When Love is Thrown Away
ས 75%ཇེ
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As the roar of Lennon’s luxury car faded into the distance, I sank to the ground, drained of
energy.
His cold, indifferent eyes flashed in my mind, but I felt nothing, just a hollow numbness.
It was already two a.m., and I was stranded in a suburban villa district.
No taxis in sight, I had no choice but to call Aaron Russell, my fiancé, who was arranged by my parents. To my surprise, he picked up instantly.
I took a deep breath and tried to keep my voice steady.
“Can you come to the eastern suburbs and pick me up? I’ve decided to marry you.”
There was a brief silence on the other end before Aaron’s voice returned, filled with warmth
and excitement.
“Of course. Stay where you are. I’ll come get you right away.”
He insisted I keep the line open, and somehow, that small gesture brought me a flicker of
comfort.
After graduating college, my family wasted no time arranging a marriage for me. Aaron, I was told, was perfect. He had everything: status, looks, and an impressive education.
But back then, my heart was already with Lennon. I had been willing to give up my inheritance to support him in starting a business. I started from the very bottom as a sales rep, working tirelessly alongside him.
Over time, the company grew and flourished.
Lennon became the CEO, but I remained a mere employee.
Seeing this, my parents urged me multiple times to return to the arranged marriage to strengthen our family’s company, but I firmly refused, wanting to stay by Lennon’s side.
But now, his disregard for me and his infatuation with a secretary he barely knew had chilled
me to the bone.
When I learned Aaron was still waiting for me, I began to entertain the thought of leaving. Sitting by the roadside, I glanced down at my incomplete left leg and let out a long sigh.
My phone vibrated. It was a video from Betty.
I opened it. The screen showed Lennon tenderly helping Betty into a bedroom.
He gently laid her down on the bed, dabbing her face with a warm towel. His eyes were filled with affection.
“If you’re feeling sick, just rest. I’ll stay here with you,” he murmured, his long fingers stroking her back. He even hummed a lullaby, patting her soothingly as if she were the most precious thing in the world.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched.
Lennon had once cared for me like this, too. He had stayed up with me through sleepless nights, patiently comforting me until I drifted off.
Three years ago, I’d been in a car accident while on a business trip. The crash left me with no
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choice but to amputate my leg.
The trauma didn’t end there. I developed severe PTSD, and insomnia became my nightly
torment.
Back then, Lennon had stayed by my side, his deep voice humming lullabies to calm me.
He would hold my hand, pressing a tender kiss onto my fingers.
“Audrina, I swear I’ll always be here for you. I’ll only love you.”
The memory of his devotion was like salt in my wounds. It was knowing how nice he used to be that made his betrayal even more excruciating.
I closed the video and wiped away my tears.
A low rumble of an engine grew louder. A sleek black Maybach pulled up, and Aaron stepped
out. His refined presence made him look like a prince.
Carefully, he helped me into the passenger seat. Neither of us spoke for a while.
Eventually, I broke the silence.
“I don’t have any particular requests for the wedding. You can handle it however you like.”
Aaron handed me a handkerchief, his voice gentle.
“There’s no rush, Audrina. We have all the time in the world.”
When we got back to my place, he arranged for a family doctor to tend to my injuries.
Once my face was bandaged, I started packing up my belongings.
Lennon didn’t return until ten the next morning.
Finding me still lounging in bed, he burst into the room, yelling.
“Why didn’t you answer my calls? I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I almost called the
police!”
For years, I had made it a point to respond to Lennon immediately, always afraid of not being
there when he needed me.
Yet whenever I tried to reach him, I had to go through Betty to make an appointment.
I smirked coldly and lazily reached for my phone, charging beside my pillow.
With a casual glance, I saw over fifty missed calls, spanning from eight to ten in the morning
without a break.
I glanced at Lennon and said flatly, “Oh, the phone was on silent.”
Lennon lost his temper instantly.
