Broken Vows & Billion-Dollars Lies — Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 AMARA POV The road to my mom's house felt endless. I sat in the backseat of the taxi with my arms wrapped tightly around myself while Birmingham’s city lights blurred outside the window. My breathing came unevenly, my chest hurting every single time Chloe’s voice replayed in my head. “Fuck me harder…” I squeezed my eyes shut instantly. No! I couldn’t think about it without my breath seizing. The driver glanced at me through the mirror twice, probably because I looked insane sitting there in a black designer gown with mascara smeared down my face at almost midnight. But I didn’t care, I couldn’t even feel embarrassed anymore. Everything inside me felt numb and painfully alive at the same time. My hands trembled violently around my phone, three missed calls from Daniel, seven missed calls from Chloe. I laughed bitterly under my breath before switching the phone off completely. The taxi finally stopped in front of my mother’s house, and the small bungalow looked exactly the same as it always had. The warm lights which glowed softly through the windows, safe and familiar. My home. The place where I grew up with much love, while watching my dad love my mom unconditionally. But suddenly being here with a fake smile on my face, made me hate myself for arriving here broken. I paid the driver quickly and stepped out into the cold night air. My heels clicked weakly against the pavement as I dragged my suitcase toward the front door. Before I could knock properly, the door opened. “Amara? Is that you?” My mother’s voice came through immediately as her face changed. “Mum." I answered, as my voice cracked and that was all it took. Her eyes widened in panic as she rushed toward me. "O my goodness baby! What happened?” she asked quickly, as she threw her arms around me. The tears I had been holding back all night finally escaped completely as I collapsed into her arms. “Mum…” I sobbed painfully. “Daniel—Chloe” She held me tightly while my body shook uncontrollably, not asking any questions immediately. She simply held me like she was trying to protect me from falling apart. “You’re freezing,” she whispered softly. “Come inside first.” The warmth of the house only made everything worse somehow, because it reminded me of what real love is, the kind I thought I had. My mum sat me down on the couch while she rushed to bring water. I stared blankly ahead at the family photographs hanging on the wall. My dad smiling beside Mum, Emily on her wedding day, me and Daniel at our wedding. My stomach twisted violently. "Drink this." She handed me the glass gently before sitting beside me. I tried to hold it steady, but my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. “Talk to me,” she said quietly. I spoke with hot tears running down my cheeks. I told her everything. The gala. How I caught my husband and my best friend making out. The lies and humiliation. Every single word felt like I was dragging glass through my chest. By the time I finished, my mother looked horrified. “She really did that to you?” she whispered in disbelief. “Your own best friend?” I nodded weakly. Her voice cracked with anger now. “And Daniel too? After everything you did for him?” Fresh tears rolled down my face instantly. “What did I do wrong, Mum?” I asked as my voice came out broken. “I loved him, I trusted him and I gave him everything.” “Oh sweetheart.” She pulled me into another embrace immediately. “This is not your fault.” she said. But it felt like it was, It felt like maybe I wasn’t enough, maybe I loved too deeply, maybe I trusted too easily, maybe I had spent years building a marriage alone without realizing it. My mother stroked my hair gently while I cried against her shoulder like a child. “You need to rest,” she whispered eventually. “I can’t.” I said calmly. “You have to try.” She responded firmly. I shook my head weakly. “It’s not that easy mom. Every time I close my eyes, all I see is them.” My mom's face tightened painfully. “I know baby. I know. But you’ll be staying here for as long as you need.” I nodded slowly, not having the energy to argue further. The next three days felt like I barely existed, the internet exploded before sunrise because someone from the gala had leaked pictures of me leaving the venue in tears, Daniel disappearing during the event, which lead to countless rumors, speculations and then the headlines. “ALPHA GALA ENDS IN PRIVATE SCANDAL" “POWER COUPLE CRISIS?” “WHO IS THE OTHER WOMAN?” And just when I thought that was it, it only got worse. I started getting attacked, hate comments everywhere. “She probably neglected her husband.” “Rich people marriages are always fake.” “She looks too controlling.” “No man cheats unless there’s something is missing.” I stopped reading after that, but the damage was already done. Clients began canceling meetings, sponsors postponed contracts, then one investor completely withdrew from an upcoming project. The scandal was affecting my company, Alpha Events. Everything I built was collapsing