Bound by Vows and Revenge

Mandy's POV

The hospital room smelled faintly of antiseptic, a sharp, sterile scent that clung to everything. I hated it. And the IV drip attached to my arm made a soft clicking sound every few seconds, which was a constant reminder that I was stuck here. My head felt heavy, my body weaker than I cared to admit, but my fingers still swiped across my phone screen.

Though, I wasn't even sure why I opened social media-habit, maybe. Or just something to distract me from the endless hours stretching out in front of me. As I scrolled through photos of smiling couples, vacation snapshots, and perfect lives, I saw it.

Nathan.

My fiancé.

He was in a picture with a woman I'd never met, but she looked familiar. Her arm was looped through his, their faces were close, and they were smiling like they shared some private joke with the caption which stated. "My love is true, couldn't be happier."

My stomach twisted viewing the caption and to think it was my adoptive parents who posted it and even tagged her as Mia, their biological daughter.

I stared at the photo, my chest tightening as I began wondering he never mentioned her to me. Not once.

He had even told me he was too busy to visit me in the hospital. "Work is insane," he'd said. "I'll come as soon as I can, babe. Just rest, okay?" But here he was, smiling with her like he didn't have a care in the world.

Instantly, I clicked on his contact and pressed the call button before I could overthink it. The phone rang. Once. Twice. Then it went into voicemail.

But that didn't stop me as I tried again.

And again.

Still nothing.

The silence on the other end of the line felt louder than the drip of the IV or the hum of the hospital machines.

My mind raced as flashes of the last seven years began hitting me like punches. The way he used to hold me after a long day, whispering promises about our future. The way he'd laugh at my jokes, even the bad ones. How he'd sworn he'd always be there for me. But lately, he'd been pulling away-brushing me off, working late, forgetting things he never used to forget.

I told myself, perhaps I was overthinking it. I had to be.

But when I got home that night, something felt... off, too off to be precise as the apartment was quiet than usual. It was the kind of quiet that made the hair on the back of your neck stand up. So, I dropped my bag on the couch and froze as something sparkled on the floor near the edge of the rug.

Only to discover a pair of earrings and they weren't mine.

My heart started pounding as each beat echoed in my ears. I picked them up, turning them over in my hand to have a proper look. They were elegant, expensive and definitely not the kind of thing I'd ever wear.

With that, I stood there for a moment, staring at them, as my thoughts turned a tangled mess. Then I marched to the bedroom. Only to find Nathan's suit jacket hanging on the back of the chair, just where he always left it. My fingers trembled as I reached into the pocket and found a condom box opened.

At that point, I couldn't breathe as my hands shook the minute I threw the jacket back onto the chair. Though the earrings were still clutched in my hand, digging into my palm.

I couldn't wait for him to be back as I had so many questions brooding on my mind, I was so furious and felt like I was played but I had no option but to wait for him.

After some hours later, I saw Nathan walking through the door, and the minute he saw me sitting on the couch with my arms crossed with the earrings on the coffee table in front of me like evidence in a trial.

He froze.

"What's this?" I asked, my voice low.

As he glanced at the earrings, then at me. H

Though, his face didn't change. Not guilt. Not surprise. Just... indifference.

"They're earrings," he said, like I was stupid for even asking.

"They're not mine."

He shrugged, walking past me toward the kitchen. "So? Maybe they're yours and you forgot."

I stood, my voice rising. "Don't do that. Don't act like I'm imagining things. Who do they belong to, Nathan?"

He didn't answer.

"And what about this?" I grabbed the condom box from the table, holding it up.

Nathan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Can we not do this right now? I've had a long day."

"No," I snapped. "We're doing this right now. Who is she?"

He turned to face me, his expression cold. "Mia," he said finally. "Your parents' daughter. I've been seeing her."

Hearing this, my chest tightened. "Seeing her? What does that even mean?"

"It means I'm done pretending, okay?" His voice rose, sharp and defensive. "You're boring, alright? You've changed. You're always tired, always complaining. I need someone who actually excites me."

His words hit me like a slap.

"Excites you?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. "After everything we've been through? Seven years, Nathan. Seven years."

He shrugged again, his face blank. "Things change, okay."

"Things change," I murmured silently as I felt something break inside me. The love I had for him, the trust, the hope-it all shattered in that moment.

Then, my voice turned steadier than I felt as I said to him. "Fine, we're done."

Nathan smirked, like he didn't believe me. "You'll regret this," he said, his tone almost mocking. "You think you can do better?"

