Chapter 3

Emily's POV

Few days later

I can't believe Mia is getting married. It's like a cruel joke played by the universe, mocking me for all the years of bitterness I've harbored towards her. Eversince high school, I've resented her, envied her, really. It all started when Nicholas, my crush, showed interest in her instead of me. Because of Nicholas I approached her first and pretended to be her friend, even lied about my name to get close to her. It was easy to manipulate situations, to subtly sabotage her relationships. Yet, here she is, about to marry, and I feel an irrational surge of anger.meanwhile am still here forcing myself on the same Nicholas all this years.

When Mia handed me the invitation card, I wanted to rip it to shreds. Instead, I clenched it tightly, trying to suppress the urge to strangle her right there. I didn't even bother looking at the details on the card; her presence alone was enough to infuriate me.

Back then while in school no one in the school doesn't know Mia because of her beauty,we were not in the same class then but I got to hear about her because people talk about her alot and almost all the ladies then wished to be her but after I became her friend everything changed.Mia always had everything handed to her on a silver platter. Her perfect smile, her effortless charm ,they drew people to her like moths to a flame. And Nicholas... Nicholas was the final straw. The way he looked at her, with admiration and affection, pierced through my facade of friendship like a dagger. I resented Mia for stealing his attention, for effortlessly winning the heart I had yearned for.

High school was a battlefield, and Mia was the queen bee, reigning over it all. I watched as she navigated relationships with grace, while I struggled to even gain a fraction of the attention she effortlessly commanded. I played the role of her friend, all the while plotting behind her back, waiting for the perfect opportunity to tear down her perfect facade.

I relished in the pain I caused her. Every relationship she had, I made sure to sabotage. I whispered lies to her boyfriends, spun tales of her infidelity or promiscuity, knowing they would lash out at her. And each time they did, a sick satisfaction surged through me, confirming my twisted belief that Mia deserved to suffer for everything she seemingly took from me.

For years, I harbored these resentments in secret, and  even lied to her about my name, ever since high school Mia still thinks that my name is Charlotte. Masking my true intentions with a smile and false camaraderie. Mia never suspected a thing. She continued to confide in me, oblivious to the venomous thoughts brewing beneath my friendly facade. And now, here I am, pregnant which will turn to Nicholas child , planning to marry him and reveling in the thought of Mia's shock when she learns the truth.

As I sat seething with jealousy and resentment, the unexpected knock on my door startled me out of my thoughts. Who could it be at this hour? I opened the door cautiously, half-expecting it to be Mia again, but instead, it was someone unexpected, which is Nicholas.

Mia's POV

Nicholas. His name still echoes in my mind like a haunting melody, stirring up emotions I thought I had buried deep. I hadn't seen him in years, yet just the memory of his smile, his voice, threatened to unravel me. It was bad timing, too. Just when I thought I could finally move on from relationships and focus on myself, there he was, a ghost from my past.

Work became a blur as I struggled to concentrate. Every email, every phone call felt like a distraction from the turmoil inside me. And then there were my parents. Always pushing me to settle down, to find a husband. The pressure was suffocating, making me question every decision I had made thus far.

"Why is my life so miserable?" I muttered to myself, feeling overwhelmed by it all. Then, like a thunderbolt, thoughts of Charlotte came rushing back. She was always my pillar, the one person who could lift my spirits no matter how dark the day seemed.

I grabbed my phone, fingers trembling slightly as I dialed her number. The ringtone seemed to drag on forever until finally, she picked up. But her voice wasn't the usual cheerful tone I expected. She sounded distant, almost strained.

"I'm sick," she said flatly. "Can't hang out."

Disappointment washed over me like a wave. Without Charlotte, I felt adrift, alone with my thoughts and worries. The decision was made for me – I needed to go home, to escape the suffocating pressure of work and family expectations.

As I walked through the door of my apartment, a sense of unease settled over me. Everything felt different, strange, as if the air itself had thickened with foreboding. And then it hit me like a punch to the gut – the wedding invitation. I rushed to check the date, my heart sinking as I realized the ceremony was scheduled for tomorrow.

"What?" I cried out in disbelief. I had lost track of time, lost in my own turmoil. Panic set in as I frantically tried to gather my thoughts. How could I have missed this? How could I be so careless?

I stumbled towards my car, hands trembling as I fumbled for the keys. There was no time to waste. I needed to find a way to make things right.

To be continued.