Freda's POV
The air felt heavy as I stepped into Willard’s office, my heart pounding with excitement and nerves. I clutched the small velvet box in my hand, the symbol of the life we were about to create together. My pulse quickened as I imagined his reaction to the news that I was carrying his child—our child. Everything I had ever wanted seemed within reach.
But as I opened the door, the world I thought I knew shattered into a thousand jagged pieces. Willard wasn’t alone. Sybil Carter, the perfect picture of elegance and allure, was in his arms. Her laughter, rich and familiar, filled the room, and I froze, unable to process what I was seeing. His hands gripped her waist as he tilted his head down to kiss her, his words murmured softly into her ear. Words I had thought were meant only for me.
It wasn’t just the intimacy of their embrace that broke me; it was the familiarity. The way his hands moved as if they knew every inch of her. The way she tilted her head back, her lips parted in a smile I had never seen her wear before. It was like watching someone else live my dream, a cruel and twisted mirror reflecting everything I thought we were.
“Willard?” My voice cracked, barely a whisper. But it was enough.
He turned, his expression morphing from shock to guilt. Sybil stepped back, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she straightened her blouse. “Freda,” he started, his tone uneven, “I can explain.”
“Explain?” My voice rose, trembling with the betrayal coursing through me. “You lied to me! You promised it was over with her. You swore I was the only one!”
Sybil’s eyes darted between us, her face a mixture of pity and triumph. She hesitated for only a moment before slipping out the door, leaving me alone with Willard and the wreckage of our love.
“It’s not what you think,” he insisted, stepping toward me, but I backed away.
“Not what I think? I saw you with her, Willard! How long has this been going on? Since she came back?” My voice broke, tears spilling down my cheeks. “I trusted you. I gave you everything.”
“It’s complicated,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “Sybil and I…we have history.”
History. The word twisted in my chest like a knife. I had always known about her, the infamous first love who had left for a foreign pack, the one Willard swore he’d moved on from. I had believed him when he said I was his future. But now, it was clear that I had been nothing more than a placeholder for his past.
“You’ve been lying to me this whole time,” I said, my voice trembling with a mix of anger and heartbreak. “Do you even love me? Or was I just convenient because she wasn’t around?”
Willard’s face contorted with frustration. “Freda, it’s not like that. You know I care about you.”
“Care about me?” I shot back, my voice rising. “You promised me a future. You promised me a family. And all this time, you’ve been sneaking around with her?”
“I never wanted to hurt you,” he said, his tone sharp. “But Sybil and I…we have a bond. It’s not something I can just ignore.”
“A bond?” I laughed bitterly, my hands clenching into fists. “What about our bond, Willard? What about the promises you made to me? Or do they mean nothing because she’s back in the picture?”
“You don’t understand,” he snapped, his voice finally breaking. “I’ve known Sybil my entire life. She was my first love. Things were complicated when she left, and now that she’s back…”
“And now that she’s back, I’m disposable?” I interrupted, my chest heaving with the weight of my emotions. “Is that what you’re telling me?”
Willard’s silence was all the answer I needed. The pain in my chest was almost unbearable, a crushing weight that left me struggling to breathe.
“I gave you everything,” I said, my voice breaking. “I stood by you when no one else did. I believed in you when no one else would. And this is how you repay me?”
“Freda, please,” he said, reaching for me, but I stepped back, shaking my head.
“Don’t,” I whispered. “Don’t touch me. Don’t say another word. You’ve said enough.”
Before I could say more, the door swung open, and Sybil’s scent lingered in the air. Willard didn’t even hesitate; he pushed past me to follow her.
“Where are you going?” I demanded, my voice cracking with desperation.
“She’s upset,” he said over his shoulder, not stopping. “I need to make sure she’s okay. I’m sorry.”
Something inside me broke. Rage and heartbreak consumed me as I followed him, determined not to let him walk away without facing the consequences. He stormed out to his car, and I threw myself into the passenger seat before he could protest.
“I’m not letting you run from this,” I said through gritted teeth.
Willard slammed the door shut and started the engine, his knuckles white as he gripped the wheel. “This isn’t the time, Freda.”
“You don’t get to decide that,” I shot back. “I deserve answers, Willard. Why? Was everything you said to me a lie? Was I just…convenient?”
“You weren’t just convenient,” he snapped, his voice rising. “I do love you, Freda, but things with Sybil…it’s complicated. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Then make me understand!” I shouted, tears streaming down my face. “Make me understand how you could stand there and promise me the world while sneaking around with her!”
“It’s not that simple!” he yelled back, slamming his hand against the steering wheel. “Sybil and I…there’s history there. Things I can’t just erase.”
“And what about our history?” I countered. “Does that mean nothing to you?”
The argument escalated, my voice rising with every accusation, every word a raw wound. Willard snapped back, his own guilt and frustration fueling the fire. Neither of us noticed the curve in the road until it was too late.
The tires screeched, and the car skidded out of control. Time slowed as we careened toward the edge of the cliff. Willard fought to regain control, but the momentum was unstoppable.
“Hold on!” he yelled, but the words barely registered as the car broke through the barrier and plunged into the abyss.
The last thing I remembered was the deafening crash and the sensation of falling, my world dissolving into darkness.
