Theora found herself somehow in the basement parking lot of the hotel. She had been mindlessly walking around after she saw Nicholas with his secretary. She was aware of her surroundings, she could hear the thunder and feel the strong winds but ignored all of it facing the storm then went on inside of her. The tears were still flowing but she didn't have it in her to wipe them away.

"Do you wish to go somewhere miss?" Theora hadn't realised someone had walked up to her. Startled at first, she saw it was a company chauffeur.

"Take me home please" she muttered

"Are you alright Miss?" The chauffeur asked as he opened the door for her.

Theora didn't answer him just silently sat in the car. The chauffeur didn't try to talk to her again and drove her home.

Once home, Theora closed the front door and leaned against it. This was her home, her sanctuary, the place where she fell in love now it just seemed like a nest of lies. All his words flooded back to her the times he said 'I love you' or called her his world all of it was an act. Theora collapsed in the middle of the hallway. The house never felt this empty before not even when she first got married and Nichola ignored her did she fell this alone.

A knock on the front door brought Theora out of her thoughts. It was a little past ten and everyone was still probably at the party plus Nicholas had a key so he wouldn't knock. Theora wiped her tears and got up to open the door. An unknown woman stood outside, she seemed a little older than Theora and had bright platinum hair and blue eyes.

"Who.." Theora was about ask before the woman spoke up

"Who am I? We've never met but I have been here before. My name is Rachel"

Theora recognised the name immediately she was the girl Nicholas had brought home months ago.

"I was the one who called you earlier. I see you've seen the true face of your husband" Rachel said letting herself in "nothing new for Nicholas Markopolous. He changes women like people change clothes. Might add he is smart at the game be a playboy in the outside world and a dutiful husband at home"

"Why are you telling me all this?" Theora asked still rooted by the door.

"Because I felt it was my duty as a woman to tell you. After Nicholas played with my heart I knew I couldn't let him use and discard another woman like he did with me." Rachel placed a firm hand on Theora's shoulders "I'm sorry if it seems like I'm ruining your home but I felt it would be best if you knew the truth." Rachel began walking back towards the door. "I'll be going now wish you the best in life" and with that she left. Theora closed the door feeling like the whole world had collapsed around her.

Nicholas was still busy attending the guests at the party. He look around trying to find Theora but couldn't seem to see her anywhere he tried calling her but it went to voicemail each time.

"Nicholas may I have a word?" Leon came up to Nicholas while he was calling Theora. Hanging up he turned to give his father his full attention.

"I've heard you've found the person who was leaking all over confidential information to our rivals" Leon said

"Yes father" Nicholas admitted "it was Claire my secretary. I suspected it was her so I planted a few false files to check. Sure enough I got a message just as I arrived here that she had taken the bait"

"Deal with her after the party I don't want any ruckus in front of the press"

"Ive already taken care of her. She found out she had been caught red handed and tried to ask for my forgiveness in the hallway but I took her to the side and told her that not only is she fired but I'm going to have an investigation against her. I warned her if she wants to escape jail time she leave the party quietly which she did immediately" Nicholas explained

"Good. I'm proud of you Nicholas this is exactly what I expect from my new CEO" Leon patted his son's shoulder

"Thank you father"

"Where is Theora? Haven't seen her around in a while"

"She's around here somewhere" Just then Nicholas' phone began to ring "Excuse me"

Nicholas saw that it was Roberto after he was out of earshot he picked it up.

"Hello Nicholas Sir" Roberto said

"Yes it's me Roberto. What is it?"

"Umm.. sir. A fellow driver named Jerry he says he took Mrs. Markopolous home an hour ago and she seem distressed"

"Theora?"

"Yes I just felt it was my duty to inform you"

"Thank you Roberto for telling me"

Nicholas didn't waste a second and left the party to go after Theora. A company car was already waiting outside telling the driver to take him home immediately, Nicholas sat in the back frantically trying to get a hold of Theora over the phone.

The storm was raging violently when Nicholas reached home. Dismissing the driver, Nicholas got drenched in the short distance from his driveway to his front door. Opening the door he saw all the lights were off, he turned them on and saw no one was downstairs.

"Theora!" He called out but got no answer running upstairs. He saw the faint light emanating from their slightly ajar bedroom door. Opening the door slowly he first saw Theora's dress and shoes scattered across the floor which was strange because Theora never discarded her things in such a messy way.

