Chapter 1 The betrayal

Shantal walked aimlessly with thousands of thoughts running through her mind. For the first time in her life she had no clue on what to do or who to go to.

"Your father needs a kidney transplant....... Your insurance doesn't cover that. You have to get the money as soon as possible."

The doctor's voice echoed in her head as she recalled their earlier conversation.

Shantal works as an intern at a famous fashion house. She got the internship there with the help of her boyfriend's family and even got paid like regular staff. She was at work when her sister, Camilla, called to tell her about the situation with their father. She abruptly left the building without taking permission from her boss, Miss Ty. She knows she is already in trouble at work but at that moment, she has more pressing matters at hand.

"But doctor, he is all we have. My sister is still in college and I am just an intern. We can't afford that much." That was Shantal's response to the doctor.

She stopped and looked up at the clear sky. Her hazel eyes turned teary. She inhaled deeply with her hands crossed to her chest.

The only way out for her now is her boyfriend, Kyle. She has not been honest with him though. She made him and everyone around her believe she came from wealth since college just to fit in.

"I will just look for an excuse. Let him know that my dad is going through some rough patches. He will settle him as soon as his business deals fall in place." Shantal said out loud. Encouraging herself with an assuring nod before hailing a taxi.

***

Moments later, she arrived at the apartment. She moved in with Kyle after graduating from college, a few months back.

"Kyle?" Shantal called out after walking in.

There was no answer but she could hear some noise coming from the bedroom.

"Poor thing." She said, recalling she left him home sick that day. He wasn't able to go to work as he was having a stomach upset. Even after taking medication, he was not feeling better and had to stay home.

"Arghhh...." A groan came from the bedroom.

Shantal was at the door and was about to open when she heard a female voice coming from the room.

"Ahhhh... Baby, you are so filling ." The familiar female voice came from the room.

Shantal's heart skipped a bit. 'It can't be.' she thought to herself.

"Arghhh... So f**king great. You feel so good. Arghhh." Kyle's voice followed. There was the sound of slapping flesh at the same time as the door was not closed all the way.

Shantal reached for the door with a trembling hand and was met with the sight of a nightmare. It is her boyfriend, Kyle and her boyfriend, Kyle completely na**d in bed pouncing her best friend from behind.

They were so into their exercise that they didn't realize Shantal was in the room. She took a few steps back and almost lost her balance which resulted in her making a whimper.

It got the attention of the two and they turned to her. With wide eyes, they separated from each other.

"F*ck!" Kyle exclaimed as he pulled away.

Meredith covered her na*ed body with the bed cover. Shantal could swear she saw a smirk on her best friend's face. Or so she thought of the backstabbing traitor to be her best friend.

Kyle searched for his pants on the floor and put them on. He walked to the living room space where Shantal was pacing, unsure of what to think at the moment.

Shantal contemplated between listening to the two cheaters or to leave. She was in her indecisive state when she noticed Kyle standing a few feets away. His hands crossed on his chest.

"Shanny, you are home early." Kyle said nonchalantly. There was no sign of regret in his features. The features she once found alluring now seem disgusting to her.

"W - why her, Kyle?" Shantal finally finds words to let out.

Kyle gave a sinister laugh before saying, "Really Shanny, you are asking me that? This is all your fault, you know." He pointed towards her.

Confused, Shantal pointed towards herself. "M - my fault?" She couldn't believe her ears.

"Yes." Kyle confirmed after running a hand through his brown hair. He walked closer to Shantal and added. "What kind of relationship do you expect us to have if you still don't trust me? After three years of being together?"

"I never said I didn't trust you. But It is obvious you gave me a good reason not to." Shantal barked back. Her tears kept trying to betray her and she also kept fighting it not to fall.

"Maybe in your own way you do but not enough to have s*x with me."Kyle pointed out.

Shantal sucked in her breath. For one, she really thought Kyle understood her decision and loved her enough to wait. Just as her father did for her mother. She believed that was what made their love last till the very end. Even after the passing of their mother, their father still has the same look of love when she is mentioned.

Moments later, Shantal is walking on the streets with a broken heart and a confused state again. It was dark now.

The mix of the doctor's words and Kyle kept playing in her head.

"I can't do this anymore, Shanny. I like Meredith and she understands me."

"His insurance doesn't cover that. You have to get the money as soon as possible."

"Meredith has given attention to my needs for the past seven months more than you did in three years." Kyle's voice played in her head.

"You have to get the money as soon as possible." The doctor's words echoed.

"We figured why you never let us meet your parents. You are such a lowlife, Shanny. Are you perhaps ashamed of your background? Is that why you kept pretending to be someone you are not?" This revelation of Kyle struck her like lightning.

Of course that was the truth. Due to her performance, she was able to secure a scholarship into the best college in the city. To fit in, she had to put on a face of being from a wealthy background. Having a best friend from a wealthy family helped her a lot in maintaining her made up family status. That also helped her in getting the attention of the most sought after boy in school, Kyle. They have been together since their second year in college.

Shantal wondered how he figured that out. With everything happening, there was no need to hide anything anymore. She went ahead to tell him about her father's condition and why she came home at that time to ask for his help. Only to find him in a compromising position.

Shantal walked for twenty minutes with no specific destination. The honk of a car startled her. Before she realized what was going on, she felt her body coming in contact with an object. It lifted her from the ground for a moment and then she was back on the ground, hitting her head on a streetlight pole.

"Oh my God! Miss - miss, are you okay?" She heard a man's voice rushing to her in panic.

"Jared, what is going on?" Another male's voice followed.

Shantal couldn't make out much of what was going on around her. All she felt was pain from every angle of her body before complete darkness took over.