From the Streets to the Suites

Chapter Three

(Some people are going to leave, but that’s not the end of your story. It’s the end of their part in your story.)

Olivia sneered and refused to believe Alex was being serious, “You must be out of your mind, Alex. You want to break up our marriage because I didn’t attend the anniversary party? Ridiculous!”

Alex was at the brink of tears now, “This is not my Olivia.” he thought to himself.

He took a deep breath and looked at her straight in the eye, “I saw it!”

“Saw what?” Olivia asked with a sarcastic smile.

“I saw the livestream you did with your boyfriend, Owen. The man you truly love!”

Olivia was too stunned to speak. She just lowered her head.

“What!? Cat got your tongue!? Olivia you lied to me and you betrayed this marriage.”

“Alex, I…” Olivia tried to say something.

“Now, tell me! Who broke this marriage!? Do you still think it’s me!?”

“Alex… chill! You are mistaken. It’s not what it seems.”

“Really? Then be honest with me. What exactly is going on?” Alex asked.

“Yeah, of course! This was all planned by my company. It’s just a fake drama for publicity. You know I would never cheat on you.”

Alex, frustration bubbling beneath his surface.

He wasn’t buying her words, “Olivia, I know you are lying. What company will ask a married woman to kiss another man all for publicity!? What do you take me for!? Some dumb fool?” 

The tension in the room thickened and Olivia could only lower her head like some kid.

“During the live-stream, you said you were together for two but he went abroad and you lost contact with him for a year. That year he was not available, was I just a replacement!?”

Olivia was perplexed, “Alex, that’s not true.”

“Really!? You said you reconnected with him few months ago and thinking about it now Olivia, you changed from the loving woman I fell in love with five months ago. Was it because of Owen!?”

“Alex, this is all in your head! There is nothing going on between me and that man. It was for the company! I don’t understand why you won’t believe me.”

“I…” Alex was about to say something else when they heard footsteps coming into the room.

It was Owen, the very person Olivia had supposedly fabricated her relationship with.

Alex’s fury intensified, “How dare you come in here!?”

Owen looked at him with a mocking smile on his face, “Well, the door was opened.”

Olivia had forgot to lock the door while she came in so Owen actually had a point there.

Alex looked at Olivia then turned to look at Owen, “What do you want!?”

“Well, Olivia left something in my car.”

Alex was unimpressed about his response, “Cut the act, bastard. Why are you really here!?”

Owen’s smile widened, revealing a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Well… if you insist.” 

He brought out an item from his hand and pointed at it, “Looks familiar?”

Alex took a look at it.

It was a bra.

He was quite sure it belonged to Olivia. He had seen it on her before

His heart broke into million pieces.

He could see the love and trust he once shared with Olivia slip through his fingers.

The air was heavy with unresolved emotions.

Alex looked at Olivia, hoping to get answers from her but she just looked away.

Her face was flushed with embarrassment. “This guy! Did he do this on purpose. What am I going to say now?” she said to herself.

“Olivia, what do you have to say about this?” Alex asked.

“I…” she stammered.

“Is this really true, Olivia!?” Alex asked in disbelief.

“You slept with him!?”

“I…”

“Is it because he is richer? Or because I was never enough for you!?” Alex had lots of questions on his mind.

Was Olivia ever his?

Did she ever love him?

The room was filled with conflicting emotions.

All Alex could feel in his heart was anger, betrayal and deception.

She had slept with another man.

He would never forgive her for this.

“Olivia, I sincerely wished for a future with you. I loved and trusted you. Though, I didn’t have much but I was confident that with you by my side, things would become better.” Alex said in a low tone.

Owen snorted, “Don’t be stupid, bro. You expect her to wait and suffer with you? She never loved you. You were just a replacement because I was not available.”

“A replacement.”

Those words echoed in his head and he laughed out loud.

He suddenly plunged at Owen and punched his face.

“You bastard! Who said you could speak!?” he screamed.

Owen was shocked to see Alex like this and he quickly stood up to get back at him.

He lost his balance for few seconds.

As he stood up, Olivia stood in front of him, “Babe, stop.”

“Babe?” Alex thought he heard wrong.

“Yes. You are right, Alex.”

“Right about what exactly?” Alex was scared to hear the truth from her.

“I never loved you and you were just a replacement for Owen.”

Alex looked at her in disbelief.

How could she bear to say to him, her husband?

Each glance they exchanged unraveled the threads that had tightly bound their relationships.

Alex placed his hands on his head.

This was too much for him to bear.

Alex could not escape the pain etched across his face.

Olivia’s deceit and Owen’s unexpected intrusion had left him grappling with the fragments of a love story that had crumbled before his eyes.