Chapter Two: Betrayal
"Everyone suffers at least one bad betrayal in their lifetime. It's what unites us. The trick is not to let it destroy your trust in others when that happens. Don't let them take that from you." ― Sherrilyn Kenyon, Invincible
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Gaara Sabaku was a man of ethics, which had got him through a lot in his life. He would admit that he had stepped on many people to get a step further into the business world, who didn't? This caused him to be on top in any and everything he had in his life. For example, he owned the entire magnitude of Sabaku International Corporation (SIC) which sponsored many models, singers, actresses, food products,etc. Because of all of this, and his good genes, the hot head was at a good point in his life. So when his associate Konan interrupted a very important meeting with the Elders concerning the start of one of a clothing line, Gaara got pissed.
The redhead motioned towards the screen behind him.
"As you can see, SIC received a generously wealthy profit from female consumers last year after we launched our 'So SIC' Summer collection, whereas our SIC bathing suit line received the highest number of female consumers under twenty-five, making this the most successful line in the past two years.", the man explained, pointing to the chart that had the green arrow that was pointing up towards the corner of the board.
The Elders smiled in agreement and began writing things down. Gaara almost smirked. They were eating out of his hands at the moment. His eyes slid to the corner of the room. All but one.The guy in the corner of the room raised his hand and asked his question.
"SO what you're saying is that with another line that our female consumers would graciously purchase these new items without hesitation because of our success with our bathing line, un?", the man asked while scribbling in his notepad.
Damn interns..."Exactly Deidara-senpai. That's exactly what I'm saying.", Gaara sarcastically replied at the blonde, who now was unsure of Gaara's answer.
Why did hell did I agree to merge with Akatsuki? Maybe it was because the blonde had persuaded him with the organization's members, who were dedicated to serving under Gaara's will. Maybe because his cousin Sasori had ordered him to babysit the Akatsuki while their boss, Pein, was gone to Antarctica. The merging part came from a drunken night at a club. Gaara swore that he didn't remember signing anything that night, but Deidara had to disagree..
"Is that a yes or a no? I'm not exactly clear on that?", Deidara asked.
Gaara ignored him and was about to continued when his frantic assistant, Matsuri, bursted through the crystal double doors, a tired look on her face.
"I'm sorry to interrupt sir, but there's a very important call waiting on you. Right now. Sir", the brunette sputtered.
The Elders and Deidara looked towards the redhead in questioning. Gaara internally sighed.
This had better be some damn important phone call, Gaara seethed before setting down the screen's remote.
"I-It's Konan-sama, sir.", the intern squeaked at him. Gaara growled, startling Deidara into making him tear his pen through his notepad.
Gaara excused himself from the meeting. Matsuri quickly sat behind the desk, a nervous smile graced on her features. Sea-green eyes gazed at the Iphone on the young girls desk before snatching it up and walking to his office.
He sat down in the desk and turned the 'hold' button off. "What is it, Konan?"
"Nothing much. Just a simple task that I know you can handle."
Gaara started to pick at the sticky note on his desk. Had Matsuri put that there? He repeated his first question through the phone.
A sigh was heard through the phone. "Turn on your TV."
The read head grabbed the remote and popped it on. His eyes held no astonishment at the news showing; he had already knew about the affair. It was bound to come out. "Uchiha's scandal is out, hn. Overdue. What exactly does that have to do with me?"
An angry sigh was heard. "Pull out your damn laptop and look on her twitter page, Gaara."His eye twitched at the nickname before he slowly pulled out his laptop and typed in the woman's name. Numerous pages popped up but only one held his eye. Eight-hundred thousand tweets in the past hour and a half?
His eyes looked at her profile picture for a second before he strolled down her page. Comments updated every second. It was not what the redhead was expecting either; what kind of fans would support a cheating man? The tweets were unreal.
-It was expected to happen soon. That girl doesn't have a backbone at all, much like her late mother. Sad I tell you.
-I knew she couldn't handle him; she may be cute but she's weak as Hell.
-Who is she? I never saw her! I didn't even know #Sasuke was married!
-Oh, I can't wait for Sasuke to marry Sakura! She would make a wonderful bride! #SasuSakuALLTHEWAY ;3
-I feel sorry for the poor girl, her husband left her for another woman! Oh well, I guess happy endings aren't always for everyone; sometimes even for the good girls. #SAD
-The good girls always go down in flames...
Gaara closed the contraption and held his head in his hand. They were going in on the girl for no apparent reason. The Uchiha couldn't seem to do no wrong to the mortals of this world "What does it have to do with me?"
"She needs some assistance on this."
Gaara looked back at the TV and saw that the couple's limo headed towards a bistro, most likely for a celebration. Reporters scattered around them, snapping cameras and holding out the microphones for the couple.
"Why are you telling me this?" The readhead rubbed his temple.
