PROLOGUE

5th MAY 2004

Flesh against flesh, moans of pleasure filled the room they were making love like new lovers for the first time the squeaking of the bed indicated they were not keeping it quiet for they knew there was no one around, they sighed satisfied with themselves as they lay naked on the bed staring at the ceiling only the sheets covering them, she then turned and looked at her lover her brown eyes tired but yet filled with satisfaction, smiling she placed a tender kiss on his neck and snuggled closer he sighed in response, they were staring at each other her doe brown eyes and his emerald green ones then a shadow of guilt passed, they knew what they were doing was wrong and they would regret it later, but they were young and reckless. "We should tell him, he has to know we can't keep going on like this'' Stefan said. Elena nodded in agreement but she was afraid to face him, she couldn't bear hurting him, the look of hurt in his eyes would kill her, but as she lay there with Stefan she knew that she had to make a decision as she stared in his green eyes she knew right away what she was going to do, getting up from the bed she started dressing hurriedly, "Damon should be back from work anytime soon, I will tell him about us Stef, then I will be free to be with you'' She said a huge smile gracing her face, she then took her wedding ring and placed it on her finger staring at it admirably "I really love this ring'' She said. Stefan approached her took her face in his hands and looked her in the eyes, "I love you Elena you should know that, the ring doesn't matter it's just an object I will get you a better ring and we will be happy'' He said. She kissed him deeply and murmured "Wish me luck''.

Elena was pacing in the living room, she was a nervous wreck she couldn't take this any longer she just wanted Damon to be back and tell him everything, she was ashamed of what she had done, but she was in love, crazy in love with Stefan this marriage had lost its heat the flame was dwindling and she had to get out, she was deep in her thoughts when he entered, jovial as always he approached and went for the kiss as usual but she was not going to, she turned her face and instead kissed her cheek, he shrugged and went on to sit and started pouring himself bourbon, she just stood there staring at him, not long ago they were in love, he was fun, dangerous and mysterious that was what pulled her to him, he had this walls that he built, not letting anyone in, she tried hard to break those walls but to no avail, but now as she stared at him all she felt was guilt and betrayal she was better than this but one thing led to another and she was cheating on him, she couldn't explain what she felt for Stefan, could it be love? She thought so, what she knew was that she had to be with him, he made her feel valuable. "Are you going to stand there and stare at me or will you join me and tell me what is bothering you, you have your 'worry look' on'' He said. Her heart started beating faster, she was panicking which was not good and then it happened she opened the can of worms "I am having an affair with Stefan and I want a divorce'' she blurted. She was waiting for any reaction from him, she watched him closely his face went from calm to clenched with anger, his fists were balled his jaws clenched and then something that made her heart break to pieces and regret was a single tear from his eye, she made him cry.

Damon was sipping his bourbon, Elena seemed off he thought to himself she had not been herself lately, she seemed tense and worried he looked at her and saw that she was staring at him but he had a feeling her mind was somewhere else that is when he suggested she join him but what he did not expect was her confession, he stood and approached her his heart broken to pieces, the woman he was in love with just admitted having an affair with his step-brother he was close to her and saw the guilt in her eyes he opened his mouth trying to say something but he couldn't is this what heartbroken feels like? He swore that there was something stuck in his throat, his eyes were burning then he uttered one word, "Why?'' then it happened Damon Salvatore prided himself as someone who never showed his emotions, but here he was breaking down in front of his wife, he felt betrayed and used. Elena was crying, she was seeing a different side of him he was vulnerable she saw the pain and hurt in his eyes the mask had fallen off, in that instant moment she regretted what she had done. Damon stood there he had nothing to say he then went back and sat down then took a big gulp of the bourbon, the liquid burning his throat but he didn't care and looked at her, "I thought we had something special Elena, I trusted you, I gave you my heart and what do you do in return? Crush it, disrespect me and above all betray me, you could have said something but no you just went ahead and had an affair with my step-brother! He yelled. Damon was trying to keep it together, but he couldn't he stood up and started pacing "Two years Elena we have been married for two years, how long were you cheating on me, God I look like a fool I bet you and him were laughing at me while you FUCKED!''

