Chương 38: The Promise of the End

Ayden's outrage wasn't familiar to Irene. She could not remember when saw him that violent last. The way he was going all over Ilyan was not something she could expect Ayden to do.

"Ha ha ha. You want me to stay away? Because of him? You want me to stay away? Really, Irene? Who is more important to you?" Ayden laughed maniacally, his nose flared up in a wave of undisguised anger and his eyes threw daggers at the guy who was trying to steal his girl.

How was he supposed to sit quietly and watch Irene with that guy who he found devilishly handsome? Ayden was sure that he was trying to make his charm work on Irene but he was more disappointed in Irene. It had been not even a week to their break-up. How could she just… hang out with someone… like so quickly? Ayden's heart had broken into pieces when he watched them in the café for the first time.

Ilyan stole a glance at Irene to be sure if to intervene or not. Even though it was not his matter, but the girl standing beside him was enough of a reason for him to step in.

"Get yourself together, dude." It took Ilyan quite some efforts to be mild with both, his tone and his words.

"I told you, stay out of it." Every word from Ilyan's mouth was aggravating Ayden's fury. He could not stand his face, and then his words were like bringing the worst out of Ayden.

He shifted closer to Irene, pointing an accusing finger at her. "And you… how could you?" That was all that he said but worked as a catalyst in speeding up Irene's breakdown.

"Who are you ask that to me, hmm?" Gone were her tears along with her cracked voice. There stood Irene, tall, and proud of her choice. Never before she had been so sure of what she chose.

Ayden had just made it easier for her that day by doing what he did and by saying what he did.

"Tell me. With what right are you asking me that and I'll explain it to you. Just tell me, with what right?" She emphasized the last three words.

"We dated for whole freaking three years."

"We dated. Dated. Ayden. We are not dating anymore."

"I can't believe I am saying this but Ashton was right all along."

"Fuck Ashton. Fuck you. Fuck everything. I am so fucking tired of you, Ayden. So fucking tired. Just look at me. Do I look like I have moved on to you? Look at my fucking face. Do I look like I have moved on? Is this some television show or some sort of fiction we are talking about? This is fucking real, Ayden. I am a human who has emotions. On what fucking ground are you accusing me of moving on?"

Ayden froze on his place, dumbstruck with that new side of Irene that he had never witnessed earlier. Irene did not use the kind of words that she had used that day.

"God. I am so foolish to believe you and come running here like a mad-woman. How do you know that my heel broke? How do you know that my leg is hurt? You were watching me all along, weren't you?"

"What kind of a sick man, have you become, Ayden? When did you become this way? I was hurt and you didn't care? I am hurt and you still don't care?"

"Why did you do this? This entire thing. Just to prove that I love you? But was that needed? Two days ago. Just two days ago, I confessed that I still love you and I don't know when I will be able to stop doing that, didn't I? Or wait. You didn't' believe me -"

"No, I believe you." Ayden cut her off in the middle.

"You do? What is this then? Didn't you just say that Ashton was right all along? What does that refer to? You know what you just said, Ayden. You know what you did."

Irene paced around, her fingers running in her hair. "I should have known. It's not like you haven't done this before. I am such a fool."

Her eyes stuck on the ring in her little finger when she was messing her hair with her hands. She immediately took it off and placed it in his hand.

"It's not like this is the last thing that I have of you but with giving this back to you, I promise you and myself that from today, our paths are different. I would not talk to you and you would not talk to me. I would stay away from you and you, from me. We made promises of staying together while exchanging these rings and I don't know about you, but I am making the promise of the end by returning this to you and just throw away the one that I gave you because I am not going to keep it."

"No, don't do this." Ayden tried to put the ring back on her hand. "I know you love me."

"Not again," she slapped her palms on her face.

"Okay, so you think I love you but I am also with this person?" She grabbed Ilyan's arm while bringing him at the front. "What does that make me? A slut?"

Ilyan felt uncomfortable at the choice of the words but stood by her side, nonetheless, without interrupting, letting her talk for herself.

"Ireneeee," Ayden yelled at the top of his voice, unable to listen to those words for her.

"Why are you shouting? I am just saying what you are making me feel. Firstly, you made me feel like a gold digger by that loyalty test and now this. Where am I wrong in saying what I am saying, hmm?"