Once, my paranoid love

The room was still buzzing with whispers and hushed conversations as the unexpected reunion with Paul sent shockwaves through the party. Anne, Paul’s mother, was equally taken aback by the revelation, her face a mask of disbelief.

“No, it’s not possible. How is that possible when I ordered them to give him the medicine?” Anne muttered, her voice trembling with confusion and shock.

Paul, tears streaming down his face, couldn’t contain his anger and despair any longer. He shouted at me, his voice filled with betrayal and heartache. “How dare you betray me, Elena?” His words echoed through the room, cutting through the awkward silence like a knife.

The sudden outburst drew the attention of the party guests, who had been privy to the emotional confrontation. The whispers grew louder, and judgmental comments began to circulate among them.

“So Mrs. Houston has a lover too,” someone whispered, the words carrying a tone of scandalous gossip.

“Oh, my God!” Another voice chimed in, filled with shock and dismay.

“She appears to be very naive,” someone else remarked, their tone laced with judgment.

“I’m not sure why Mr. Houston married this girl,” another guest added, their words dripping with condescension.

The whispered conversations rippled through the room, creating an atmosphere of tension and intrigue. The party, which had started with such promise and celebration, had taken an unexpected turn, exposing secrets and emotions that no one had anticipated.

As the whispers continued, I felt a mixture of embarrassment, anger, and regret wash over me. My past had come back to haunt me in the most public and humiliating way, and the judgmental gazes of the guests felt like a weight on my shoulders.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Beside me, Derek remained silent, his grip on my hand unwavering.

The room seemed to close in on me as I listened to the whispers and judgments surrounding Paul’s dramatic outburst. I couldn’t help but squeeze my eyes shut, seeking a moment of reprieve from the overwhelming emotions that threatened to engulf me.

Inwardly, I questioned the fairness of it all.

Did I deserve this public spectacle, this sudden intrusion into my past? Why was Paul crying, especially when he had never truly loved me?

He had made it abundantly clear in the past that I was merely an obsession, while Nikita had been his real girlfriend. Why this drama now?

A wry smile tugged at the corners of my lips, a mix of bitterness and resignation. It was clear that Paul had achieved his goal-to tarnish my reputation and label me as a gold digger in the eyes of others. The truth no longer mattered; perception had become reality.

As I contemplated the situation, Anne dashed towards him, calling out his name in a tone filled with concern and urgency. “Paul!”

Paul, still visibly emotional, turned his attention to me. “I told you to come here, Elena,” he remarked, his gaze piercing as it landed on me.

In that moment, I knew that I had a choice to make. I could succumb to the pressure, the drama, and the past that Paul represented, or I could choose to stand by Derek, the man who had offered me love and support.

Taking Derek’s hand in mine, I conveyed my decision through a simple gesture. I wanted to show Paul and everyone else that I had moved on and that Derek was now the one I had chosen to stand beside. But the simple act of holding Derek’s hand seemed to set off a chain reaction.

Paul’s fists clenched in response to my choice, a sign of his frustration and resentment.

“Paul, listen to me, sweetie.” Anne attempted to soothe her distraught son by grasping his hand and speaking softly to him.

But Paul’s gaze remained fixed on me, his eyes filled with a mixture of anguish, anger, and determination. He demanded my attention in a commanding tone, “Elena, let go of his hand.”

My heart pounded in my chest, torn between the man I had once loved and the one I had just married. Derek’s response was immediate, his possessiveness evident as he wrapped his hand around mine, refusing to let go. His declaration rang through the room like a resounding challenge, leaving me breathless and conflicted.

“She is already my wife,” Derek asserted firmly, his voice steady and unyielding. The weight of his words hung heavily in the air, as if sealing our fate in front of an audience that had become an unwitting witness to our personal drama.

The atmosphere in the room grew colder as Paul responded with a mischievous smirk, his eyes locked with Derek’s. “She is entirely mine, Mr.,” he countered, his voice dripping with defiance. “And I have come to take her with me.”

Derek’s smile remained, a calculated response to Paul’s provocation. “I want to see it,” he retorted, his tone laced with a challenge that mirrored Paul’s own.

It was evident that a cold war was brewing between the two men, their egos and emotions clashing in a battle for dominance. In that moment, I felt like a pawn caught between their opposing wills, unable to fully grasp the complexity of the situation.

My heart ached for the choices I had made, for the past that had come back to haunt me, and for the uncertainty that now hung over my newly formed marriage. The love I had once felt for Paul had given way to a sense of responsibility and loyalty to Derek, but the conflicting emotions continued to torment me.

Paul’s chuckle reverberated through the room, casting a shadow of discomfort over the already tense atmosphere. His question pierced the air like a dagger, and I was left grappling with how to respond.

“Elena, did you tell him about our relationship?” Paul inquired, his voice tinged with a mixture of amusement and challenge.

I felt a wave of panic wash over me as I shut my eyes momentarily, searching for the right words to navigate this delicate situation. What was I going to say now? How could I explain the complexities of our past to Derek without revealing too much?

To be continued.