Elena shivered she never saw Damon like this he was fuming she couldn't say anything, she just couldn't "It just happened Damon you were always working I was alone Stefan was there he listened to me, made me feel valuable while you were out there trying to prove yourself to your father, you ignored me Damon all you did was work and work and never even bothered about me'' she responded. Damon stopped pacing and looked at her did she just pull the 'you were always working' card? He caught her by the shoulders "Does that give you the right to go and screw someone else, marriage is about communication you could have approached me and we could have worked it out heck I could have gone to couples counseling that's how much I love you Elena, this marriage was a step in the right direction I was going to build a life for us, me working was part of it I am sorry if I never paid attention I was mistaken on my part but did I go and have an affair hell no! I love you those marriage vows mean something to me'' he finished releasing her. Elena was now sobbing she was inconsolable, he was right she could have talked to him and sorted it out but she was naïve and young "I never expected this from you Elena, we got married at the young age of eighteen but you and I have history we dated since we were sixteen at junior high what we had was something magical and great, things cooled down a bit after we got married that was because I got to work I had to prove myself to my dad that I was worthy of being a Salvatore, that I was not just a mistake he had done when he was young that but what do you do? You betray me in the worst manner by having an affair with my step-brother, you want a divorce you will get one I won't stand in your way of happiness if that is with Stefan but remember this Elena what Stefan will give you won't come close to what we could have had.''

Damon took a deep breath approached her and placed a tender kiss on her forehead and whispered "I hope you have a good life Elena'' then left leaving her crying. Elena heard the door close she wanted to run and apologize say how sorry she was, she wanted to make it work and realized it was all her she chose this path sure Damon pushed her but she could have pulled back and talked to him but it was too late and she had to live with the fact that she broke him something she never wanted to, Stefan would be there for her but why did it feel like she had made the biggest mistake in her life. Sitting down she poured herself a glass of bourbon and gulped it the drink burning her throat in the process, her phone started ringing and saw that it was Stefan and ignored it she was not ready to talk she just wanted to be alone she got up and went upstairs and stood at the door of their bedroom his scent was all over she went and took his shirt which was lying on the bed and sniffed it bringing back old memories of them rolling in bed teasing each other that was when she broke down falling down to her knees and started sobbing, she couldn't breathe she was hyperventilating it was all her fault she ruined what could have been a great relationship for her own selfish needs she betrayed the only man who made her feel whole sure Stefan made her feel good but Damon made her feel alive they had something special together. She laid down on the floor hugging his shirt and letting his smell soothe her to a slumber hoping that it was just a bad dream and she could wake up but she knew that it was real, that she was laying on the floor of her bedroom and at the age of twenty she was married had an affair and was on the verge of being divorced.

Damon entered the room of the Four Seasons Hotel he was physically and mentally exhausted he just wanted this to be all over he was broken, he needed a break from all this and he knew what he had to do taking his phone he called the only person who loved him it didn't take long before the person answered "I am sorry if I have woken you up'' he said and had a sigh on the other end "No honey you know that I am always here for you what's on your mind'' was the reply Damon shut his eyes tears dropping he opened and closed his mouth before he said "I am coming home mom''. Elena awoke to murmurs in the bedroom she opened her eyes and saw Caroline and Bonnie her two best friends whispering "She looks wrecked Bonnie what did he do to her?'' Caroline asked "I don't know Caroline, maybe they had a fight he is not here'' Elena sighed before saying "She can hear you and she is not fine, what time is it?'' Both Caroline and Bonnie paused and looked at their friend her eyes were red indicating that she had been crying all night and then they saw the shirt she was holding they sat down on the floor next to her "It's eight in the morning you slept on the floor the whole night, Stefan told us everything Elena he was worried that you had not answered your phone and thought that Damon might have done something to you'' Bonnie said. Elena shrugged "Damon would never hurt me Bonnie I had a lot going on and I just wanted to be alone'' she said clutching the shirt tightly "I made a mistake Bonnie I thought I was in love with Stefan, Damon was never there but Stefan was he comforted me talked to me and he made me feel good about myself I know it sounds like I am making an excuse for what I did but that was not the way to solve a problem and look at me now I will be seen as the woman who had an affair with her brother-in-law I am a whore Bonnie'' she wept.

