Chapter 3 : Thanks For The Reminder

I didn't sleep.

I couldn’t, not even for a single minute.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the photograph Father had shown me. The dark hair, a scar running near his jaw, coupled with cold eyes that stared back at me.

Izaak Volkov.

The man who apparently I was supposed to get married to in a week.

I hated him even before meeting him. I knew it wasn’t fair. He wasn't the one who'd lied to me for eighteen years.

But every time I thought about him, all I could see was a cage with his name written across it.

The moment the sun came up, I left my room.

I wasn't interested in breakfast. I wasn't interested in speaking to my mother. I wasn't interested in pretending everything was normal.

I had one destination.

Ruby's room.

I marched down the hallway with enough anger to burn down our mansion. By the time I reached her door, I wasn't even bothering to be polite.

I pushed it open without knocking.

Ruby nearly dropped her phone.

"What the hell, Velma?"

She sat upright in bed. She had two friends over for a sleepover, which I had not been invited to. Hence, why we had been texting throughout the previous day.

The moment she saw my face, she looked shocked. I guess she had never seen me get this angry.

"Get out." I said with gritted teeth.

She blinked. "What?"

"Everyone out!" I commanded.

Her two friends exchanged nervous looks before practically running from the room.

The door clicked shut behind them. Usually I’d feel bad for acting like a brat, but I was too incensed to care right now.

Ruby slowly placed her phone aside.

“Velma, what’s gotten into you? Why would you act so rude?”

I folded my arms. “Oh I don’t know. Maybe it’s the fact that my cousin and closest friend knew all this time I was getting shipped off in a week!”

She stared at me with wide eyes. “You know.”

It wasn't even a question. I laughed.

"Oh, you knew too?"

I awaited her apology, her excuses, but instead she—

She rolled her eyes. “I just knew you’d be dramatic about it.”

Immediately, I’m taken aback by how she showed no sign of remorse. “Dramatic?”

She huffs out a breath. “Well what did I expect? You’ve always been daddy’s little princess, but at least try not to act so ridiculous.”

She moves to her dresser and begins to comb her hair. Unable to keep up with this new side of Ruby, I can only echo her words again.

“Ridiculous?”

Without even turning to face me, she sighs like I’m a bother.

“Velma doesn’t get to marry the prince charming of her dreams.So what? You’ve gotten all you’ve ever wanted, grown up with a silver spoon, and now you’re getting married to a billionaire, and you complain?”

Her tone was venomous and I struggled to reconcile the Ruby, my best friend, with the one glaring at me from her vanity.

Ruby, who used to sneak into my room at two in the morning because she couldn’t sleep.

Ruby, who knew every stupid dream I’d ever had.

Ruby, who used to swear we’d travel the world together one day.

For a second, I just stared at her, waiting for the punchline. Waiting for her to laugh and tell me she was angry and didn’t mean it.

It never came.

Instead, she continued brushing her hair like this conversation bored her. Like I bored her.

A painful knot formed in my chest.

“Where is this coming from?” I asked quietly.

That finally got her attention. Ruby met my gaze through the mirror. Years of resentment flashed across her face.

“Seriously? You really don’t know?” She asked.

Suddenly I wasn’t talking to my cousin anymore. I was talking to someone I didn’t recognize.

She angrily tossed the hairbrush onto the dresser.

“You’ve spent your entire life being handed everything.”

“Ruby—”

“No, let me finish.”

She stood abruptly.

“You get the biggest room. The best clothes. The attention. The opportunities. Everyone treats you like you’re special just because you’re Victor Moretti’s daughter. While I’ve always been your little shadow.”

The bitterness in her voice shocked me. I’d never heard anything like it before.

“And now you’re crying because you’re marrying Izaak Volkov?” She laughed harshly. “Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Women would kill to be in your position.”

I clenched my fists. The hurt was still there. But slowly, it was being replaced by disappointment.

Ruby wasn’t defending my family. She wasn’t trying to help me.

She was jealous. All these years. All this time. She’d been smiling through gritted teeth.

I looked at her for a long moment, then I nodded slowly.

“Wow.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What?”

I shook my head, willing the tears pooling in my eyes not to drop.

“You know, for a second there, I almost forgot I was talking to you. But thanks for the reminder.

She glared even harder. “Reminder of what?”

I smiled at her coldly this time. “A reminder of how desperate you’ve always been.”

Ruby’s face darkened. Before she could respond, I cut in.

“Nobody treated me like I was special though.” I looked her up and down. “They just never noticed you.”

I took a step toward the door, then glanced back one final time.

“If being betrayed by everyone I love sounds like privilege to you, Ruby...”

I opened the door.

“...you can have my place.”

And with that, I walked out.

Leaving her standing there without a single thing to say.