Shattered Truths

Nick sat on the edge of the couch, his leg bouncing impatiently. His heart pounded, his mind still reeling from what had just happened. He wanted to scream, to punch something—to understand.

Adam, his closest friend, ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "You need to call her, man." His voice was sharp, edged with urgency. "She must be in shock. She didn't even know the guy! You should have gone after her, not stood there like some statue while Paul kissed her!"

Nick's fists clenched, his jaw tightening. His emotions were a tangled mess of rage, confusion, and heartbreak. His stomach churned as the image of Paul's lips on Jane flashed in his mind again. The scene played on repeat, tormenting him.

A sudden, uncontrollable wave of anger surged through him. With a growl, he slammed his fist against the coffee table, sending a decorative pot crashing to the floor. The ceramic shattered into jagged pieces, mirroring the wreckage inside his chest.

Adam took a step back, startled, hands raised in surrender. "Nick, listen to me." His voice was calmer now, more measured. "She slapped him. Did you see the way she looked at him? She was disgusted. That wasn't the reaction of someone who wanted that kiss. She said she didn't know him. She meant it."

Nick sucked in a sharp breath. His hands trembled slightly as he curled them into fists, his knuckles still stinging from the impact. The truth in Adam's words finally started to sink in, cutting through the chaos in his mind.

Jane hadn't wanted that kiss.

She had fought back.

She had pushed Paul away. She had slapped him.

Nick's chest tightened. I should have run after her.

His fingers scrambled for his phone, and he dialed her number with shaky hands. Each ring was agonizing, stretching the distance between them. He prayed—begged—for her to pick up.

But then, her voicemail clicked on.

His breath hitched.

"She's not answering." His voice was hoarse, laced with frustration.

Adam exhaled heavily. "She's probably too overwhelmed to talk right now."

Nick ran a hand over his face, his pulse drumming against his temples. His mind raced through possibilities—Was she hurt? Was she okay? Was she crying?

Somewhere across the city, Jane gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her heart pounded, her breath coming in uneven gasps. Her mind was a chaotic whirlwind of questions without answers.

She switched off her phone.

She couldn't talk to Nick—not now. Not when her thoughts were tangled, her emotions raw.

The road ahead blurred as she replayed the moment over and over. Paul's face. His kiss. The way Nick had just… stood there.

Why hadn't he stopped it?

Why hadn't he fought for her?

Her emotions spiraled between anger, confusion, and an ache she didn't want to name.

Just then, her phone buzzed again, the caller ID flashing her office's number. She hesitated before answering, her voice strained.

"You need to come in right away," the voice on the other end said, sharp and urgent.

Jane sighed, exhaustion settling deep in her bones.

"On my way."

She turned the car around, gripping the wheel as new tension filled the air.

Whatever awaited her at the office… she wasn't ready.

The moment Jane stepped into the office, the whispers hit her like a wave. Her colleagues' eyes followed her every move, their conversations halting as she passed by. Their gazes lingered, some with pity, others with judgment. Her stomach twisted with unease as she walked through the lobby, wondering what they were saying behind her back. Was it about her? About what happened?

Every step felt heavier, as if the air around her was thick with invisible weight. Her heart beat faster, and the buzzing in her mind grew louder. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to face the truth that everyone was already thinking.

By the time she reached her boss's office, her nerves were on edge. She was sitting at her desk, staring at her with a look of concern that only made her feel more exposed. Her gaze shifted to the TV in the corner, and without a word, she flicked the remote.

Jane froze. The screen flickered to life, and her heart lurched as her own image appeared.

"Director of the World's Largest Real Estate Firm (BTF) Caught Kissing His Girlfriend at the Office!"

The headline screamed at her. Her breath hitched. The words echoed in her mind, louder than the beat of her own heart.

She wasn't prepared for this. Her pulse raced, panic rising in her chest as the room seemed to close in. What were they saying about her? What had she done to deserve this?

Her boss turned slowly to face her, her expression unreadable. "What happened today?" Her voice was softer now, but the weight of her words made her stomach drop.

Jane opened her mouth to speak but found herself at a loss for words. "What do you mean?" she replied, her voice trembling despite her attempt to remain composed.

She didn't answer. Instead, she let the TV screen answer for him. Her eyes were glued to the chaos unfolding on screen—video clips of her and Paul, their kiss broadcast for the world to see. She couldn't breathe. The accusations in the media felt suffocating, twisting her insides into a knot.

Her boss's next question felt like a slap. "Are you dating the director?"

The room went silent, her colleagues now trickling in, their murmurs filling the space. Jane didn't dare look at them—she couldn't.

"Is it true?" one colleague asked, voice thick with disbelief.

"Are you two together? I thought you were dating the Chairman," another chimed in, eyes wide with curiosity.

The questions came in rapid succession, each one laced with judgment. Jane's breath came in shallow gasps as they continued to accuse her, their words twisting her gut further.

"Wow, were you cheating on him? That too, in his office?" someone else sneered. "You got some nerve, Jane."

The words echoed in her mind, stabbing her heart with every new accusation. Cheating. Lying. Deceiving.

Her mind spun, and before she knew it, she was screaming, "That's not true!" The sound of her voice shocked her, raw with emotion, as tears slid down her cheeks.

Her colleague, Michelle, stepped forward then, a calm but fierce presence. "Stop it. Stop accusing her without knowing the truth."

But it wasn't enough. The accusations didn't stop.

"Why are you defending her? We all saw her dating Nick before he was announced as Chairman of BTF. Now she's kissing the director in his office? If that's not cheating, then what is it? She's greedy, and now it's all blowing up in her face."

The words hit like a punch. Jane felt every single one of them, her heart sinking deeper with every breath. Her world was falling apart, and she couldn't stop it.

