Nathan’s Revenge

3:

Nathan's POV

The sound of the chocolate box and flowers startled them, interrupting their activities. Camila appeared surprised, standing up from the man's lap and casually running her fingers through her disheveled hair.

"Baby, who is this man, and why did he enter your house like this?" the man asked, glaring at me with disdain.

"He's nobody. Wait for me in the living room," she replied. I stared at her in disbelief. Did she just call me a nobody?

He rose from the bed and gave her a quick kiss before leaving. He purposely bumped into me, causing me to stumble, as if I had lost myself completely.

"What are you doing here? Why did you come to my house without informing me?" she questioned, furrowing her brow. I approached her slowly.

"Is that all you have to say? I just witnessed you in bed with another man, and that's your only response? Camila, how could you cheat on me on our anniversary?" I asked, my voice filled with pain and brokenness. She snickered.

"Correction, you are the other man, not him," she replied, glancing at the roses and chocolates strewn on the floor. She walked over and nudged them with her foot.

"Is this all you brought? Flowers and chocolates? What do you take me for, a middle schooler?" she chuckled, turning to face me.

What happened to her? We were fine when we last spoke, which was just yesterday. How could she change so drastically in a matter of hours? I had never heard her speak so rudely and emotionlessly to me before.

"Why are you speaking like this, my love? Did something happen? What's wrong?" I asked anxiously.

"Everything is wrong about you. You're too poor and miserable. I tried to stay with you, but I just can't anymore. I'm tired of pretending I'm okay with you being poor when I'm not," she yelled angrily, her eyes filled with fury. Those were the same eyes that used to brim with love and affection for me.

She called me poor. She had never uttered such words to me before.

"But you said you loved me regardless of my financial situation. We've loved each other for three years. The moments we shared couldn't have been fake," I said.

"Well, I lied. I was never happy with you. Who would be happy with a broke boyfriend? While my friends boasted about what their men bought for them, I had nothing to say because mine was worthless and useless. We've been together for three years, and what do I have to show for it? Did you think buying me cheap flowers and chocolates from the roadside would make me overjoyed?" she replied, infuriated. My hand, which had been in my pocket, holding the ring I had bought for her, froze.

"I was clearly mistaken about you. I thought you weren't a materialistic girl, but you're the worst of them all," I sneered, trying to mask my wounded pride with hurtful words.

"Yes, I agree. I'm materialistic. Look at me. Do you think it doesn't take money to maintain all this? I'm done with this relationship. I'm done with you. I had been waiting for the right time to tell you, but since you found out on your own, I'm relieved," she replied.

"So what? You're running into the arms of a rich man?" I asked, seething with anger.

"I already am in his arms. You saw us quite clearly, didn't you? He bought me a car as a random gift. You would have to work ten part-time jobs for ten years to afford that car. "He is a hundred times the man you will never be," she sneered tauntingly.

Closing my eyes, her words pricked at my heart like poisonous needles. I had sincerely believed we were in love, even planning to propose to her. Thank goodness I saved myself from the embarrassment. Slowly, I opened my eyes.

"If you were so embarrassed by me if you never loved me, then why did you agree to date me?" I asked, needing to know even if her answer might hurt. She shrugged.

"You know those movies where the rich girl dates a poor guy? I wanted to experiment and see if it would work for me, but I guess I was wrong. This is real life, not a fantasy. After that, I pitied you. I saw how crazy you were about me, and if I left you, you might not be able to survive it. But now, I'm tired. I don't want to live like this. Wait, what did you expect to happen between us? Did you think I was going to settle for a wretch?" she asked, amused.

Angry, I turned around and left her house, slamming the door behind me. The pain of her rejection and insults was unbearable, and I didn't want her to see me in such a vulnerable state. Absentmindedly, I took a bus back to my house.

"Nathan? Where were you?" I heard Amelia's voice. I looked up to see her worried expression. Amelia had been my best friend for years and was like the only family I had left after Camila's rejection. I knew she liked me, but I only saw her as a friend. The only person I truly liked was Camila.

"I'm fine," I replied, standing in the same spot. She walked towards me.

"You don't look fine at all. I know you, Nate, and I can tell something is wrong. You can confide in me. I will always be here for you. You can trust me," she said, placing her hand fondly on my cheek.

"I said I'm fine," I snapped at her and walked away.

I wandered aimlessly until the rain started falling heavily. Walking under the rain, I hoped it would alleviate the immense pain, but it did nothing to help. Instead, it added to the already heavy feeling in my heart. My thoughts drifted to Camila in bed with that man.

"I never loved you. You were just an experiment. You are wretched. I only pitied you," her words echoed in my head. I roared and cried bitterly under the rain, clutching my chest tightly. Our love was nothing but a fallacy after all.