HEAT |OMEGAVERSE| ⚣ ✔️

The Truth

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️
MENTIONS OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE/SUICIDAL THOUGHTS IN THIS CHAPTER, VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED.
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I stretch my body against the length of the couch and yawn, sitting up. Groggily, I rub my eyes with my hands and glance around the living room. I notice my jacket that's still on, and grab my phone from the pocket as I take it off—setting it on the back side of the couch. I check the time on my phone: four thirty pm. Hm, I must have passed out for a couple hours.

I sit up, and walk over to my kitchen, retrieving a glass from the cabinet. I fill it to the top with water, and put the cup to my lips and take large gulps. "You know, I'm getting a strong sense of déjà vu, right now." I choke on my drink spitting some out of my mouth, and turn to Alex, standing in the doorway of the bathroom. I quickly take my sleeve and wipe at my lips, glaring at Alex, who stares sheepishly back at me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I exclaim, exhaling a deep breath, "I tell you a couple hours ago I'm being stalked—and now you're creeping up on me?" My brows furrow as I set my glass on the countertop near me.

Alex's face contorts as if he's not sure how to react, "I'm sorry, not the right time." His tone seems sincere his words coming out quietly.

"And what were you even doing here? What happened to the whole 'giving me time and space' speech that you texted me?" I cross my arms against my chest, baring my eyes into Alex as he shifts uneasily from one foot to the other.

"Yeah—you're right..I shouldn't have showed up, but I care about your well-being, and I couldn't sleep or think straight not knowing if you were okay."

"And the lying about your 'niece' ?" My tone remains flat and insensitive as I speak, my anger bubbling as I remember the details of the last time we saw each other.

"Jasper I'm—I'm truly sorry about that, it was wrong of me to lie to you, especially when you've been so honest with me." Alex gives me long and sad eyes, but I remain silent, waiting for him to continue with a more detailed explanation of his actions. "I can tell you the whole truth of everything, but it's a long story, and by the end you might think I'm more of a liar than before."

I walk past Alex and back into the living room, seating myself on the sofa. "Well I have all day, come on." I state bluntly and lean against the arm rest. I hear the quiet patter of Alex's feet approach the living room, and he sits on the opposite side of the couch stiffly, sitting uncomfortably straight.

"It started on my twenty first birthday, when I was introduced to Veronica. She seemed nice enough, well—for an arranged marriage anyways." Alex scratches at the back of his head and heaves a long breath, clicking his tongue in his mouth, "my father told me that I should get to know her better and that he had expected me to propose to her soon, and after that we were wed, he was to have grandchildren." Alex looks at the floor silently for a moment before continuing.

"Honestly, when I had gotten to know her the first year, I had myself thinking I was lucky, and that maybe I had found love within the arrangement. I went to a shop, picked out a ring, and bent down on one knee for her. I can still remember her walking down the aisle the day of our wedding, and each head that turned for her as she walked by, such an absolutely stunning center of attention she was."

Alex's eyes droop a little, sadness taking the wheel over as his shoulders slouch forward in a depressive manor, "My dad was so proud of me—and even more proud when we announced our pregnancy the following year. His eyes lit up like the Fourth of July, and he almost danced around the dinner table.

Everything went great honestly, and Veronica had the picture perfect pregnancy; no morning sickness, three thousand dollar maternity pictures, a grand baby shower, and the happy husband to pose with through it all. After Sadie was born, my whole life suddenly changed, I found a light inside myself I didn't even know I had turned on. Suddenly she was the only girl in this world that had the entirety of my heart, and I'd have done absolutely anything for her—I still would.