Unraveled at 'I Do'

The proposal Aurora had dreamed of? A total sham. Just a stunt by her boyfriend, Marco, to make his first love, Sofia, jealous. The second she said, "I do," Sofia stormed in, tears and all, wailing that she'd changed her mind—that she couldn't let him marry someone else. And just like that, they were in each other's arms, celebrating their grand reunion. Meanwhile, Aurora stood there, the punchline to a cruel joke. Chapter 1 "I do!" Aurora Diaz beamed, holding out her hand, waiting for Marco Ramírez to slide the ring onto her finger. Their friends cheered. Marco knelt, reaching for her— Then a tearful voice shattered the moment. "Enough! I give up! Marco, I won't let you marry someone else!" Aurora's stomach dropped. Before she could move, Marco shot to his feet, leaving her behind like she was nothing, and pulled Sofia Blanco into his arms. Tears streaked Sofia's face. "I admit it—I can't just stand by and watch you propose. I can't!" "Don't worry, I was only putting on an act with her. I knew you couldn't handle it. But now that you've finally admitted your feelings... will you stop running from me?" His voice was warm, devoted—like he hadn't just been promising forever to someone else. Aurora stood there, numb, as Sofia nodded. As Marco lifted her, spinning her in pure joy. As the crowd cheered for them, like this was how it was always supposed to be. No one noticed her. Even when she got shoved aside, nearly falling, no one cared. It wasn't until the cheers died down that Marco finally turned her way—still holding Sofia's hand. "Sorry, Aurora. Sofia and I made a bet. I wanted her to stop running from me, so I pretended to date you. You didn't take it seriously, right?" He was talking to her, but his eyes never left Sofia. Unbelievable. The hugs, the kisses, even moving in together—it was all fake. A stupid game to get another woman to confess. She'd never been anything more than a joke. "Come on, like Marco would ever marry a common girl like her." "They've known each other forever. There was never room for anyone else." "She was probably after his money... But hey, you gotta admit, Aurora's got the looks. Bet she was fun while it lasted." Aurora clenched her fists behind her back, nails digging so deep they broke skin. The sharp sting snapped her back to reality. She forced out a calm, even tone. "Oh, same. I was just playing along. Honestly, I was trying to figure out how to break up without bruising Marco's ego, so this worked out perfectly. Congrats." A flawless smile. No cracks. But Marco just stared, like he couldn't believe how easily she let go. She didn't give him—or Sofia—another glance. She turned and walked away. "Prof. Serrano, about the Fremoran dance troupe's invitation... I've decided to accept." She strolled through the snow-dusted streets, phone pressed to her ear. "Good! You kept saying you needed time to think—I was worried you'd let a little romance hold you back from such a great opportunity," Professor Serrano's voice bubbled with relief. A flicker of self-mockery crossed Aurora's face. "I wasn't thinking clearly before. Sorry for making you worry. You helped open this door for me—I won't waste it. I'll be on the plane in a week." Hanging up, she let out a bitter smile. How stupid she'd been—almost throwing away a once-in-a-lifetime chance for something as worthless as love. Chapter 2 By the time Aurora got home, it was late. She unlocked her phone—only to be met with a fresh post from Marco. A photo of his and Sofia's hands, fingers intertwined. On Sofia's delicate ring finger, the engagement ring gleamed under the light, its diamond obnoxiously massive. [An unforgettable day—I've found the love of my life.] Aurora let out a quiet laugh. Marco had never once acknowledged their relationship publicly. She'd brushed it off, thinking it was just how he was. But now, it was obvious—he never saw her as someone worth claiming. No hesitation. She blocked him. They'd met on a rainy night. She'd been tutoring when the student's father got too close, hands where they didn't belong. She barely escaped, running blindly through the downpour—until Marco found her. And she'd fallen. She, who had never cared for anyone before, had taught herself how to love. She learned how to make him happy, how to be the perfect girlfriend—nursing him when he was sick, soothing him when he was down, doing everything right. And for what? She really thought she'd earned a place by his side. Like an idiot, she believed giving it her all would actually matter. But in the end, it was nothing. *** The next