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"How could you do this to me?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the roar of the stormy rain outside. The cold, metallic taste of betrayal placed at the tip of my tongue. My words felt hollow, swallowed by the endless void of silence that hung between us. I searched his eyes, hoping for a glimpse of the man I once knew, but all I found was emptiness.
"WHY???" This time I scream at the top of my lungs, my heart beating frantically against my ribcage. His silence was infuriating me. "Answer me, Nate," I demanded, my voice cracking under the weight of my anguish. I could feel the desperation clawing at my throat, threatening to choke me if he didn't speak.
He clutches the champagne flute in his right hand, swirling it lazily as he takes sips without a care in the world. The arrogance in his posture made my skin crawl. Meanwhile, I'm left ranting like a madwoman. But indeed, I am mad... I am a woman in love, madly in love, and it's driving me to the edge.
"Say something!" I plead, taking a shaky step toward him. My voice is barely above a whisper, but it carries the weight of my shattered heart. "Nate, please... say something."
His lips curl into a smirk, as if my suffering was a source of entertainment for him. "And what exactly do you want me to say?" he finally speaks, his tone dripping with disdain. "That I'm sorry? That I made a mistake?"
"You bitch!" I charge towards Claire, my fury urging me forward, but that's when I finally gain a reaction from him. He stands up abruptly, grabbing my hand in a vice-like grip.
He twists it painfully and hisses, "Don't you dare." His voice is low, almost a growl, sending chills down my spine.
"Oh, Wow!" I scoff in disbelief. "Don't I dare what, Nathaniel?" I sneer back, my voice laced with bitterness. "Protect myself? Fight for what's mine?" I try to pull my hand free, but his grip tightens, sending a sharp pain up my arm.
"Is this what you wanted?" He sneers, eyes cold and unforgiving. It was as if I was looking into the eyes of a stranger. He looks down on me due to his tall statue. "To be the 'pathetic' whiny burden you have always been?"
I flinch at his words. No, this cannot be, this cannot be happening. This is not my Nate, my Nathaniel. I struggle to maintain my composure. My breath came in shallow, ragged gasps, each one a painful reminder of the betrayal that had brought me to this breaking point.
Beside him, Claire's laughter was a harsh, mocking sound that cut through the room like shards of glass. "Oh, look at you still playing the victim. You were always so weak, so useless."
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