Escape From Love's Dark Clutches

Cedric Buckley had been dating Heather Taylor for two years when he suddenly felt ready to propose. Today, however, was the somber occasion of his grandfather's funeral. Cedric chose this day to introduce Heather to his family officially.

An hour before the ceremony, a woman arrived unexpectedly. Cedric's demeanor shifted noticeably at her appearance. He excused himself to Heather, saying he needed to handle something urgent and left with the woman.

"Heather, I'll have someone else take care of this. Please find Cedric. His uncle is arriving soon," Sharon Buckley instructed.

She was Cedric's mother and had never been fond of Heather, who she felt was below their social standing and too unrespectable to be greeting guests at the entrance.

Heather, compliant as ever, nodded and began her search. She wandered through the crowded hall and ascended the stairs to Cedric's childhood room. Pushing the door open, she found the room deserted and eerily silent. Just as she was about to search elsewhere, a faint, peculiar noise from the bathroom halted her.

Curious and cautious, she slipped off her high heels and approached the slightly ajar bathroom door. Peering through the gap, her heart sank. There was Cedric, in a compromising position with a woman, pressed against the washstand in a heated encounter. The sound of running water and muffled moans filled the air.

"I shouldn't have come back," the woman wept between labored breaths. "I meet your needs, yet I have to watch you marry someone else? Let me go!"

"No, you left me first without any explanation. I thought you'd never return, so I moved on with Heather," Cedric tried to soothe her, his voice strained. "She's just someone to pass the time with."

"Then you should break up with her," Alexia Harris urged, her voice trembling as she clung to Cedric, tears spilling over her cheeks. "I'm not the person I used to be. I'm now a part of the wealthy Harris family, and I'm worthy to be your wife."

Cedric hesitated, his mind racing. He had shared two years with Heather, feelings not easily dismissed. "It's not that simple, I-"

Before he could finish, the door swung open. Heather entered, her expression one of resigned sadness. "I agree to break up."

Her sudden appearance jolted Cedric. His body reacted, his face draining of color.

Heather's gaze fell on their entwined forms, a sight so alien yet painfully clear. Tears gathered in her eyes as she took a step back. "I had planned to give you my first time on our wedding day. To think that after two years, I was nothing more than someone's stand-in."

With those words, she turned to leave, then paused, mastering her emotions to add, "Put on your clothes. Your uncle has arrived."

Scrambling, Cedric pulled up his trousers as Alexia hurriedly adjusted her dress. He darted forward, reaching for Heather's wrist in a desperate gesture. He fumbled for words, then blurted out, "Alexia was my first love. We were so happy together before. When she returned, I just... I lost control."

Heather shook off his grasp and cast a fleeting glance at Alexia, who was leaving. As she did, tears she had been holding back began to fall. "You've helped me immensely, and I've been truly grateful for that. However, this situation has turned our time together into a joke, squandering two year of my life. Thankfully, your financial support over these years balances that out, so we're even."

"I never intended for us to break up," Cedric said, his voice laced with anxiety. He caught up to Heather, his expression fraught with regret. When Alexia seduced him, he wasn't thinking of ending things with Heather.

"Today of all days, your grandfather's funeral, I will continue to act the part well," Heather declared, her tone resolute yet tinged with sadness.

After speaking, she turned and left. As she walked away, her demeanor shifted dramatically. She dabbed at her tears and a faint smile crossed her lips.

Upon her return from studying abroad in her sophomore year, she had encountered severe financial difficulties. She had toiled day and night just to make ends meet. It was Cedric who had stepped in to assist her, covering her tuition and living expenses. He had invested heavily in her, introducing her to experiences around the world.

In gratitude, she had accepted his persistent advances and assumed the role of the accommodating and rational girlfriend he desired, aligning with his plans and wishes.

However, she had her boundaries. She couldn't engage in a physical relationship without love. By framing her decision to wait until marriage, they maintained a chaste relationship for two years. She had believed that Cedric's decision to bring her home and talk about marriage was driven by his longing for intimacy after such a prolonged period of abstinence.

Now, caught in the act of betrayal, the breakup unfolded just as she desired. Cedric was the one at fault, allowing her to leave him without any lingering guilt, liberating herself from a debt she felt burdened by.