Agustin's POV.....

My Secretary walked in with my cup of coffee and some files in her hand.

After she put them on my table I told her to go back to work, I will call her if I need anything.

Instead, she just stood there clutching the hem of her cloth nervously.

"What is it? I told you to leave." I ward her off and focused back to my work, lifting up the cup of coffee absently.

"S-Si-Sir". She stuttered.

She still here?

"What is it, just spit it out" I snapped, annoyed.

"Umm--Si--Sir" she stuttered again.

"For God's sake, what's the matter, are you not feeling well? Do you need a day off." I asked, taking a guess.

"No Sir, Umm-- actually I just wanted to say, Ha-Happy Birthday." She mumbled nervously.

The effect was instant, as if I have I been burned. My yes snapped to hers. A deadly glint in it. The one I know scares the living day out of people.

"GET. OUT" I seethed through gritted teeth. She immediately ran out of my office with moisture in her eyes.

Happy Birthday?! Fucking. Happy. Birthday.

I am not sitting here to fucking celebrate my stupid Birthday. At least not until Onika is by my side again.

The disturbing memory of my last Birthday with Onika came crushing down to me, cutting me deep. Making me drown in shame. Unadulterated shame.

Even though her bank account was attached to mine and I gave her several of credit cards but she still always used to gift me from her own money, which she would save for months. Just so that she could do something special for me, which would match my level. If only she knew even a kiss from her meant the world to me. She simply didn't need to do anything. But she did anyway.

Even though I would pretend that I didn't like that she would never use my money unless I absolutely have to force her. Lord, was I proud of her. She had this great sense of independency.

And I fucking loved that in my woman. She was perfect. Every thing about her drew me to her. Her fierceness. Her kindness. Her innocence. Her capability to always stand up for herself.

I remember that night very well, it was few days after the misunderstanding. When she still had faith in us. When she thought everything will fall back in place with time. Beacuse I surely can't be upset with her for long, right? She was my Onika after all. I had to see her innocence written in her eyes sooner or later, right? Such was her faith in me. In us. And I fucking failed her yet again. Proved her wrong, why? Because no one make a fool out of Agustin DeLuca and act like nothing happened. If anything it ignited my anger even more.

And when she tried to overlook my rude behaviour and cheer me up, so that my birthday is not spend in hating each other, In such bitterness. I woke up to see a Chocolate Cake and a gift sitting at my bed side table.

I looked at the Cake closely, 'Happy Birthday, Love', was engraved in it.

I saw red. The words were taunting at my face. Mocking me. I was red with anger.

I called her and did something I will regret till the end of my life. I called her, and..

I closed my eyes and that day automatically rewinded in my head.

I threw the gift on the floor and it shattered into pieces " you think these cheap tactics of yours can win me back, your filthy little gifts mean nothing to me. And this cake" I called for one of the servant and ordered him

"Give this to the dogs but I don't think that even they will be interested in eating this crap" I threw it on the nearby wall.

I looked up at her. I expected there will be tears in her eyes but I was so wrong, I saw nothing there. It was void of all emotions but the intensity of it made every hair on my body stand up in fear. I felt fear for the first time in my life. Without her saying anything she made me feel it. I was feeling goosebumps every were.

I knew if I proceed any further from here there will be no going back. I knew it was hurting her very bad but I remembered what she did to me and hardened my heart and there was no going back now after all she deserves it, was what I thought.

"Tell me from where have you taken classes on how to trap billionaires because, I must say you are good at it. You can even start your own classes and name it 'how to be a gold digger 101' and I assure you, you will be even richer than me in a short span." I said in a mocking tone.

I was trying my best to provoke her but she didn't utter a word. It was so unlike her she always tried to defend herself but now when I was pushing her to her limits she was just standing there like a statue, lips sealed.

"What happened don't you have to say anything, cat got your tongue or what?"

She did the most unexpected thing. . .She smiled at me, smile that was enough to be bring me to my knees. A broken smile. A painful one. A smile full of grief and agony.

"There is nothing left to say anymore, is there? I thought that you actually liked those gifts. Was anything between us ever real Agustin?" She asked in a small voice, that was laden with miseries. With hopelessness.

I don't know why but I was feeling a burning sensation in the area were my heart was supposed to be. I was not sure if I have one anymore.

I was feeling a sudden urge to comfort her to tell her how much it meant to me. That I was just lying to hurt her. Before her I never used to even like my birthday but since she had been in my life I actually started looking forward to it.

I remember how she was always excited and how she used to hide what she was doing from me, to surprise me. How she used to stay up late at night and sneak out of our room thinking I was asleep and use to make plans for my Birthday.

I almost felt bad about what I said. But then it was all an act. She is nothing but a fraud. She pulled me out of my thought as she started speaking again.

"How silly of me to think that, of course you hate it. Whatever I do it would never be enough for the great Agustin Deluca. I could never match your standards, I am sorry. I should have known you better than that."

With that she turned away taking slow, shaky steps out of the room. Looking completely shattered. With so much of pain in her eyes, where an inextinguishable light used to reside once.

Had I been the old Agustin it would have knocked me straight to my knees, if there was one thing that I couldn't bear, it was seeing Onika in pain. But I am not, neither me nor her, none of us are same anymore.

I saw her staggering, retreating back. Something wasn't feeling right. It felt like she took a part of me with her, leaving me empty. Hollow.

But I didn't stop her. My feet were plastered to the floor, tongue tied.

Things have changed, so have I. She had done this to me. To our relationship, for what? For some casual fucking around, with my. . . I clenched my fist as anger started burning my whole being even at the thought of it.

And I knew it's just the start. I am going to make her life a living hell. She would regret being born, I vowed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just to clarify I would like to mention here that this incidence has occured before that of Chapter 3 and 4 (the nightmare). The Chapters of the book are not in the order in which it took place but rather as the characters of the story are remembering it.

Though I am going to cut short the part of their past for now, much of it will be revealed in the latter half of the story.

Lots of love,❤❤
Ricky.