CHAPTER 22

CRYSTAL POV

I couldn't believe what I had just watched in the video sent by an unknown contact. The sight of Erik stumbling out of his apartment with Violet, his clothes all disheveled, was burned into my mind. I had been pacing back and forth in front of his door for hours, hoping that he would come out and explain himself, but nothing could have prepared me for what I had just seen.

The video continued, and as they walked away, my heart shattered into a million pieces. How could he do this to me? I thought we had something special, that we were meant to be together. But now, it seemed like all of that was just a lie.

I watched for a few more minutes, trying to process everything that had just happened, before finally deciding to shut the laptop. As I stomped back to my room, tears streamed down my face, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anger brewing inside of me.

How dare he cheat on me like that? How dare he think that he can get away with it?

But as the days went by, my anger slowly turned into sadness. I found myself thinking about Erik more and more, wondering where things had gone wrong. Had I been too busy with work? Had I neglected him in some way?

Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to talk to him, to get some closure and figure out what had happened. So I called him up through video call.

As soon as I saw him, my heart skipped a beat. He looked tired and worn out, his eyes were bloodshot with bags underneath them. But it was his expression that made me pause. It was one of guilt and shame, but also sadness.

"Crystal, I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I couldn't help but feel my anger rise again. "Sorry? Sorry, for what exactly?"

He took a deep breath before continuing. "For cheating on you. For hurting you. For not being the man that you deserved."

I felt a lump form in my throat. I had expected excuses, lies, anything but this. "Why, Erik? Why did you do it?"

He hung his head, his eyes avoiding mine. "I don't know. I was stupid. I was selfish. I thought I could handle it and keep it a secret, but I was wrong. I never meant to hurt you."

I could see the pain etched on his face, and for a moment, I felt like I could forgive him. But the memory of the video came flooding back, and my resolve hardened.

"You didn't just hurt me, Erik. You destroyed everything we had. How am I supposed to trust you again?"

He looked up at me then, his eyes pleading. "Please, Crystal. I know I messed up, but I love you. I'll do anything to make it right."

I could feel the tears starting to come again, but this time, they were different. They were tears of grief, of loss, of knowing that what we had was gone forever.

"I'm sorry, Erik," I whispered. "But I can't do this anymore. It's over."

Erik's face fell, and he looked as if he had been punched in the gut. "No, please, Crystal. Don't say that."

But I had made up my mind. "I have to go now. Goodbye, Erik."

I ended the call before he could say anything else. As I sat in silence, I realized that our relationship had never really been healthy. There had always been something off about it, but I had ignored the signs.

The next day, I decided to go for a walk to clear my head. As I walked around the neighborhood, I thought back on our relationship and all the warning signs that had been there from the beginning.

The constant fighting, the lack of trust, and the way he always put me down. It had all added up to an unhealthy relationship, one that I should've ended sooner.

But even though it was too late now, I knew that I had finally made the right decision. Maybe it would take some time for me to heal, but at least now I could begin to move on with my life.

I returned home feeling a little lighter as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It wouldn't be easy to forget Erik or erase him from my memory completely, but at least now I was free from his control.

For the first time in months, I felt hopeful about my future and excited about what it held. With this newfound clarity, I knew that anything was possible – as long as I stayed focused on taking care of myself first.

I woke up from deep sleep to the unexpected ringing of my phone. I glanced at the clock, it was far too early for anyone to be calling. A sinking feeling filled my stomach as I answered; I knew something wasn't right.

"Hello?" I said unsteadily.

"It's your father," came the familiar voice on the other end. It broke with emotion before he could continue. "I have been diagnosed with cancer… and it isn't looking good."