Her eyes flicked to Paul, standing there, watching her with an unreadable expression. His presence was suffocating.

"It's not like that," she whispered, her voice cracking with the weight of her emotions.

Her voice caught in her throat as she turned to him, tears streaming down her face.

The director let out a long sigh. "I know, Jane," she said quietly, as she stepped forward and gently took her by the arm. "But we need to clear this up. Everyone, please, leave us alone."

She motioned for her colleagues to leave, and as they trickled out, the door clicked shut behind them, leaving just the two of them in the room.

Jane stood frozen, her eyes wide and tear-streaked, feeling utterly exposed. The director handed her a cup of water, her hand gentle as he placed it in front of her. "Take a breath. Calm down. I want to understand what happened."

Jane's hands shook as she lifted the glass to her lips. Her thoughts felt scattered, jumbled, and everything seemed like a blur. But she managed to explain, her voice a broken whisper.

"Nick invited me to his office. I went. And then... and then that guy just grabbed me and kissed me. I slapped him, and I ran."

The director didn't speak for a long moment, and whens he finally did, her voice was softer than before. "This looks bad, Jane. Really bad. But I trust you. Even though Nick is your friend, why didn't he step in to clear your name? Why didn't he come to your defense?"

The question hung in the air, heavy and unspoken. Jane sank back into her chair, her eyes welling up again. The truth was too painful to face. She didn't have an answer.

Her boss sighed, rubbing her temples. "This will affect the company's image. It's all over the news. And we can't afford that kind of publicity."

"You should take a few days off," she said, placing a hand on Jane's shoulder. "Go home, clear your head, and let things settle down. If you stay here, people will keep accusing you. You won't be able to focus on your work."

Jane nodded, unable to find the strength to argue.

She rose shakily to her feet, her body heavy with exhaustion and confusion.

Without a word, she turned and walked out of the office, her heart a storm of emotions she couldn't control.

At home, she slammed the door behind her and locked herself in her room. The walls felt too close. Her phone lay discarded on the bed, but she didn't want to look at it anymore.

Her hands trembled as she grabbed the phone and hurled it against the wall. The impact shattered the silence, and for a moment, she was free—free from the noise, free from the accusations.

The doorbell rang, piercing the heavy silence that hung over Jane's apartment. She didn't move. 

But then, she heard his voice—soft, hesitant, calling her name.

"Jane, please open the door."

Her breath hitched at the sound of Nick's voice. She knew he was out there, but the flood of emotions made her hesitate. She wasn't ready to face him. She wasn't ready to hear his excuses, or worse, his silence.

But after a moment, she heard the click of the door unlocking, and Nick stepped inside.

Jane didn't look up at him, her eyes fixed on the floor as she curled up into a tight ball in the corner of her room. Her body shook, tears flowing freely as she let herself break.

Nick's heart sank when he saw her. He stepped forward, his breath catching in his throat as he approached her. Without thinking, he sank to his knees beside her, reaching for her. His arms wrapped around her trembling body, pulling her close.

"I'm so sorry, Jane" he murmured, his voice strained. 

But Jane didn't respond right away. She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, her gaze filled with so much pain and confusion. "Do you doubt me just like the others? Why didn't you protect me?" The words were like daggers, cutting through him.

His chest tightened, and his heart raced as he tried to explain. "No, it's not that," he stammered, desperation creeping into his voice. "I was shocked too."

Her eyes narrowed, anger flaring beneath the hurt. "Everything happened in front of your eyes. I didn't know who he was! I just stumbled into him while waiting for you. He kissed me, and you stood there and watched!"

Nick's heart dropped into his stomach. Her words hit him harder than he could have imagined. "I—I didn't know how to react. I was stunned. I thought you knew him," he tried to explain, his voice cracking.

"Of course I didn't!" she screamed, her tears falling faster. "I was scared! I thought you would come and protect me, but you just stood there!"

Her words felt like a slap, and Nick recoiled, guilt washing over him like a wave. He stepped closer, instinctively reaching out to calm her. "Please," he whispered, trying to hold her tightly, but she fought him off. She thrashed against his embrace, pushing him away with all her strength.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted, her chest heaving with sobs. "You stood there and watched, Nick. You just stood there."

His grip tightened, his desperation growing. "I'm sorry, Jane," he whispered, his voice breaking as he held her against him, trying to keep her from falling apart. "I didn't know what to do. I was so shocked. But I'm here now. I'm here."

After what felt like an eternity, her struggles slowed, and she sank against him, her sobs quieter now but still raw. He reached for the glass of water on the nightstand, his hands shaking as he handed it to her. She took it with trembling fingers, her gaze averted as she drank slowly, trying to steady her breath.

Jane didn't know what to say, but there was one thing she had to ask. "That guy... Did you know who he was?"

Nick paused, his eyes flicking to her. "His name is Paul, he is one of the Director," he said softly. "

She blinked. Her face paled slightly as recognition crossed her eyes when Paul spoke to her. "I remember," she said quietly. "I saved him once when he was attacked by some laborers at the site. I was there to cover an article, and… I acted without thinking. And then at the restaurant— he was choking, I didn't realize it was the same guy. I just saw someone in trouble."

The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together in her mind. "I swear, I didn't know him personally. He just... acted out of nowhere. I promise I didn't cheat on you." Her voice cracked, and she broke down again, her body shaking as she buried her face in her hands.

Nick's heart shattered all over again. He reached for her, pulling her back into his arms. "I know," he whispered, brushing her hair back gently. "I trust you, Jane. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what happened today. I'm sorry I didn't act when I should've. I should have protected you."

Her body trembled against him, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. They just sat there.