Konan breathed a heavy sigh. "She can't handle all of this. I don't know what she's thinking, but at the rate this is going...suicide could become one of her options."
Gaara's eyes snapped away from the TV and towards the picture on his desk.
The sandy blonde in the pictured smiled up at him, her grin filled with joy. It was true; his mother had committed suicide. After his father left his mother, the media judged and downed her very existence. Then his father won himself and his siblings in a court battle, which left there mother with nothing. The very next day, she was found dead in her hotel room, overdosed on her heart medication. Gaara shook his head and stared harder at the picture with a heavy heart.
He still missed his mother. Konan knew how to bend him.
He turned back to the television, "What do you need?"
"A diversion. Something that will take the public's eye off of her for a while until she gets straight." Gaara continued to watch the screen as the pinkette held onto the grinning man's arm. "I'll pay you back. Big Time."
The redhead snapped his eyes back on his mother's photo; his teals eyes gleamed through the picture full of life. She was here, at this very moment. She was urging him to help the Hyuuga. He wouldn't let the Hyuuga fall face forward when he had enough strength for the both of them; she had been through enough. Gaara spoke into the phone after a few seconds.
"You need a diversion, you got one." He pressed the end button and set the phone down. He knew what he had to do and it wasn't going to be good. He sighed angrily.
Why couldn't he had just said no? It's not like he cared for the Hyuuga. He barely knew the poor girl.
"Dammit. I feel like a fool." Gaara pressed a button and two minutes later Matsuri, Kankuro, and Temari were soon in front of his desk. He stood up and paced towards his large window from the sixth floor.
Temari turned and read the caption on the news' station. "Uchiha and Haruno engagement? Isn't he already married?" She turned towards Matsuri, who shrugged sadly. Matsuri believed in happy endings after marriage so this was not her favorite day.
Kankuro jumped behind the hot head's desk and started to spin around in the chair. "Does it matter? Sasuke is a man of the media, not a man of marriage. I knew this day would come when he finally leave the little girl for a real woman." He opened his palm and waited for Temari to hand him his two hundred dollar bet. "Pay up, loser."
Temari rolled her eyes, but grabbed a wad of money from her bra and passed it to her brother, who made bleching sounds.
"Ewww, is this wet?!"
Matsuri, a huge supporter of SasuHina, scolded the two. "How could you two bet on their marriage?! That's probably the reason why they aren't together right now!" A heated argument started amongst the three as Gaara continued to stare down at the people of Japan.
"Silence." The room paused. He turned and pierced his sharp eyes at the misfit team. "Temari, take my place in the meeting and continue; Matsuri, postpone all my meetings for today." Matsuri gave a thumbs up and followed Temari out the room.
Gaara slowly turned towards his brother in the desk. Today would be the first time in years that Gaara had helped someone out.
A small blush crossed his features before he uttered the words that would forever change his life in the world's eye. It would either bring uprising or his downfall. "Kankuro, the tape in the basement. Leak it.."
Kankuro's face resembled that of a fish. "Y-You mean the one with you and Suck-on Kin?!"
Gaara glared at him, almost throwing out a remark against his brother, but denied it and walked out the room. His steps were hard. This would bring him down, but he had to do it. He wouldn't let anyone go through what his mother had to go through with his father. Not if he had anything to say about it.
Gaara slipped out the room and onto the elevator. He closed his eyes as he waited for the doors to close.
Please don't let this backfire.
The Ferrari sped to a stop in front of The Akimichi Bistro. Hinata quickly parked the blue car before jumping out and marching up the steps. She was going to confront them head on. Ino grew nervous at the meek girl's anger. Would she really attack them?
"Hinata, wait just a minute! You can't just barge in there and attack them!", Ino called in urgency.
Hinata's eyes held fire as she glared back at the blonde."I will damn well do as I please, Ino!"
Ino grabbed her denim jacket and pulled her back, anger also in her blue eyes. She could tell that the Hyuuga was fed up; in this kind of rage anything could occur.
"As your lawyer I can't let you do that , Hinata! Listen to me!"
The Hyuuga snatched her arm away and pushed through the double doors. Ino sighed heavily before running after the girl.
Hinata's boots clacked painfully on the marbled floors. She was angry, too angry. Not just from the affair, but from her three years of being faithful to Sasuke. She wanted to scream at him, attack him on the spot. And that beautiful woman. That particular woman that had snatched her husband away when she wasn't looking.
The bluette walked up to the reservation stand, Ino trailing behind her. The waiter, stunned, stuttered."R-reservation, Mrs. Uchiha?"
Hinata's lavender orbs narrowed at the man. He looked nervous, like he was hiding something. Was everyone on his side? "I don't need a reservation. I just need to get to the table."
