After My Ex's Vengeful Plot Unraveled

Synopsis

I should have known something was wrong when Austin insisted I come to his birthday party. He'd been distant all week, canceling our date nights with vague excuses that always seemed to involve Thea Dixon. His 'tomboyish' best friend. The girl who'd made my high school years a living hell and somehow wormed her way into my boyfriend's life despite my history with her. Now I sat in a circle with Austin's college friends, the sweet taste of birthday cake still lingering on my tongue as someone suggested playing Truth or Dare. My stomach knotted with anxiety as I watched Thea lean casually against Austin's shoulder, her short dark hair brushing against his neck. She caught me looking and smirked. "Let's make this interesting," she announced, her voice carrying that edge I'd come to recognize as danger. I twisted the silver bracelet Austin had given me for our anniversary, trying to calm my nerves. The room felt too warm, too crowded, the faces around me blurring except for Austin's and Thea's. Bottle spins. Laughter. Silly dares. I barely paid attention