LOGINELENA’S POVMy stomach twisted in irritation. I had hoped Adrian wouldn’t show up, so I could have a reason not to involve him, but it seemed he was taking everything more seriously than I had expected.“Welcome, Adrian,” Dr. Kelvin greeted him with a smile.I clenched my teeth to prevent myself from screaming in anger. It was painful to see how everyone admired and liked Adrian without knowing how deeply he could hurt someone. He wore one of his suits that fit him perfectly, as though it had been tailored just for him. The first time I saw him in that suit, it felt like he had stepped straight out of a magazine. I quickly looked away to avoid looking at him or even catch me staring.“Why wouldn’t I show up?” Adrian deliberately turned to me with a puzzled expression.“Well, you’re almost late,” I replied defensively.“Almost, but not late. According to my watch,” Adrian said, glancing at his expensive timepiece, “I’m right on time.” His voice was filled with arrogance and pride.I w
ELENA’S POVDanielle’s announcement sent my nerves spiraling. I nearly fainted when she said it, and deep down, I knew that if Adrian wasn’t part of it, she wouldn’t have made such a bold public statement.Hours later, when the television finally turned on, I was forced to listen to Danielle’s exact words once more, unable to take my gaze off the smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes. Somehow, it felt like she was looking straight into my eyes and silently mocking me.I couldn’t stand it, so I excused myself and rushed to the restroom. No one would think that it was the “rising star’s” announcement that had completely turned my mood upside down.When I got to the restroom, I broke down in tears. I had thought I was completely over Adrian that whatever he did or whoever he chose wouldn’t affect me anymore but I had been terribly wrong. What made it even more painful was that it was the same Danielle who had been responsible for our divorce in the first place.Perhaps I might ha
*ELENA*It was a new week, and I was starting it with a positive mindset. I had made up my mind before getting to work that I would be happy no matter what.Jacinta dragged me into picking out more clothes than I had planned to buy. Apparently, she wanted me to have enough clothes.“I don’t really need anything for myself, Elena. You know my wardrobe is already full,” Jacinta argued.“I know, but you should still pick out a few things . After all, you’re the one who dragged me all the way out here,” I countered.Nope, I want nothing to do with that idiot’s money,” Jacinta said firmly.Her words cut deeper than I expected, but I brushed it off. She knew I didn’t want Adrian’s money either, especially now that we are no longer married, yet she had insisted on putting it into my account. What hurt even more was how carelessly she said it, without remembering that it had been this very issue that had nearly torn us apart.”Jacinta looked at me and noticed the hurt I had been trying to hid
*DANIELLE*Danielle flung her purse onto the sofa as she and Sophie walked in."Did you hear the horrible things that rude little girl said to me?" Georgia seethed."She was so nasty," Sophie said.But Danielle couldn’t get the words out of her head. For some reason, it upset her deeply that Sophie could not even stand up for her or defend her the way Elena’s friend did. If Sophie had been as quick-witted as she was, this wouldn’t have been a lost battle. And to make matters worse, not only was Elena shopping in the same exact boutique as her, she also had the audacity to set her up with her friend."And we just stood there and did nothing," Danielle said, flopping into the chair. She didn’t want to point accusing fingers at Sophie, because now that she was doing everything she could to get into this family, Danielle knew she shouldn’t be throwing blame around.But at the same time, she refused to let herself be pushed around like they did to Elena."I had no idea Elena hung out with
*ELENA*Honestly, I don’t know why, but I allowed Jacinta to drag me all the way across town in the name of shopping.“We really shouldn’t be doing this,” I told Jacinta, who had taken out her bag and started applying makeup. “Gosh, Jac, in a taxi?” I said, laughing.Jacinta would never stop surprising me. She was always doing odd things, and whenever I pointed it out, she called it spontaneity.“A girl has to look pretty all the time,” Jacinta said defensively. I watched her apply mascara to her eyelashes and shook my head in disbelief. I also noticed that the driver was stealing glances at us mostly at Jacinta but I didn’t say a word. Jacinta never cared about how people saw her, and I had stopped worrying about it for her long ago. “You had your makeup done before we left your apartment, Jacinta, and you spent an hour on it!” I said.“Yes, but that was a few minutes ago. If I could refresh my makeup every second, believe me, I would,” Jacinta said as she applied lipstick.“We’re g
*ELENA*I stood there, stunned to my core and frozen like ice. I honestly couldn’t believe what had just happened. Maybe Martin was wrong for thinking that Jacinta was not cold-hearted.Honestly, I had always known Jacinta as a soft-hearted person, which is why, when Martin said what he said, I took it upon myself to come here. Both Martin and I were wrong. A bitter reality that I might have to get accustomed to is that, in my absence, many things might have changed, including the behavior of people I once knew.My heart was shattered into a thousand pieces.Losing Adrian was painful enough, but losing my best friend was another thing entirely. Jacinta had always been the closest female presence in my life, and now, just when I needed her most, I had ruined things between us. I stood like a log for a few seconds before deciding to leave. My legs felt too heavy, and my heart ached, but standing there wouldn’t solve anything.I turned around and managed to get moving.“Are you just goi