He stormed toward me, pointing a finger in my face, and roared, “Audrina, what’s your problem this time? Losing a leg doesn’t mean you can’t take care of yourself! Betty drank that much for the sake of the company. Of course, I had to take care of her first. Honestly, it seems losing your leg also made you lose your mind!”
I lifted my head and met Lennon’s furious gaze calmly, without any reaction.
Perhaps it was the indifference in my eyes that unsettled him. He hesitated for a moment, then quickly pulled a gift box from his jacket.
With a sigh, he softened his tone, though his words remained awkward. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. I misspoke earlier. Our wedding is only a month away. Stop acting irrationally and jealous.
This is a gift I specially picked for you. See if you like it.”
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I glanced at the box. Inside was a bottle of fig–scented perfume, the fragrance Betty Wore
most often.
Instead of reaching for it, as I usually would, I pulled the blanket over my head.
“I don’t like it. Are you done? I need to rest.”
With that, I turned away from him, cutting off the conversation.
Lennon’s face darkened. He grabbed his coat and slammed the door on his way out.
I lay there, and the tears I’d been holding back poured out.
Ever since Lennon met Betty, he hadn’t stopped mocking me for losing my leg, calling me Nrrational, and accusing me of being jealous.
He attributed everything to my disability, claiming it made me envy Betty.
He said I envied her youth, beauty, and flawless figure. She always flaunted her curves in tight skirts that showcased her long, pale legs.
Meanwhile, I kept myself wrapped in layers. I only wore skirts that fell all the way to my ankles, devoid of any appeal. He said I was utterly lacking in aesthetics.
But if it hadn’t been for the mess Lennon caused back then, I wouldn’t have been driving late at night to meet a client, and I wouldn’t have been hit by a fatigued driver.
That accident left a scar on my heart, but I never blamed anyone.
I bore the phantom pain in silence, endured the grueling rehabilitation, and picked myself up
after countless falls.
I still remembered Lennon’s tearful promise during those dark days.
“Audrina, you’re my everything. I’ll never give up on you.”
He even swore to be by my side for life.
But once Betty appeared, Lennon’s heart changed completely. He began using my disability as a weapon to wound me again and again.
Outside, I heard him on the phone. His tone was entirely different now. He was soft, even
tender when he was talking on his phone.
He must have put the call on speaker because Betty’s coquettish voice drifted in clearly.
“Mr. Harrison, you’ve been with me all night. Go get some rest, or I’ll feel so bad for you.”
Her words were dripping with flirtation, deliberately loud enough for me to hear.
I covered my ears, shutting out the noise.
I didn’t know what else they said. After washing up, Lennon hurried out again, as he often did
since Betty became the CEO’s secretary.
He was rarely home these days, and whenever I asked, his responses were either dismissive
or disdainful.
“Do you really have nothing better to do? I don’t need to report my whereabouts to you.”
Looking at our chat history, a sea of unanswered green bubbles, the love I had nurtured for
years faded to nothing.
After sleeping off my exhaustion, I drafted a resignation letter.
Then, I called my private doctor to deliver a new prosthetic leg.
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Once everything was in order, I returned to the office to handle my departure,
But just as I arrived at the entrance, I ran into Lennon and Betty, walking arm in arm. Betty leaned close to his ear and whispered something that made him laugh, his face lighting up with delight.
In the past, I might have rushed over to tear them apart. But now, I felt nothing.
When Betty noticed me, she stepped forward with a fake smile,
“Hey, Audrina! Isn’t it past check–in time? Doesn’t this count as being late?”
Her smug expression flickered as if seeking Lennon’s approval,
“Rules are rules,” Lennon said, crossing his arms and glaring at me like I was a delinquent. “If ou’re late, go to HR and accept the penalty, Deductions will be made accordingly. Don’t expect special treatment.”
I met their stares with calm indifference. “Understood, Mr. Harrison. I’ll head there right away,”
