Chapter 2
When I came to, I was greeted by a familiar scene.
I was back at my family home.
Rachel was sitting right beside me.
She looked serious.
"Emily, as your best friend, I'm giving you some advice. Let it go. The one Alex loves is Sophie.
"They're already married. If you keep chasing after him, you'll just ruin your own reputation. You don't want to be the homewrecker everyone wants to see gone, do you?"
When I stayed silent, she continued, "I personally wrote up Alex's prenup. He's already signed over everything he owns to Sophie.
"Do you get it now?"
When I still didn't react, she shoved Alex's social media timeline in front of me—the one I couldn't see because he'd blocked me.
"See for yourself."
Yesterday, July 7th.
Alex's birthday, and our anniversary.
He posted: [Found my soulmate. Together for all eternity.]
The picture? Him and Sophie, sharing a wedding kiss.
May 8th. My own birthday.
He posted: [Happy birthday to my favorite Sophie.]
The photo? My parents, my brother, my best friends, and Alex—all of them together on a beach vacation.
Oh, that day, they said their flight was delayed.
I bought a cake myself and waited all night, but they never showed up.
I blew out the candles by myself, wishing for my family and my loved one to be safe and healthy.
March 16th. He posted: [Engaged to the love of my life.]
And again, everyone was in the photo.
That day, I got into a car accident—no one picked up when I called.
I was all alone in the hospital, getting twenty-one stitches while losing a baby that never even had a chance to be born.
February 17th. Christmas Eve.
He posted: [May we always be together, year after year.]
The photo? My parents, who'd said they were visiting family back home, were smiling happily as they handed Sophie a card with some cash inside.
Scrolling down, every single post was packed with Sophie's face.
Turns out, whenever I needed them most, they were all with Sophie instead.
I shut my eyes, unable to look at it anymore.
My voice was hoarse as I asked, "Why?"
Rachel stiffened her neck and said, "The year you were in the psych ward, Sophie tried to make things right with everyone.
"We weren't trying to hide it from you. We just didn't want you to relapse.
"She's changed. There's no need to keep bringing up the past and making everyone miserable."
When I opened my eyes again, the room was empty.
Alex was out on the balcony, smoking. When he saw I was awake, he came back inside.
He slowly stubbed out his cigarette and sat down in front of me.
He sighed and reached out to wipe the tears from my eyes.
"Sophie donated her heart to your brother five years ago," Alex said softly.
"Now she's living with an artificial heart. It's so unstable, her life hangs by a thread."
My breathing grew heavier.
My hands started trembling without me even realizing.
Alex acted like he didn't notice and kept talking, "When you were in the hospital, she was the one who was there for your parents and family.
"Every time you had one of your episodes and hurt everyone around you, Sophie was the one picking up the pieces behind the scenes.
"Even when everyone hated her, she still did her best to fix what she'd done."
"You know, she grew up as a pampered princess, but just to make us a bowl of soup, she ended up with blisters on every finger.
"That year, without her, we wouldn't have survived it."
Every word Alex said made my eyes sting even more.
Sophie had made amends with everyone.
Everyone but me—the one who suffered most because of her.
My body was scarred beyond recognition from the burns.
When I was locked up in the psych ward, unable to live, unable to die.
My family and friends had already forgiven her instead of me.
A crushing sense of betrayal filled my chest, and the ringing in my ears grew louder and louder.
My voice was so soft, it was almost inaudible.
"Did you forgive her too?"
As I asked, I couldn't help but whisper in my heart.
Alex, you're the only one who's ever seen me covered in scars.
Everyone else can forgive her—everyone except you.
You're the only one who shouldn't!
But when I met Alex's steady, unwavering gaze, the last thread inside me finally snapped.
He nodded. "Yes, I forgave her too."
Alex pulled me into his arms, his voice low and muffled in my ear. "I'm sorry, Emily.
"Sophie's artificial heart is failing. The doctors say she's running out of time.
"Her dying wish is to marry me.
"Would you let Sophie come home and spend her last days with her family?
"After all, if you had never come back, she'd still be the spoiled princess of the Grant family, living without a care in the world."
But all I could think about was that first day I returned to the Grants—Sophie trapping me in the storage room, burning me over and over with a curling iron.
I burst out, "No!"
Alex's expression darkened instantly.