Chapter 004

Lorraine’s brows furrowed as she stood beside Alina in front of the flower shop. The lights were still on, and the place looked quiet.

"What are we doing here?" Lorraine asked, gently.

"I told you I needed to visit Kelvin." Alina replied calmly.

"Okay… and what’s that got to do with coming here?”

“I left him a gift, and I came to get it.” Alina smiled faintly and walked toward the door. “Just wait here. I won’t be long,” she said before stepping inside.

A moment later, she spotted her boss arranging a vase on the counter.

“Alina? What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same,” she said awkwardly, offering a small smile.

He chuckled. “Came to grab a few things I forgot. You?”

“I came for the bouquet I made earlier,” she said.

"The funeral wreaths?" he asked, confused.

Alina nodded. “Yeah. That one.”

He hesitated, studying her for a moment. "Is everything okay with you?"

"It is," she responded curtly, walking over to collect the bouquet. "Thanks, Fred."

She waved at him and left the shop, stepping out to meet Lorraine who was waiting with raised brows.

Lorraine’s eyes nearly popped out when she saw the bouquet. "Oh my God. Who died?"

Alina simply shrugged. "Well…" she started, then forced a smile. "Let’s go."

The two of them hailed a cab, and within minutes, they arrived at Kelvin’s mansion.

Alina turned to Lorraine, clutching the flowers tightly. "I’ll be back."

Lorraine’s jaw dropped. "You’re not seriously giving that to Kelvin, are you?" She pointed at the wreath in disbelief.

Alina nodded, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Yup."

Lorraine stared at her, stunned. Something about Alina felt off. Her smile was too calm, her eyes too steady.

"You’re freaking me out."

"I’ll be back," Alina reassured her, then turned toward the mansion before Lorraine could protest further.

She stepped inside the house quietly, only to hear familiar voices from the living room.

"I told you she was a fool," Donavon laughed. "Doing all that extra just to keep a man who was already sleeping with her sister."

"Right?" Noeul added. "Imagine making breakfast at 5 a.m. just to bring it to him in bed."

Kelvin chuckled lowly. "She really thought she was wife material."

Alina smiled to herself, then turned the corner, walking in like a breeze. Their laughter abruptly stopped.

"Hi," she greeted casually.

They all turned, surprised, and Kelvin stiffened at the sight of her.

Donavon smirked. "Came to apologize?"

Noeul raised an eyebrow. "Or is this your weird way of saying you want him back?"

Alina smiled, holding the bouquet behind her. "Actually, I just came to say thank you."

They exchanged confused glances.

"Thanks, Kelvin," she said, walking closer. "For helping me realize where I truly belong."

Donavon narrowed his eyes. "What?"

She brought out the bouquet and handed it to Kelvin, who looked stunned.

"Congratulations on your relationship with Jennifer," she said sweetly. "These are appreciation flowers."

Kelvin’s jaw tightened. "Are you crazy?"

Alina stepped back two paces, her smile widening. "No, honey. I’m not." Then she raised her middle finger. "Fuck you."

The room went silent.

Donavon stood up, ready to speak, but Alina held up a finger, shushing him. "Shhh."

She chuckled softly, unbothered, then turned and walked out the door without a single glance back.

Outside, she inhaled deeply, placing a trembling hand on her chest. Her heart raced, her nerves shaking.

"How… did I just do that?" she whispered, half-laughing.

"Are you okay?" Lorraine asked, rushing over.

"We can go to the party now," Alina said with a bright smile, walking ahead.

Lorraine stared after her, eyes wide. "Damn… I’m not used to this Alina. What’s gotten into her?"

She shook her head, then jogged to catch up with her friend.

******

They got home, and Lorraine turned to look at Alina. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Alina cut her off.

"I’ll go take my bath now. And thanks for letting me stay with you," Alina said, turning to head for her room.

Inside, the happy face she’d been keeping up disappeared. She stripped off her clothes, heading straight for the bathroom.

