Nothing is Ever What It Seems Ch. 01

He tried to stay calm, "Tiffany, stop lying to me... I found a used condom in this fucking room."

She froze, went on the defensive and started to shout incoherently, jabbing her finger at him.

"You know what, screw you Ryan! I did nothing wrong the condom was not mine. It was... Je-Jessica. I can't bring friends here? Huh? I knew you always hated her."

She threw her hands in the air and started to turn on the water works. "No, screw that... you hated all my friends. I lost all my friends because of you! So when you went on that business conference we went out and after they crashed here. How was I to know that Jemma would bring a guy back and fuck him in our room-?"

"So it's Jemma now?"

"I... it was Jemma who bought the guy back and Je-Jessica who gave her the condom."

He snorted, "Do you your ridiculous lies? Do you think I'm stupid?"

She remained speechless as she tried to brew her next set of lies. She drew a blank.

"Yeah, I think you're a fucking moron. Do you know how long it's been? It was way before you went on that conference." She sniggered, "way before...maybe just after you proposed to me?" She shook her head, "Look at me, Ryan, do you think I could ever settle for someone like you? You were always my backup plan."

"Who was it?!" He demanded his fist clenching.

"You still have to ask? Shane Atkinson." She smirked as she said the name.

Ryan staggered back a little at her revelation. For the past two weeks it had become an obsession for him to know who the son-of-a-bitch was. Now hearing her utter the name with that smirk on her face, made him feel inadequate, foolish, and most importantly it broke him.

Shane Atkinson was his client and filthy rich. Ryan thought Atkinson had awarded the contract to his company because of his credentials, but now he knew it was because he was screwing with his wife-to-be. Of course, in hindsight he could see it clearly: the way they embraced each other with affection only lovers could exude, and the way they smiled at each other brazenly as if they were the only people who were in on a joke at the events.

Ryan laughed bitterly inside -- he was the joke.

"For the last two weeks when you thought I was in Paris... I was in Monaco having the time of my life with Shane."

"How can you do this me?"

"Oh come on." She said, rolling her eyes. "The fact that you still have ask... he can give me a lot more than you ever can. When I first met you I thought you were different but you're just like the useless men I used to date."

He remained speechless as he watched her pack her stuff in a suitcase. He was numb. She finished packing, her things filling two large suitcases. Their life together, in her point of view, being reduced to only those two cases filled with things that were important to her -- jewellery, expensive bags and clothes.

He didn't beg her to stay, didn't even try to stop as she walked out the door. He still loved her, even what she had done; he was still foolishly in love with her. It seemed so surreal- the Tiffany he thought he knew for the past few years shattered in his mind. He told himself this was a dream, a joke, and a lie, anything ridiculous for him to hold onto a shred of sanity. Minutes turned into hours, and she still hadn't come back.

To this day, those last words she uttered still played clearly on his mind. As he lay on his bed, he thought back to the time when he foolishly begged for her return at Shane Atkinson's condo. She had callously turned him away and threatened to call the police after taking one disgusted look at the broken man in front of her.

Through those dark times, it was Hallie who had helped him by cheering him up and kicking his ass when he was becoming unbearable. During those times, he felt even more strongly for Hallie, though he put that down to his conflicting emotions.

It had never been his intention to see Tiffany's downfall or wish for her life to be a misery. It was a year after their split that she came back to him, heavily pregnant and begging for his forgiveness. He was sorely tempted to for he still loved her, but after reminding himself the words she had said, you're only my back up plan he hardened his heart and turned her away.

Even with the shit Tiffany had put him through, it now seemed insignificant compared to how he felt now. Hallie no longer stop by to see Alin, which was obviously because of him. Even if they could never be together, he would gladly settle for friendship. He would do anything for her to be close to him and for their relationship to return to the way it had been before either of them aired their feelings out in the open.

5:52am

He felt even more frustrated now. Another sleepless night, thinking of the past year. Hallie had made it clear to him how she felt about him when he walked into her room back in Beijing and demanded to speak with him. Those words she whispered pained him. Stop living in the past. Not giving up on her will spell out disaster for you. Accept the fact that she's too good for you... she would never choose to be with you- just like how Tiffany chose to be with a richer and more powerful man. Ryan told himself as he closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep for at least another half hour.

But even as the tiredness eventually took over, he felt himself falling deeper into the unknown, for this was different. Tiffany was another gold-digging whore, but Hallie...he rubbed his face with his hands in frustration.

He could never have Hallie the way he wanted.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I didn't run this with an editor this is because A) emails from generous lit users volunteering their time to edit for me, I can never reply because the email address always bounces back. B) I know edit takes a long time, I was eager to get this out and C) I really wanted to see if the direction I take the story without any influence is good enough. Therefore, if there are any mistakes (grammar, spelling), and if you think the story is crying out for an editor, then please do tell me.

Thanks to Nurun for giving me ideas throughout our earlier exchanges, they've helped a lot. And realisticendings, for completely changing the idea of this story with your previous comment- I do believe it is a much better story because of it!