CHAPTER 2: A DEEPER CUT

The following morning, Olive woke up to the sound of her phone buzzing incessantly on the coffee table. She had fallen asleep on the couch, her face streaked with dried tears. Her eyes burned, and her head throbbed as she groggily reached for the phone.

A flood of messages and missed calls greeted her. Most were from concerned friends and family checking on last-minute wedding details. But there was one from Frank, and just seeing his name made her stomach churn.

We need to talk. Call me.

Olive stared at the message, her heart heavy with anger and pain. What more was there to say? She had seen everything she needed to. She tossed the phone aside and sank back into the couch, burying her face in her hands.

The betrayal was still fresh, the memory of Frank and Diana together replaying in her mind like a broken record. Diana’s smirk, her mocking words, and the damning pregnancy test result—all of it left Olive feeling raw and exposed.

Olive decided she couldn’t stay in the apartment any longer. Everywhere she looked, she was reminded of Frank—the photos on the walls, the gifts he had given her, the plans they had made.

“I need to get out of here,” she muttered to herself, standing up.

She began packing a suitcase with no clear destination in mind. All she knew was that she needed to be far away from the chaos, from the wedding that would never happen, and from the people who had shattered her trust.

As she packed, her mind raced with questions about the pregnancy. How was it even possible? Could the hospital have made a mistake? And if not, then what?

She shoved her clothes into the suitcase, frustration bubbling inside her. Just as she zipped it up, there was a loud knock at the door.

Olive froze. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Her heart pounded as the knocking grew louder.

“Olive, open the door!” Frank’s voice called out.

Her chest tightened. She didn’t want to face him, but she couldn’t ignore him either. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the door and opened it just enough to see him.

Frank stood there, looking disheveled and desperate. His tie was undone, and his usually neat hair was a mess.

“Can we talk?” he pleaded, his voice softer now.

Olive hesitated before opening the door fully. “What do you want, Frank?” she asked, her tone cold.

He stepped inside, glancing at the packed suitcase by the couch. “You’re leaving?”

“What does it look like?” she snapped.

Frank ran a hand through his hair, frustration etched on his face. “Olive, I made a mistake. I—”

“You think calling it a mistake makes it better?” she interrupted, her voice rising. “You betrayed me, Frank. With my stepsister, of all people!”

Frank opened his mouth to speak, but Olive held up a hand. “Save it. I don’t want to hear your excuses.”

Frank’s eyes drifted to the coffee table, where a copy of the pregnancy test results lay. He picked it up and held it up to her.

“You’re really pregnant?” he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

Olive crossed her arms, glaring at him. “Yes. And I don’t know how, because I’ve never been with anyone.”

Frank’s brow furrowed. “How is that even possible? Are you lying to me?”

“Lying to you?” Olive laughed bitterly. “You’re the one who’s been lying, Frank. You and Diana.”

Frank shook his head, his frustration mounting. “I deserve answers, Olive. If you’re pregnant, I have a right to know what’s going on.”

“You lost any right to know the moment you betrayed me,” she shot back, her voice shaking with anger.

The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved pain.

As if on cue, the door swung open, and Diana waltzed in, her heels clicking against the floor.

“Did someone say my name?” she said with a smirk, her eyes glinting with mischief.

Olive’s hands balled into fists at her sides. “What are you doing here?”

Diana sauntered over to Frank, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “Just checking on my dear sister. I heard she’s planning to run away.”

Olive glared at her. “I don’t have time for your games, Diana. Get out.”

Diana laughed, a cold, mocking sound. “Oh, Olive, you’re always so dramatic. You should be thanking me. I’ve saved you from a marriage that clearly wasn’t meant to be.”

Olive’s voice was icy. “You’re delusional if you think I’ll ever forgive you for this.”

Diana shrugged, unbothered by Olive’s anger. She turned to Frank. “Have you told her yet?”

“Told me what?” Olive asked, her eyes narrowing.

Frank hesitated, avoiding Olive’s gaze. Diana, however, was more than happy to spill the beans.

“Frank’s decided to take legal action,” Diana said, her tone dripping with false sweetness. “He’s going to sue you for wasting his time in courtship.”

Olive’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?” she asked, looking at Frank.

He finally met her eyes, guilt flickering across his face. “You’ve been hiding things from me, Olive. I have a right to protect myself.”

Olive let out a bitter laugh. “You’re suing me? After everything you’ve done? You’re unbelievable.”

Diana leaned closer to Olive, her voice low and taunting. “Face it, Olive. You’ve lost. Frank doesn’t want you anymore, and you’re about to be the laughingstock of everyone you know.”

Olive’s vision blurred with tears, but she refused to let them fall. “Get out,” she said through gritted teeth.

Frank hesitated, but Diana grabbed his arm. “Come on, Frank. Let’s leave the poor girl to her misery.”

As the door slammed shut behind them, Olive sank onto the couch, her body trembling. She felt broken, betrayed, and utterly alone. But as the minutes passed, a new resolve began to build within her.

She wouldn’t let Frank and Diana destroy her. She wouldn’t let them define her story.

Wiping her tears, Olive stood up and grabbed her suitcase. She didn’t know where she was going yet, but one thing was certain: she was leaving this town and its toxic memories behind.

Her journey was just beginning, and she was determined to reclaim her life, no matter what it took.