chapter 39: Betrayal

Autumn
If I saw that this day was destiny for me, I would rather choose death. Never have I ever thought Ian would want to leave me. Seeing the divorce papers made me sure that he really wanted to leave me.
I just confessed my love for him and that was how he decided to repay me; by shoving off the divorce papers.
"What's this crap?" I checked the papers. Ian already signed every box where he needed to sign.
"That's divorce papers. The man before you came was my lawyer. So, sign the papers and set me free. As you can see, I have already signed it."
"This is shit, Ian! In a marriage, whenever a problem arises, the couple needs to talk about it and resolve it. No couple just calls the lawyer and orders divorce papers. This is not a damn take out that you can order food whenever you are hungry! This is life. You have a problem, share it with me. Let's solve it properly," I said, already feeling my voice breaking at the end.
"I don't feel anything, Autumn. This is me. You cannot expect me to act sugar-coated with you. Along with time, everything changes," he let out, his cold eyes pierced through mine.
"Before I was kidnapped, everything was going smooth. What went wrong? What changed your mind?" I tried to hold back my tears.
"My feelings for you changed. I thought I could live with you, but after you got kidnapped, I realized that I couldn't. That was the crappy Ian who made a mistake by not thinking of using his brain. I used my heart and shit went wrong. Now, I just want to get rid of you, the annoying you. Just get out of my life, Autumn," he spoke, as each and every word stung my heart badly.
I let out my tears. "Why are you acting like this? Please, tell me the reason. I have known you since childhood. What went wrong? Please, tell me. Don't make impulse decisions."
He clenched his jaw. "I took this decision smartly. I cannot deal with your crap anymore. You are an emotionally broken person. Starting from Montez to Lennox, then nightmares and scars; how can I bear all of that? For God's sake, I am a human who wants to live a simple life. I cannot deal with an emotionally broken and depressed person who lives in the past."
Did he call me emotionally broken?
Anger started to grow within me. I wiped my tears. "Just because you want a divorce, you are humiliating me. Here's the thing. You want a divorce, right?" I took the pen and started signing all the places it needed my signatures.
I could feel his intense gaze over me. After signing the paper, I said, "Done. Take the paper." He was about to take it, but I tore the paper and threw the pieces on his face. "Oops. This paper is a physically broken thing now because I couldn't deal with its crap."
I placed the red velvet cheesecake on his table. "I made it for you. Eat it or decorate your precious brain with it. I won't leave you. Take all the fucking time in the entire world."
"My lawyer will talk to you," Ian breathed out after he heard me carefully.
With a smirk on my face, I said, "Even if you appoint the best lawyer in the world, I will gladly send that person to the graveyard after letting him visit my torture cell." I added before leaving, "Bye-bye! See you again."
As soon as I walked out of the office, I saw Isabel from a distance. She raised her eyebrows. I shook my head which made her roll her eyes.
I got out of the building to see it was raining heavily. Great!
I huffed and started walking in the pouring rain. Crying in the rain was perfect. No one would notice the teardrops.
I started crying again. Ian was right. I was really an emotionally broken person. But he was emotionally challenged!
When I was about to forget my past and move on, he started depicting it. Earlier he wanted me to move on, and now when I was ready, he decided to be alone.
I wish he would tell me the reason. He did everything for a motive. There was definitely a reason for even thinking of divorce. I hate the fact that he always decides to bear the pain. Why couldn't he share it with me?
I wasn't far from the company as I was walking slowly. I looked back at the window of Ian's floor. I found him staring at me. When he saw that I noticed him, he closed the curtains.
"I know you care for me. I know you love me too. As you barely understand emotions, it will take time for you to realize. Or maybe you already realized and that's why you are pushing me away. But still, there's a puzzle missing," I mumbled.
Soon, I reached the restaurant. Mr. Atticus quickly handed me a towel and my car keys. "Wipe your hair and go home now. You will catch a cold, Autumn."
"Mr. Atticus, he... he wanted a divorce. He won't tell me what's wrong. He��"
"Okay, okay. I will hear it later. Head home, Autumn. Now," he said sternly, leaving no space to argue.
I was shivering out of the cold. I got into my car and started driving towards the Emerson Mansion. In the heavy rain, on my way, I saw Brianna with another guy in a caf��.
Curiosity grew in me. Maybe rainwater got into my brain because I was stalking Brianna. I got into the caf�� without her seeing me. I sat behind her.
"What would you like, ma'am?" the waitress asked. I pointed at the hot chocolate on the menu. She smiled and went away.
"What? Lennox died?" I heard Brianna's shocking voice. "How?"
The waitress gave me my drink. I took a sip of my hot chocolate.
"Yes," hearing that familiar male voice I spat out my drink. "That Autumn, my so-called L.L. killed him and Ian chopped his body into pieces. Lennox is no more."
"I will never get Ian," she grunted.
"And I will never be able to rule the Shadow," Dante said with sadness. He and Brianna helped Lennox escape.
I didn't care about Brianna. But my best friend, my left-hand man, Dante Regine betrayed me.
"I thought she would focus on Silver after she got married, so I told her to agree to marry Ian. But she never left the Shadow," he let out. "When I decided to help Lennox, I thought if he killed Autumn, I could rule the gang. Lennox was stupid enough to think that he could take over our gang when I was the second hand in command."
"I thought Lennox would remove the problem called Autumn and I would get Ian. But shit happens in life," Brianna grumbled. "What should we do now?"
He answered, "Well, whatever we always do. Lennox was our only hope and it got ruined. We have to go back to our regular lives. But I heard that Ian wants to be separated from Autumn, which I don't care about. They will merge the gangs and give it a new name. I will always be her servant."
"Well if Ian wants to leave her, that's a piece of good news. I may still have a chance with him."
I paid for my drink. It was my time to go before they could catch me. I had to tell Ian the truth.
"Well, Brianna, you may do whatever you want. Now that Lennox is gone, we don't know each other, okay?" Before their conversation could end, I heard Dante's voice directed towards me, "Autumn?"
Without waiting for a second, I ran towards my car. I didn't have my pocketknife nor my gun. Besides, I could never fight with Dante. He was my best friend after all, even though he betrayed me.
I started driving without having a fixed destination. Instead of thinking calmly, I rapidly dialed Ian and put it on speaker.
"What do you want, Autumn?" I heard his voice dripping with annoyance.
"Ian." I peeked at the rearview. They were following me.
"Autumn, why do you sound like that? Where the fuck are you?"
"Ian, Dante, and Brianna were the ones helping Lennox. I saw Brianna going to the caf�� and I followed her. I heard their conversation. They betrayed us and now, they are following me."
"Do you have any weapons with you? Where are you?" he inquired. The concerned Ian was back.
"Dad took my weapons because he wanted me to relax and live peacefully before our gangs merged. I have nothing and I don't know where the fuck I am going."
"Don't stress out. Just head over to the Beckett mansion. I am on my way and don't you dare cut the call," he breathed out. I hummed in response and I started driving towards the Beckett mansion. "Are they still behind you?"
I glanced at the rearview. Brianna was aiming her gun in my car. "Brianna is trying to shoot me," I mumbled and fastened the speed of the car.
Suddenly, a bullet had hit the backseat glass, shattering it into pieces.
I heard Ian speaking loudly, "Fuck! Are you okay? Dammit, Autumn talk to me!"