Chapter 3
The next week, things at home got awkward.
Mom kept glancing at me, like she wanted to say something but always ended up just sighing.
Dad completely avoided the topic, acting as if nothing had ever been said that night.
Alex had no clue I'd confronted Mom and Dad about everything.
He was still sending me pictures of Sophie every single day.
"Emily, look! Sophie knitted me this scarf.
"Emily, Sophie baked a cake. Next time, I'll let you try some," he'd add.
I just replied with a quick "Okay."
On Wednesday night, Alex called me out of the blue.
"Emily, I want to formally introduce Sophie to Mom and Dad before Christmas and make our engagement official," he said.
I gripped my phone so hard my knuckles turned white.
"That soon?" I asked.
"We've been together for almost nine months now, and I really think she's the one. Emily, you've seen how good she is," Alex said.
Nine months.
From when she started following Alex's social media last April, to their first interaction in May, and now.
Looking back, every move she made was calculated.
"Emily? Why aren't you saying anything?"
"Alex, how much do you really know about her?" I asked.
"What do you mean?" he replied.
"Her past. What she did in high school. The people she used to hang out with. Her old connections," I said.
"Emily, what's with all the questions? Are you interrogating her or something? Seriously, Sophie's really pure." Alex grumbled.
"Did you ever ask her where she went to high school?" I pressed.
"Of course I did. Northside High."
Northside High.
Same as me.
"Did she ever bring me up?" I asked.
"Why would she? You two didn't even know each other in high school." Alex started.
He stopped mid-sentence.
"Wait, you guys actually know each other?" Alex said, sounding confused.
I stayed silent.
"Emily? What do you mean?"
"Nothing. If you're happy, that's all that matters."
I hung up.
I stared at the ceiling for ages.
He'd never believe me.
He was so deep in the dark, he had no clue about any of it.
If I told him Sophie used to bully me, his first reaction would be—
"Emily, are you sure you didn't get it wrong?"
And then—
"Even if it happened, that was ages ago."
Just like Mom and Dad.
No one in this family had ever been on my side.
It was always been like this.
I opened my laptop and made a new folder called "Timeline."
I put together a list of all Sophie's interactions with Alex on social media, sorted by date.
April 13th last year: Her first comment on Alex's TikTok.
May 2nd last year: Her first like on Alex's WhatsApp Moments.
May 19th last year: Alex posted their first photo together.
From June to December last year: Things between them got steady.
January this year: Sophie came over for dinner with the family for the first time.
I went back to Alex's first post from last March—a photo of my company's entrance.
That was the day after my company secured its Series B funding.
Alex made a special trip just to snap that picture.
A week later, Sophie followed Alex online.
I saved the timeline.
Then I pulled up Sophie's WhatsApp.
She was the one who sent me a friend request.
It was the day after she came over for dinner for the first time.
"Hi! I'm Alex's girlfriend. Looking forward to getting along with you."
I didn't really think about it and just hit accept.
Now, when I scrolled through her Moments, it only showed the last three days—nothing there.
But her WhatsApp status caught my attention.
[Life's long; just be content and enjoy the ride.]
Back in high school, her bio read—
[If you can't stand me, trust me—the feeling's mutual. But I can make you suffer even more.]
I took a screenshot.
On Saturday, Alex brought Sophie over again.
This time, he didn't even bother to let me know ahead of time.
I got home from work, opened the door, and saw her sitting on the couch with Mom, making ravioli together.
"You're home, Emily!" Sophie called out.
Her hands were dusted with flour as she flashed me a sweet smile.
Mom smiled.
"Sophie's got such nimble hands—her ravioli looks prettier than mine," Mom said.
I kicked off my shoes and headed over to the table.
Sophie handed me a cup of water, setting it down in front of me.
"Warm up with some water, Emily," she said, smiling.
As she set the cup down, her fingers grazed the back of my hand.
It was so light.
No one would even notice.
But I felt my skin crawl.
Back in high school, she did the same thing.
She'd jab the tip of her pen into my back, out of the teacher's sight.
Over and over, never stopping.
Not hard, never left a mark.
But I could feel her presence.
I knew she could turn it painful whenever she felt like it.
"Thanks," I said, taking the cup but leaving it untouched.
At dinner, Alex brought up the engagement.
"Dad, Mom, Sophie and I are thinking about getting engaged before Christmas," he said.
"That's wonderful!" Mom put down her fork. "Sophie, does your family have any special engagement traditions?"
Sophie gave a shy smile, lowering her head.
"My parents said we'll just go with whatever you guys do," she replied.
"Such a great girl," Dad nodded.
Everyone at the table was smiling.
Except me.
Alex shot me a look.
"Emily, aren't you going to say something?" he asked.
"Whatever makes you happy," I said flatly.
"Emily, why are you always like this? Can't you ever just be happy for me?" Alex complained.
"I told you, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters," I repeated.
Alex slammed his fork down.
"Seriously, what's your deal? Is it that you just don't like Sophie or what?" he snapped.
"Alex." Mom tried to cut in.
"Ever since Sophie first came over, you've been nothing but cold to her. I've brought her here three times, and you haven't even cracked a smile once!" Alex burst out.
Sophie tugged at Alex's sleeve.
"Alex, don't," she said, acting all gentle. "Maybe Emily's just busy with work or not feeling great."
She turned to face me, and in her eyes I saw something I knew all too well. Not grievance. Triumph. So subtle — so subtle that only I could recognize it.
Ten years had passed. And that look was exactly the same.
"Emily, did I do something wrong? Just tell me, and I'll fix it," Sophie said, all gentle and innocent.
"You didn't do anything wrong," I said flatly.
She hesitated, about to say something else.
I cut her off, "I'm done."
I stood up, gathered my dishes, and headed into the kitchen without another word.
As I closed the kitchen door, I heard Mom whispering outside.
"That's just how Emily is. Don't take it personally," she said.
Alex kept his voice down, but I caught every word.
"Is she jealous or something? I used to have nothing, and now that I've got such an awesome girlfriend, she just can't stand to see me doing well," he muttered.
Then Sophie's voice floated over, all soft and sweet.
"No way, Emily's such a good person. She'd never do that," Sophie said, her voice all soft and sugary.
I cranked the faucet up to full blast.
The rush of water drowned out everything from the living room.
It also hid the sound of me crushing the dish sponge in my fist.