Love On My Terms; MR CEO's WIFE

VARYA'S POV

"That Varya agreed to give one of her kidneys to Leah doesn't entitle her to demand anything from you, Theo.

She just happened to be the unfortunate one with a matching organ." I heard my fiancee's mother say.

In the shadows, I stood shocked and bewildered, I couldn't believe the words I just heard.

They sliced through me like a dagger, as if I were pierced through, each word piercing deeper into my already broken and shattered heart.

Giving up a kidney for his sister was supposed to be an act of love, not a ticket for his family to treat me like some disposable commodity.

"Is not as if you will be getting married to her, that engagement is just a facade. Quickly end things with her before Tia comes back, and her family begins preparation as we agreed" she continued.

I stood shocked, I couldn't believe this was how they saw me, they couldn't give me the money I needed for my mother's illness but I could sacrifice my kidney for his dying sister. And what Tia?

I thought he said Tia was a business partner, he was going to marry her not me.

"Well, I want to take things slowly Mother before she suspects that she was simply used and thrown away." My fiancée said.

Tears welled in my eyes, blurring the world around me.

His mother's cruelty echoed in my mind, contrasting sharply with the promises of love Theo had whispered in my ear countless times.

How could he stand there, listening to his mother's cruel words, and not defend the woman he claimed to love? Did he say I was "simply used and thrown away"?

"We can just send a few amounts to her so it doesn't look like she was given nothing for her donation.

Your father and I helped her family when their business was failing and you have been taking care of her, they owe us too. so that much is enough" his mother said.

His mother's words cut through the haze of my despair, the callousness of her suggestion sending a chill down my spine.

It was as if my sacrifice, my act of love, was nothing more than a transaction to be balanced with a token amount of money.

Anger simmered beneath the surface of my numbness as I listened to her speak, the injustice of her proposal burning like a fire in my chest.

How could she reduce something so deeply personal, so profoundly selfless, to a mere financial transaction?

So I couldn't have believed that I hoped to join this family. I was looking back at the decision, realizing it was a terrible mistake.

Turning to leave with the last word she just said, the weight of Theo's betrayal was now very clear and heavy on my shoulder.

Every step felt like trudging through quicksand, heaviness in my chest threatening to suffocate me. All the years together, all the dreams we shared, now shattered like glass at my feet! Theo played me, fooled me.

"Hey! Look where you are going. This is a hospital!" A boy who I just stumbled into "yelled" His voice broke through the fog of thoughts. Reality crashed back in; the pain of Theo's betrayal cut deeper with each passing moment! How can I be so blind?

How can I love someone who never truly loved me back?

As I walk down the busy road, the bright neon lights of a bar catch my eye, beckoning me like a siren's tune.

With every footstep, the heaviness of heartbreak weighs upon me, yet I shake it away, concentrating just on reaching the shelter am currently in search of. Reaching the poorly lit bar is all that matters at this moment.

As I went in, the noise from cars and people talking got softer. I felt better smelling drinks and hearing quiet talks around me.

The bartender gave me a knowing nod as I took a seat, already reaching for a glass without a word.

Tonight, I didn't care about the risks to my health or the consequences of drowning my sorrows.

What I needed more was the cold comfort that would come from the bottle of vodka in my hand, something to shield me from the painful truth that threatened to consume me from within. For now, all that mattered was finding temporary relief from the agony that clung to me like a shadow.

With the bottle squeezed tightly in my shaking hand, I couldn't bother about the courtesy of pouring it into a glass. The hot liquid burned as it rushed down my throat, its bitter taste like the bitter ache in my heart.

With each swallow, I felt a reprieve from the crushing weight of reality, a fleeting moment of oblivion during the chaos of my emotions.

As the weight of her words came to my mind again, I felt a surge of defiance rising within me. The fact is, it was not just about some amount of cash; it was about their blindness to the depth of my sacrifice, the lack of acknowledgment of the love that had driven me to give a part of myself to save another.

