did you think I felt when I saw you with my best friend?!" I snapped. "How do you think I felt whenever you kissed her in front of me? Or whenever I heard you moaning in pleasure as you fuck her while I am only in the room next door? How do you think I felt when I discovered you married her instead of me?" The grievances I tried so hard to conceal had now gotten the best of me. Now was the time to verbalize my pain, and I would not let such an opportunity be in vain. "Do you think I was okay with everything that has happened? Do you think it was easy for me to accept your decision and continue with my life?" I successively asked in anger. "Fucking no, Atlas! Fucking no!" I gritted my teeth as I struggled to control myself. I didn't want to sound like a mad woman in front of him, but he pushed the wrong button. "What you did fucking killed me inside, Atlas. It shattered me into pieces. It broke my confidence. It made me doubt my worth!" If words could kill, this man might be lying lifeless already. Still, why would I care? "Stop telling me that it fucking kills you to see me with another man because I don't care about your opinion. We're not the same, Atlas. You're a cheater while I am not. I stayed faithful to you for five years, so don't ever call me a slut like you did before!" I let my tears run down my cheeks as I turn my back away from him. However, I felt his hands around my waist from behind again. His face was so close to me that I could feel his tears dripping down my neck. He's crying, but I don't care. I don't give a shit about him anymore. "I'm sorry, Faith. I'm fucking sorry. I was a dickhead, and I know it'll take time for you to forgive me again. But please— give me one more chance," he pleaded. Still, I only wiped my tears and shrugged him off my body. "I don't want to see your face ever again," I coldly said and unhesitatingly left. "I won't fall for you again, Atlas. I'm not going to repeat the same mistake I once did," I muttered to myself with an utter determination.

FAITH’S POINT OF VIEW Three years ago… I locked the door of my bedroom before sitting on the edge of my bed. In front of me were hung photos of me and Atlas. With silence filling the room, I gazed at each of them. A series of knocks sounded on my door. “Faith? Sweetheart? Why is your door locked?” My mom’s voice softly echoed from outside. “Are you okay, honey?” she asked again. I hugged my legs and remained staring at the photos, not wanting to answer her. “F-Faith? Honey?” she worriedly said. I could hear her raising her voice already. When she didn’t hear any reply from me again, she started pounding on the door. I lazily got up and unlocked the door. When I opened it, my eyes immediately met my mother’s concerned ones. She heaved a deep sigh of relief before squeezing me into a hug. “You made me so worried, Faith! Why did you lock your door?” she scolded. I cleared my throat and looked away. “Uhm… Sorry, Mom. I didn’t notice it. Sorry that I made you worry,” I replied hesitantly. I looked at her and saw that she was studying my face. “Sweetheart, are you okay? Is something bothering you?” she worriedly asked in her soft voice before cupping my cheeks. I gulped and forced a smile. “I’m okay, Mom. I think I’m just really sleepy,” I sheepishly told her, making her smile in return. “Okay, sleepyhead.” She softly caressed my cheeks. Suddenly, her eyes widened as if she remembered something. “And, oh, I forgot to tell you,” she started. “Dave and Kate invited us for breakfast next door so get dressed quickly.” She turned around and left me alone in my room again. I quickly closed the door before she could see the tears falling from my eyes. I rested my hand on my chest, pressing it as I felt it hurt. How would I be able to face them after the betrayal they just did to me? My parents and I entered the Williams’ home. The first person we saw was Atlas. “There you are, Atlas! Look at you now! You’ve become a man! I’m so proud of you!” Dad told him with enthusiasm. “Congratulations on your marriage, by the way. I’m kind of hurt that you didn’t invite us, though,” Dad joked as he patted Atlas’ back. The latter just gave him a smile. “Don’t worry, Uncle. I’ll make sure to invite you to our wedding soon. We only had a civil wedding, so we might plan to have a big wedding soon,” Atlas said and wrapped his arm around Melissa’s waist. I pursed my lips and looked away. I hoped they wouldn’t hear my heart shattering to pieces right now. Kate, who appeared from the kitchen, approached me. “Let’s go sit at the dining table, shall we? Faith? Come on, sweetheart.” She sweetly smiled at me and caressed my back. I forced a smile and slowly went to the dining table. I sat down on my chair without looking at anyone. “So, Atlas,” my dad started. “How was New York?” “It was actually good. I kind of had a hard time at first, but it was all worth it. Becoming