When LOVE is not Enough

Chapter 2 - Angel

"Angel, listen to me, nothing is wrong with you, all we're saying is that you need to get a little ...fit. I mean ever since the Daren situation all you have been doing is hiding from the world every time we get out of work.

That's not good.

The gym membership I got you will help boost your self-esteem", Iris told me while holding my hands in hers. "Don't forget about the sexy men Iris", Lily added while wiggling her brows.

"Exactly, we need to increase your options too, it seems your head thinks that Daren is the only man in the world so perhaps seeing more sexy and sweaty men will cheer you up a bit.

So, do you promise to do this? The gym is a walking distance from work. Pretty please", she begged with her ridiculous puppy dog eyes.

"Ok, I'll do it", I said just to make them stop pushing me. "Yes!", she high-fived Lily who went on ordering food for us. This was meant to be a quiet Saturday as usual but all that went out the window when I opened the door for my workmates and friends.

Iris is right, I used to be fun and the life of our group but then I met Daren and fell in love.

He is our boss's son.

When we met he was having some alcohol problems and I couldn't let him go through that alone so I helped him. We were living together and I was still not employed by his Father yet.

I went to therapy with him.

We basically did everything together and after two years his Father finally asked him to join the family business and that is when problems started.

I get that he had to prove himself to his family but he totally forgot about us. I had to keep hoping that he will change but honestly, as days went on he became distant.

All the hope went away the day he was appointed CEO of their construction company. I remember it as if it was yesterday. 

3years ago...

I got home from work and he was not there, I made dinner, took a shower then switched on the TV to buy more time as I waited for him.

There he was on the red carpet being interviewed about the event, but that didn't bother me because he always forgot to tell me when such events come up and always went alone. What bothered me was the woman he was with, Kira, she was a family friend that he claimed to have no touchy relationship with her despite catching them in awkward situations.

He promised to keep his distance from her but here they were, being photographed together at an event that I didn't even know was happening. I took my phone trying to call him but he didn't pick up.

He always picked up my phone even when he was in a meeting. I felt something tightening my throat it was hard to swallow. I took deep breaths as tears started rolling down my eyes.

I woke up on our bed, tucked in beautifully. But I was alone, I released a breath knowing how I got to bed, he always did that when I would fall asleep waiting for him to return from work. I found him under the shower enjoying the steamy water, I went ahead and brushed my teeth, pretending he was not in the room with me.

I looked in the mirror and saw that my eyes were puffy and I looked lost. I felt his hands pulling me to his chest, for the first time in our relationship it felt wrong.

"Good morning babe", he said while kissing my neck just the way I liked but instead of my body giving in, it tensed. He noticed and turned me to face him.

"Angel, what's wrong?", he asked with a straight face as if I was stupid and that made me angrier. "Where were you yesterday?", my voice was trembling to hope that he would come clean.

"I was at work, as usual, where is this coming from? Why have you been crying?", he asked with a most serious face, how could he lie this easily? Has he lied before? This is not happening.

"Please tell me the truth Daren, you owe me that much...please", I begged with tears falling and there it was, the guilt, all over his face. He tried hugging me but I pulled back.

"How many things have you lied to me about? I mean I get that I knew this day would come but-", "What day? What are you talking about?", he asked concerned. "Oh come on Daren, everyone has been saying how I'm not your type. We've been together for over four years and I have never met your family, not even once, for fuck sakes look at me!", I said gesturing to my body.

"I am looking Angel, for the one-thousandth time, I don't fucking care what people think", he said looking at me in the eyes. "Is that why she was there with you even though you promised to keep your distance from her?", "Fuck! This is about Kira? Angel, I didn't go with her, she was on the red carpet when I was there, she just stuck around for the cameras, I'm sorry I didn't push her away. I swear to you there is nothing between us", he pleaded but I knew that was a lie that needed evidence for him to accept.

"I have to go to work", I said getting into the shower. He remained standing in the same spot until I finished.

I ignored him.

"Hey girlfriend, I'm trying to find a nice way to ask you this... Why the fuck was that Kira on the red carpet with your man?", Emily asked fuming. "Emmy please, not now", she noticed my state and went back to her desk.

I tried my best to avoid eye contact the whole day so that people would not see my puffed eyes. It worked, almost...

"Oh god! Angel, is Daren into porno nowadays?", Michelle asked from her workstation which was like the fourth table from mine, she hated me with a passion so, of course, she had to make a scene. I got a text right after she said it and it was a video of Daren fucking Kira in a car.

With the clothes they were wearing it was from yesterday. It was from a gossip channel, and that was the last thing I saw before everything went black.