Chapter 3 End of a Love Story

EMERALD

Towards the entrance of the living room, I hear voices filled with laughter. My father must be catching up well with Gabriel. The room is jovial, unlike my mood. I want to kill someone, and by someone, I mean a scornful man in the form of a boyfriend. I clear my throat, announcing my presence, and they shift their attention to me.

"Emerald, you're home. Gabriel and I were catching up. He was just telling me a funny story.

Did you know he was a superb soccer player at a very young age?" My father asks.

"Was he now? He never told me that. I bet there are so many things he hasn't told me. Right, Gabriel?" I force a smile, my eyes glued on him.

"Well," father gets up from his seat. "I'll go check on my beloved wife. She must be missing me."

There's silence for a few seconds after my father leaves. A weird type of silence. Gabriel is still

seated, while I'm standing close to the door, shooting glares at him.

"How have you been, baby?" he finally gets up to approach me, so normally, ignoring the tension in the air.

"Feeling better, now that you're here," I lie. He smiles, closing the distance between us.

"I'm glad you're here," I insist. He doesn't wipe the smile off his face.

"Really?" He asks.

"Yeah," I nod. "So you can explain to me why a woman almost burned me to ashes for wrecking her home." I snap.

His lips twitch in a splash second. I almost miss it. Something tells me he knows exactly what I'm talking about. Although he tries to mask it-to feign ignorance-his first expression already gave him away.

The tiny piece of hope I was still holding, that it was just a crazy woman's antics, flies out the window. I know the lying Gabriel face. I've seen it a few times. When he crafted excuses not to spend time with me. Or when I found him in the wrong place. Mostly when he'd lie to me about his location and by some luck, I'd find him at a different location.

Speaking of which, just how many red flags from this lying bastard did I ignore? Was it the fact that I was so in love with him? Or was I so obsessed with having what my parents had, that I always thought we would work things out, no matter the issue? That is a dangerous fit. The realization of how I overlooked so many things slaps like an electric shock on my skin.

Before his lips pat to defend himself, I ask, "How long have you been lying to me?"

"Emerald." he sighs.

Right, that's another lying Gabriel action. He calls my name and then goes silent for a while, which I usually take as his way to buy time to concoct a lie.

"Lindsey, right?" I proceed.

He rakes his fingers through his hair. "She is a stalker who's obsessed with me. I heard what happened at the hotel. That's why I came to check on you. Did she hurt you?"

He cups my cheeks, looking into my eyes. If I didn't know better, I would believe him.

Actually, I used to believe him before this. I guess it takes one tragic incident to open your eyes. How many times did he use that move on me? God knows how many lies he got away with.

Gosh, I knew love was blind. But stupid?

I shove his hands off my cheeks.

"A stalker?"

His hands fly to his waist as he nods. "Yes."

One can definitely do better.

"I didn't know you were a celebrity. Now girls are obsessed with you? Goodness, Gabriel, I'm so happy for you."

"Emerald." He does it again.

"You're still lying to me," I call him out.

"I'm not-"

"Then let's go find her, and warn her against ruining our relationship. Can you do that?" I cut him off. Of course, that is an outrageous idea. I'm not one to confront a woman, dramatically, for such an issue.

But I would love to see Gabriel's response.

He could deny the allegations and throw Lindsey under the bus. That wouldn't be any good for me either. Besides, the woman sent a clear warning a while ago. From how she looked, she must have a lot of power. For her to have the guts to threaten a hotel like Galaxy? And how is she with Gabriel? I have so many questions about their relationship, but asking will be of no use to me.

"There's no need for all that, Emerald." Gabriel holds my shoulder, and once again, I shove his hands off me.

"Then tell me the truth," I demand.

The room falls silent for a while. I can feel my raging heartbeats. With every beat, strikes anger.

I scoff.

"If you're not going to speak, it only means one thing... That being said, get out of my house." I point to the door.

"We're done."

_______________

Have you ever lost two things that you valued on the same day? How bad was it that he couldn't even find words to defend himself? I had to draw most conclusions by myself.

Because even if he'd tried to lie again and claim that Lindsey didn't mean anything, the truth would still come out in one way or the other.

The woman just promised to make my life a living hell. I'll cross that bridge, but right now, as much as it hurts, Gabriel and I are over.

What do you do when you've just dumped your deceitful boyfriend?

A night out with Alicia. That's it.

As my parents always say, Past is past, today is a gift and the future is bright.