Turning on the shower, a gasp escaped her lips when the cold water hit her body. She ran her hands through her wet hair as the water cascaded down her.

Now alone, the memories of yesterday began to flood in, and her heart ached.

All the memories she had with Kelvin, the stolen kisses, the cuddles, the fun nights... Was it all just a facade to get close to her sister? Her own sister?

Her hand flew to her mouth as a loud sob escaped her lips. Her tears mixed with the water as her uncontrollable sobs echoed through the bathroom.

She slipped down to the floor, hugging her knees as her shoulders shook with sobs. It was painful.

******

Alina and Lorraine entered the lively party an hour later. Music pounded, lights flashed, and the air smelled of alcohol and perfume. People danced, drank, and talked, each caught up in the moment.

Alina’s eyes roamed the room casually—until they landed on them.

She froze.

Her ex-boyfriend, looking smug in his perfectly tailored suit, and her younger stepsister, her fingers curled possessively around his arm, as if she had won the biggest prize of her life.

They hadn’t expected to see her, probably because of the break-up. That much was clear from the way her sister’s smile faltered and her ex’s eyes widened, then darkened.

Alina walked in fully, grabbed a glass of wine, and lifted it slowly, forcing a smile she didn’t feel. Before she could process anything, Jennifer walked up to her.

"I thought you’d be crying a storm after Kelvin dumped you," Jennifer sneered.

Alina raised an eyebrow, then smiled. "Because?"

Her gaze shifted to Kelvin, who had balled his fist in anger.

"That’s a funny joke," Alina said, her smile never faltering. She turned to Jennifer, narrowing her eyes. "You can have him. You’re both exactly where you belong—trash." She smiled wider.

"You..." Jennifer began, but Alina didn’t let her finish. She took a sip from her wine and turned to face Kelvin.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you," she said, her tone sweet. "I wasn’t that faithful either."

Jennifer scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You think I’ll buy that? You can’t move on from Kelvin. You’ve always being obsessed with him."

The words stung, sharper than she’d expected. Alina bit her lip, her fists clenching. Jennifer was right. She had always loved Kelvin, had never fully been able to move on. But now, she was going to prove them wrong, even if it meant lying.

She raised her hand to reveal a ring on her finger. "I’m engaged. I’ve been seeing someone too..." she said, but the look on Jennifer's face told her Jennifer wasn't buying it.

"I've been seeing... Aiden Blackwood," she added before she could stop herself.

A collective gasp rippled through the room. Heads turned toward her, each face displaying shock. The music abruptly stopped, and in that moment, Alina realized she’d spoken those words out loud.

Lorraine’s eyes widened, and she quickly nudged her. "Hey, what are you talking about?"

Jennifer’s laughter broke the silence. "You're such a joke, dear sister. Do you even know Mr. Blackwood?"

Jennifer’s tone turned cold and commanding. "Why don’t you prove it? Call him over."

Alina’s heart skipped a beat, and she swallowed, her throat dry.

"I... I..."

"Prove it." The chant started to rise from the crowd.

"I guess someone came up with a perfect lie," Jennifer sneered, walking toward Alina and snatching her phone from her hand.

"Give it back!" Alina shouted, reaching for it, but Jennifer held it out of her reach, shoving her back. Alina stumbled and fell, her palm and knees scraping the floor. She bit her lip, fighting back the pain as she quickly got to her feet.

"Give. it. back!" she repeated, her voice strained.

Jennifer smirked, taunting her. "And why should I? You can't even prove what you said," she laughed, scrolling through the phone.

Alina lunged forward, but Kelvin stepped in the way, pushing her back with a force that made her stumble again. This time, she would have fallen if not for a firm arm catching her mid-air.

She looked up, her breath catching at the sight of the man who wrapped his arms round her waist, keeping her from falling; Silver eyes, a sharp jawline, and an easy smile that made everything around her feel like it had stopped.

"Hey, wifey, " he smiled, "Did I keep you waiting too long?"