"Theora" he said moving closer to the small lump on the bed covered under a blanket.

"I'm here" Theora said her voice sounding weak. She seemed to have already changed into her pj's.

"Are you sick? Do you want to go to the doctor?" Nicholas put the back of his hand against her forehead but she didn't seem to have a fever.

"I just had a headache. I'll be fine" Theora replied. Nicholas took a sigh of relief removing his jacket throwing it on the floor he wrapped an arm around her waist and resting his head on her shoulder.

"You almost gave me a heart attack"

"I'm sorry did you leave the party early because of me" Theora said to which Nicholas shrugged.

"It was just the after party it's not a big deal"

"Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

"Not really just a few people congratulating me and talked with some business associates nothing out of the ordinary" Nicholas felt she had a headache and didn't want to bother her with his problems.

"I met someone interesting" Theora said getting up resting her head on the headboard.

"Really who is he? Did he try to make a move on you?" Nicholas asked feigning jealously to humour her. He trusted Theora and knew she would immediately turn any man down.

"I met a she" Theora clarified. There was no humour in her voice which Nicholas just thought was because of her headache.

"Oh! Well then I had been worrying for no reason. What's her name?" Nicholas leaned on his arm next to her.

"Rachel" Theora saw the glint of recognition in Nicholas' eyes as soon as she said the name "actually she had called me before the event informing me that not only has my husband cheated on me with one but numerous woman"

"What!" Nicholas sat up in disbelief.

"I didn't believe her at first, I even tried to tell you about it in your office before your parents came in" Theora said tears welling up in her ears but this time of anger and not sadness.

"What do you mean by at first?" Nicholas asked. Did she actually think he had cheated on her? He thought

"Then when I was leaving the ladies room. There you were in a secluded corner of the hotel with your secretary before you took her with you into a room"

"Oh god! Theora you have everything wrong"

"It's not like what I saw is that what you want to say" there was so much venom in Theora's voice Nicholas was taken aback by it for a second.

"That's a classic next thing you'll be saying it wasn't you but I had mistaken you for someone else" Theora laughed humourlessly "I loved you with all my heart. I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING!" Theora screamed the anger boiling over.

"Theora please listen to me!" Nicholas begged but it was too late Theora got up backing away from him looking at him with hate filled eyes.

"What are you going tell me? That you love me again that this is all a mistake and a misunderstanding. The only thing I misunderstood was your love. Everything. Was. A. Lie!!!!" Theora said through gritted teeth every word hitting Nicholas like a dagger to his heart.

"Being nice, pretending to care about me, winning me over and then making me fall in love with you was all an act so you could entertain yourself with me like you do all those other women" Theora spat throwing the vase off the dresser angrily shattering it to pieces all over the ground.

"Theora you'll hurt yourself!" Nicholas yelled

"STOP IT! STOP WITH THE FAKE ACT!" Theora screamed covering her ears "I'm fed up with all your lies"

"Theora just let me explain!"

"Explain what! How you couldn't get rid of me so you decided that you'll could just keep me around . Have a nice dutiful wife at home and have whoever you wish outside is that what you thought!" Theora accused "I've had enough. This is over!"

"Theora. No!"

"I'm leaving Nicholas" Theora said "I can't live in this house with you anymore"

"So that's it your going to leave without even giving me a chance to explain or prove myself"

"I gave you a chance once before and look where it got me"

"24 hours" Nicholas muttered he was hurt but he was also desperate not to see her go. "Is all I ask. If I can't prove to you this Rachel is lying to you then I won't stop you"

"Leave" Theora told him after a moment of a silence. Nicholas walked passed her and opened the door.

"Happy eight month anniversary" Nicholas said as a stray tear fell down his cheeks before slamming the door shut. Theora crouched down and started to sob uncontrollably.

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Author's note:

Ouch! Sorry guys things have kind of taken a turn for the worse haven't they. It's heart breaking to see them like this I know.

But atleast things are looking up in real life! The story has gained over 3k in just two days. Where the hell did y'all come from??? 😂 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you to infinity for reading my story your votes and comments literally make my day. Please continue the love in sharing the story, placing your comments and voting. You all are literally the best.

Love Amal.