alongside my marriage. I stayed inside my old bedroom for days, curtains closed, phone off and food untouched. I couldn’t even recognize myself anymore. My mum tried everything, soup, tea, conversations, but silence consumed me and despite everything she tried, nothing worked. Sometimes I would sit on the floor for hours staring blankly at nothing while my thoughts consumed me. “How long has it been happening?” “Did everyone know except me?” “Has Daniel ever loved me at all?” Every memory now felt poisoned, every kiss, every promise, every ‘I love you’. They all felt fake. On the fourth day, my mother entered my room carefully holding breakfast. "Please eat something," she begged softly. "I’m not hungry.” I said calmly. "You haven’t eaten properly in days, Amara." "I said I’m not hungry." I said again, stubbornly. The sharpness in my voice startled both of us as guilt hit me immediately. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. My mother sighed tiredly before placing the tray down. “You’re allowed to grieve,” she said gently. “But you cannot destroy yourself because two horrible people decided to betray you.” I looked away silently. Then suddenly, a car door slammed shut outside. My mother frowned slightly as she wasn’t expecting anyone. A second later, the front doorbell rang. My stomach dropped instantly because somehow, I already knew who it was. "Mum," I whispered. Her expression hardened immediately. “Stay right here.” She said firmly, but I was already standing. My pulse pounded violently as we walked downstairs together. The bell rang again, more impatient this time. My mother opened the door and there he was. Daniel. Looking good in his perfect suit and perfect hair, and perfect fake composure. But the moment his eyes landed on me, something shifted in his expression like relief. “Amara.” Daniel called. I stepped backward. His jaw tightened slightly at my reaction. “Mrs. Henry,” he greeted politely, like he hadn’t just destroyed her daughter four days ago. “Can I speak with my wife, please?” he said. “You really have some fucking nerve showing up in here,” my mother snapped instantly. Daniel remained calm. "I understand your anger Mrs Henry but—" “No, you don’t. Daniel.” I shot back immediately. But my mom ignored me completely and faced. “You humiliated her,” she continued furiously. “You betrayed her publicly with that shameless girl and now you’re here pretending to be concerned?” Daniel exhaled slowly like he was the victim of the situation. “It’s complicated.” I almost laughed in disbelief. "Did you just say it’s complicated? So sleeping with my best friend is complicated?” “You need to leave Daniel,” my mother said coldly. But Daniel’s eyes never left mine. “Amara,” he said softly. “Please. Just hear me out.” The sound of his voice nearly broke me again. It still felt familiar, comforting and that was the dangerous thing about people like him. Damn manipulators. Even after they destroy you, a part of you still remembers the version of them you loved. “I have nothing to say to you Daniel," I said, crossing my arms across my chest. “Oh come on, you left without even letting me explain,” He defended immediately. My eyes widened in disbelief. “Explain?” I repeated shakily. “Explain what exactly, Daniel? That my husband was on top of my best friend on the night that happens to be the biggest night of my career?” His jaw tightened immediately. “Baby I made a mistake, alright. And I’m here to apologize and make up for it,” he said carefully. The words hit me like acid. "A mistake?" I laughed bitterly. “Ohhh! Forgetting our anniversary, yes. That is a mistake. But sleeping with my best friend, that sure is not a mistake." His expression darkened slightly now. “I get that you’re emotional right now. But please just hear me out,” He said, rather hastily. My mother gasped angrily. But I just stared at him and that’s when something inside me finally cracked. Because now, I was seeing the real Daniel. The cold, dismissive, manipulative man who I had defended and stood by for years. “You know what’s funny? I paused looking at him intensely now. “What’s funny is that I’ve spent the last couple of days wondering what I did wrong.” I stepped closer slowly. “But now I realize, you never deserved me in the first place.” For the first time since arriving, Daniel lost his composure slightly. “Amara" “I don’t wanna hear it.” I said pointing toward the gate. “Get out.” His voice hardened. “Oh come on, now you’re just fucking overreacting.” My mom looked speechless. Then Daniel took one slow step closer to me and quietly said the words that made my blood run cold. “You should stop digging into things you don’t fully understand.” I froze instantly. “What the hell does that mean?” I whispered. Daniel held my gaze for a long second. Then he smiled faintly and coldly. “Mistakes weren’t only made by me, Amara.” My heart stopped and before I could ask another question he turned around and walked away, leaving me standing there with one terrifying thought burning through my mind. What exactly was Daniel talking me about?