Love is a Lie

Ending 3: Forgiveness comes at a Price

Today's the day, the day Alex will confess his feelings to Audrey and form a new bond with her. He just hopes that it won't end up poorly like his relationship with Ashley.

He immediately ran out of the house and went off to buy a bouquet of flowers, he looks at the bouquet with joy seeing the flowers give off a colorful and lively display, the fragrance wafting to his nose making him feel calm and relaxed.

Alex shortly arrived at the park 30 minutes later, barely 20 minutes early for his confession. He sat down on a bench to catch his breath, he sat there for a good 5 minutes worth of rest before standing up and proceeding to go to the center of the park.

Ashley arrived at the park a minute later than Alex and immediately saw him getting up to go to his meeting place with Audrey. She runs after him trying to close the distance between them.

"Alex! Wait!" Ashley calls out to him as she reaches out with an outstretched hand.

Alex turned and saw Ashley, his expression turning dull and sour upon seeing her.

"What is it now Ashley? If you have something to say to me, better make it quick. I have to do something really important." Alex said in a dismissive tone.

"Alex, hear me out, please. I want to fix everything between us! Please give me a chance!" Ashley pleads with a desperate and longing gaze.

Ashley held him tight with a strong embrace, a symbol of her determination to keep him close. Alex deeply sighed as he tries to pry her off.

"Ashley, I think that it is best if you stop with whatever your trying to do because it's definitely not working." Alex said in a casual tone as he calmly tries to release himself from her grip. This in turn made Ashley cling to him tighter.

"Alex please! It's not what it looks like I swear! I'm not doing this out of pity, I'm doing it for us! Please listen to me! I don't want you to leave me, please..... don't hate me....." Ashley mustered the strength to say those words, she is already at her breaking point, her desperation fueling her to continue finding any opportunities to reconcile and recover the lost bonds she had with Alex.

Alex exhaled through his nose as he turns his head to calm himself down, the tension and pressure overwhelming him. Ashley held his face and made him face hers, tears of anguish and regret flow freely down her face as she looks at him with a hint of yearning.

"Alex, what I'm saying is true. I am so sorry for everything I did to you and I am fully aware that you are mad at me and I accept it completely. Please.....give me a chance..... don't put everything we had to waste, Alex........I....I love you." Ashley said with a weak tone as she clings to Alex tightly, her eyes filled with possessiveness focused on his face wanting to see his reaction.

"Ashley.....please let me go.... I have someone waiting for me." Alex tries to reason with her, but her hold on his body unwavering as she begs him to stay. Her voice slowly becoming hollow and cold as her obsessive nature grow unstable.

"Please don't go...... You're mine, Alex. Mine.....Stay with me and be mine as I am yours. Dont go away from me, Alex. You mean everything to me, I can't live knowing that I lost you...please....stay with me forever and I will make sure you stay happy no matter what. You can hurt me as much as you want, just please don't leave me!" Ashley's voice intensifies in both volume and desperation, her bloodshot eyes due to the uncounted downpour of tears pierced his very soul.

"Ashley that's enough. Please stop this and take a look at yourself! Your making a fool out of yourself......" Alex paused as he tries to ease himself. He then looks at her with genuine concern.

"Ashley......I care about you, I don't want to hurt you but please stop this. This isn't right Ashley, we barely even talk to each other anymore and that's my fault honestly but please understand that this is almost impossible to happen. I care about you Ashley and I have already forgiven you but I can't return your feelings Ashley, I'm not sure if I still feel the same for you or not." Alex gives his response to Ashley who is now giving him a bone crushing embrace as she looks at him with an intense gaze filled with possessive love.

"No! I can't accept that! You and I are supposed to be together! Don't you understand?! I love you so much, and I am sorry for the things that I did to you. Please Alex, give me a chance.....give us a chance..." Ashley's voice becoming low and weak signaling her strength faltering.

Audrey, who was watching the entire time had tears running down her face. Though she was aware of Ashley's regret and remorse to her past actions, she didn't knew that she would fall for Alex.

She gathered the courage to approach the two, her heart beating in perfect sync with her footsteps. Fresh tears as clear as crystals flowed freely down her face. Alex immediately noticed her presence as he gently unwrapped Ashley's arms from his body.

"Audrey, I can explain-" Alex tries to defuse the tension as he walks towards her only for Audrey to immediately reply with a kind tone full of gentleness and understanding.

"It's ok Alex, I know you're having a hard time with forgiving Ashley but I didn't expect her to feel this much for you, it's kinda cute actually." Audrey said with a light voice as she gently rubs Alex's shoulder which involuntarily triggers Ashley but she was too exhausted to even feel a tingle of anger.

"Stay away from him...... he's mine......" Ashley weakly said as she slowly walks closer to Audrey. Alex tries to get in front of Audrey to protect her but she assures Alex that she will be fine.

She then got in front of Ashley and hugged her gently, Ashley widened her eyes in surprise as she feels Audrey's soft and gentle arms wrap around her. Tears run down her face as she hugs back and sob loudly with Alex watching the entire scene in shock simply perplexed seeing Audrey's openness.

"I just don't want to lose him! I am so sorry for what I did! I don't know what to do anymore, it hurts so much! Please don't leave me! I just want you back!" Ashley loudly sobbed as Audrey rubs her back trying to calm her down, Alex stood there with eyes wide displaying confusion and shock.

"Alex, it's time you give her the forgiveness she needs. Don't make yourself a monster, don't step down to Adam's level....." Audrey said with a gentle but stern tone as she looks at Alex while slowly removing Ashley's jacket.

"Audrey, I don't know......." Alex muttered quietly, making sure Ashley didn't hear him, not wanting to cause a ruckus especially in a public area.

"Alex, please.....look at her, is this how you want Ashley to spend the rest of her life as? Look at her Alex, look at her...." Audrey demands Alex with a stern tone, urging him to take a closer look at her.

Alex did as she demands, his eyes darted to Ashley and tears of guilt built up his eyes upon seeing her truly miserable state. Her skin a few shades paler than usual since she stays inside her house alone most of the time, her eyes red and puffy as dark eye bags make a noticable appearance, a sign of her loss of sleep and rest. Her body frame became significantly thinner due to malnutrition and loss of appetite, her hair an awful mess with it being a few shades whiter and no longer straight and shiny.

"Ashley.......what happened to you?" Alex muttered in horror seeing the changes to her body, he couldn't imagine her still having the strength to hold him tight without suffering muscle pain. Ashley then approaches him weakly, her movements looked faint and sickly.

"I couldn't bear the fact that I left you to get hurt and almost killed for a monster......I want you to be happy Alex, so maybe if I hurt myself will you finally look at me? I don't want you to leave me alone Alex....I love you....." Ashley then passed out in weakness and exhaustion, Alex catches her in his arms as he tell Audrey to call for help.