Chapter 15 Price for Betrayal
Cyril sent me the video of Cadell’s so–called clarification.
I clicked on it, and Cadell’s haggard face immediately filled the screen.
He looked exhausted, barely mustering enough energy to wave at the camera before starting his little speech. “I’m really sorry. but since things have escalated like this, I feel like I have no choice but to speak up.
“As everyone knows, Aurora and I have been together for seven years, and we were even about to get married. I’d already had her wedding dress custom–made.
“But… a month before our wedding. I started hearing some disturbing things. I realized that, for all these years, I never told you the full story of how Aurora and I met, so I guess now’s as good a time as any.”
He paused for a dramatic effect before continuing, “It all started when I met Aurora during an avalanche. Well, I personally thought it was. Seven years ago, on my birthday, I went skiing with some friends, and I ended up getting caught in a snowstorm. I was buried under the snow, barely holding on.
“As I was losing consciousness, a warm hand pulled me out. I was saved. I felt like I’d gone from hell to heaven. The person who saved me, Aurora, often visited me in the hospital, and we fell in love.
“At least, that’s what I thought… until recently, when I found out the truth. The person who actually saved me wasn’t Aurora at all. She took credit for someone else’s actions!”
By this point, Cadell’s face looked utterly crushed. “The real person who saved me was tricked by Aurora into going to another city! Her name is Lora, the same woman in that leaked cheating video.”
I let out a bitter laugh. It was almost impressive how Cadell was covering for Loma, and he even created a non–existent
avalanche!
Cadell’s voice continued in the video, sounding more and more aggrieved. “It wasn’t until a month ago that I realized Aurora did all of this because she saw me as a way to get rich. She just wanted to be a high–society wife!!
At this, my mood shifted from disbelief to outright amusement.
The video went on, with Cadell claiming that every time he saw Lorna, he couldn’t help but feel something stir in him, but he resisted meeting her because he didn’t want to betray me.
He even said that he kept his distance from her until he found out that the person who saved him wasn’t me, and that was when he finally gave in to his feelings.
And of course, he blamed me for everything. He said I misunderstood the situation and made a video to ruin his and Lorna’s
reputation.
He claimed that he tried to explain it to me, yet I had them drugged. That was how they ended up in that compromising situation
because he “mistook” Lorna for me.
“I never cheated on Aurora Cadell sobbed in the video. “I don’t understand why she’s doing this to me. Does she really think there was something between me and Lorna? I’ve always been loyal in our relationship. Even if I have feelings for Lorna, I would never betray Aurora.”
By the time the video finished, it felt like I was the villain in our seven–year–long love story.
Not only had I “taken credit” for saving him, but I also tried to destroy their reputation.
The Hartman family’s PR team really surprised me. If I hadn’t lived through the past seven years myself, I might have been convinced by Cadell’s sob story.
Even though I had already made up my mind to move on from Cadell, hearing him trash me like that still stung a lot.
It wasn’t for his sake, but because it felt like seven years of my youth had been completely wasted.
I took a deep breath, tried to steady myself, and then looked at the comments under the video.
As expected, everyone was hurling insults towards me, while Loma and Cadell were being painted as the new faces of true love.
nes ha bevayal
People were praying for them to be together, hoping they’d overcome their misunderstanding and re–plan their wedding.
As for me? I was how a money–hungry woman willing to do anything, no matter how vile, just to secure a rich life.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Cadell was really scheming. The video went live in the dead of ni
which meant I didn’t catch it right away. By the time I woke
up, the whole thing had blown up into a full–scale circus.
Before I could even scroll through more than a few comments, a furious banging came from the door.
It startled me so much that I froze. Before I could react, I heard the sound of someone chopping at my door with an axe.
The voice outside was shrill with rage, calling me disgusting and evil, saying I didn’t deserve to live.
I suddenly realized that the person had definitely watched Cadell’s clarification video, and now he was coming after me.
I couldn’t help but feel the irony. If I were just some nobody with no connections, would I be stuck with these lies forever? Would I be branded for life just because Cadell decided to slander me?
I bet that was exactly what Cadell thought
To him, I was just an ordinary woman–someone he could slander without a second thought, knowing I had no power to fight
back.
I’d given him everything over the past seven years, and what did I get in return?
Ironically, I only got his cold betrayal and slander!
I gasped for air as the frantic banging continued. Each thud felt like it was pounding on my chest, making me fear that he’d break through the door at any moment.
With trembling hands, I dialed the police. Twenty minutes later, I heard the sound of the guy being dragged away.
The
officer knocked on the door, and when I opened it, a calm female officer reassured me, telling me everything was okay.
But I could still hear that banging in my head.
I glanced at my door–there were deep ax marks on it.
Red, pungent paint had been smeared all over the front of my house.
Even the delivery box outside had a creepy doll shoved inside.
I clenched my fists, my whole body shaking with rage.
After the police left, I took a deep breath, and finally, I made my decision.
At first, I had thought that once Edmund uploaded the cheating video, it would end the whole mess and I could move on.
I didn’t w
want to make a huge scene.
But even if I tried to let it go, Cadell wasn’t planning to do the same!
I couldn’t believe the people outside my door had no connection to him! This was clearly his doing!
I was no pushover, and was done being the victim. I’d make sure Cadell knew that when anyone crossed me, they wouldn’t get away scot–free. There was always a price to pay for betrayal!
