Jenna's POV
I excused myself from the suffocating presence of Felix and made my way to the restroom. My heart was pounding in my chest, my hands trembling as I gripped the sink and stared at my reflection in the mirror. The anger, the betrayal—it all surged within me like a storm I couldn’t contain.
I splashed some cold water on my face, hoping to calm down, but the image of Aiden kissing Clara flashed in my mind. How could he move on so easily? How could he betray me like that?
I gritted my teeth, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. I didn’t want to cry over him, not anymore. Aiden had already proven he wasn’t worth my time or my emotions. But the pain lingered, refusing to let go.
As I stared at my reflection, I realized how trapped I felt. Felix had me under his thumb, controlling every aspect of my life, and Aiden had discarded me like I meant nothing. It was as if I’d lost control over everything.
Taking a deep breath, I straightened up. I couldn’t stay in here forever, no matter how much I wanted to hide. Wiping my face with a tissue, I mentally prepared myself to go back out there—to face Felix, to face Aiden, and to pretend I wasn’t falling apart inside.
But as I walked out of the restroom, suddenly someone pulled me into a dark place where no one could see, and I was pressed against the wall. Their hand was covering my mouth; it was a bit dark, so I couldn't see who had grabbed me.
'Who are you, huh?!' I shouted, but they covered my mouth again. 'Shh, don’t make any noise.'
That voice was Aiden."
As soon as I recognized Aiden’s voice, my heart raced, not with excitement but with confusion and fear. His hand was firm against my mouth, preventing me from screaming or calling for help. His eyes darted around, making sure no one saw us hidden in this dark corner.
“Aiden, what are you doing?!” I mumbled through his hand, my words muffled but still urgent.
He slowly removed his hand from my mouth, but his face remained close to mine. “Jenna, listen. I needed to talk to you. Away from Felix.”
I pushed him back, my body trembling, not just from the shock of being dragged into the shadows, but from the deep-seated anger that had been brewing for days. "You don’t get to do this! You don’t get to pull me into some dark corner like nothing happened!"
Aiden's face twisted with guilt, but there was also frustration. “I know what you saw with Clara, but it’s not what you think.”
I scoffed, stepping back, crossing my arms tightly around myself, trying to shield myself from whatever excuse he was about to throw at me. “Not what I think? You were kissing her, Aiden! Right in front of me, in front of everyone!”
“She’s... she’s part of the deal. I had no choice.”
His words stung, hitting deeper than I expected. A part of me wanted to believe him, to give him the benefit of the doubt like I always did, but after everything? How many times had he told me those same empty words?
“Aiden, I was your girlfriend! And you used me as a bet... with him!” I felt the tears forming again, but I blinked them away. I didn’t want him to see me cry. Not anymore. “You made me feel worthless. And now you're saying Clara is part of another deal? What, are you selling your soul to anyone who offers you money now?”
He winced at my harsh words but didn’t deny it. “Jenna, I didn’t want this. I didn’t mean for things to get this bad.”
I shook my head, exhaling sharply. “You did this, Aiden. You gambled everything, and when you lost me, you didn’t even care enough to fight for me.”
His face softened, and he reached out to touch my arm, but I stepped back, avoiding his touch. “It’s not that simple. Felix... he’s dangerous. You don’t understand what’s at stake.”
I laughed bitterly; the sound hollow. “Felix is dangerous? Aiden, the only dangerous thing here is you. You keep making excuses. You used me as collateral in your sick little game. Now, you expect me to believe that you’re the victim in all this?”
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly struggling with what to say. “I can fix this, Jenna. I can get you out of this. I just need time.”
“Time?” I repeated, my voice sharp. “Aiden, I don’t want your time. I don’t want your lies, your games, or your empty promises. You’ve done enough.”
The words seemed to hit him hard, and for a brief moment, I saw the real Aiden—the one I used to care about, the one who would do anything for me. But that Aiden was gone, swallowed up by his greed and addiction.
He didn’t have a response. He just stood there, looking lost, as if he finally realized how much damage he had caused.
I stepped away from him, turning my back. “Don’t come near me again, Aiden. Whatever happens now, it’s on you. I’m done.”
With that, I walked away, not even bothering to look back. It hurt more than I wanted to admit, but I wasn’t going to let Aiden drag me down anymore. Not after everything he had put me through.
As I emerged from the shadows, I saw Felix waiting for me, his eyes scanning the crowd, completely unaware of what had just happened.
I straightened my posture, took a deep breath, and headed back to him. Whatever game Felix was playing, I’d have to figure out how to survive it on my own terms.