How To Ruin A Wedding (an introduction)

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The next few weeks became a whirlwind of everyday life, laced with familiar routines. Hailey, the ultimate socialite, somehow managed to snag an invitation to Katherine's birthday gala—a surprise that left Katherine puzzled. She couldn't comprehend how Hailey, known for her antics with ex-boyfriends, managed to charm someone from Mikaelson Pharmaceutical into securing that precious invite.

"Did you charm him or something?" Katherine teased with a playful smirk. "Maybe you promised him some... you know, fun?"

Hailey gasped dramatically, pretending to be offended. "Me? Never!"

Having taken a job at a charming flower shop nearby, Hailey spent her days surrounded by the sweet scents and vibrant hues of blooms. Whenever she had some downtime, Katherine would often pop in to help her friend, taking a break from the confines of their apartment.

When she wasn't at the shop, Katherine would stroll through the streets, revisiting her childhood memories. The town had seen significant changes; modern shops replaced the old ones, yet a few familiar faces from her past remained.

Wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap to shield her identity, she wandered in hopes of avoiding the curious glances from locals. She didn't want to end up as fodder for another blog post or an anonymous photo circulating online—a constant reminder of her fall from grace. The whispers, the judgmental stares, and the hushed conversations served as a lingering reminder of her exile, echoing her disgrace.

One day, her wandering led her back to her childhood home. It had become rundown, a stark contrast to the vibrant memories she cherished. What was once a safe haven now stood in disrepair, a shadow of its former self, revealing the harsh passage of time.

The peeling paint, the wild weeds, and the shattered windows all hinted at neglect, a past left behind, a story unheard. The chipped paint on the front door, the rusted swing set in the backyard, and the cracked pavement leading to the porch served as poignant reminders of her family's struggles, their fight against a world that seemed to have forgotten them.

No one resided there anymore. Katherine had made sure her family moved on, escaping poverty to find a home befitting their new status—one that didn't echo hardship and didn't cry out reminders of their past.

She wondered why her mother had held onto the property, clinging to this dilapidated monument. Perhaps there were too many bittersweet memories attached, too many echoes of the past haunting its walls. But Katherine quickly dismissed that notion. Her mother had never been one for sentimentality; everything needed to serve a purpose.

Her mother had shown little care for the ongoing rivalry between Katherine and Caroline, a storm that brewed throughout their entire lives. Instead, she chose sides, gravitating towards the daughter who mirrored her own traits.

Caroline.

It was no surprise where Caroline had inherited her vanity, an attribute absent from their father, who had been a gentle soul, loving his daughters dearly regardless of their flaws. He was the voice of reason amidst the chaos, but his untimely departure left Katherine and Caroline to navigate their complicated lives alone.

Katherine turned her attention away from the crumbling remnants of her past; the memories were simply too painful. She called a cab and headed to the Mikaelson manor, the grand estate that had once been filled with luxury and love—and ironic suffering.

She found herself standing a distance away, drawn to the manor, perhaps as a form of self-inflicted punishment or maybe in hopes of catching a glimpse of Castiel.

A voice, dark and insidious, whispered in her mind, constantly reminding her of what she had lost—a tormentor that spoke of betrayal, abandonment, and a love seized too soon. It toyed with her memories of laughter, stolen kisses, and promises of forever.

She observed as staff bustled about, their movements a well-choreographed dance, embodying the order that ruled within the manor's walls.

That place was once her home, where she shared her life with Castiel, where their love blossomed into a beautiful melody of passion and devotion. Yet now, it felt distant, a cruel reminder of her displaced status.

Did they sleep in the same room she had shared with Castiel? Did they lay intertwined, lost in the warmth of a love she once claimed as her own?

The thought of Castiel with another woman stirred a storm of nausea within her. She couldn’t bear to think about their intimacy—the shared whispers, stolen kisses, promises that might have mirrored her own.

That love had once belonged to her.

Now, it was Caroline's.

Just the idea twisted her stomach, embodying the ache that gnawed at her heart.

She pictured them together, their bodies intertwined, laughter echoing in the halls, whispers of secrets and promises lingering in the air.

Fury ignited, a fire in the depths of her being.

How could he, the man who professed his eternal love to her, betray her in such a way?

She had been naive, blinded by the belief in their love and the bond they shared. A pawn in a game she never understood, a victim of an unforeseen betrayal.

Katherine sighed, the weight of her grief pressing against her. The birthday gala was only three days away, a huge event that would force her to confront her past—to stand in the shadow of the woman who had taken so much from her.

She would walk into that gala with her head held high, masking the tempest inside with a facade of composure. A smile to shield herself from the world that had turned its back on her.

But internally, the pain would always accompany her, a reminder of what she had lost and a testament to her broken heart.

And the anger, still smoldering within her, awaited its moment to erupt, to serve as the guiding fire that would lead her back to her true self, the fire that would ignite her desire for revenge.

Now she felt prepared.

She was ready to face Caroline, confront Castiel, reclaim her life and rebuild her shattered world, to rise from the ashes of defeat.

The birthday gala was more than just a celebration; it would be a battleground, a stage for a long-awaited showdown.

And Katherine was going to fight.