But I didn't answer as I grabbed my bag,

with my heart pounding as I walked past him.

Reaching outside of his house, the night air hit me like a shock which was cold and sharp against my skin.

And as I stood there for a moment, staring up at the dark sky. I felt empty. Numb. But beneath it all of that, there was a flicker of something else.

Determination.

As I wasn't going to let Nathan-or anyone else-make me feel small no matter what.

Not now.

Not ever.

Mandy's POV

However, the morning after I left Nathan felt heavy, like the world had shifted overnight. I barely slept as my mind kept replaying every word he had said, every smirk, every betrayal. But the worst part wasn't him-it was the photo. The one with Mia.

I couldn't stop thinking about how easily my adoptive parents had posted it, how proud they looked of her. Like she was the only daughter they'd ever had.

I needed answers. So, I decided to pay my adoptive parent a visit and the moment I arrived at their house, the familiar sight of their pristine lawn and white picket fence didn't bring the usual comfort. It felt fake, like everything else in my life lately.

Getting to the door, before I could give a knock, I saw my mom opening the door as her smile faltered the instant she saw me. "Oh, it's you," she said, her tone more surprise than warmth.

"Can we talk?" I asked, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

"Sure," she replied as she followed me to the living room, where my dad was sitting with a cup of coffee, scrolling through his phone then he looked up, his brows furrowing. "What's wrong?" he asked but I didn't bother sitting down as I asked my question at once.

"Why didn't anyone tell me about Mia and Nathan?"

With that, my mom exchanged a quick glance with my dad before sighing. "It's not a big deal. They're just reconnecting."

"Reconnecting?" I repeated, my voice shaking. "Mom, they're dating. Did you know that?"

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Mia deserves to be happy. You should be happy for her."

"Happy for her?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "She's with my fiancé. How can you expect me to be okay with this?"

Dad leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "Nathan made his choice. It's not Mia's fault."

"Not her fault?" I laughed bitterly, the sound was harsh even to my own ears. "Do you even hear yourselves? You've always put her first. Always. I've spent my whole life trying to be enough for you, and now you're just... okay with this?"

Mom's eyes quickly became softened, but not in the way I wanted. It was more of pity, not love as she uttered. "We've always done our best for you, sweetie. But you have to understand, Mia's our daughter by blood. That bond is different."

And there it was. The truth I'd always known but never wanted to hear.

With that, I swallowed hard, my throat tight. "You know what? Forget it. I shouldn't have expected anything different." I voiced as with that I walked out before they could say anything else as the sound of the door slamming behind me oddly satisfying.

However, work wasn't much better.

As the office buzzed with the usual Monday morning energy of phones ringing, keyboards clicking and the hum of the coffee machine in the break room. Gosh, I tried to focus on my tasks, but the whispers started almost as soon as I walked in.

"Did you hear about Nathan and Mia?"

"Yeah, they're all over Instagram. They look so good together."

"Poor her. Imagine being dumped for your sister."

My chest tightened as I ducked into my cubicle, pretending not to hear. But their voices followed me, each word cutting deeper than the last.

"She's so plain compared to Mia. I mean, no wonder."

I clenched my fists under the desk, my nails digging into my palms. I wanted to scream, to tell them they didn't know anything about me, about what I'd been through. But what was the point?

They were right, weren't they? Mia was beautiful, confident, perfect. And me? I was just... me.

But notwithstanding, I had to still focus on my task for that day. Not too long, the rest of the day passed in a blur as the weight of their words pressed down on me. And by the time I got home, I was exhausted-emotionally, physically, in every way that mattered.

Then, I dropped my bag on the couch and sank into the cushions with my eyes burning with unshed tears as my phone buzzed on the coffee table, breaking the silence.

Having a look at it, I realized It was a text from Nathan's mom, which stated a reminder for Grandpa's birthday party this Friday.

I stared at the message with my stomach twisting in disbelief.

"Why would she still want me there? Did she not know? Or worse-did she know and just not care?" I wondered, though my first instinct was to decline as I didn't owe them anything, least of all my presence at their family event.

But then I thought about Nathan, about Mia, about all the people who probably thought I was at home crying over them.

"No!" I said to myself. "I wasn't going to give them that satisfaction."

With that, I typed out a quick reply by telling her that I'd be there. Not for her sake but for the sake of naysayers.

Immediately, I set my phone down, as a spark of determination flickered to life inside me. Though, I didn't know how I was going to face them, but one thing was certain.

