CHAPTER 2 A Cruel Rejection

Avery's POV

I stared at the woman standing beside James, her delicate hand wrapped around his arm as if she belonged there. My heart hammered in my chest, disbelief clouding my thoughts. This had to be some kind of mistake, a cruel misunderstanding that would clear itself up any second now.

"Avery," James said, his tone cutting through the fog in my mind like a blade. His eyes, once warm and filled with affection, now glinted with icy detachment. "It's over."

My breath hitched. "What... what do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I said," he continued, his voice calm yet merciless. "I'm breaking our engagement. I'm marrying Isabella."

His words were so casual, so devoid of emotion, that for a moment, I thought I must've misheard. My lips moved, but no sound came out. My gaze darted to the woman—Isabella, he had called her. She stood there, serene and confident, her doe-like eyes shimmering with an almost condescending pity as she looked at me.

"James," I finally managed, my voice trembling. "You're joking, right? This isn't funny."

He scoffed. "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Before I could respond, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small folder. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the contents onto the nearby table. The photos fanned out like a deck of cards, each one more damning than the last.

I stepped closer, my hands trembling as I picked up one of the images. It showed me and Charles in what could easily be mistaken for an intimate embrace. Another showed him sitting beside me on his bed, leaning in close as if to kiss me. My heart sank as I recognized the moments—they were from my monthly visits for health checkups, nothing more.

"What... what is this?" I stammered, holding the photo up.

"Don't play dumb, Avery," James snapped. "These aren't just some random snapshots. This is evidence. Evidence that you've been lying to me, sneaking around with him behind my back."

"No!" I shouted, my voice cracking under the weight of his accusation. "It's not like that. James, you know Charles and I have been friends since we were kids. He's my doctor, for Goddess's sake!"

"Doctor or not, you don't end up in another man's bed if you're innocent," he retorted, his tone laced with venom.

"James, please," I pleaded, tears streaming down my face. "I came to Charles because I wasn't feeling well. You can ask him—he'll tell you."

"She's telling the truth," Charles interjected, stepping forward. His calm, steady demeanor was a stark contrast to James's barely restrained fury. "Those photos were staged during routine exams. There's nothing inappropriate about them."

"Of course you'd say that," James sneered. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

Charles stiffened but didn't deny it. I glanced at him, my stomach sinking further. Charles had always been protective of me, but this wasn't the time to fan the flames.

"James, listen to me," I begged, stepping closer. "I love you. Only you. Please, don't do this."

But James shook his head, his expression hardening further. "You think I'm an idiot? You think I haven't noticed the way he looks at you? Hell, even you probably don't realize how much you lean on him. But I'm done, Avery. I'm not going to be the fool who gets cheated on while you play house with your precious Charles."

"James!" I cried, reaching for his arm, but he pulled away as if my touch burned him.

"It's over," he said again, this time with finality. "I reject you, Avery Kingsley. From this moment on, you're no longer my mate."

The words hit me like a physical blow, stealing the air from my lungs. Rejection was rare in our world, and the bond between mates usually made it unthinkable. But here he was, severing our connection without a second thought.

The pain came fast and fierce, radiating through my chest like wildfire. My knees buckled, and I would've collapsed if Charles hadn't caught me.

"Bastard," Charles growled, glaring at James. "You're making a mistake. You're throwing away someone who actually loves you."

James laughed bitterly. "Love? If this is love, I'll pass. I've found someone better—someone who doesn't need another man to hold her up."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out, Isabella trailing behind him like a shadow. She glanced back once, her expression unreadable, before disappearing through the door.

The silence that followed was deafening. I sat on the floor, still clinging to Charles as the pain from James's rejection tore through me. It wasn't just the emotional anguish—it was physical too. The bond we'd shared, the one that had tethered our souls together, was gone, leaving a gaping void in its place.

"Avery," Charles said softly, his hands gripping my shoulders. "You need to rest. Your body can't handle this kind of strain."

"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "I have to go after him. I have to fix this."

"Avery, don't—"

But I was already pushing myself to my feet, my legs trembling beneath me. "He doesn't understand," I murmured, more to myself than to Charles. "If I can just talk to him, make him see reason—"

"You can't reason with someone who's already made up his mind," Charles said, his voice gentle but firm.

I ignored him, stumbling toward the door. My vision swam, and my limbs felt like lead, but I didn't care. I had to find James. I had to make him listen.

The moment I stepped outside, the cold night air hit me like a slap, and the world tilted dangerously. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat sending another wave of pain through me.

"Avery!" Charles called, his voice distant and muffled.

I managed a few more steps before my body gave out completely. The ground rushed up to meet me, and then there was nothing but darkness.