day, Aurora made sure her makeup was flawless—no trace of last night's mess. She had plans to finalize with Professor Serrano, and everything was set. But as she was leaving, she ran into Sofia on the staircase, clutching some ridiculously expensive gift, clearly on her way up. Something twisted in Aurora's chest, but she kept her mouth shut. Not worth it. Sofia, though, visibly tensed. She'd been gunning for Professor Serrano's only grad student spot, but seeing Aurora walk out of Professor Serrano's place? That wiped the smug look right off her face. Then she spotted Marco approaching. In a snap, she latched onto Aurora's arm, her grip iron-tight. Aurora flinched, shaking her off— Sofia yanked her down with her. Aurora fell. Marco rushed forward— Straight to Sofia. Aurora slammed onto the ground, her head cracking against the last step. Blood seeped into her hair. "Sofia, are you okay?" Marco didn't even look at Aurora. He cradled Sofia like she was made of glass, scanning her for injuries, like she was the only one who mattered. Sofia, perfectly fine in his arms, still played the fragile act. "I think... I upset Ms. Diaz. I didn't mean to." Only then did Marco glance at Aurora, sprawled at the bottom of the stairs. His gaze barely lingered before shifting away. "You swore you didn't care, but now you're hurting innocent people? You're only making me hate you more." Chapter 3 Aurora's head was still spinning, but Marco's words hit like a bucket of ice water. So this was how it was. Even if she was lying here, bleeding, she was still the villain. She ignored him and turned to Sofia instead. "Then let's call the cops. Let's see who's actually to blame." Marco had never heard Aurora sound so indifferent before. It twisted something in his chest. "Fine, call them. You think I—" Sofia paled and yanked his sleeve before he could finish. There were no security cameras, but if the cops started checking for fingerprints or evidence, things could go south fast. "Forget it," she murmured. "I'm not hurt. No need to make a scene in front of Prof. Serrano's house. Let's just drop it. I'm sure Ms. Diaz didn't mean to." Marco frowned, holding Aurora's gaze just long enough to make it a warning before finally backing off. Aurora looked away, forcing down the dizziness as she turned and walked down the stairs. *** Outside, Aurora pressed a tissue to her bleeding wound, waiting for a cab. It wasn't long before Marco and Sofia came down, both looking pissed. Even better? They still had all the expensive gifts they'd brought—completely untouched. Guess Professor Serrano hadn't even bothered humoring them. Aurora watched, barely hiding her amusement. Seeing them this frustrated? Totally worth it. Even the pain from her injury felt a little less sharp. Sofia glanced up, caught Aurora watching, and flushed in humiliation. She ducked her head, tugging at Marco's sleeve. "Do you think Ms. Diaz said something to Prof. Serrano? "Otherwise, I don't get it. Why wouldn't she even let me present my work before shutting me out?" Marco's expression darkened. Aurora had to be behind this. Still bitter about what happened and trying to sabotage Sofia just to prove something—and maybe get his attention. Too bad it wasn't gonna work. Pulling Sofia into his arms, Marco stepped up to Aurora. "I don't know what you told Prof. Serrano, but if I find out you're playing dirty, you'll regret it." Aurora met his glare without flinching. "Maybe your girlfriend should try being competent for once instead of blaming me for her failures." Marco's expression darkened further. He was about to snap back when his gaze caught on the blood streaked across her face. He hesitated. She really had hit the stairs hard. Was she seriously hurt? Sofia noticed his shift in focus. Her eyes flickered before she tightened her grip on his arm. "Marco, I feel a little dizzy... I think my blood sugar's low." Instantly, his attention snapped back to her. "You're dizzy? I'll take you to the hospital." Without another word, he scooped her up and walked off, not sparing Aurora another glance. Aurora watched him disappear, then let out a quiet, self-mocking laugh. She got into her cab and left without looking back. Chapter 4 The next day, an unknown number popped up on Aurora's phone. Lately, she'd been dealing with delivery services and moving companies, so she answered—only to hear Marco's voice. "Come get your stuff from my place. If you don't, I'll toss it. And..." He hesitated, tempted to ask why she'd blocked him. But no—she was just playing hard to get. If he pushed, she might think she still