I wasn't going to let them see me as weak. Not anymore.

Mandy's POV

Finally, the day for Nathan's Grandpa's birthday party arrived as I made my way to their estate which looked ahead. It was a sprawling mansion bathed in golden light as the driveway was packed with sleek cars, each one more expensive than the last. And I clutched my small clutch bag the minute I got there as, the cold metal of its clasp biting into my palm. My dress was a simple black number I'd bought on sale, suddenly felt too plain, too cheap for a place like this.

But I wasn't here to impress anyone.

So, I took a deep breath and stepped out of the cab, my heels clicking against the stone driveway. The sound seemed to echo, drawing a few curious glances from the guests milling near the entrance. Then, I straightened my shoulders and walked past them, ignoring the whispers that followed me.

Getting inside, the party was in full swing as crystal chandeliers casted a warm glow over the room with their light reflecting off the polished floors and glittering jewelry. Waiters in crisp uniforms weaved through the crowd, carrying trays of champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

I felt out of place, like an uninvited guest crashing someone else's celebration. But I kept my head high, refusing to let it show.

Then I saw them.

Nathan and Mia.

They were standing near the grand staircase, surrounded by a small group of guests. Mia was laughing, her hand resting possessively on Nathan's arm. And she was wearing a dress that probably cost more than my monthly rent with her hair styled in perfect waves.

Then, Nathan spotted me first. His eyes flicked over me, and for a brief second, I thought I saw something like regret. But then his smirk returned, and he leaned closer to Mia, whispering something that made her giggle.

At that point, I wanted to turn around and leave.

But I didn't.

Instead, I grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and forced myself to mingle. Or at least pretend to. With that, the whispers started almost immediately.

"That's her, isn't it? The one Nathan left?"

"Poor thing. She looks so... pitiful."

"Why is she even here? I'd be too embarrassed to show my face."

Hearing these gossips, I clenched my jaw as the champagne glass trembled slightly in my hand. Their words stung, each one hitting like a dart aimed at my already fragile confidence.

So, I moved toward the balcony, desperate for some air, when a voice stopped me.

"Well, well. Look who decided to show up."

Mia.

She was standing in front of me, her smile as sweet as it was venomous and Nathan was right behind her, his smirk firmly in place.

"What do you want, Mia?" I asked, my voice steady despite the tightness in my chest.

"Oh, nothing," she said, tilting her head. "I just couldn't help but admire your courage. It must be hard, showing up here after everything."

Nathan chuckled softly, and the sound made my skin crawl.

"You know," Mia continued, her tone dripping with fake sympathy, "it's kind of sad, isn't it? Losing your fiancé and your family in one go. But don't worry, I'll take good care of him. And them."

My throat burned, but I refused to let her see me cry. "You can have them," I said, my voice cold. "I don't need people who don't value me."

Her smile faltered for a moment, but Nathan stepped in, his smirk widening. "Careful, Mia. She might start throwing a tantrum."

Instantly, I felt the tears threatened to spill, the humiliation bubbling up inside me. But as I was about to turn and leave a deep, commanding voice cut through the tension.

"That's enough."

The room seemed to go silent.

As I turned to see a man standing a few feet away, his presence was magnetic and undeniable. He was tall, with broad shoulders and an air of authority that made everyone around him seem insignificant. His sharp suit fit him perfectly, exuding wealth and power without a hint of effort.

It was Damian-Nathan's uncle.

I'd heard about him in passing, whispers of the enigmatic billionaire who rarely attended family events. But seeing him in person was... something else entirely.

Damian's dark eyes flicked to Nathan, his expression hard. "Is this how you treat people now? No wonder your reputation is in the gutter."

Nathan's smirk vanished. "Uncle Damian, I-"

"Save it," Damian said, his tone cutting. "I don't have time for excuses."

Mia opened her mouth to say something, but Damian's gaze shifted to her, silencing her instantly.

Then his eyes landed on me.

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. There was something in his gaze-an intensity that made my heart race. He extended his arm toward me, his voice softening just slightly.

"Come with me."

I hesitated, glancing at Nathan and Mia, as Nathan's face was a mix of anger and embarrassment, while Mia looked like she wanted to disappear.

And without a word, I placed my hand on Damian's arm. His grip was firm yet reassuring as he led me away from the crowd, his presence was a shield against their stares and whispers as we walked.

And at that moment, I felt a strange sense of relief for the first time in what felt like forever that I wasn't alone.