Chapter 1
Alex Carter was in the kitchen, washing dishes, and his WhatsApp was still open on the computer.
I glanced over and saw a new message pop up.
Sophie Lane: [Did she get mad today?]
Two seconds later, Alex replied: [Not yet.]
Sophie: [Only one day left. I'm definitely going to win your 150 bucks.]
I froze for a second, then scrolled up through the chat history.
It turned out that Alex and Sophie had a bet going on.
They were betting on whether I'd get mad and argue again within three days.
If I had lost my temper, Sophie would have won.
If I had kept my cool, Alex would have won.
Scrolling up further, I saw that every time Alex and I fought, he'd go to Sophie to vent.
Alex: [She's throwing another tantrum, every single day. She really thinks she's some kind of princess.]
Alex: [She keeps saying she's been with me since she was seventeen. So what? She's the one who's shameless; it's not like I ever forced her.]
Alex: [You're so chill. Should've just paired up with you from the start.]
As I read through those messages, my vision blurred with tears.
Alex was my first love. Nine years, from seventeen to twenty-six.
Sophie was my college friend, my bestie.
I thought one loved me, the other understood me.
But in their eyes, all my pain and hurt was only worth 150 bucks.
What did you do when your relationships were a complete disaster?
I figured I'd just kick them to the curb.
*****
There was a "ding" from the kitchen.
Alex called out, "Emma, come help me out."
Before I could even move, Sophie jumped up from the couch and dashed into the kitchen in her slippers.
"Don't tell me you broke a plate, Alex?" she called out.
Alex laughed and said, "Don't jinx me. I just slipped a little."
Sophie snorted, "Lucky you didn't break it, or Emma would've lost it again."
She really stretched out the word "again."
Alex joined in the laughter.
Hearing them laugh, I felt the blood drain from my face.
After the laughter died down, Alex said, "Alright, stop standing there like an idiot. Come help me."
Sophie teased, "Call me 'Daddy' and I'll help you."
Alex affectionately ruffled her hair. "Can't tell who's the real boss again, huh?"
Sophie grinned and let out a dramatic sigh.
"I'm so jealous of Emma. She gets to stay home all day, doesn't lift a finger, and her boyfriend pampers her nonstop," she said.
Alex corrected her, "Soon to be fiancé."
Sophie asked, "After you two tie the knot, can I still mooch off you for dinner? Will you both be spoiling me then?"
The kitchen and living room weren't far apart, but it felt like they were in a whole different world.
In that world, they shared inside jokes, casual affection, and an unspoken bond that completely excluded me.
And I just stood there, feeling like a stranger who didn't belong there at all.
I wiped away my tears, pulled out my phone, and took screenshots of every single one of their messages.
I stood up and said, "I'm going home."
The kitchen was filled with the sound of running water.
Sophie was trying to snatch the dishcloth from Alex, and the two of them bumped into each other, their laughter and playful shouts made it impossible for anyone to hear me.
I grabbed my phone and keys, slipped on my shoes, and walked out.
Sophie's laughter echoed from the kitchen again.
She teased, "Alex, you're soaked! Keep those wet hands away from me!"
Then she yelled dramatically, "Emma! Save me! Your fiancé is picking on your favorite bestie!"
I didn't respond. In silence, I closed the door behind me.
On the ride home, I slumped silently against the back of the taxi seat, feeling completely drained.
Neon lights flashed past the window, washing away behind me like waves.
My eyes stung badly, but not a single tear came out.
When the pain was that bad, tears simply wouldn't come.
I lived in an old apartment complex with no elevator.
Back then, whenever Alex walked me home, he'd always see me to my door and carry my heavy stuff upstairs for me.
The neighbor lady would always laugh and say, "Emma, you're so lucky to have such a caring boyfriend."
I used to think I was lucky too.
When I was eighteen, he'd be waiting for me outside the school after my evening classes, handing me a warm cup of hot cocoa.
When I was twenty, I was stuck in bed with period cramps so bad I couldn't move, and he took a day off work and ran all over town to buy me medicine.
When I was twenty-two, I got yelled at by my boss during my internship and ended up crying. He sat with me outside the office, hugging me and saying, "Don't be scared. If the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you."
Those good times were real.
But so were the times he made me feel small, and acted like he was better than me.
What hurt the most wasn't realizing he had never loved her.
It was realizing he once had, and then, little by little, he had let her slip out of his heart.
When I got upstairs, my mom was sitting in the living room, picking out what to wear tomorrow.
She looked surprised to see me come home alone.
"Where's Alex? Didn't you say you were going over the engagement party plans together tonight?" she asked.
I set my bag down on the table, my voice so hoarse it barely sounded like me. "Mom, I'm calling off the engagement."