♥Prologue♥

Asher Bennett

The streets of New York were quiet, bathed in the soft light of early morning. The sun wasn't fully up yet. I walked with my hands in the pockets of my jacket, feeling a slight chill in the breeze. It was Saturday, finally a day with no classes. I was on my way to Douglas’s house. We needed to talk.

For the past few months, he had been different and distant. The messages that were once constant had become rare. And when I did text him, his replies, when they came at all, were short and cold. Our two-year relationship felt like it was hanging by an invisible thread, and I couldn’t understand why.

I looked up at the sky, trying to push away the negative thoughts. Maybe he’s just stressed, I murmured to myself, trying to find an excuse for his behavior. Today, we’ll talk and work everything out.

When I arrived at his house, something immediately felt off. The front door was slightly open—something Douglas would never do. I frowned, hesitating for a moment before pushing it open and stepping inside.

"Douglas?" My voice echoed through the empty living room. No response.

I looked around, but the house was eerily silent. My heart started to pound, an uneasy feeling growing inside me.

"Douglas, it’s me, Asher." I took a few steps up the stairs, calling out again. Still nothing.

I climbed the stairs, each step feeling heavier than the last. When I reached the hallway upstairs, I heard a sound that made my stomach drop—low, continuous moans coming from his bedroom. I froze for a moment, my brain struggling to process what I was hearing.

No... It can't be... The thought echoed in my mind as my feet moved almost on their own toward the door.

My hand trembled as I turned the doorknob, and with slow movements, I pushed the door open.

What I saw hit me like a punch to the gut. There, on the bed, was Douglas—my boyfriend—and with him, my mother.

They hadn’t even noticed me, too lost at the moment that shattered my heart. My breath caught in my throat, and I felt my legs go weak.

"Douglas?" My voice was barely a whisper, almost inaudible, but enough to break the scene in front of me.

They scrambled apart in a rush, eyes wide, frantically grabbing whatever they could to cover themselves. My mother was the first to speak, her voice trembling as she tried to explain.

"Asher, I… this isn’t what it looks like…"

"No!" I yelled, cutting her off. "I don’t want to hear anything!" My voice came out loud and broken, the weight of the betrayal crushing my chest. "How could you do this?"

Douglas tried to step closer, his hand reaching out as if to calm me down.

"Asher, please, let me explain…"

Without thinking, my fist shot forward, landing hard on his face. Douglas staggered back, clutching his now-bloody nose, his eyes wide with shock.

"Don’t touch me with your filthy hands!" I shouted, tears streaming down my face. "How could you, Douglas? How could you do this to me?"

I turned to my mother; my vision blurred with rage and heartbreak.

"How could you do this to Dad?" My voice was full of pain. "He works so hard, trying to give us a good life, and you do this?"

Still wrapped in the bedsheet, she yelled back, frustration lacing her voice.

"Your father cheated on me too, Asher! He did it for years!"

"And you had to betray him with my boyfriend?" I screamed, my voice cracking. "Why? Why would you do this?"

Douglas, still holding his face, finally found the courage to speak.

"I… I didn’t feel anything for you anymore, Asher. I didn’t know how to end it."

His words were the final blow, and I felt my heart shatter in a way I never thought possible. I looked at the two of them—the two people I loved and trusted—and knew they stood there, destroying everything.

"I hate you." I whispered, my voice barely audible. "I hate you both."

Without waiting another second, I turned and bolted down the stairs, their voices fading behind me. I needed to get out. I needed to escape the pain that threatened to suffocate me.

Furthermore, I ran as fast as I could, with no direction, no destination—just running, trying to get away from that place, from the agony tearing through my chest. Tears streaming uncontrollably down my face, blurring my vision, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.

My heart pounded as if it would explode, and my breath came in ragged gasps. The streets were nearly empty, the world around me a distorted blur of colors and shapes. All I could feel was the overwhelming pain and the sharp sting of betrayal.

After what felt like an eternity, my legs started to give out. I stumbled, nearly falling, when strong hands caught me.

"Asher?" Nick’s voice—my best friend’s—was like a beacon in the storm. "Man, what happened?"

I tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. My throat was too tight with emotion, and all I could do was sob. Nick pulled me into a tight embrace, holding me firmly as my body trembled.

"Asher, please talk to me. What happened?" The concern in his voice was palpable.

Finally, the words began to come, broken and stuttering.

"Douglas… he… he cheated on me… with my… my mom."

The words fell out of my mouth in choked gasps, and I felt my body collapse even more into Nick’s arms.

He was silent for a moment, processing what I had just said. Then he held me even tighter.

"Jesus, Asher…" He whispered, his voice filled with empathy and barely restrained anger. "I’m here, man. It’s going to be okay. Just let it out."

And I did. I cried like I never had before, letting all my pain flow out as he held me, offering the only comfort I could grasp at that moment. My heart clenched, the wound still fresh and deep, but his embrace was like a small shield against total despair.

He didn’t say anything else—just kept holding me, letting me know I wasn’t alone.

I didn’t know how much time had passed, but slowly, my sobs began to fade, and my breathing evened out. The tears still fell, but not as heavily. Nick kept his arms around me, as if afraid to let me fall again.

"Feeling a little calmer?" He asked softly, his voice tinged with concern and care.

I just nodded, unable to find the words. My throat was still tight, and my mind was a chaotic mess of painful thoughts.

He sighed, relieved to see me a little more stable. He cupped my face with both hands, forcing me to meet his gaze. His eyes were serious but filled with compassion.

"Asher, look at me." He waited until my eyes locked onto his. "Remember how I told you I was planning to move to Elyssia?" His voice was firm but gentle. "I want you to come with me. We can find jobs there; start over. And if one day you want to come back, we will. But for now, you need to get away from all this."

I looked at him, taking in his words. Without thinking twice, I knew what I wanted. The thought of never seeing my mother or Douglas again was all I needed. The pain was still there, raw and throbbing, but his offer felt like a small light in the darkness.

"I’ll go." My voice was quiet but firm. "I want to go with you, Nick. I don’t want to stay here. I don’t want to see… them."

He nodded, a small relieved smile forming on his face.

"Then it’s settled. We’re starting over. Together."

He pulled me into another hug, and this time, for the first time that day, I felt the faintest glimmer of hope amidst the pain.