2. THE BETRAYING FRIEND

Days passed, but the pain in my chest never faded, not even for a single second. That night, I did not sleep a wink. I chose to spend the night in the guest room, leaving Gavin alone in our master bedroom with all his dirty secrets. My eyes were swollen, my throat was dry, and my entire body felt heavy as if it were filled with lead.

I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My face was deathly pale, and dark circles hung heavily under my eyes. I looked like a living ghost. Beautiful on the outside, but completely shattered within.

Ding... Dong...

The doorbell rang.

The sound made me jump. Who would come this early in the morning?

With dragging steps, I walked slowly towards the front door. When I opened it, a bright smile and a face I knew so well welcomed me.

"ARIA!!!"

Selina.

My best friend. The person I had considered like my own sister for over ten years. The one I told everything to. The one I trusted more than anyone else in this world.

She stood there wearing a bright yellow spring dress, holding a basket of fruits and the tart that I loved so much. Her face glowed with innocence and kindness—the same kindness I had always believed in.

"Selina..." my voice came out hoarse and weak.

"Oh my God, Aria! Why is your face so pale?!" Selina immediately stepped inside, put down her things, and cupped my face with her warm hands. Her eyes widened as if she was genuinely worried. "Are you sick? Have you been crying? Your eyes are so swollen!"

She looked so caring. So sincere.

If I hadn't seen what I saw last night, I would have broken down crying and told her everything. But today, something was different. There was a strange feeling clogging my heart the moment I saw that smile.

"I... I'm fine, Lin. Just didn't sleep well," I lied, forcing a tiny smile.

"Ah, I know it's Gavin again, right?" Selina immediately held my hand, pulling me to sit on the living room sofa. She stroked the back of my hand gently. "That man must be overworking again, right? Leaving you all alone all the time. You poor thing, Ri."

Her voice was so soft, so soothing. She sat next to me, acting like she was the only person in this world who truly understood my pain.

"I'm here for you, okay?" she said, patting my shoulder. "If that husband of yours is being mean, you can always rant to me. I'll always be on your side."

As she spoke, she moved her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. And that was when the sunlight coming through the window hit something on her neck, reflecting a blinding sparkle.

My eyes froze.

Around her neck, resting perfectly against her smooth skin, was a necklace.

It was a beautiful pendant shaped like a swan, encrusted with tiny diamonds that sparkled brilliantly.

My breath hitched.

That necklace... I knew that necklace better than I knew my own name.

It was the Swan Lake Diamond Necklace. A limited edition piece that Gavin had given me for my birthday two years ago. It was my most prized possession. I loved it so much that I only wore it on very special occasions, and I kept it safely locked inside my jewelry box.

But why... why was it around Selina's neck right now?

"Lin..." I stammered, my finger pointing shakily towards her collarbone. "That... that necklace you're wearing..."

Selina touched the pendant instinctively, smiling sweetly. "Oh, this one? Do you like it? It's so pretty, right?"

"Where... where did you get it?" I asked, my voice trembling, trying to keep myself from collapsing.

"Oh," she laughed lightly, looking down as if she was shy. "Gavin gave it to me."

The words hit me like a lightning bolt.

"He gave it to you?" I repeated, unable to believe my ears. "But... that's mine. That was my birthday present. I kept it in my box!"

Selina’s smile didn't fade. Instead, she let out a soft giggle and waved her hand dismissively.

"Aish, you and your memory, Aria. Don't you remember? You said you didn't like wearing it anymore because it was too flashy. You told me to take it if I wanted it," she said casually, as if she was talking about the weather.

I said that?

No! I never said that! I loved that necklace! It was a symbol of his love!

But looking at Selina’s calm face, looking at how perfectly that necklace sat on her chest, wearing something that was supposed to be mine... I felt a wave of nausea rising up my throat.

It wasn't just a necklace. It was my memories. It was my love. And they were giving it away to someone else like it was trash.

"I... I never said that," I whispered, tears stinging my eyes again.

Selina sighed, looking at me with pity. "Oh, come on, Aria. Don't be like that. It's just a piece of jewelry anyway. Besides, look... it suits me much better, doesn't it? The color brings out my skin tone."

She tilted her head, posing slightly, admiring herself in the reflection of the glass window.

"And Gavin said so too," she added, her voice dropping to a whisper, full of satisfaction. "He said I look more elegant wearing it than you."

I felt like I was going to faint. The room started spinning.

But the nightmare wasn't over yet.

Just then, Gavin walked down the stairs. He was wearing his bathrobe, his hair still messy from sleep. He looked fresh, completely different from the drunk man I saw last night.

"Good morning," he said, yawning. Then his eyes landed on Selina, and his face instantly lit up. A warm, genuine smile spread across his lips. A smile I hadn't received in years.

"Oh, you're here already?" Gavin said, walking towards us with relaxed steps.

"Yeah, I came to keep Aria company since you're so busy," Selina answered sweetly, standing up.

And that was when I noticed what Selina was wearing underneath her open cardigan.

She was wearing silk pajamas.

Soft, expensive-looking silk pajamas in the color of champagne gold.

My blood ran cold.

I recognized the pattern. I recognized the fabric.

