My Beautiful Liar

Chapter 15 Sacrifice

HER

I was busy reviewing a business proposal when I heard a knock on my door. I came early this morning for a board meeting. I was barely even listening as I was still thinking about my dinner date last night with Luke. He asked me again last night to make our relationship official, but I held back. I wanted to wait until our weekend getaway so it's more romantic. However, my inner self is telling me "You know the reason why! Liar!"

I shook my head out of frustration. I am getting crazy. I have been fighting with my inner self since I came home yesterday. I need that weekend getaway that Luke planned. I bet after that, I will feel relaxed and think more clearly.

I took a deep breath before focusing my gaze on the person who just walked inside my office. It was Brie. She looked blooming and was smiling widely at me.

I didn't want to see my best friend today, but I kept a happy face as soon as she sat down on the chair in front of me. I can't explain what I'm feeling right now. I feel so selfish and I hate myself for it.

"Good Morning! You look blooming today!" I pretended to be cheerful while giving her a compliment. Brie grinned widely at me.

"You already know why, Cass! Your one and only best friend had a great time last night!" She gushed.

"By the way, how was your date? Did you already say the magic "Yes'' to Luke? Is it official?"  She asked curiously.

"Not yet. Soon. You know I'm waiting for our weekend getaway so it's more memorable." Brie nodded in approval at my answer.

"Well, I like your idea. I'm so happy for you. Imagine, it will be you and Luke in the end. It was obvious how crazy he was over you when we were in college. His patience finally paid off. But on a side note, you probably know why I'm here this early." She said excitedly.

"I just want to share with you how amazing Paul was last night. He was very nice with Bailey. First time that I saw Bailey was so fond of another man aside from her uncles. How she acted and played around with Paul last night was not even the least of how she was with her bastard father.

"And on top of that, another piece of good news. I just learned this morning from my ex-sister-in-law that my monster husband has finally left the country for good. I am glad he's out of our lives completely. It was hell living with him." She said that with a painful expression on her face.

"That's really good news. Thanks for sharing it with me, Brie. Now that he's gone, he'll never bother you and Bailey again. And as long as I'm here, rest assured you will not go back to that situation anymore. I promise you." I meant every word I said.

I saw the pictures that Brie showed me when she was "black and blue" from her husband beating her constantly. She kept all those pictures as evidence that she used in court to annul her marriage.

If not for her courage to finally escape from him one night, she probably would have ended up dead. Brie gave him a lot of chances until she just woke up one day and realized he would never change. Brie said she did it for the sake of Bailey. Her daughter witnessed their fights and she knew it was no longer a safe environment for Bailey.

It took a long time for Brie to heal based on her story. She was even on medicines as she suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder after her relationship with him. My heart got torn into pieces upon hearing her fate from her monster husband.

With the help of her therapist, she was able to stop her medicines and heal mentally and emotionally. She immersed herself at work and that was when I met her again; when she was starting to get back on her feet and just got a huge promotion for being very good at her job. I applaud Brie for rebuilding her life back again.