had a chance and start clinging again. What he didn't expect? Aurora's completely indifferent response. "Got it." Then she hung up. Just like that. Like he was nothing. Marco stared at his phone, unreadable. Sofia, noticing, leaned in. "Marco, the interview's tomorrow. I'm so nervous. What if Ms. Diaz holds a grudge and tries to ruin my chance?" Marco snapped back. "No one's messing with the interview. Just focus on proving yourself." Sofia nodded, resting against his chest, but her eyes? Ice cold. *** Aurora reached Marco's apartment building and stepped into the elevator, glancing at the time. She mentally ticked off what she needed to grab. Then the lights flickered. The smooth ascent jolted. The car shuddered. Her body went rigid. Maybe it was nothing— But fate had other plans. Another flicker. Then a sharp pop. Total darkness. Aurora's breath hitched. A cold tremor ran through her. Locked in a kindergarten classroom as a kid, she'd been claustrophobic ever since. Tight spaces with no way out? Her chest would tighten, her pulse would skyrocket, and if she was stuck too long—pure, suffocating panic. But even with terror clawing at her throat, she forced herself to act. She slammed the emergency button. "Hello? The elevator's broken! Someone needs to send maintenance—" The response wasn't a technician. It was Marco. Cold. Unyielding. "You're staying put until Sofia's interview is over. Don't bother struggling. I'll let you out when it's done." Aurora's blood ran cold. Even an idiot could see what was happening. Marco had locked her in. He thought she'd try to compete with Sofia for the spot with Professor Serrano—so he took the easiest way out. But he knew. He knew what this would do to her. "I'm not even in the selection! Let me out!" Aurora pounded on the doors, forcing down the panic clawing at her throat. "Nice try. You've been making too many moves lately. Time you learned a lesson." He didn't believe her. And then—he cut the line and walked away. Chapter 5 Aurora pounded on the doors, fists aching, but the only response was Marco's footsteps fading into the distance. Then—silence. Total, suffocating darkness. She hugged herself, but it did nothing to stop the trembling. Cold seeped into her skin, slow and merciless, like sinking underwater—dragging her down, crushing her beneath the weight of fear. *** Marco made sure no one would fix the elevator anytime soon, then headed off to wait for Sofia's interview results. But as he sat there, Aurora's voice echoed in his mind—desperate, raw. He'd never seen her like that before. It unsettled him. Finally, Sofia walked out, pale as a ghost. "Marco... I didn't get selected. I failed. What do I do? Am I useless? Am I worthless?" Tears streamed down her face, her whole body shaking. Seeing her so fragile, Marco felt his chest tighten. In that moment, Aurora vanished from his thoughts. He pulled Sofia into his arms, murmuring reassurances. Wanting to lift her spirits, he took her home, bought all her favorite foods, and stayed by her side until she finally calmed down and fell asleep. By then, it was late. Only then did it hit him—Aurora was still in that elevator. His stomach lurched. He moved to leave, but Sofia, half-asleep, clutched his shirt. "Marco... where are you going? Are you leaving me? Don't go... I'm scared..." He hesitated. Aurora's situation flickered in his mind—just for a second. Then he pushed it aside. Sofia needed him. So he stayed. *** Aurora had no idea how long she'd been trapped. By the time someone finally noticed the malfunction and pried the doors open, she was barely conscious from lack of air. They rushed her to the hospital. The doctors said she was stable, but she'd need to stay under observation. Yet even as they reassured her, the sound of her own pounding heartbeat roared in her ears, drowning out everything else. Then—her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number. A video. Marco, holding Sofia, soothing her to sleep. The scene was peaceful. Sweet, even. Aurora's breath hitched. Because while they were wrapped in quiet comfort, she had been caged like an animal, left to suffocate. A fresh wave of rage surged through her already hazy mind. Fingers shaking, she typed. [So, you locked me up and still didn't get picked? Useless.] She didn't wait for a reply. Blocked. Immediately. But even after that, her pulse stayed erratic, her breathing uneven. No matter how hard she tried, the panic wouldn't fade. A nurse eventually noticed and gave her a sedative, forcing her into sleep. But even unconscious, the suffocation only got