THE REMORSEFUL BILLIONAIRE

Judith’s POV

It was a bleak, cold evening. There were dark clouds in the atmosphere, foreshadowing the upcoming heavy downpour.

I was seated in the corridor and sipping from a glass of juice with the kids playing nearby, their laughter filling the air. My mind wandered around the events that had occurred in the past ten days. A surge of relief washed over at the realisation that Felix hadn’t shown up since the incident at the precinct.

I had contemplated reaching out to him to explain the situation to him and plead for his understanding, but I couldn’t bring myself to make the call. A persistent guilt tormented me, a sense of wrongdoing to him, but I was also sure that any endeavour of reconciliation would be pointless. Felix would also believe that my actions were because of the love I had for Nathan and not because of the need to protect the kids. So I decided to let him be; perhaps that would allow me to recover and return to the man I once knew.

Moreover, I don’t want to gamble on the peace I have acquired. I was determined not to let anyone disrupt it.

Nathan, on the other hand, had been visiting the kids more often, bringing gifts for them. They were extremely happy to see each other after a long time apart. It seemed he had taken my advice to heart, forgiving himself and allowing his peace to flourish. I couldn’t help but notice how much more handsome he looked with his muscular build, leaving me drooling on him during his last visit. I haven’t forgotten the memory of the assault, but I have been able to move past the phase. It doesn’t haunt as much as before.

However, that doesn’t imply any intention of rekindling a relationship with Nathan. Despite the undeniable affection I still have for him, I choose to disregard the feeling.

Feeling the need to reconnect, I picked up my phone and dialled Vanessa. It’s been a long since we last spoke, and I couldn’t shake off the feeling that she seemed distant recently. Perhaps she has been preoccupied with the demands of work and life. She picked up the second ring, her voice filled with excitement.

“Hey girl!” she screamed, evidently excited.

“How are you doing, van?” I asked, a smile plastered on my face.

“I’m fine, and you? She responded warmly.

We exchanged pleasantries and had a lengthy discussion, catching up on other topics. I enquired about the reason she had been distant, and she explained to me that her work has been denying her hardly any time to check up on people.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

I understood and trusted her to always check up on me if she had the chance to. The conversation got to Felix, and I told her he hasn’t been coming around; probably he got tired or has already travelled back to the States.

As we were wrapping up our discussion, the kids ran over, eager to say hello to Vanessa. I called out to her, but realised she had already dropped the call. Just as I was about to hang up, I heard a familiar voice over the phone.

“Is that Judith?” the voice asked, and she chuckled mockingly.

I listened closely, trying to identify the speaker, and my heart ached as I realised it was Felix.

“Oh, maybe it’s just a network glitch,” I murmured to myself, looking at the caller ID again, which still displayed Vanessa’s name.

“Yes, she is,” I heard Vanessa reply.

“She’s so clueless and stupid. I thought she was smarter than this, but it turns out she’s even more naive. How could she choose to protect the same man who assaulted her over the one trying to get justice for her?”

“I know, right? But thank goodness she’s clueless. Her stupidity brought us together, and now we even share the same bed,” Vanessa said, laughing.

“Yes, my love, and you’re even better than she is. But I’m not done with her yet. I’m going to make sure they both suffer more than I ever did,” Felix threatened darkly.

“I came all the way to London to betray my best friend and share a bed with her ex. It’s a grievous sin, and yet you keep talking about her, still holding onto her,” Vanessa retorted angrily.

I’m sorry, Vanessa. I’ll stop talking about her,” he pleaded.

There was a moment of silence before I heard their intense moans filling the airwaves. The sound was unbearable, and I couldn’t listen any longer. I ended the call, tears welling up in my eyes, almost on the verge of weeping.

With the children nearby, I composed myself and calmly instructed them to continue playing, reassuring them that Vanessa was busy and that I would call her back later.

Once they were out of sight, a wave of sadness enveloped me, and I found it difficult to comprehend Vanessa’s betrayal. The fact that she was in London and hadn’t even mentioned it hurt deeply. Vanessa, with her kind heart and stunning beauty, could have had any man she desired-why Felix, of all people?

Vanessa was more than just a friend; she was like a sister to me. She had stood by my side through the hardest times. She could have resisted the temptation to betray me; she could have freed herself from Felix’s grasp.

The realisation that she had been betraying me for some time was heartbreaking, and if not for today’s call, I would never have suspected a thing. But I kind of suspected it; I had always pondered who had been feeding Felix information about me. Now, it all makes sense.

As the rain began to pour heavily, we retreated indoors. Once inside, I broke down, crying uncontrollably. I felt the urge to call Vanessa back and confront her, but I ultimately kicked against it. I wiped away my tears, convincing myself that it wasn’t worth the pain.

However, I have witnessed yet another betrayal from someone I trusted and loved dearly. It’s actually funny how the people I love seem to take turns betraying me. Perhaps I’m truly destined to be alone, just with my kids by my side.