a CEO changed my life for the better,” Atlas replied in his deep voice. Even just his voice could already make my stomach flutter. “Faith? Why are you so quiet, darling? Normally, you are always the talkative one here. Are you okay?” Kate suddenly asked me in worry. I nervously glanced at Atlas who was staring at me with a blank expression. I looked back at his mother. “I’m fine, Aunt Kate. I’m just really sleepy since I didn’t sleep well last night. I was so busy watching TV series,” I lied. Everyone laughed at my answer except the newlyweds sitting opposite me. “Yeah! My sister’s too addicted to that newly-released TV series. Look at her red eyes,” Nate, my second older brother said with a chuckle. I forced a laugh and stared at my food, trying to hide the discomfort I was feeling from someone’s piercing gaze at me. “By the way, should we expect to be grandparents soon?” Kate teasingly asked the couple. Atlas and mine’s parents laughed. My brothers hooted in unison. Melissa blushed profusely. They were too busy with their reactions that they didn’t notice how I froze in my seat. Atlas, on the other hand, smirked and wrapped his arm around Melissa’s shoulders. Our gazes suddenly met. Without leaving his eyes on me, he kissed his wife’s ear and smirked. “Soon,” Atlas answered. The whole table erupted in cheers while I could only hear my heart breaking once again. I stood up. “I’m actually not hungry. Excuse me,” I muttered before leaving the dining room in a rush. I walked to the guest room and when I saw that it was empty, I entered and closed it. I leaned my back against the door as I burst into tears. I held my hand over my mouth, so no one would hear my sobs. Seeing him with her was killing me. It hurt to see them together. Why was Atlas doing this to me? I sat on the bed, still crying. My heart clenched in anger, betrayal, and sadness. All of a sudden, I heard the door being opened. I raised my head to see who it was. “What are you doing? Why are you… crying here? Shouldn’t you just be happy for us? After all, it’s not like you had nothing to do about this,” Melissa hissed. I stood up and walked toward her. “What are you talking about, Melissa? What have I done to you? Why the hell are you doing this to me? Why?” I burst out. Melissa glared at me. “Because you hurt him! You hurt my friend. You broke his heart! A great person like him doesn’t deserve a fake witch like—” Before she could finish her statement, I already slapped her across the face. Melissa held her cheek and looked at me in shock. “I thought that you were my sister. I thought that you were my best friend! But today, you only proved to me that people like you can never be a family,” I told her with anger. She rolled her eyes and scoffed. “You’re right, Faith. We’re no longer friends. I can’t be friends with you after what you did to Atlas.” I stared at her in confusion. “What did I do, Melissa? Why can’t you just tell me? What did I do to deserve this?” “You’re well aware of what you did, Faith. I don’t want to waste my time telling you stupid things,” Melissa replied before turning away. She was headed to the door when Atlas suddenly came in. “There you are! I was looking for you everywhere. Why are you he—” Atlas immediately stopped when he saw me. He looked at Melissa and noticed the red mark on her cheek. He gently caressed it while his jaw clenched in anger. “Did she do this to you?” Atlas asked in a menacing tone. My heart started beating rapidly. “Just leave it, Atlas. Let’s go.” Melissa tried to pull him away but he didn’t move. “Answer me,” he commanded. Melissa just stared at him. Atlas removed his eyes from her and looked at me. I could clearly see anger in his eyes. “How dare you hurt my wife, huh?” he asked with a cold tone, making me flinch. “She started it, Atlas. She deserved it,” I firmly answered. He continued glaring at me. I softened my expression and took a step closer to him. “A-atlas,” I sobbed. “Why are you doing this to me? What did I do? Please, tell me. I-I love you so much. I know that you don’t love her. I—” I couldn’t finish my sentence because I felt a sting on my cheek. I froze in shock when I heard a gasp behind him. My trembling fingers slowly found my throbbing cheek. “I love my wife, and she’s the only woman I’ll love in my entire life. The love I once had for you died long ago, You’re nothing to me now, Faith. Hear me? You’re nothing but a piece of trash to me,” Atlas muttered menacingly. “You won’t imagine what I can do to you the next time you lay your hand on my wife. Remember that.” Then, he held Melissa’s hand and pulled her out of the room. I silently watched them leave me here. All alone while crumbling to pieces. I stood on my spot, still speechless. Tear after tear fell out of my eyes. My knees started to shake, making me fall to the ground. Atlas slapped me. He just hurt me. How could he do that to me?