worse. In her dream, she was drowning. Struggling. Gasping for air— Aurora's eyes snapped open. And in the darkness, a pair of cold, ruthless eyes stared back at her. Chapter 6 Marco's jaw was rough with stubble, his bloodshot eyes locked on her. His grip tightened. Aurora's heart nearly stopped. For a second, she thought he might actually choke her out. She fought with everything she had. The struggle wasn't subtle. In the end, he let go, but the pure hatred in his eyes stayed. Gasping, she clutched her aching neck, hands shaking. "Still playing the victim?" His voice was cold, raw with something deeper. "What did you say to Sofia? She was so distraught she slit her wrist. She's in the hospital, fighting for her life!" Aurora almost laughed. "What did I say? The truth. She wanted you to lock me up like that would fix everything, but it was all for nothing. Tell me I'm wrong." Brutal. Marco's face flickered between red and pale. He remembered exactly what he'd done. But then he pictured Sofia in that hospital bed, wrist slit, and his gaze went ice-cold. "If you hadn't trashed Sofia to Prof. Serrano and ruined her shot at the competition, I wouldn't have had to go that far. And that was my decision, not hers. "Go apologize to Sofia. Explain everything to Prof. Serrano, and I'll let this go." Aurora just laughed. If anything, she thought maybe—just maybe—he'd feel the slightest bit guilty. But this? She laughed until her eyes burned with tears. "What's so funny?" Marco frowned, clearly pissed. "That you actually think I care what you want." She wiped the corner of her eye, her expression turning to stone. "Apologize to her? In your dreams." Her fingers tightened around her phone. "Now get out of my hospital room. Or I call the cops." His jaw flexed like he was about to argue—then his phone rang. He picked up, and whatever he heard made his face go pale. "She tried to hurt herself again?" Without another word, he bolted. Aurora watched him go, her whole body finally unclenching as she slumped back onto the bed. Her neck throbbed where he'd grabbed her—a burning, ugly reminder. A cold shiver ran down her spine. Her eyes flicked to her plane ticket. Maybe she should just leave early. Without hesitating, she called the Fremoran dance troupe to see if she could move up her flight. Mid-call, a message popped up from an unknown number. [Go to Prof. Serrano and clear up the misunderstanding about Sofia. Or else, you'll regret it.] Aurora frowned. Luckily, the dance troupe agreed—she could arrive ahead of schedule. Exhaling, she blocked the number and deleted the message. She was leaving Santora soon. No more Marco. No more Sofia. No more of their messed-up games. Closing her eyes, she tried to rest, but sleep refused to come. Her night was restless, twisted with fragmented, bizarre dreams. Then, the relentless buzz of her phone yanked her awake. Another message. This time from a number way outside the city. [You homewrecker. You keep stealing other women's men—do you even know how to survive without one?] Aurora blinked, disoriented. Before she could react, her phone glitched, lagging under a flood of similar texts. Chapter 7 The messages didn't stop. Same nasty accusations—homewrecker, gold digger. Some took it even further, twisting the truth, claiming she was selling herself. A few straight-up asked how much she charged. Her face burned. Her hands shook. It felt like every ounce of blood had rushed to her head. Breathe. Stay calm. She pulled up a search engine. The top trending topic hit her like a punch to the gut. A blog post. From Sofia. In her carefully spun story, she and Marco were childhood sweethearts. Marco had once helped Aurora out of kindness, but instead of being grateful, Aurora had set her sights on him. She knew he had a girlfriend but still clung to him, hoping to climb the social ladder. But Marco never wanted her. When she failed to seduce him, she turned on Sofia. Desperate to drive her away, Aurora spread lies to a professor, sabotaging Sofia's chances in the competition. The betrayal crushed Sofia—so much that she spiraled into despair and slit her wrist. Attached was a photo of Sofia's wounded wrist—a deep, bloody gash against pale skin. The image, paired with her words, sent the internet into a frenzy. The comment section exploded with outrage. Hate poured in fast. Sofia had included just enough details for people to track down Aurora's social media. Within minutes, someone dug up old performance photos, zoomed in on her face, and plastered it everywhere. Her profile was overrun. A few harmless posts about her