The Billionaire Who Lives Next Door

Emma

It was the third year of our relationship, our anniversary. Unlike other days, the sky had been gloomy, but I tried to have a positive mindset. I tried to see the good in the taxi that broke down on my way here. I had to see the good in running in the rain to this hotel because it was supposed to be a good day that I celebrated with my boyfriend.

But it wasn’t a good day, and it could never be.

Not when the reason I went through so many hurdles today was kissing another woman right in front of me, on the bed that was decorated with my money. I had spent money from my savings just to get us the best room and service, but this is what he repays me with. I couldn’t even stop them. I wanted to scream, to yell at him, pull their hair, but at the same time, I tried to run away, far away from him.

I chose the latter, but the minute I turned away, the bastard finally noticed me.

“Emma,” The shock in his voice was so audible, despite my back being against him, I didn’t fail to notice the sound of sheets that rustled behind me and his footsteps as he scrambled towards me, I was curious as to what the lady was doing; did she know he had a girlfriend? I did recognize her at first sight, she was in the human resources department at the company where we all worked, where we are not allowed to date each other.

“Emma, wait,” He rushed to stand before me, disheveled hair, shirt undone, belt loosened, clearly they were about to have sex. I threw my gaze away at the same time swallowed a lump of pain in my throat. I couldn’t look at him anymore. I couldn’t look at the man I swore I was going to spend the rest of my life with. 

“You said you are not coming anymore.”

Yes, bastard, because this was supposed to be a surprise. I made you come here and lied that I wouldn’t be able to make it while I was on my way here. But I am the one who ended up getting surprised.

“Get out of my way,” I struggled to speak despite my dry throat. I couldn’t break down before him; he cheated on me, he hurt me, and I couldn’t show him how deeply he had stabbed me.

“Look, I was going to tell you about this today, but it seems you had other plans. Either way, we are adults, and I will suggest we all sit and talk.”

I shot my eyes up to look at him, to see if he was joking with me, but he was not. He must be fucking insane to have said that.

The tears were already welling up in my eyes. One word from me, and I would be on my knees, crying my lungs out, and so I pushed him away and cursed at him, “Fuck you, Charles.”

Which was weird, I have never cursed, I have been bullied, I have been assaulted, but I never cursed at the perpetrators. Even after the words left my heart, I felt strange inside, but the feeling disappeared immediately the bastard began to run after me.

“You cannot leave Emma,” He yelled from behind. We were in a passageway for Christ's sake, there were people in their rooms, and certainly, they would hear us. I just wanted the elevator doors to slide open, although I was far from it.

Charles caught up to me and made his way to stand before me again, not willing to let me walk past him.

“Move, Charles,” I warned, although I was helpless.

“I will, but you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone about what you saw today. You know the company will fire us, me, you, and her. It’s safe if we break up now and never speak about this; it’s even safer for you because you wouldn’t have to be scared of losing your job over a relationship, and I can be happy with the one I truly love.”

Truly love? So he never loved me. I wanted to ask that but the tears had slipped down my eyes, at the same time the elevator dinged open, only for two people to step out, clearly the elevator was heading up, but I didn’t care, all I wanted was to get away from him, and so I tried to push past him again, but Charles was faster and stronger, he spun me around, pressing my chest and face against the wall, while holding my hands together behind my back.

I panicked, my heart raced in my chest, while fear spun around in the pit of my stomach.

“You haven’t promised me, hun,” He whispered in my ear, his breath that smelled like garbage hit my nostrils.

“Or do you want me to force you to do such a simple task? You know I’ve been trying not to get violent with you because of your trauma, but if I have to do that to keep my love going, I wouldn’t hesitate. So quit being a brat and promise me you wouldn’t, I need your word.”

Hearing him bring up my trauma completely shattered me. It made me see just how much of an asshole he truly was. But what hurt the most wasn’t simply that he reminded me of someone I’d rather forget—it was the painful realization that I had sworn never to end up with someone like that. Yet here I was, repeating my mother’s mistake, falling into the hands of the wrong man.

“Are you going to play stubborn with me?” Charles yelled, spun me around to face him, and latched his fingers around my throat, squeezing air out of me while he glared at me.

“Let me go,” I tapped on his hands, trying to push him away from me.

“Do you know why I fell for her? Because she’s better at sex than you, she’s not an amateur like you, and she doesn’t moan loudly as you do.”

I felt deeply insulted and utterly humiliated. Suddenly, fighting back felt exhausting. It was as if everything had come crashing down around me. I once believed that we both cherished the intimacy we shared, but after hearing those words, I can no longer see him the same way—or myself. And now, the thought of being intimate with anyone ever again feels impossible.

“Still not going to speak? Maybe I should slap the word out of you,” Charles threatened, but before I could process his words, a voice echoed through the hallway.

“Touch her and I will slit your throat.”