Chapter Five: The Weight of Betrayal

Aiden and Isabella had grown incredibly close over time. Their daily routine consisted of calls, video chats, and frequent meetings. One evening, Isabella mentioned that she was hungry and casually asked Aiden to buy her something to eat. Aiden, believing it was just a small gesture for his girlfriend, ordered food for her online. A few days later, she made the same request, and Aiden complied without hesitation. He saw no harm in doing so since he had a steady side income from stock trading, allowing him to spend comfortably.

Soon, Isabella’s requests became more frequent. She began asking Aiden to recharge her phone data with small amounts like Rs. 15, Rs. 29, or Rs. 65. At first, he thought nothing of it, believing he was just being a caring boyfriend. But gradually, her demands expanded.she started sending him QR codes whenever she wanted to buy something, making it easier for him to pay for her. What began with simple recharges turned into requests for makeup, snacks, clothes, food orders, medicine, and even sanitary products. Aiden convinced himself that this was part of being a good boyfriend, never questioning whether her behavior was fair.

As their first year of coaching ended, Aiden had to shift hostels because his coaching center moved to a new location. Coincidentally, his new hostel was only ten minutes away from Isabella’s, though neither had known each other's previous hostel locations. The proximity allowed them to meet daily, something Aiden cherished deeply. He felt as though he had everything he could wish for a promising career, a loving girlfriend, and a peaceful life. He believed their relationship would last forever.

However, happiness is often fleeting. One day, Isabella told Aiden that she needed to study late at night and would no longer be able to talk as much. Aiden respected her decision and encouraged her to focus on her studies. But as days passed, her excuses piled up. She would get irritated whenever Aiden tried to have a conversation, frequently snapping at him, saying, "Can’t you let me study in peace?" Aiden felt ignored, but he tried to be understanding.

Then, Isabella mentioned a guy who was stalking her Instagram stories. Aiden dismissed it as a random person and didn’t think much of it. But Isabella seemed unusually intrigued, frequently bringing up the topic. One day, Aiden noticed that Isabella had posted something on Instagram, and that same guy had commented flirtatiously. To Aiden’s shock, she was engaging with him, appearing to enjoy the attention. He took a screenshot and sent it to her, confronting her about it.

Isabella feigned ignorance, acting as if she had no idea what Aiden was talking about. When Aiden checked again, the flirtatious comments and her replies had been deleted. But he had already saved the evidence. When he sent her the screenshots, she dismissed it, saying, "He’s just a normal friend, nothing else." But this time, she was visibly angry. "Why are you invading my space? I can talk to whoever I want!" she snapped.

Aiden felt betrayed. He couldn’t understand how she could normalize such behavior. He noticed a growing distance between them. she barely replied to his messages and often left his texts on read. Whenever he confronted her, she claimed she was simply focusing on her studies.

One evening, Aiden finally asked, "Do you have any other guy friends besides me?"

Isabella exploded with rage. Tears streamed down her face as she screamed, "Why don’t you trust me? I’m loyal to you, yet you still doubt me. Just break up with me if you can’t trust me!" Aiden was taken aback. A simple question had escalated into an argument that ended with her threatening to leave him.

Desperate for answers, Aiden decided to text the guy from Instagram, Lodakun. What he learned shattered him. Lodakun revealed that he and Isabella had been talking for months, even before she had mentioned him as a "random stalker." He confessed that Isabella called or video-called him every night after 9 PM, chatting for hours while doing her skincare routine and other activities. Aiden felt like a complete fool.

Lodakun had no idea Isabella was in a relationship. "She never told me she had a boyfriend," he admitted. "I’ve grown attached to her. We talk every night. I thought she liked me."

Aiden’s world crumbled. For over a year, he had been faithful, sacrificing time, effort, and money for a girl who had been secretly building another connection behind his back. Fueled by pain and anger, Aiden confronted Isabella, demanding an explanation.

"What the hell are you doing, Isabella? How could you do this to me? I stayed away from other girls to make sure you never felt uncomfortable. I even unfollowed them for you because you used to get jealous!"

Isabella scoffed. "Did I ask you to do that for me?" she retorted coldly.

Aiden was speechless. The same girl who had once begged him for a second chance after her best friend’s betrayal was now showing him no remorse. "A year ago, you and your friend begged me not to leave. After everything, after what that vulgar best friend of yours did, you’re still doing this to me?" His voice cracked under the weight of his emotions.

But Isabella was unmoved. "I don’t care. Go die. Don’t come back into my life. I will talk to whoever I want. Who are you to stop me?"

Aiden was shattered. He had done everything he could for her, cared for her when she was sick, skipped coaching to take her to the hospital, spent his hard-earned money to make her happy. And yet, all of it was meaningless to her. He realized that the love he had given so selflessly had never been truly appreciated.

For the first time, Aiden questioned everything.

Read the next chapter to know what happens next.

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