daily life were now drowning in vile insults. Then, it got worse. Netizens flooded her school's official accounts, demanding her expulsion for being "morally corrupt." Then came the real nightmare. Someone dug up her phone number and ID, unleashing a new wave of harassment. Her private info spread like wildfire. Rumors morphed into something uglier. Her photos were edited into explicit images, plastered across shady sites. Aurora's hands shook as she scrolled through the filth. She fired off a statement, denying everything and vowing to prove the truth. Big mistake. The mob only got nastier. Then, a new post surfaced—her supposed location. Someone claimed she was at a hospital. Not for an injury. For an STD. And the internet ate it up. A chill shot down Aurora's spine. Suddenly, the hospital felt like a trap. She had to get out. Now. She rushed to leave, yanking open the door— And was slammed to the ground. "You filthy woman! If you hadn't seduced me, my family wouldn't have fallen apart!" The furious voice cut through the hallway, drawing gasps from onlookers. Then—a sharp slap. Pain exploded across her cheek. Aurora staggered, heart pounding. She looked up— And froze. Diego. The man who had once tried to assault her. The nightmare she thought she'd buried had just come back to life. Chapter 8 Diego yanked her hair, forcing her to face the crowd. "It's her! She told me she was some poor, mistreated student. Said she'd admired me for years! I pitied her, gave her money—and how did she repay me? The second she found someone richer, she turned on me! Accused me of assault, ruined my life! I lost my wife, my business—everything!" "No! That's not true!" Aurora fought to break free, but Diego's rant drowned her out. Worse? Some people actually bought it. "Look at her—she's got that seductive vibe. No way she's innocent." "She's a dancer, right? That whole industry's built on stringing men along. Bet those awards weren't just for talent." "What's she even doing at a hospital? Maybe she really does have something nasty." At that, the crowd recoiled, some covering their noses like she was contagious. Someone shoved her. Another grabbed at her clothes. A third held up their phone, filming every humiliating second. It only stopped when hospital staff rushed in, breaking up the mob before things got worse. Diego? He slipped away before anyone could stop him. "Ms. Diaz, given the situation, we can't take any risks. You need to check out immediately." Just like that, she was cast out. A walking scandal. Even on the streets, whispers followed her, strangers murmuring like she was some kind of urban legend. She felt hunted. By the time she reached home, her legs gave out. She collapsed onto the floor, too drained to move. Minutes passed. Maybe hours. Then, slowly, she pushed herself up. She couldn't leave with this filth still clinging to her name. Hardly anyone knew the truth about Diego. But the person who did? The one with the perfect motive to twist the story? Marco Ramírez. A cold wave crashed over her. Every secret, every vulnerable moment she'd ever shared with him—he'd turned them into weapons, stabbing her right where it hurt. Her vision blurred. She wiped her eyes, grabbed her phone—barely functional from the flood of messages—and called her carrier. Blocked every unknown number. Silence. Almost deafening. Then, she did something she swore she never would. She reinstalled the video app. A few quick taps, and there it was—the footage of Marco's so-called proposal. The proof Sofia had lied. Ironic. She'd once thought it would be the best moment of her life, even set up a secret camera to record it. Instead, it had captured the truth that would clear her name. Next, she contacted the police. Through them, she got the elevator security footage—solid proof that Marco had locked her inside that day. With everything in hand, she sent it straight to the school's official account. [I'm sorry my situation brought negative attention to the school. Please release this footage—it should put the rumors to rest.] Drowning in public backlash, the school reviewed the evidence. Finding no issues, they released a statement, officially setting the record straight. Aurora didn't waste time on emotions. She packed. The next morning, at the airport, she was checking in when a new message popped up on her screen. [Regret it yet? Come apologize to Sofia, and I might be able to save you.] Marco. Aurora let out a cold laugh. Without hesitation, she popped out her SIM card, tossed it in the trash, and boarded her flight to Fremora without looking back.