The frantic waiter motioned her through the back where many couples were fancied and dazzled in their best. Hinata's anger never wavered which scared Ino to her wits. Hinata's thoughts yelled in her head.
All these years I've been faithful to you. I never argued, begged, or tried to annoy you. I was a good wife; I wanted your love, your acceptance! Why did you have to go and fall in love with her? Am I not good enough for you? Pretty? Is it because I'm not popular, well known?The girl's mind flashed back to her freshman year.
Sasuke was one top; she was on the bottom. He was popular; she was a nerd. He was everything; she was nothing. Even though this surfaced through her mind, she still couldn't help but love him. He was always there when she had needed him. Hinata's flame started to give out a little. Did he ever love her?
"No one could ever take your place. I love you, Hinata."
She stopped two feet away from the couple which caused the waiter to stop also.
Sasuke and Sakura were chatting with each other from what the bluette could see. Sakura's engagement ring glowed from the table. Hinata openly stared at the two, her hand covering her mouth. Her husband was smiling; it was a big, beautiful smile that lit the very room of the restaurant. It nearly knocked Hinata off her feet. Never had Sasuke smiled with her. The Hyuuga looked down at her boots. She brings out the best in him. She looked back up at the table and saw that Sakura was seemingly teasing him and it caused a light blush to surface on his face.
Their love was known; he didn't need her anymore. She wanted to break down right there on the spot. Her heart was hurting.
She was still in love with him after all he had done. She wanted him to leave Sakura; she would still accept him back despite his cheating ways and her newly gained public humiliation. Hinata was still in love with him.
"I'm so sorry, Hinata." The Ino's voice wasn't heard by Hinata; her head was filled with so many thoughts at once.
The Hyuuga's mind was blown. She looked back towards the table and looked at her husband. She still couldn't believe it. He was smiling, actually smiling. Her heart started to break slowly. He was happy.
A few tears ran down her cheeks. She slowly brushed Ino's hand off her and walked towards the exit.
Ino looked at her friend leaving; she stood in her spot until Hinata was out the door. Her eyes snapped back over towards the table. The blonde decided that even though Hinata didn't confront them, that didn't mean she wouldn't.
A tiny smirk surfaced Ino's face as she strutted towards them with her yellow stilettos. Sakura, in idle chat with her fiance shot her green gems towards Ino, who was positioned in front of the group. The talking seceded.
Ino ignored the pinkette and looked towards the Uchiha. "So I guess it is true. You really are a dirt bag." Ino spat.
The Uchiha's flawless face remained impassive as Sakura glared at the blonde. The soft chatter in the room quieted down at Ino's loud comment.
"What the hell are you doing here, Ino?", Sakura whispered harshly, completely annoyed by Ino's presence.
Ino continued to ignore the pinkette. The attention in the room was focused on the trio. "You know, you're not as bad as people say you are – you're much, much worse." Ino frowned at him. "And you're stupid. Do you know how much alimony a spouse can get from infidelity in marriage?"
"If they're separated, it's not cheating, Yamanaka. You of all people should know that since you are a lawyer as you claim you are." Sakura said as she gave the blonde a devious smile.
Ino narrowed her eyes."Separation papers never passed through to me. It seems like you're lying, Sasuke."
Sakura's eyes gleamed with amusement. "We delivered them months ago, actually. Shikamaru handed them personally to her."
Three months ago?... Three months ago, Sasuke were planning a business convention for Uchiha. They couldn't have been separated then.
Ino shook her head and looked to Sasuke. She wouldn't believe it until Hinata told her. "You think this is a game, Uchiha? That you can just do this to your wife and that Karma won't come back to kick you in your snobby ass? Well, I've got news for you; it will, and I pray to God that I be there when that cocky ass smirk is whipped off your face.", The angry blonde stopped and pretended to ponder on what she, "Oh, I forgot, I will be there to see you get whipped in the face. Prepare to battle me in court, Uchiha."
Sasuke looked unfazed by her comment and continued to smirk. Ino turned back around and continued to leave but not before hearing Uchiha's voice once more. "Tell Hyuuga not to wait up for me."
Hyuuga? Ino also decided that even though Hinata didn't try to attack the two, she would.. Hopefully Chouji wouldn't sue her for flipping over his five thousand dollar porcelain handmade table.
Or attempting to attack one of his paying customers.
Ino stomped out the restaurant with a broken yellow heel in her hand. She wiped the miso off her yellow jacket while angrily trying to fix the broken hairband that had came off her head. Hinata teary face glanced in her direction before starting up the car.
Ino screamed in agony. "Those bitches better be ready for me in court! I'll tear them to shreds!"
Hinata didn't respond; she continued to speed down the street towards the intersection.
Ino, forgetting about her broken headband, propped her bare feet on the headboard and looked across the passing river and trees. "I hate them, especially that cocky Uchiha. He did look nice in that Armani suit though; I'll give the bastard that." She looked toward the sky and saw huge mountains up the road."Where are we heading?"
