Chapter 2

EMMA

It felt like a knife had been shoved into my chest, causing me to almost stumble back at the impact.

Fiancée.

The word just kept echoing in my head, and it suddenly seemed to have a different meaning. It had to have a different meaning from what I knew, because how could Alex possibly be engaged a day after we spent the night together?

I must've heard wrong.

My denial was shattered when Alex leaned in and kissed the woman on the lips.

The knife in my chest twisted.

Everyone else had been silent, but they all suddenly burst with energy as they curiously moved towards Alex and his fiancée.

“Oh dear, how can you just spring this on us?” Alex's mother, Thalassa Miller, gushed as she gazed at Natasha then back at her son. “If you had told me you were coming with someone, much more your fiance, I would've prepared better.”

“I knew my son had great taste just like me!” Alex's father, Kris Miller, grinned though he frowned slightly. “But you need to explain why we're only meeting her now after your engagement.”

“I'll explain later, dad." Alex said.

“Hello, Mrs. Miller, Mr. Miller.  It's so nice to finally meet you.” Natasha said, outstretching her hand but Thalassa waved it away and pulled her into a hug.

“Nonsense. I'm Thalassa to you, or mum. Whichever you want.”

My chest tightened even more painfully around the knife. I'd always dreamed about Alex's mum saying that to me.

My gaze moved to Alex. I needed him to look at me. To signal to me that all this was a terrible joke but his gaze was fixed on the woman beside him, his gaze filled with what I could only describe as love.

“Nice to meet you, future sister in law. I'm surprised though that my brother decided to keep you a secret" Alex's sister, Tessa, said as she shook Natasha's hand.

Alex glared at his sister. “I already said I would explain later.”

“Of course, bro.” Tessa beamed at him, but it didn't reach her eyes. “Didn't you come here for Emma's birthday? You haven't even wished her yet.”

Almost all eyes turned on me, causing me to freeze in my spot as my eyes fixed on Alex, waiting for his reaction.

He slowly began moving towards me with his fiancée on his arm, his expression unreadable. When they stopped in front of me, he smiled at Natasha.

“Babe, this is Emma. She's like my little sister, and the birthday girl.”

“Hello, Emma." Natasha smiled at me. “Nice to meet you. And happy birthday.”

“Thanks.” I managed to say though I barely looked at her.

My heart ached because when he looked at me, I only saw coldness in his eyes despite his smile. “Happy Birthday, Emma. Sorry for not arriving early. Here.”

He extended something to me, and that was when I noticed that he had a wrapped box in his hand. He had brought me a gift. It wasn't big but also not too small.

I accepted it and forced a smile on my face. “Thank you.”

And just like that, he and his fiancée turned and walked back to where his parents were standing, his arm around her waist.

“You didn't know he was engaged, did you?” A voice beside me asked. It was Celia.

My throat felt too tight to respond, but we both knew the answer.

“That bastard.” Celia growled under her breath. “He knew he had another woman yet slept with you and made you feel like you took advantage of him. And now he has the audacity to bring his woman here to rub it in your face. What a jerk.”

Celia's words made everything hurt a thousand times more. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stand here and watch Alex with his arms around another woman. I'd never felt this humiliated in my entire life.

I needed space to breathe. Almost everyone was focused on Alex and his fiancée so nobody noticed me slip away. I made my way into the kitchen, and luckily, there was no one there.

Placing Alex's gift down, I leaned my hands on the kitchen counter as I gulped in deep steady breaths. It hurt. It hurt so much.

"Emma?"

A voice came behind me, causing me to stiffen. I'd only heard it for a few seconds, but it felt like a grating sound that would haunt me forever.

I immediately straightened and tilted my head to look at her. “Yes?”

“Is everything alright? Are you okay?” She asked, her voice so sweet it felt like it was dripping with honey.

She really was gorgeous and looked to be around the same age as Alex. Of course he'd want someone mature and beautiful over me who was a young and naive girl who'd been crushing on him my entire life.

“Yes, I'm fine." I responded, clearing my throat to get rid of the tightness. Not wanting her to see my face, I walked towards the fridge and opened it, grabbing a glass of water.

After taking a small sip, I turned to Natasha and forced a smile on my face. “I hope you're enjoying the party.”

I was ready to walk out of the kitchen when she spoke.

“Alex said he practically watched you grow and you're like a sister to him. That must’ve been sweet.”

A muscle twitched in my cheek, but I managed to keep my smile on, responding, “Yes. It was,”

Natasha's eyes sparkled. “You must be curious about how we met.”

I shook my head, already feeling suffocated the longer I spoke to her. “Not really. I’m just happy he’s happy.”

Natasha let out a small laugh, but there was something in it I couldn't point my finger on. “That’s sweet. But you must be curious about why we've never been official until now, so I'll tell you.”

She didn’t give me a chance to reply.

“I actually asked him to keep our relationship low-key at first,” she went on. “I initially had my doubts about the problems this might cause because I know Alex has a lot of women flicking around him, especially when they think he's single. I mean Alex can be a little too nice and it gives certain women the wrong idea. Makes them feel like they’re special when they’re not.”

I stiffened. Why did it feel like she was talking indirectly about me? Still, I kept my composure and responded.

“I’m sure he knows how to handle that.”

“Oh, he does.” Natasha smiled wider. “I've never had doubts about his love for me. And he doesn't fall for the little tricks some women play. Tricks like when certain women think sleeping with a man like a cheap slut will suddenly earn them a place in his life.”

My throat closed up. Now I had no doubt she was talking about me. So Alex really thought that I took advantage of him that night?

I clenched my fists by my side, struggling to control myself. I couldn't stand another second of talking with this woman.

I turned, and my heart skipped a beat when I noticed Alex standing some distance behind me. From the look on his face, I realized that he'd heard everything his girlfriend said to me.

I waited. Waited for him to tell her to apologize to me, but that moment never came.

Tears burned my eyes, and rage rushed through me. I couldn't understand why he was treating me like this.

“Can we talk?” I asked, barely keeping it together.

He stared back at me expressionlessly for some seconds before looking at Natasha.

“Can you excuse us for a moment, babe?”

“Of course, babe.” Natasha smiled sweetly and left the kitchen, but not before giving Alex a lingering kiss on the lips. I looked away, unable to watch.

“Why didn't you tell me you had a fiancée?” I questioned as soon as Natasha was out of the kitchen.

Alex's gaze lacked the warmth he usually had when he looked at me before. Now all there was was coldness.

“Because I don't owe you any explanations.”

His cold words stung, and I gritted my teeth, glaring at him. “Why are you treating me like this, Alex? I know that night was unexpected for the both of us but I thought it would at least mean something. How could you just show up with another–”

A cold chuckle from him cut me off. “Unexpected?” he shook his head. “Tell me, Emma. Was that night really unexpected for you?”

The sheer ice in his words made me freeze as I stared at him in confusion. “Of course it was. What are you trying to say?”

“Cut the act, Emma. I know the truth.”

My heart raced inside my chest.

“What truth?”

“I know you paid the waiter to spike my drink at the club!”