Chapter 2: The Worst Surprise (2)

Ella's POV:

I flinched at the venom in his voice. "Klaus, what… why…"

"Why am I fucking someone else?" he interrupted, his tone dripping with contempt. "Because unlike you, she actually gives a damn about me. Where have you been, Ella? Huh? Too busy chasing your pathetic dreams to even notice me anymore?"

His words cut deep, each one a brutal reminder of the distance that had grown between us. But it wasn't supposed to be like this. I was supposed to tell him about my new job, about how things were going to change, how I was going to make it all better.

"Klaus, I… I got the job," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I'm going to be the assistant to the vice president of Denco Groups. I wanted to surprise you, to tell you in person…"

"Good for you," he sneered, rolling his eyes. "But I don't give a shit, Ella. I'm done with you."

The finality in his voice hit me like a physical blow. "Done with me?" I echoed, my voice barely audible.

"Yeah, done," he snapped, his eyes cold and unfeeling. "So why don't you do us both a favor and get the hell out of here?"

The woman beside him snickered, her laughter sending a fresh wave of humiliation through me. She arched her back, stretching lazily, and gave Klaus a sultry look. "Ready for round two, babe?"

"Absolutely," Klaus replied, his gaze never leaving mine. "Drop the spare key on your way out, Ella. And don't let the door hit you on your pathetic ass."

I stood there, my heart shattered, my mind unable to process the cruelty of his words. How had everything fallen apart so quickly? How had the man I loved turned into this heartless monster before my eyes?

The woman's exaggerated moans filled the room again as Klaus started up once more, completely ignoring me as if I didn't exist. My chest tightened, tears stinging my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of them.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind me. As I hurried down the hallway, my vision blurred by tears, I could still hear the woman's mocking laughter echoing in my ears.

As soon as, I stepped out into the cold night air, the tears finally spilled over, streaming down my cheeks as sobs wracked my body. I felt like a fool, like a complete idiot for ever believing that Klaus loved me, that he would be proud of me, that we could have a future together.

I had given him everything, only to be tossed aside like trash. My mind raced, trying to make sense of it all, but the only thing I could think of was how utterly alone I was. The life I had known, the love I had cherished for five years, had been ripped away from me in an instant, leaving behind a gaping void in my heart.

I walked aimlessly through the streets, the night air chilling me to the bone, but I barely felt it. My mind was a whirl of confusion and pain, replaying the horrifying scene over and over again.

Klaus, the man I had loved so deeply, had betrayed me in the most humiliating way possible. And not only had he betrayed me, but he had also made sure to tear me down, to destroy whatever was left of my self-worth.

His words echoed in my mind, each one a fresh stab to my already bleeding heart. "Pathetic. Bitch. Get the hell out of here." The cruelty in his voice, the coldness in his eyes, how had I never seen this side of him before? Had I been so blinded by love that I ignored the signs? Or had he simply hidden it that well?

I didn't know where I was going. I didn't care. All I wanted was to get as far away from Klaus, from that apartment, from the memories of us, as I could. The streets were mostly empty, the occasional car passing by, headlights slicing through the darkness. I kept walking, my heels clicking on the pavement, the sound sharp and out of place in the stillness of the night.

I thought about going home, but the thought of being alone in my apartment, surrounded by the reminders of my life with Klaus, was unbearable. I couldn't face it, not yet. The pain was still too raw, too overwhelming. I needed to be anywhere but there.

As I wandered, my phone buzzed in my purse, but I ignored it. I couldn't bear to talk to anyone right now, couldn't bear to hear the pity or concern in their voices. What would I even say?

That my boyfriend of five years had just torn my heart to shreds? That I had walked in on him cheating, and he had thrown me out like yesterday's garbage? No, I couldn't handle that, not tonight.

