In a tale of love and betrayal, Victoria sacrificed her dreams for a marriage to Jace- a man she initially didn't know that came from a wealthy home, but their seemingly perfect life unravelled when she discovered his betrayal. Jace manipulates her memory to rewrite their love story. However, Victoria has to perform a risky dance between betrayal and trust as she works to untangle the complex web of lies. Can she find love in the middle of betrayal and forgive the unforgivable? Victoria's search for the truth also turns into an exciting story about forgiveness, reconciliation, and the enduring power of hope in the face of hardship, with danger hanging around every corner and surprising alliances emerging. Is Victoria going to be lost to the shadows forever, or will she find the truth and take back her life?
Chapter 1 The Betrayal
A coffee mug went flying across the room, breaking against the wall, the sound imitated the rage boiling within me and echoed across the silent room like thunder. I don't know what got over me, but I wasn't this violent.
Jace stood still and his face expressing a mixture of shock and guilt upon realising that his deceit had been exposed.
I just found divorce papers in his bedroom and I had to confront him. How could he think of divorcing me? After everything?
"When did you write this?" With a barely noticeable whisper, my voice was dripping with anger as I fumed. The amount of his betrayal settled over me like a suffocating blanket, causing tears to fill up in my eyes and blur my vision.
"Calm the fuck down, Victoria" I heard Jace.
"Don't fucking tell me to calm down! I just asked you a question?! When did you write the divorce papers?!"
"Does that even matter? You've found it now, you might as well just sign it" He shrugged, walking towards his bed. His tone was void of warmth.
I couldn't believe him. After all the difficulties and sacrifices I went through for him. I couldn't help but think of the first day we met, how he managed to get me tied around him. I remember how determined I was to end up with him even if it meant disobeying my parents or giving up on my own dreams just because of his stupid family's tradition.
And now, it's all for nothing? I took my gaze to his once warm eyes, but all I met was indifference. That was the moment I understood the Jace I fell in love with was long gone, he is now a stranger who didn't give a damn about the mess he's leaving behind.
I force out a laugh. "Wow, people really do change. Jace, you promised to love me till death when we got married. I believed you! Now that you've gotten a taste of my best friend, you want to leave me for her?!" I screamed out of my lungs.
"What?" He stiffened, his body tensing in surprise as the reality of the situation hit him."
"You think I wouldn't know?" I asked, more like pleading for him to deny and drop on his knees to plead for forgiveness.
Few weeks ago, a reporter contacted me, sending pictures of him and Grace going in and outside of a hotel and the reporter was so sure it was an affair. I didn't believe him, I didn't want to believe it, but it broke something in me to see those two together. I never spoke about it to anyone and I paid the reporter to make sure no one else or the media hears about it.
"What are you talking about?" He returned walking closer to me. "You know what? Yeah sure. It doesn't even matter, you won't believe me. I slept with Grace okay!"
A wave of rage washed over me like I had never felt before. How could he? How could he betray me with her, my closet friend?
I wanted to shout and lash out at him. However, the tears burned my eyes, making it difficult for me to see clearly and making me feel vulnerable. I had to leave that stuffy room as soon as possible. I picked up a pen lying on the table and I signed my name on the divorce papers with shaking fingers, holding the pen with unsteady palms. I looked back at him, but he didn't say anything.
"There you have it!" I slam the papers to his chest before walking out of the room.
My head ran a thousand miles as I stepped outside into the cold night air. I didn't even have the time to take my cell phone or my car keys, I just knew that I had to get away from him as soon as possible, even though I had no idea where I was going to.
And for some reason, almost without conscious effort, I ended up in front of her home-the door of the person who had unfairly betrayed me. A part of me wanted to burst in and confront her, to inflict the same pain she just caused me.
However, a part of me paused, not sure whether I could stand to watch the reality flash before my eyes. I stood there, torn between grief and rage, trying to decide whether to face her or to turn away and let her bear the consequences.
Suddenly the door opens and Grace reveals her face. "Victoria? What are you doing here?" I heard her ask. Her voice sounded so innocent as a baby.
I stare at her, unsure of what to say. I took it as a sign that God chose for me to confront her and walked into her apartment, she followed me in. A pile of empty alcohol bottles were laying on the floor. It appeared like she had been drinking. But that couldn't stop me from doing what I had in mind.
"How do you feel, to break a home?" I demanded, getting straight to the point. I wasn't about to let her see me vulnerable.
"What are you saying, Victoria?" she furrowed her eyebrows.
"I know about you and Jace, Grace. So cut the act."
And like my words turned into a switch. Her face went faltered, replaced by a cold, calculating gaze that sent a shiver down my spine. "Oh" she says, putting one of her hands on her waist.
"Oh? Oh?" I repeated. Is that all she can say right now? I could already feel myself boiling. "How could you do that to me? You are my best friend, Grace!"
"Exactly, that doesn't mean you are my own best friend." She replied, revealing her true colours.
"You've always had everything, Victoria. You got yourself a handsome rich dude and you couldn't even take care of him. So I decided to step in, I mean, I was in the shadows for too long" Grace shrugged.
"Are you out of your mind?! My own husband?!" I came close to her screaming in her face. She didn't feel intimidated even a bit.
" If you need to throw your anger at someone, it should be him, because from what I can remember, he wanted me." She spat, her words dripping with malice.
And without thinking, my hand suddenly went up, striking a resounding slap right to her face.
She stood there in awe, she wasn't expecting me to hit her. "What's your problem?!" She screamed at me, her eyes wide in shock and anger, using her two hands to force me away from her.
My whole body stumbled backwards and I struggled to find my balance from the push.
But my feet somehow ended up on a discarded bottle. Everything happened so fast, before I could take a hold of myself, I could feel myself in the air and I struggled to hold onto the air like it would save me from landing on the floor that felt like it was rushing to meet me with a terrifying speed.
I felt a sharp pain bursting through my head as I collided with the glass table, the world becoming black and drowning me in darkness. I heard muffled, far-off voices in the hazy seconds before consciousness faded away, like dream echoes.
But in the middle of all the confusion and chaos, one thing was crystal evident to me: betrayal had destroyed my friendship and my marriage, leaving me abandoned and alone in a world that had just turned upside down.
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