PRESENT “What is she doing right now?” I asked with a cold tone. “S-she’s at work, Sir,” one of my men stuttered. “And?” I asked, wanting to hear more details. “She… She was crying, Sir.” I clenched my jaw and looked at them. “Who dared to make my princess cry? Why did she cry?” I asked impatiently. “A-actually, Sir, she was with her ex-boyfriend at the time she cried,” the man stammered. Fear was obvious in his voice. I leaned on my chair as I looked at the photos in front of me. I clenched my jaw when I saw that asshole wrapping his arms around my little girl. “Continue following her and make sure that she doesn’t get hurt. If I find even just a scratch on her body, I won’t hesitate to send all of you to hell,” I warned. It was effective because they all flinched in fear. “Y-yes, Sir!” They answered in unison and left the room. I grabbed my phone and turned it on. I let out a small smile when I saw my lock screen wallpaper. A photo of my princess. I secretly took a photo of her while she was busy reading a book in a coffee shop. She was very beautiful. “I love you so much, my princess. Just wait for me, okay? I’ll be there soon. I will protect you with all my heart,” I whispered before kissing her photo. I opened my phone again and dialed one of my men’s numbers. “This will be our last meeting for now. After this, I’ll fly back to London. I’ve been away from my girls for so long. I can’t wait any longer. Make sure everything is done for today,” I ordered sternly before hanging up. I looked at the photo again. “I’m coming back, my love. Finally, I will be home.” ATLAS’ POINT OF VIEW PRESENT I sat in my room, drowned by the thoughts about Faith. Leo was fast asleep, so I finally got some time for myself. The dinner scene flashed in my mind repeatedly. I clenched my jaw in anger. Why couldn’t she accept me? Why did she refuse to marry me? I know that what I did to her was wrong. It was a big mistake on my part, but I knew that she was still in love with me. I could see it in her eyes despite her great ability to hide her true emotions. I didn’t want to lose Faith to somebody else. I couldn’t even imagine myself living without her or even seeing her in someone else’s arms. But, one thing that bothered me was, didn’t I do that to her, too? Didn’t I marry Melissa so I could move on? I frustratedly pulled my hair and groaned. Shit. I was such a big asshole, but I couldn’t move on from her. Even though I married Melissa, which was one of the biggest mistakes in my life, I was still very possessive over Faith. Seeing her with other men made my blood boil. THREE YEARS AGO I woke up with a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. I turned my head and found Melissa nuzzling my chest. Slowly, I untangled myself from her and got out of bed without making any noise. I didn’t want to wake her up yet. I almost groaned when I realized something. I didn’t feel any fluttering feeling with Melissa like I felt with Faith, but never would I want to touch that damn woman who dared to cheat on me behind my back. I went out of the bedroom and slowly walked to Faith’s room. She and her family were living with us for a few months now. My parents offered our house for them to stay in as the construction work at their place wasn’t finished yet. I slowly opened Faith’s bedroom door. I thought that she was still asleep, but to my surprise, her bed was already empty. I frowned and entered her room. Her room looked… clean. It was as if no one had ever used it. Wait… What am I even doing here? I sighed heavily and left her room. I walked downstairs while my eyes kept looking around for her. I just want to have a glimpse of her angelic face. I was already near the main hall when I heard faint sounds of laughter coming from the front door. I walked closer and immediately stopped when I saw them. My eyes immediately turned sharp as I watched the scene in front of me. Faith was happily laughing with another man. I scoffed inwardly. If she could cheat on me, what else couldn’t she possibly do? But when I saw her planting a kiss on the man’s cheek, my blood immediately boiled in rage. Or was it jealousy? I gritted my teeth and glared at the man. “We should go to the club tonight, babe. It’s been ages! Please? Please, come with me? I promise that I won’t leave you,” I heard the man plead as he held her hand. Faith sighed and ran her hand through her long, brown hair. The hair I once loved playing with. “I can’t, Liam. I can’t go back to the club anymore after what happened. I don’t want a repeat of that experience again,” Faith sadly muttered. “I was lucky enough that I got saved. Or else I would have been—” she