Those were the pajamas I had ordered online three months ago! The ones that were supposed to arrive on my birthday next week! I had hidden the package in the back of the wardrobe, waiting for the right moment to wear them and surprise Gavin!

But how... how was Selina wearing them right now?

They fit her perfectly. She looked comfortable, as if she had owned them for years.

"Those..." I pointed, my voice barely audible. "Those clothes... Selina, where did you get those?"

Selina looked down at her clothes, then smiled innocently. "Oh, these? Gavin gave them to me. He said he bought the wrong size for you, so he gave them to me instead. Aren't they comfortable?"

I wanted to scream.

I was the one who chose the size! I knew my own body!

It wasn't the wrong size! It was the perfect size! For me!

They took my gift. They took my surprise. And gave it to her! They wore my things in my house, right under my nose!

Gavin didn't even deny it. He just leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, watching us with an amused expression.

"Yeah, they look good on her, don't they?" Gavin said, his voice full of pride. "Selina has a better body shape anyway. The clothes look more expensive when she wears them."

In that moment, as I stood there between the two people I trusted the most, I felt like an outsider in my own home.

I looked at them. Really looked at them.

The way Gavin looked at Selina... it wasn't just a look between friends. It was possessive. It was intimate. It was the look of a man who owned the woman standing in front of him.

And Selina... she looked back at him. Her eyes were sparkling, full of mischief and affection. There was a secret language passing between their glances. A deep understanding that excluded me completely.

They were in sync. They were connected.

I saw the way Gavin’s hand casually brushed against Selina’s shoulder when he walked past her. I saw the way Selina bit her lip and smiled shyly, a smile that was meant only for him.

It was natural. It was practiced. It was real.

And suddenly, everything made sense.

Why Selina always came to my house uninvited.

Why she always asked me about Gavin's schedule.

Why she always comforted me when we fought, only to go back and tell him everything.

She wasn't my friend.

She was the wolf in sheep's clothing.

She was the other woman.

"Why..." I forced the words out, my body shaking violently. "Why are you doing this to me, Selina? I thought you were my best friend. I trusted you!"

Selina’s expression changed instantly. The sweet mask fell off, replaced by a look of cold calculation. She took a step closer to Gavin, hiding slightly behind his arm, looking small and vulnerable.

"Aria, don't be like this," she said, her voice turning soft and pitiful, exactly how she always acted in front of him. "We are just friends. Why are you being so jealous and dramatic? Gavin and I care about each other, but it's pure. You are just sick and paranoid!"

"That's right!" Gavin stepped forward, standing in front of Selina, shielding her from me. He looked at me with eyes full of anger and disgust.

"Can't you see? She is a hundred times better than you! She is kind, she is fun, she knows how to treat a man! While you? You are just a boring, suspicious woman who ruins everyone's mood! Look at you! You are making Selina cry!"

Making her cry?

I looked at Selina. Sure enough, tears were already welling up in her eyes. She looked so fragile, so hurt.

But I saw it.

I saw the tiny, triumphant smirk she gave me behind Gavin's back.

She was mocking me.

She was telling me without words: "I won. He is mine now."

My heart was being crushed into powder.

My mind brought back memories of our friendship, memories that now felt like knives stabbing me repeatedly.

Flashback:

Ten years ago.

"We are going to be best friends forever, right?" little Selina had said, holding my pinky finger. "No matter what happens, no boys, no secrets will ever break us apart. I promise."

Five years ago.

On my wedding day, Selina was my maid of honor. She hugged me tightly and whispered, "I'm so happy you found Gavin. He is a good man. And I will always be here to protect you, sister."

Last month.

"Aria, you are so lucky," Selina had said, drinking tea in my living room. "Gavin loves you so much. Even if another woman tries to seduce him, he would never look at them, right? You are the queen."

Liar!

All of it was lies!

They were laughing at me behind my back this whole time!

They were planning this!

They were stealing my life piece by piece, and I was stupid enough to hand it to them with my own two hands!

The pain of Gavin cheating on me was already unbearable.

But finding out that it was Selina... my own best friend... the person I shared all my tears and laughter with... it was a thousand times worse.

It felt like they had teamed up to kill me slowly.

"Get out..." I whispered, my voice hoarse and broken.

"What?" Gavin frowned.

"I said GET OUT!" I screamed, pointing at the door. All the pain, all the anger, all the betrayal exploded in that single scream.

"Both of you! Get out of my house! Don't ever touch my things again! Don't ever pretend to care about me ever again!"

Selina sobbed loudly, hiding her face in Gavin's chest. "Gavin... I'm scared... she's so scary..."

Gavin held her tightly, glaring at me with eyes that could kill.

"You are insane, Aria! Completely insane!" he spat out. "We are leaving! And don't expect me to come back anytime soon! Being here with you is like living in hell!"

He turned around, took Selina in his arms, and walked out of the door. They left together. In the same car.

I stood alone in the huge living room.

The necklace, the pajamas, the secret glances, the lies... everything swirled in my mind.

I slid down to the floor, hugging my knees.

It wasn't just a marriage that was dying.

My whole world had collapsed.

The two people I loved most in this world had joined hands to stab me in the heart, and they were enjoying every second of it.