|LEONARDO CLEMENTE|
//Beach, Miami
"I don't love her"
He could feel his own words ringing in his ears, his jaw slacked as he waited for her to respond, with baited breath he avoided her eyes, her fingers loosened the hold and he could feel her squirming .
"You d-don't ?" She asked in the lowest whisper, the one he would have failed to hear if not for the close proximity.
"I don't" he admitted, He couldn't push the words away , Not now when he have already muttered. If he had to give an explanation, he might give her but hiding the truth anymore will do more damage, Not that it's not done already. He could feel it .
"It was all a business Merger, We wanted to enter fashion industry and Montiel's were the entrance to it" Did he owe her an explanation ? Then why was he giving her ? His mind rebuked but he shut the voice out. "It was Senór Montiel who suggested to extent the Relationship. Ramona is successful, independent and Beautiful. There wasn't a reason to say no"
Now that he recalls, The time he spent with her seem to flash. "We started dating and I proposed her, She became a routine, we met once every month. It might be the fact we understood each other's work and Busy schedules. But Love ?" He sighed "No I never fell in love with her, or with anyone in that case, Love has always been a nothing to me. It never was a priority"
He stared at the waves, his life playing in front, Did he ever gave a thought to the L-word ? Well he never did. It was never important. His family always topped his list of Priority, followed by Business and then other things tailed behind.
His roots taught him to play every role ideally, Be it best Son to his parents, Best Grandson, caring brother to his Sister, Ever supporting Friend and then The Best Businessman. Keeping the boundaries of his Personal and Professional life intact.
"Why ?" She cleared her throat "Why did she broke up ?"
"Never got an explanation" he shrugged "She called me, she wanted to meet. When I reached she did not have her ring adorned, I pointed out and she announced, she wanted to quit."
"Why do you think she did ?"
Her questioned made his mind run in over drive. Why did she do it ? He was still looking for answers. He courted Ramona because Her father hinted at the proposal. The shoe fitted her perfectly, the ideal wife he wished for. She hardly asked his Attention and he was well off by giving her any, The media appearances they made or the formal dates they had, gave her immense media coverage. Being Leonardo Clemente's fiancée gave her both respect and privilege in the Spanish society. What more she would need ?
Why She would want to throw everything downhill ?
"She had everything. Respect, Title, Glorified Career. I don't know why she did ?"
She snorted "She did not feel loved, It's as simple as that Senór Clemente. You might have laid the world for her but she never felt belongingness, Atleast not from you"
"I..."
"How would she ? Because you Lied. You weaved stories, emotions and God knows what not"
"Aishwarya I.."
"What Aishwarya ?" She questioned "You lied" Aishwarya declared to no one in particular. Her words made him feel unsure and Guilty, a combination of feelings he never experienced before .
"Truth wouldn't have gave results" he countered, he had defend his acts. He may have done things wrong but didn't he deserve an vindication ?
"You don't love her" Her words were more for her "You fooled me, might have fooled her. You lied to me, same as her" Her tone might not be accusing but her words were slithering him, for a reason unknown.
"I.." what was he supposed to tell her ? Were there any specific words one could say in situations like this ?
"I'm a fool, I believed and agreed to your deal." She hissed, intensity of her words baffled him, her blue eyes were stormy, rage pulled inside her orbs. Her face twisted in disgust. It took mere seconds for her to lift herself up from the sand, Not once her eyes looked away from his. He followed her .
Now they stood face to face. "She was right. She said you are not capable of Love. You lied to her, you lied straight to my face How many more lies have you weaved ?" She pushed him away from her, Once her tearing eyes looked dangerous, her cheeks were not tear strained anymore but filled with heat, she won't think twice to unleash on him.
"Aishwarya listen to me..." She scoffed .
"What's left there to listen ? Another lie ?" She spat "I opened my wounds infront of you, I ripped the bandage off just to let you in. But you" she pointed her finger at him "You deserve nothing" She screeched "Nothing at all"
"Oh God" She chuckled mirthlessly, but her eyes filled in angry tears "What a fool I am ?"
"Look" he touched her hand, but she shrugged it away, as if his touch burned her. "Okay, I admit I lied, But not everything is a lie, I do want her back.."
"You just want to satisfy your male Ego" She yelled cutting him off. "You used me, Something I tried protecting myself from, But guess what ? You used me just to settle your male Ego"
"Its not that, I did not..." He raised his voice but Aishwarya pushed him away, creating a huge gap between them.
"I don't need to listen anymore, Hell I can't see your face anymore"
She started walking away, towards the now extinguished Fire, her friends were getting ready to leave. He grabbed her hand, stopping her from walking away.
"Listen to me once" he ordered her but she snorted, trying to yank her hand away from his hold.
"I don't want to" she stated, glaring him .
Taking deep breaths, he tried to cool off. "You don't want to listen, 'kay. I won't say anymore." He pushed his free hand in his pocket.
"Just take this, Your bracelet" He held her bracelet infront of her, showing her and recognition flashed her eyes. "But before it, Promise me we'll talk tomorrow, Say it"
"I won't. I'll never see your face again" she said in menace.
"Then I won't give this back" He announced and held it tightly to him .
"As if it belongs to you" She snatched away from his hold, resulting it to break in two.
She stared agape, He thinned his lips seeing a part still in his hand and other in two .
"Its Broken" She smiled painfully "Like everything else"
He stood there, seeing her figure walking away from him, she faded in the darkness As the clouds enveloped the moon, trapping it's light. Leaving just the tiny sparkling dots.
The amount of light wasn't enough to conjure images but only outlines. He could still feel the touch of Bracelet in his hand.
His eyes kept conjuring the image of her last smile, it pained him, It shouldn't have.
'She didn't matter' his brained screamed. But is it true ?
He wasn't sure.
Nothing of hers should affect him, not like this. He never felt this guilty, He did not regret his actions, Never he did .
Whatever he did, whether planned or unplanned he was confident but today, He regretted it.
He regrets his Lie.
He didn't Love Ramona Montiel, He can never. Only if he admitted this before, he didn't conjure this deal, he wouldn't have hurt her, or broken her trust.
He now understands.
Everything is shattered.

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