stopped talking and looked down. What night was that? What was she talking about? Why did she say that she was lucky that she got saved? The man gave her a sympathetic look as he caressed her cheeks. That was when I couldn’t suppress my anger anymore. “Faith you—” “What is going on here?!” I yelled furiously, cutting the jerk off. Both their head turned in my direction. Faith looked at me with wide eyes as if I just caught her doing something wrong. I glared at her. “A-atlas, how—” she started but I interrupted her. “Who are you?” I asked the man. The asshole looked at me from head to toe and smirked. “Well, well, look what we have here,” he mockingly said which made me angrier. “So, this is what you do, Faith? Bring men over to your home? Well, you’re at my house now. Are you really that thick-skinned to invite you bed warmers over my home, huh, slut?” I snorted and laughed sarcastically. “Oh, I forgot. You really are a slut.” My smirk almost faded when I saw a tear falling down her cheek. I knew that what I said was too much. Heck, even I hated myself for saying such things. But seeing her cry made me feel hurt. I realized that she still affected me. No matter how much I tried to love Melissa, Faith owned me completely. There was no doubt about that. The Liam guy immediately faced me. “What the hell? Did you just call her a slut?” he said in disbelief. “You,” I pointed at him. “Get the fuck out of my property!” However, he just rolled his eyes at me. “Fuck you, jerk! And to clarify things, my friend is not a slut!” he snapped. I glared at him. He turned to Faith and wiped her tears. “I’m gonna leave first, honey. Before this man becomes even crazier,” he told her, almost whispering his last words. “Don’t hesitate to call me if he hurts you.” The man kissed her forehead before turning to me. His piercing eyes stayed on mine for a while before he turned to leave. When the man was finally out of my sight, I looked at Faith who was busy looking at me angrily. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the house. She didn’t say anything which pissed me off. I looked at her forehead and hurriedly wiped it, wanting to erase that man’s trace from her so bad. “What the hell are you doing?” Faith snarled while looking at me in surprise. I continued wiping her forehead as if I didn’t hear anything. That idiot’s lips shouldn’t have landed on any part of her body in the first place. “Atlas, stop! Get off me!” she shouted and tried to push me away. I sharply looked at her and pulled her again toward me. “Listen, Faith. If I see you with that prick again, I will fucking kill the both of you. Understood?” I warned her. She glared at me, not backing down. She pushed my chest, making me stumble a bit. Damn, this girl was strong. “And who the hell are you to control me? I can be with whoever I want to be with!” she replied. “Shut the fuck up, Faith! Stop arguing with me! If I find you with that man again or if I find out that you’ll go to any stupid club, you won’t like what I’ll do to you. You are mine! If you ever dare step out of this house with him or any other male, I will drag you to your room and lock you in there!” I threatened in full rage. Faith gasped and stared at me incredulously. After a few seconds, a humorless laugh escaped from her lips. Her eyes were filled with anger as she looked at me. “You’re a goddamn hypocrite, Atlas. You’re a two-faced asshole. You’re already married to someone else, living your fucking life, and still… You’re trying to control my life?” she said. “The day you got married was the day that I finally felt that I belonged to no one but myself. So, you don’t go around and dare to control me because you have a dam wife for that,” she hissed as a single tear fell from her eye. It felt like several knives were stabbing my chest. I was married to someone that I didn’t even love. I married someone and it wasn’t Faith. I just wanted to make Faith feel how much it hurt to see the person you love with somebody else. My expression softened when I saw her tears. I slowly stepped toward her and wiped her face. She quietly sobbed and closed her eyes. I crouched and rested my lips near her ear. “You are mine, Faith. Always remember that,” I whispered menacingly before turning around and walking back upstairs. PRESENT Now, I felt like I was the biggest asshole in the world. I regretted saying those words to her. Why couldn’t I see the love and innocence in her eyes? If only Melissa didn’t lie. If only Melissa didn’t betray me… or us. It was all because of her, and now I needed to fucking suffer the consequences. I hated her, and I didn’t think I could forgive her.