I dropped the bottle of Vodka on the table with my hands trembling, the slight sharp sound of glass against wood echoed like a gunshot in the quiet room.

"Listen fuckers, I don't want ya money," I said as if they were standing in front of me, my voice surprisingly firm even though there was a storm of emotions raging inside me.

"What I did, I did out of love. And if you can't see that, then perhaps you never will."

My phone rang, it must be Jasmine, we haven't spoken since morning, she filled in for me today at the office.

"Varya, how did it go? Have you sorted the medical bills already?" her voice came in.

"Hey, Jas," I choked out, my voice thick with emotion. "I... I haven't sorted out the bills yet."

The weight of my confession hung heavy in the air, mingling with the guilt that gnawed at my insides.

"I know you warned me," I continued, my words coming out in a shaky whisper. "You tried to protect me from making a mistake, but I... I didn't listen."

The tears gathered in my eyes spilling over as I reveal my foolish act to my friend.

"When I decided to give up my kidney for love, I thought I was doing the right thing," I confessed, the sound of my sobbing telling how the bitterness of the betrayal hurts.

"I'm so confused now... I don't even know what's right anymore." She was quiet for a while, the silence felt so heavy, filled with the weight of unsaid words... regrets, and shattered dreams. Will Jasmin even look at me again after this? I waited to hear from her.

VARYA'S POV

"Varya, let me talk," Jasmine's voice echoed on my line, its hint of urgency and worry transmitted strongly.

"You did what you had to do you saved a life," she said "But before we jump right into the details, I'll ask you this, where are you?"

Her words which didn't have to be spoken at all echoed in the room like an absorbed view of how severe the event was.

I could hear her concern shimmer through the phone, the silence mirroring the chaos running within me.

Through everything though, Jasmine's support seemed like an illuminating bulb amid such darkness, I was carried throughout the whirlwinds of life, with her.

I take a long deep breath and conjure the strength to say what needs to be said. "I'm at the bar right across the street" I suddenly said, feeling the confessions fly off my tongue really, really fast.

Almost as if my weakness had confessed to me, an abandonment and defeat by the pain and confusion that threatened to engulf and paralyze me.

It felt like an eternity before Jasmin spoke again, the line was filled with static filling the paucity of words between us.

The next time Jasmine spoke, her words did not clash with the hush in the room, but they were quiet yet firm. "Stay where you are.." she commanded confidently. "I got you, babe, we'll sort this out together."

"Varya, please my goodness, drop the bottle of alcohol," Jasmin spoke, her voice boomed and almost reached my inner brain, finally I got back my sanity.

Her voice sounded urgent, showing the anxiety in all of her emotional words. She arrived to me, breathless from her hurrying as if her hug was a rope like a line electric thread in the chaos of my feelings.

"You have taken enough for the night dear," she urged calmly, her arms holding me tightly as if to protect me.

"'Come on, let me take you home." But my tongue let me down, and my nerves baffled me, refusing to stay calm with all the anger and frustration I was feeling.

"Jas," I whispered hoarsely, tears streaming down my cheeks. "His mother... she said I was just unlucky, unworthy of her son."

With each word my voice cracked, the weight of my mistake pressing down on me like a heavy burden.

But Jasmin held me tighter, her presence a steady anchor in the tumult of my emotions. "He couldn't stand up for me," I continued, my voice trembling with emotion.

"They didn't appreciate what I did for Leah. That kidney, it was a part of me I gave up for love, Jas. But he... he only saw it as me being used and discarded." And then, with a heavy heart, I revealed the final blow.

"You remember Tia, right? Well, Theo is officially engaged to her. This ring," I choked out, holding up the symbol of our shattered dreams, "it was all just a show"

"Hahahaha..." My laugh avalanche started deep in my soul, and then came up, gurgling, and spurting in a blend of sobs and merriment.

