Collide Into Ruin

The way Hallie's voice sounded so smug yet fake made Emilia want to slap the smirk off her face, but she was at her place of work. She needed to be professional. She refused to give Hallie the satisfaction of seeing her break.

But the moment those words left Hallie's mouth, a sickness swirled violently in Emilia's stomach. Her vision blurred with unshed tears, her breath coming in uneven gasps. The world around her felt like it was closing in, suffocating her under the unbearable weight of heartbreak.

Her fingers trembled as she reached into her coat pocket, pulling out her phone. She hastily typed out a few messages—one to her assistant, instructing them to cancel or reassign her appointments, another feeble excuse that she was feeling sick. Within moments, replies flooded her screen, messages of concern and well wishes, but none of them mattered. None of them could pierce the numbing agony consuming her.

Without another glance at Chase or Hallie, Emilia turned and walked out of the hospital. Her head was low, her face streaked with silent tears as she rushed toward the parking lot. Each step felt heavier than the last, her body fighting against the betrayal weighing her down.

By the time she reached the penthouse, the place she had shared with Chase, her legs could barely carry her. The moment she stepped inside, the truth crashed over her like a tidal wave, and she crumpled against the door, sobbing into her trembling hands.

All those 'I love yous.'

All those 'I'm working late' excuses.

Lies. Every single one of them.

He had been sleeping with an actress who never truly cared about him, while she had been at home, loving him, trusting him, waiting for him like a fool.

And yet—doubt clawed at her, cruel and insidious. Had he really slept with Hallie? Or was this just another twist of fate? But then the memory came rushing back, slamming into her like a truck—the image of them kissing in the rain. The way Chase's fingers tangled in Hallie's hair, the way he used to hold her. The way his lips moved against Hallie's as if whispering something only she was meant to hear.

Her stomach twisted, bile rising in her throat. Whether he had gone all the way with Hallie or not didn't matter. The betrayal had already shattered her.

She had been so blind. So stupid. And worst of all, she had loved him anyway.

Her mind spiraled back to the first time she met Hallie—at a college function, Chase introducing her as his girlfriend for the first time. Hallie had barely acknowledged her, had looked at her as if she were insignificant, as if she were temporary. And now? Now Chase had chosen her.

How could she have been so blind?

Shame and fury warred within her as she stood, tearing off her jacket and tossing it onto a kitchen chair. She stared at the life she had built with Chase—the framed photos on the shelves, the candle she had lit just last night, the remnants of a home she had thought was filled with love.

But it was all a lie.

And she refused to be part of it any longer.

____________________________________________

A loud knock shattered the silence.

"Em! Em! Are you home?" Chase's voice rang through the apartment, followed by the sound of keys jingling. A moment later, the front door unlocked. She stiffened. What was he doing here? Her body moved on instinct, retreating into their bedroom as she furiously wiped away her tears.

"Emilia!" His voice boomed, splitting her world apart. She turned as he entered the room, his face a mix of frustration and something unreadable. "It's not what you think," Chase started, his tone almost exasperated, as if her heartbreak was an inconvenience. "Hallie—she needs help. That's all this is."