Nothing Lasts Forever But Hate
written by: Fizza Younis
@fizza_reads
She read and re-read the note, trying to comprehend its meaning. What should have been obvious, wasn’t. Not only did her boyfriend of ten years leave her, but he dared to blame it on her naivety as if expecting love from someone she gave one-third of her life was silly, and it was her fault to dream of forever with the only man she ever dated.
Though his words did one good thing, she didn’t feel hurt. All she felt was anger—hot, burning fury like she had never felt. He might not be entirely wrong, and maybe she deserved it for trusting a man everyone said was “flaky.” She should have known better.
Nadine had always been a strong, intelligent woman, confident in her choices. She prided herself on her independence, never relying on anyone more than she had to. Yet, she let him in, believing and supporting him through every uncertainty. The problem wasn’t that love couldn’t last. It was that he never truly loved her. He stayed with her for only as long as he needed her. Once he got a stable job, he left, probably to someone younger and easily controllable. Nadine wasn’t that woman.
In truth, she often felt he didn’t like her strong personality and was intimidated by her, but she always chalked it up to her imagination. Even when people said her personality overshadowed his, she didn’t consider it necessarily bad. She thought she knew him, and she believed they understood each other. She saw clearly for the first time, and things looked bleak.
Nadine considered herself an intelligent and worldly woman, yet he fooled her. Hating herself for supporting him as he moved from one job to another, she vowed never to trust anyone again. Sighing deeply, she momentarily closed her eyes before opening them again; the fire burned behind her gaze.
Looking out her apartment’s window, she considered her next move. Should she let it go? Or maybe she should get even with him before moving on? The thought lingered, but her anger won. She would feel the hurt later, but for now, all she could think of was to make him pay for leaving her without so much as a goodbye. A smile crept up on her lips, and a plan formed in her head.
The book had been in her family for generations. Though her grandmother and mother never used it, they taught Nadine how to. It would be the first time someone used it in over a century. The thought made her heart beat faster, and her eyes shone brighter.
Rummaging through the old boxes in the attic, she found the book with the red cover. That’s what they called it because it had no title. Its pages were battered with time, but they weren’t falling apart. The book of spells had been collecting dust in her attic, and now was the time to take it out and make him pay.
Finding the right spell was the key. Everyone knew that magic always came with a price, but as long as you focused on the intent and accepted the consequences, everything would go smoothly. She would welcome any side effects there might be. Revenge would be sweeter than her favorite brownie ice cream.
Bitterness in my heart,
Rip him apart.
Venom within my soul,
Swallow him whole.
Every time I cry,
Little of his hope must die.
For each breath I take,
Let the ground under his feet shake.
Regret, regret,
Never let him forget.
Goddess, give him my pain,
Make him insane.
The man who broke her heart would never be happy for as long as he lived. She knew it because the consequences of her spell soon came to find her. Bitterness, venom, and regret became her constant companions. As days passed, she found herself unable to enjoy anything, her mind consumed by thoughts of him. The satisfaction she expected never came.
In sealing his fate, she sealed hers, too. Love didn’t last, but hate would.
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