The unraveling and screaming was a chaotic-hysterical one, which nearly sounded like madness, but somehow in that instant, it felt like the only rational way to tackle the absurdity of the moment.

Mostly Jasmin's eyes had a shade of worry and pity but she finished in a very clear voice that acted like light in the darkness.

"Girl, they are the ones who are unworthy of the rare gift God gave them, which is you," she declared, her voice filled with conviction.

Her words struck a chord deep within me, resonating with a truth that I had been unable to see through my pain.

"And they are sure that there will never be somebody that will love them enough to give up a part of her," she emphasized, her eye focused and unshakable.

At that moment, her words of encouragement soaked my soul, filling the crevices where self-doubt and insecurity used to fester.

"If they will not value or see how much you are worth after you are gone they'll instantly recognize it was a huge mistake and want you back," she stated, her eyes gazing straight at me like a silent, covert pact.

With a nod of understanding, I felt a renewed sense of purpose wash over me.

This was rather the moment when I probably overcame the climax of my life and took the right step to help someone, to share my love, and to symbolize compassion.

Therefore, when Jasmin leaned towards me and used a tissue to wipe my tears from off my face, her gesture was comfortably reassuring me that I didn't travel the road alone. With that, she continued, "These lovely eyes are not for tears, sweetheart."

She smiled and I felt the warmth of her smile expand from the darkness. "Don't ruin your pretty face. You did your best, and you loved right."

Being engulfed by the good of her friendship and the consolation of her speeches, I knew that what knows will be my fate, I will always have a ray of hope to help me survive that.

Jasmin was the wind beneath my wings. Her soft guide demonstrated like a warm gauze, the reminder that I still stood in this moment.

The fog of alcohol that my mind was floating in, seemed to dissipate at that moment as I realized what she was saying was reaching me effortlessly like a voice in the clear.

"We'll get you home right now, no worries?" she said her voice being calm and bold at the same time.

"Thank goodness, tomorrow is Saturday" You can rest and resume your job on Monday. The new director will be at the company then, so you have to be good."

My hearing was of course good but for some reason, my body became pretty numb as I kept swimming through the sea of doubt. I felt as if I was on a roller coaster, I swayed in every direction, and the ground was undulating under my high feet. However, Jasmin was there next to me, her hand a fixed point as I couldn't tell where to place my feet, keeping me rooted and helping me navigate with easy steps.

And then suddenly I knew what I fundamentally felt- I was thankful to have her by my side.

The delight I felt spread into my spine as I inhaled the fresh air of the early night. Having been by my side, I was certain that there existed no challenge that was not surmountable, even those that resembled the eternally darkest night Jasmin would be there for me.

Theo in his room grappled with the daunting task ahead of him: the modality of leaving Varya, the woman who had given him a taste of happiness, was also a controversial question.

The worst swamped his mind causing him to recall everything that had happened before in his life. But the harsh reality of his family's expectations loomed large, casting a shadow over his heart.

Varya, with her innocent charm and undeniable sweetness, had captured his affection in a way that few others could.

But in the eyes of his family, she fell short of their lofty standards. They craved someone powerful, someone like Tia, whose wealth and status could elevate their standing in society.

As Theo pondered his next move, a sense of unease gnawed at his conscience. He knew that breaking things off with Varya would not be easy, especially given the depth of her love for him.

Yet, the benefit of a profitable marriage to Tia was more important, a marriage promising a future of stability and success.

"How do I first remove every trace of evidence from Varya's phone?" he mused, his thoughts spinning in a whirlwind of uncertainty.

The proof of her selfless kidney donation hung over him like a dark cloud, threatening to expose the truth behind his intentions.

With a nervous bite of his fingers, Theo came up with a plan. "I'll ask her to go on a date with me this weekend," he decided, the words making him smirk, a perfect plan.

"I'll use the opportunity to get her phone, to erase any lingering evidence of the surgery."

