𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺

𝘚𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

"What the hell are you talking about?" Aurora asked. Vanessa slaps the papers in Aurora's hands. "These are the divorce papers he was going to serve you today." She said. The words "divorce papers" ring over and over again in Aurora's ears. She feels her knees start to tremble.

"Wh-what? These aren't real." Aurora said. Vanessa's smile turns sinister. "They're real, sweetheart. Look. They've even been notarized." She said. Aurora flips the last page. Vanessa's right. There's an official notary stamp. Swallowing dryly, Aurora tries to appear strong, squaring off against Vanessa.

"Where's Granit?" Aurora asked. "Gone. He went to Switzerland without you." Vanessa said. Aurora's mouth drops open in horror, but no words come out. Nausea begins to churn in her stomach. But... everything was perfect. We were perfect. What happened? I can't just stand here like an idiot. I need to do something.

Aurora dials Granit's coach, Albert. But to her frustration, the call goes straight to voicemail. "No one's going to answer you. Granit and his whole team are halfway across the Atlantic already. Face the facts, sweetheart. It's over." Vanessa said. A cruel laugh spills from her lips. "You were never good enough to be with Granit Xhaka. I mean, look at you. Who even are you?" She said.

"Granit's the hottest footballer in the country, and he should be with someone worthy of his status. Not some worthless little nobody like you." For weeks, I've put up with Vanessa's bullshit. I've played nice. I've ignored her. I've tried to reason with her. I've tried to give her a chance. Not anymore.

Aurora takes a step closer to Vanessa, lifting her chin in challenge. "You know what the problem with people like you is, Vanessa? You can't stand the fact that Granit's never been interested in you. And instead of moving on? You take your insecurities and hatred out on everyone else." She said. "That's... that's not true!" Vanessa said.

"The truth is? I actually feel kind of sorry for you. You're so consumed by hatred and biterness that it's taken over your whole life. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life working at the front desk for a man who's never going to notice you?" Aurora said. "That's not true! He-he does notice me. He does." Vanessa said.

"Aw, Vanessa." Aurora said. "Don't do that! Don't act like you feel sorry for me!" Vanessa shouted. "Y-you're the pitiful one. The pathetic one." She said. "I think you'd be so much happier if you just moved on. Honestly." Aurora said. Tears fill Vanessa's eyes. With an angry cry, she runs from the room, sobbing. Aurora leaves Granit's gym, at a loss for what to do next.

Things might not be perfect... but at least I still have my dignity. Unlike her. Still confused about what to believe, there's only one place Aurora can think to go.

*

An hour later, Aurora arrives at her grandma's retirement home, desperate to see a familiar face. I need to talk to someone who loves me. Someone I can trust. Someone who feels like home. I thought Granit might be that person. Now I don't know what to think. What if my uncle is somehow involved? He's malicious enough to pull off a stunt like this.

I bet he could even fake divorce papers. I just don't know what to think. Aurora's grandma greets her with a big, warm hug the minute she walks inside. Aurora buries her face in her shoulder. "Honey, what's wrong?" Patricia asked. Aurora sinks into the chair and spills everything, clutching the mug of tea her grandma hands her.

She tells her about the past few weeks. How close her and Granit have gotten. And now, out of the blue, just before his big match, how Granit flew to Switzerland without her. "Let me see those divorce papers." Patricia said. Aurora hands them over. Her grandma squints at them, shaking her head in disbelief.