Bonnie and Caroline hugged their best friend before Caroline said "It's not late Elena you can make things work'' Elena protested "You are wrong Caroline, you didn't see him yesterday that was not Damon, he hates me we are getting a divorce it's too late the damage has already been done, I will learn from this mistake and become a better person'' she said. They pulled apart before Bonnie said "What about Stefan'' Elena shrugged and looked around the room before looking back at her friends "I don't know anymore Bonnie yesterday I was so sure about the possibility of us together but know I don't know anymore'' she said. Standing up Elena went and sat by the bedside before taking a photo frame of her and Damon at their wedding, they looked young and blissful she remembered the vows they said to each other and she was the one to break those vows. There was a knock on the door and standing there was none other than her soon to be ex-husband, he looked tired his eyes were groggy but what caught her attention was the letter in his hands, Bonnie and Caroline excused themselves leaving the two troubled partners alone. "I brought the divorce papers I had my lawyer draft this for me this morning everything is set all it needs is your signature'' he said waving the divorce letter. It was really happening Elena thought she never would have imagined this, two years ago if someone told her that she would be getting divorced she would have laughed at them but now here they stood their marriage crumbling and all because of her she wanted to tell him that they could work it out to give her a second chance but she couldn't do this to him he needed to be free and far away as possible from her so she did it "Do you have a pen?'' she asked.

Damon handed her the pen their fingers brushing against each other they both stared at each other a silent agreement between them they both knew things could have gone differently Elena took the divorce paper her hands trembling she couldn't hold herself she couldn't go on with it and then she felt it his hand gently above hers guiding her and she did it for him so that he could have a life, they were now officially divorced. "You can keep the apartment Elena I won't be needing it I am leaving going to London to my mom tonight to start a new life'' he said a sad smile on his face. Elena timidly nodded she had no right to stop him but she couldn't keep the apartment it had a lot of memories good and bad therefore she protested "I can't Damon it's yours'' Damon shrugged before responding "It's in the settlement I have no use for it Elena you can sell it but it's yours'' Damon went to the wardrobe and started packing it had come to this he was leaving the country at the tender age of twenty years and newly divorced he was not going to lick his wounds in London but he was going to rebuild himself and start fresh. Elena was stalling she wanted to say something to ease the pain but she couldn't therefore she left and went downstairs to find Stefan arguing with Bonnie "I have to talk to her Bonnie, I have to be there for her'' Bonnie was doing her best to talk him down when she noticed Elena "I have been trying to tell him that nothing is wrong but he insisted coming over'' Stefan turned around and saw her she looked distraught her eyes were puffy he didn't know that she could be affected like this, she looked happy when they were together he approached then hugged her that was when Damon walked in, the sight of his step-brother and his ex-wife hugging was the last straw he dropped his bags and that was enough to get their attention.

Stefan looked over his step-brother and there was something frightening in the way he was looking at him he knew that look he had seen it many times "Damon…'' he didn't finish his sentence when he felt a stinging pain in his left jaw he staggered a bit allowing Damon to land another punch this time Stefan was on the floor holding his face, Damon was mad he wanted to beat him to a pulp teach him a lesson but he was better than this. Elena saw the whole thing unfolding in front of her and she did nothing just stood there and watched, Damon had to get this out of his system. Damon picked up his bags and walked out of the door with Elena hot on his heels, "Damon I am so sorry you don't know much I regret hurting you'' she begged. Damon looked at her before saying "Sorry and apology doesn't heal the wound but deepens it, the fact that you knew what you were doing and didn't care if you were hurting me shows that you are not sorry, goodbye Elena" he finished before getting in the awaiting taxi, looking back he saw Elena's face filled with pain and anguish, Stefan's filled with guilt and Caroline's and Bonnie's showed sympathy with that he focused his gaze ahead knowing that where he was heading he had a chance to rebuild and recover put all of this behind him he knew there was someone waiting for him, someone who would never disappoint and betray him, someone who would guide him teach him to love again, his mom. Suddenly hope filled his broken heart.