As the phone continued to ring for the third time, Theo's brows furrowed in frustration. Where could Varya have left her phone?

The unanswered calls only added to his growing sense of unease, stirring up a whirlwind of worry and apprehension within him.

VARYA'S POV

I woke up, with the pain in my mind that felt like the whole universe was pressing its billions on me.

The event of the previous day and Theo's betrayal remained as a miscellaneous painful love fragment in my head.

Turning to the other side of my bed, I was faced with the beautiful familiar image of Jasmine beside me.

The guilt of the fact that she had slept over to care for me, pressured my mind and feelings.

"Vayra, look what Jasmine has gone through because of you," I hated myself silently, the stings of the self-beat made my head hurt.

How can I be so stupid, so stupid to be heedless in my behavior? With a long sigh, I decided to put things right, by making amends first to my friend I owed much for her devoted stand-by.

Jasmine's fair words pulled me out of all the hate I held against myself and replaced it with an image of how to face things objectively. "Get up from there, you sorry excuse for a woman, and go on and try the medicine that I've kept on the table, beside the soup there."

She instructed this with a mix of herself being the one exasperated and somehow at the same time loving.

The comfort and draining of my heart by hugging her for a time filled me with gratitude which displaced a little of my guilt that has been eating at me. "Oh, I am sorry, I woke you up. I am forever indebted to you my Jas, you are so supportive," I said flattering her and putting my head under her jacket.

However, Jasmine, was swift to avoid my apology. "Ok, ok, now go to the bathroom you smell so bad," she playfully told me, her finger flicking hard on my behind. "Even though I cleaned up all of your messes throughout the night, you still smell so bad. Get off now!"

Despite her teasing, I could see the genuine care and concern in her eyes, the depth of her friendship a source of strength in the face of my shortcomings. With a laugh, I dashed out of bed to freshen up, determined to start the day on a better note and make it up to the friend who had gone above and beyond for me once again.

As I reached for my food and medication, my hand brushed against my phone nearby. With a sense of resignation, I picked it up and unlocked the screen, only to be greeted by a text message from Theo.

"Hey babe, been calling all day, I hope you are well. Let's meet up this weekend for a date, you have not been here for a long time and I miss you."

The words pop up on my screen, and my lips curl into a grin of disbelief, a mix of disregard and impatience.

Even when I had requested some space, Theo seemed more interested in his pursuits, particularly his flirting with Tia. And now, out of the blue, he wanted to sweep me off for a date?

"Haa! This is ridiculous," I muttered under my breath, the words dripping with disbelief.

It was as if he expected me to forget everything that had transpired between us, he told me to my face he had nothing to give me for my mother, but now a date?

No sooner had I had time to think about all of this complete nonsense when the ringing of Theo's call snatched me away and kept interrupting me with its annoying tune.

A deep breath, and a moment of silence to gather my mind, and then I picked up the phone and started listening to the dialogue that was to follow.

"Theo? It is as if we have not spoken at all. These days!" I said feeling as if it was in my bones and my heart that the man I had loved all my life could betray me.

"Yeah, I know. I've been busy with work," Theo replied, his words feeling hollow even to his ears. "liar" I muttered.

There was a brief pause as I didn't feel like responding to that lie, a pregnant silence that stretched between us like a taut wire.

"I was thinking..." He opened in a muted voice, but gradually lost it again. "I'd like to go out with you this weekend if you do not have any engagements. You know, maybe grab dinner or catch a movie?"

The invitation hung in the air, I thought it was time to finally end things and face my own life, and let go of the family that played me, so this date was also necessary.

"Sure, dear," I answered, hoping my voice wouldn't let me down by sounding too excessive. "I've missed spending time with you so much, I mean it."

I heard him chuckle, Well, maybe he also misses me. I deceived myself one more time, let me feel that there is even a moment of us he valued.

"Great, it's a date then," he said, his voice strained with the weight of his deceit.