Chapter four

I froze, my hand hovering just above the door handle. Ryan’s voice, smooth yet sharp, pierced through the muffled sounds from inside Silver’s house. My pulse quickened, the sound of his voice stirring up old wounds I had tried to bury. What was *he* doing here? And why was Silver laughing with him?

I took a deep breath, trying to steady the storm of emotions crashing through me. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe this wasn’t what it seemed. But as I listened closer, the laughter died down, replaced by the sound of Silver’s voice, soft but pleading.

“Ryan, please… don’t leave me. I’m pregnant.”

I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. Silver was *pregnant*? With Ryan’s child? My heart raced, a mixture of confusion and betrayal flooding my mind.

Silver continued, her voice desperate. “She can never be yours again, Ryan. Nerissa’s pregnant by another man. It’s over between you two.”

There was a moment of silence, a heavy pause that seemed to drag on forever, and then came Ryan’s response—cold and venomous.

“You’re a slut, Silver. You’re lying to trap me. That baby isn’t mine,” Ryan spat, his voice filled with disgust. “You’re going to abort that bastard, or I’m walking out of your life for good.”

Before I could stop myself, I burst through the door, my entire body shaking with rage. “How *dare* you!” I screamed, my voice raw with anger as I stormed into the room. Ryan and Silver both turned to look at me, eyes wide in shock.

Ryan opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, I slapped him hard across the face. The sound echoed through the room, and for a split second, the only thing I could hear was the ringing in my ears.

“Don’t you ever speak to her like that again!” I shouted, my chest heaving with fury. Ryan stumbled back, clutching his cheek, his eyes darkening with anger.

“Nerissa…” Silver’s voice was shaky, her face pale as she stood frozen by the couch.

I turned to her, my heart aching with betrayal. “I can’t believe you, Silver. How could you betray me like this? You knew what Ryan meant to me. And now—” I broke off, my voice cracking as the weight of everything crashed down on me. “Now you’re pregnant with his child? Was this......was this before our break up or after?"

I hope, I really hope what I was thinking wasn't the answer.

But they both kept quiet and I gripped my handbag tightly in anger.

"So my best friend and my boyfriend were sleeping together behind my back? For how long has this been going on?"

"F....Four years" Silver squeaked

"What?!"

Ryan rushed to me, holding my hands as he went on his knees, "It's all her fault, Risa. She seduced me and....."

"And so you continued sleeping with her?"

"She forced me to! She said she was going to tell you if I didn't continue"

I laughed mirthlessly, "Force?" I removed my hand from his grip and turned to Silver

Silver’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head. “Nerissa, it wasn’t like that. I’ve loved Ryan all my life. You know that. You can’t blame me for—”

“I *can* blame you,” I snapped, my voice trembling. “You’re my best friend. I trusted you. And you went behind my back and cheated with the one person who I loved the most. Do you have any idea how much that hurts?”

Silver’s tears spilled over as she whispered, “I’m sorry, Nerissa. But I couldn’t help how I felt.”

I shook my head, backing away from her, the betrayal cutting deeper than any words could express. “I never want to see you again, Silver.”

I turned to leave, then paused by the door." I can't believe you destroyed our friendship for him"

With that, I turned and walked out of the house, my chest tightening with every step. I needed to get away—from Silver, from Ryan, from everything. My mother’s house in the countryside was the only place I could think of where I could find some peace.

I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. The pain was too much to bear.