Wounded Hearts

Chapter 36: Karma

Atlas's POV

I froze in shock as my dad's words echoed in my ears repeatdly. My eyes burned due to the amount of tears I was trying to hold in but completely failed as each drop successfully fell out and landed on my cheeks. "Thank You Uncle" her soft voice snapped me out of my thoughts. 

"MAMA" Leo shouted hugging Faith's legs causing everyone to turn towards us. Faith looked at Leo in shock but bent down and kissed Leo's forehead giving him a hug while Dario stared at the duo in confusion and shock. "Atlas" my mother called out causing Faith to lock eyes with me. "Welcome Atlas, come in" Faith's mother said but I couldn't move, I just couldn't. I couldn't remove my eyes from Faith's face. I felt broken, hurt, betrayed. She was married?.....my Faith was married?.....but not to me but with someone else. 

I noticed how everyone's eyes landed on the fallen flowers and teddy bear, confusion shown in their eyes. I glanced at my parents who looked away in guilt and sympathy. 'They knew this and still didn't tell knowing how much it would hurt me?.....that's why they didn't want me to come over?' I thought to myself.

Without saying anything, I dashed out of the house ignoring the shouts calling out my name. I sat in my car and drove off allowing my tears to take over my cheeks. I slammed the steering wheel with my fist continuously in anger. "AHHHHHHHH" I shouted, rage shown in my eyes. I parked the car near a cliff and walked out slamming the door behind me. "WHY FAITH?....WHY?. COULDN'T YOU SEE MY LOVE FOR YOU?......FAITHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I shouted as I broke down in tears. 

She wasn't mine anymore, she wasn't mine, my faith....... she belongs to someone else now. I have lost her....I have finally lost her to someone else. My body shook due to the coldness around me. Her blank face flashed in front of me when my eyes locked in with hers. She didn't care.....she didn't care about what I felt.

I sat there on the cold, wet floor as Dad's words echoed again in my ears again. A humourless laugh then left my lips. I laughed falling on my back as I looked up at the starry sky. I deserve this.....this is all my fault....all my f*****g fault. Karma indeed happened. I married Melissa breaking my Faith's heart and now the same thing happened again but only with me. My Faith got married...why...why???.

If this is how shattered and broken I feel after knowing that she is married, then I can't even imagine how she had felt when she found out I wasn't hers anymore when I got married to Melissa. "Faith" I sobbed not being able to control my tears. I couldn't tolerate the way Dario wrapped his arm around her waist. I couldn't bear seeing him look at my Faith with so much emotion. She is only mine to look at but I have lost her....I have lost my Faith....my love....my best friend....my Faith.

Why did this have to happen?, we were so happy......so happy, so much in love then why did God separate us?. If it wasn't for Melissa then maybe just maybe me and Faith would still be together.

3 years ago

I was in the kitchen, preparing some soup for Melissa. After she gave birth to my beautiful son Leo, she started to look quite weak and ill. I don't know what she is hiding from me but I am going to take her to the hospital soon if her condition gets worse. "Hey, what are you doing out of bed Melissa?" I asked in concern seeing her out fo bed, standing near the balcony. "I just wanted some fresh air" she replied quietly.

I had started noticing her behaviour after she gave birth. She was not the same girl as before, she was more quiet and distanced. She wouldn't even spend time with Leo anymore. Ever since she found out Faith left, her behaviour took a sudden change, especially after Leo entered this world.

"I have made some soup for you, come back to bed and I'll feed you" I said placing the bowl of soup on the table, later walking towards her. "Atlas" she whispered as she turned around. I could see how her cheekbones had sunken in making her look really thin as she had lost a lot of weight. "Shhhh don't speak. You haven't been eating properly Melissa so come with me and finish of that bowl of soup I have made for you" I spoke, placing a hand on her back as she walked towards the bed. 

"A-atlas I...I need to tell you s-something" she said nervously as she sat down on the bed, refusing to look in my eyes. I walked towards the table and picked up the bowl of soup walking back to her. "You can tell me later Mel, first eat your food" I spoke softly giving her a small smile. She shook her head and stood up taking the bowl from my hands, placing it back on the table. "Mel please just listen to me once....I am worried for you ok?....you are not eating well, look how much weight you have lost. Whatever you want to tell me can wait for later, now please eat" I said with worrisome shown in my voice. 

She held my wrist as I turned to take the bowl of the table. "No Atlas....I can't do this anymore. I will die from guilt if I don't tell you this" she cried. I looked at her with confusion and cupped her cheeks. "Mel....why are crying my dear?" I wiped her tears. "Shhh don't cry" I hugged her caressing her hair. 

"I'm sorry....I'm so sorry Atlas" she apologised again and again making me even more confused. I broke the hug and stared at her face. "Mel, what are you sorry about?" I asked her in confusion. "A-atlas I...." she cried looking down as she covered her face with her hands. "Mel...what happened?...is someone hurting you?...." I asked in anger. "NO!" she shouted making me shocked. "No, no one is hurting me Atlas, No-one is.....it is all me....I am such a bad luck" she cried in my chest. 