Eventually, I found myself at a small park, the kind of place we used to walk through on lazy Sunday afternoons, hand in hand, talking about our future. The memories were like salt in a wound, but I couldn't bring myself to leave. Instead, I sank onto a bench, the cool metal seeping through my dress, and let the tears flow freely.

I cried for what felt like hours, the tears coming in waves, my chest heaving with sobs. I cried for the love I thought I had, for the man I thought I knew, for the future that was now nothing but ashes. I cried for the betrayal, the humiliation, the pain that was threatening to swallow me whole.

When the tears finally subsided, I was left feeling hollow, as if Klaus had ripped out a piece of me that I would never get back. I stared up at the night sky, the stars blurry through my tear-streaked vision, and wondered how I was supposed to move on from this. How was I supposed to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart and keep going?

The future that had once seemed so bright was now dark and uncertain. I had lost Klaus, and with him, the life we had built together. But more than that, I had lost a part of myself, the part that believed in love, in trust, in the goodness of people.

I didn't know how long I sat there, lost in my thoughts, but eventually, I realized that I couldn't stay in that park forever. As much as it hurt, as much as I wanted to curl up and disappear, I knew I had to keep moving. I had to figure out what my life looked like without Klaus in it.

With a deep breath, I stood up, my legs shaky, my heart heavy. I wiped away the remnants of my tears, took one last look at the park, and turned to leave. I didn't know where I was going, and couldn't careless.

----

The neon lights of the nightclub flickered in the distance, a beacon of false hope in the cold night. My feet had carried me here without thought, without purpose, as if they knew what my mind hadn't yet grasped, that I needed to escape, to drown out the pain, to forget.

The ache in my chest, the hollow emptiness left by Klaus's betrayal, had grown unbearable.

Every breath felt like it scraped against raw wounds, every thought a reminder of the life I had lost.

The love I had been so eager to share with Klaus just hours ago now seemed like a cruel joke, a lie I had been foolish enough to believe in. I couldn't go home, not with the ghost of our relationship haunting every corner. So I found myself here, standing in front of a club I'd never been to before, with only one thought in my head: I needed to get drunk. I needed to forget.

The music thumped through the walls, a steady, pulsing beat that matched the chaotic rhythm of my heart. I hesitated for only a moment before pushing through the doors, the sound swallowing me whole. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of sweat, perfume, and alcohol. Bodies moved in sync with the music, a writhing mass of people lost in the moment, in the beat, in the escape.

I needed that escape.

I made my way to the bar, weaving through the crowd with a single-minded determination. I didn't care about the stares I received, the curious glances at the tear-streaked mess I must have been. All I cared about was getting a drink in my hand and numbing the pain that clawed at my insides.

When I reached the bar, I didn't hesitate. "Whiskey," I ordered, my voice rough and unfamiliar to my own ears. The bartender raised an eyebrow but didn't question me. He poured the drink and slid it across the counter. I grabbed it, downing it in one go, welcoming the burn as it slid down my throat.

"Another," I demanded, slamming the glass on the bar. The bartender complied, and I repeated the process, the burn becoming a welcome distraction from the storm inside me.

After the third shot, the edges of the world started to blur, the pain dulled to a more manageable throb. I could still see Klaus's sneer, hear his mocking words, but they seemed distant now, like a nightmare I was slowly waking from. I ordered another drink, then another, until I lost count of how many I had.

Time seemed to lose meaning as I sat there, drowning myself in whiskey. The people around me faded into the background, their laughter, their joy, only a faint echo in my ears. I was alone with my thoughts, with the crushing weight of my heartbreak, and for a while, I let myself wallow in it.

But then, something shifted. I became aware of someone beside me, a presence that cut through the fog of alcohol and despair. I turned my head, my vision swimming slightly, and saw him.

A tall, handsome man. He was watching me, a curious, almost concerned expression on his face. He had copper blonde hair like mine, was slightly tousled, as if he had been running his hands through it, and deep, piercing eyes that seemed to see right through me.

"Rough night?"