Chapter 4

"The one who likes iced Americano is Claire Evans, okay? Did you forget she poured coffee on my head during our senior year of high school?" I said.

I coldly pushed the Americano aside, not wanting to even look at it.

Alex looked taken aback for a moment, but he quickly changed the subject. "Why are you still hung up on something that happened ages ago? It's not good to be so petty.

"Come on, don't be mad. Claire didn't mean it. You look like a nagging and whiny woman when you're angry, and that's really not my thing."

He took my hand and absentmindedly played with it.

It felt like he was trying to soothe his younger sister.

Then, with a secretive grin, he slid his chair right next to mine and leaned in close to my ear.

"Mia, honestly, I asked you to come back because I need a favor. Claire and I are getting married next month, and I want you to plan a wedding that'll be the talk of all Landia," he said.

He rubbed his hands together, getting more and more excited as he spoke.

He went on, "Claire loves lilies. Ideally those imported straight from abroad. And she's terrified of heights, so let's skip any dramatic flying entrances..."

"Why are you marrying her?" I turned to Alex, my eyes searching for answers.

Alex was stunned, completely speechless.

I pushed on, my voice rising with anger. "Did you forget how much she hurt me? Why her, of all people? Why her!"

My words thundered across the plaza, almost shouting.

People dining nearby all turned their heads to look at me.

After all, the trauma Claire caused was too overwhelming for me.

And now, the news that Alex was going to marry her hit me like a crushing blow.

I felt betrayed by the one I loved most.

It was as if the person I once loved had turned into a demon, joining the bully to hurt me.

Fear washed over me.

A cold dread settled in my chest.

'Why isn't it me you're marrying?' My mind went completely blank from the shock. That question kept looping in my head, fading in and out like a ghostly whisper, unreal and haunting.

A scalding splash hit my face, snapping me back to reality.

As I finally came to, the burning pain on my skin made everything crystal clear.

And there she was, Claire.

She had just splashed that hot Americano right in my face.

Alex rushed out of the café. I had just collapsed from low blood sugar, and everything went dark for a moment.

He quickly called for the waiter to bring me some chocolate.

And that was when Claire showed up.

"Mia, are you okay?" Claire asked.

She helped me up and thoughtfully wiped my face with a tissue.

Noticing Alex's confused expression, she jumped in to explain, "She fell and spilled her coffee. I was about to help her, but I got burned, too. Ouch, it hurts."

Alex dropped the chocolate, worry written all over his face. His eyes were fixed on Claire's hand, which had not even a scratch on it.

Meanwhile, my face was still wet and burning, but he didn't even spare me a glance.

"Claire, are you okay? I was worried sick about you. Let me kiss it and you'll feel better," Alex said, his voice full of concern.

He gently cradled Claire's hand, fussing over it like it was made of glass.

Something twisted painfully inside me. Alex's tenderness used to be so familiar, but now it felt distant and strange.

Back then, he would never let me get hurt.

I remembered the first time he tried to teach me how to ride a bike. I was hopeless at balancing and ended up toppling over, bike and all.

Alex was so worried that he almost burst into tears.

He gently cradled my scraped knee, brushed away the dirt with such care, and even blew on it softly, trying to make the pain go away.

He even dabbed medicine on my scraped knee, making sure it was taken care of.

That night, he carried me on his back while pushing the bike along with one hand.

We headed home together under the sunset, joking and laughing the whole way.

After that, afraid I'd get hurt again, Alex went out and got me knee pads and a helmet, so I'd be safe from head to toe.

Now, everything had changed.

He was pouring all his tenderness on Claire now.

Noticing how down I was, Claire immediately put on a thoughtful face.

She came over and held my face, looking all worried.

"Let me see. Oh, no, your makeup's ruined. Mia, did you get burned?" Claire said.

"I don't need your phony sympathy. Stay away from me," I snapped.

Any time Claire touched me, it instantly triggered my stress response.

Alex knew that all too well.

I didn't even touch her, but Claire took the chance to stumble dramatically to the ground, putting on a hurt act. "Mia, why are you treating me like this? I was only trying to help," she said, looking all wounded.

"Mia, don't go too far!" Alex snapped.

He stormed over and shoved me, and I ended up on the ground, too.

I landed hard on my tailbone, pain shooting straight up my spine.

Alex said, "Mia, I was worried about your low blood sugar and ran to get you chocolate, and this is how you repay me? You're so vicious that you'd try to hurt Claire behind my back?

"Did you go abroad just to learn how to hurt people? That's just too much!"

I grabbed at my lower back, the pain radiating through my whole body.

But the ache in my heart hurt way more than anything my body could feel.

I glanced at the chocolate tossed on the ground and managed a helpless, empty smile.

I had low blood sugar, but I'd never have any chocolate in my purse.

I always thought it was too bitter.

I didn't like chocolate at all.