I stroked her hair trying to comfort her. "Mel....you are making me confused, I don't know what you are talking about".

"You will hate me Atlas....you will hate me" she sobbed. "No....I will never hate you Melissa. You are my wife.....how could I ever hate you?" I kissed her forehead. "Now tell me...what's the matter" I held her hands. She looked straight in my eyes, her face showing pain and hurt. "Faith-", "What did that b***h do now?....did she come back?....did she hurt you?" I cut her off in anger, clenching my teeth. 

Melissa sobbed making me snap my head towards her. She furiously shook her head, placing her hand over her mouth. "No Atlas.....she would...she would never hurt me....she never has and never did" she confessed.

"What do you mean Mel?" I asked her with a cold tone. "Atlas I-I....F-faith didn't p-push me from t-the s-s-stairs"

Silence

Silence filled the room as I stood there frozen, eyes wide as I stared at Melissa with utter shock. "W-what?" I asked in disbelief. 

"She d-didn't push me, I fell from the stairs by accident" she wept as she fell onto the bed. I felt as if everything came crashing down. I stumbled back a bit, too shocked at what I just heard. I glared at Melissa and grabbed her arm harshly pulling her up from the bed. "What the f**k are you trying to say Melissa?....speak clearly" I gritted out with a lot of anger making her wince due to the pain in her arm. I let go of her arm and glared at her. 

"It was all me....I lied Atlas....I lied" she broke down. I-I......lied about her....c-cheating" I felt my heart crack. 

"I l-lied about the photos and v-voice r-recording" I felt another crack making me stumble back as a tear fell out of my eye. 

"I lied about her b-betraying you.....I lied about everything. Faith did nothing.....she did nothing" she cried heavily gripping onto her hair while I stood there in shock. "She was innocent, she....she waited for you for 5 years....she was loyal to you.....it was all me I lied Atlas.....I'm so sor-" before she could finish off her sentence, I found her on the floor due to the impact of my slap I had just gave her. 

I gripped her hair harshly and pulled her back up ignoring her cries as she folded her hands in front of me apologising. "I'm sorry Atlas....I'm sorry" she cried still folding her hands. I gripped her hair pulling her closer to my face while she closed her eyes, her face now red with tears and with the slap I just gave her. "Why?" I spat. 

"WHYY?!" I yelled in her face. 

"BECAUSE I LOVED YOU" she screamed falling onto the bed feeling weak. I was taken aback by her confession. "I loved you Atlas....I wanted you to myself....I couldn't see her happy with you....I was jealous of her and your relationship" she confessed in tears making me shocked. 

"She did everything for you Melissa.....she loved you heck you were like a real sister to her and you betrayed her?....you betrayed m?e....how could you Melissa....HOW COULD YOU?!" I yelled at the end as I kicked the table in front of me making her scream in fear. 

I paste back and front furiously as I gripped onto my hair in anger. "My Faith......she was innocent....she didn't cheat" I muttered tugging onto my hair as I paste back and forth. "A-atl-"..."SHUT THE f**k UP!" I shouted cutting her off. 

I felt so much anger, I wanted to break something, I wanted to kill someone. My faith was innocent, she was f*****g loyal to me and what did I do?...I f*****g got married.....I have a f*****g child with someone else. 

I snapped my head towards Melissa who was staring at me with wide eyes, indicating her fear. "You b***h!....you ruined my life....you ruined my Faith" I gripped her hair making her wince in pain. "I'm not going to leave you Melissa.....I'm going to ruin you so badly that you will beg for death" I clenched my teeth causing her to flinch. 

My eyes burned due to the tears in my eyes. Images of betrayal shown on Faith's face flashed in front of my eyes. I glared at my hand which I used to slap Faith. I wrapped my hands around Melissa's neck and slammed her body against the wall. "A-atlas....p-p-please" she stuttered, losing breath. My ears went deaf to her pleading. I squeezed her neck, strangling her as her face slowly started to turn blue. 

"You made me hurt her....you made me raise my hand on her.....you made me insult her....I will never forgive you....you b***h of a friend" I spat and squeezed her neck even harder. Her eyes started to roll back and that's when I realised she was going to lose her consious. I let go of her neck and harshly threw her to the ground. 

She held her neck and coughed furiously trying to catch her breath. "How could you do this to me Atlas?.....I love you" Faith's voice echoed in my ears. "AHHHHHHH" I shouted trashing the place. "AHHHHHHH" I broke each and every item in the room making Melissa scream. 

I fell to the ground on my knees, my hands covering my face as I cried, cried for my Faith....for her pain. "I'm so sorry Faith....I'm so sorry" I cried in regret. I was so stupid....so f*****g stupid to believe in her....why did I do that?....why didn't I trust my Faith?....why did I believe Melissa?. I knew Faith all my life and still I chose to go against her. What have I done?....what have a done?.....I have committed a sin.....I have committed a sin.

"Faith"

Present

I cried as the flashbacks flashed in front of my eyes. 

"What have I done to us?"