Hinata turned the steering wheel making the ferrari roar to the right side of the road."Father's house. I need to speak to Hanabi about father giving me my room back."
Ino looked at the meek girl in question. Hinata's face held no emotion unlike earlier. Ino sighed at the girl's short response and glanced at a passing billboard.
The Main Gang was plastered on the billboard with only the Uchiha and Hyuuga this time. Sasuke and Neji.
"I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. Y-You were only trying to help me.", Hinata spoke, sincere apology in her words.
Ino waved it off and stared at the upcoming sign a little longer. Another MAIN GANG billboard was up, this time with the famous lawyer, Shikamaru. What the Hell is this?
Ino then remembered her conversation with Sasuke at the bistro. The barbie glared at Hinata. She didn't like not receiving info on her client especially ones that were approached by the media. "Hinata, why didn't you tell me that you and Sasuke were separated?"
Hinata looked towards Ino with an offended look on her face when she heard that. Sasuke and her mentioned with the word 'separated' clouded and erupted in her mind. "W-we are not s-separated. Who told you that?"
Ino hair whipped in the wind and she hurriedly tried to capture the long mane. She arched her eyebrow in Hinata's direction."Sasuke said that you two have been separated for a couple of months now. Now please tell me, are you two separated?"
Hinata shook her head in annoyance at the blonde; surely she would remember if she was handed separation papers.
"Did you get any papers in the past six months, Hinata?", Ino asked, a certain edge in her tone. The girl sped up the car as she passed a Lamborghini on the interstate. Had she gotten any papers? The bluette looked through the rear-view mirror before suddenly remembering some papers.
"T-the only papers I got were from Shikamaru about a joint account o-or something." Ino groaned loudly; her job was getting harder. Shikamaru Nara, one of Japan's most intellectual lawyers had doped her. Since when did Nara deal with finance?
Ino pulled her hair in frustration. "Hinata, you signed a fucking separation agreement! What else did you sign, huh, a prenup?!"The blonde screeched in the roaring wind that whipped her hair.
Hinata snapped. "S-stop yelling at me! I didn't k-know! I-I was so busy organizing S-sas-, my husband's meetings that week that I didn't r-read the damn thing! "
Silence was then graced upon the two. The air was tense; so much had happened today. So much pain for no apparent reason, so much hate, betrayal. Hinata was slowly cracking because she didn't know what to do. Not reading the document Shikamaru gave her made her feel weak and betrayed.
Did her husband really want to get away from her so badly that he would make Shikamaru give her papers without her knowing? Everything in her somewhat peaceful life was broken. The silence was broken my Hinata's tears..
"I-I'm so stupid. I should have known this was going to happen. T-two years of this marriage and he still d-doesn't like me! I-I can't believe I fooled myself i-into believing that he loved me.", the girl spoke, stray tears coming down her cheeks.
Ino listened silently letting a few of her own tears spill from her frustration. The day had turned sour definitely.
Hinata wiped her tears away from her eyes and tried to focus on the road.
"I-I tried to give him everything he wanted, but he refused me. I'm still a v-virgin, Ino! Am I that disgusting ? C-Can I ever amount to a-anything? W-Why can't I be loved l-like Sakura?"
Ino stopped her from talking. "Hinata, you are loved! We love you Hinata, all of us do!" Hinata shook her head.
"Soon, I won't have anyone. When Tenten finds out about the affair between Neji and Kin, she'll stop talking to me. Then Neji will ignore me even more; Tenji will then be gone. Then after that S-Sasuke will want to divorce me for good. Then father will assume I am not only a lousy daughter but a lousy wife too!I won't have anyone to love or be loved by! My fans are leaving me behind - they think I'm weak!" The Hyuuga's sobs increased and soon the car started to wave a little. Ino, not taking any chances, grabbed the wheel and ordered Hinata to pull over.
The Ferrari pulled over at the edge of the mountain; the sunset waved goodbye to the sunny day while night squeezed in to take over her shift. The two women looked over Japan. The night sky glittered with twinkling stars like a milky way. Hinata was still sobbing while Ino, in her distressed state, held the meek girl.
"Hinata, you aren't weak. You never were and you never will be.", the blonde tightened her hold of the girl.
Ino looked down at Japan and saw the Uchiha symbol lighting up over the building, right next to the Hyuuga's. She narrowed her eyes.
Whatever the Hell you are planning, Uchiha, I will find out. The duo stayed for what seemed like hours staring over the mountain's side; Hinata, tears silently falling from her lavender orbs, and Ino, with tangled hair, a broken heel, and a miso-stained jacket that would cost a fortune to get cleaned.
Hinata looked down on Japan. Her face still held tears. What else could make this day any worse? She would soon find out that she spoke to soon.