The Fool He Made Me

The pain crept in slowly.I could've shrugged off a friend's betrayal, but Shane had crossed that line, blurring the boundaries between friendship and something more. That made the cut deeper.The day we agreed to transfer, he dragged me to a bar to celebrate our escape. The dim neon lights cast a hazy glow, and I couldn't tear my eyes off the guy I'd loved in secret for years. My heart raced, wild and untamed.When he leaned in to kiss me, I didn't pull away. Years of bottled-up feelings surged, overwhelming me like a tidal wave.Unable to hold back, I asked, "Shane, what are we now?"He dropped a tender kiss on my forehead. "What else, silly?"The bar exploded with cheers, mirroring the spark in my heart. But just two days later, his words shattered that fragile hope.I laughed through my tears, the sound bitter. It looked like that flirty, vague answer was just another trick to shove me aside and make way for Esther.The wind chimes in my bedroom clinked, the breeze drying m

Back home, I sifted through the keepsakes Shane had given me over the years.The silver necklace, my eighteenth birthday gift, gleamed under the light. I'd worn it to school once, proud as anything, until I saw an identical one around Esther's neck.She'd blushed, saying, "Shane promised I'd have everything you have."The limited-edition Teddy Bear was just an empty box now.Shane had taken it, claiming he loved the perfume I'd sprayed on it, but the very next day, it was sitting on Esther's desk.Then there were the strappy heels from my coming-of-age party, the indigo-scented oil... Everything I thought was mine alone had been handed out like cheap trinkets.Worse, it wasn't even equal.A bitter smile tugged at my lips as I recalled Shane's endless doting on Esther, always taking her side. If that was how he wanted it, these relics could go straight to the dumpster.I booked a flight for the next day, ready to spend my last night in quiet reflection.At 2 a.m., my phone blar

After the engagement party, my family arranged an internship for me at a company back home.Pauline was already dreaming big. "You and Stanley will run things inside, while Andrea and I handle the outside."My dad joked, asking me to keep an eye on her, so Andrea didn't steal her away. I laughed, their hopes and quirks packed in my suitcase as I boarded the plane.At the gate, Stanley slipped one of those wind chimes into my hand. He was always reserved, but that action spoke louder than any words.Months apart, school days felt like a faded snapshot.When my friends sent me the graduation photo, it was like peering into someone else's life. Shane and Esther stood side by side, looking like a perfect couple.My eyes slid over their smiling faces, but my heart didn't stir.One friend was still pissed. [We hated seeing you leave, but now I'm glad you did. You don't know how bad it got. Esther has been acting like she runs the place, with Shane as her lapdog. And she has been sprea

I ran into Shane again at a welcome-back party thrown by my friends.We were all adults now, the conversation shifting from school gossip to business deals and power plays.The soft glow of lights and the sweet tang of wine created a warm, relaxed vibe. I lingered, soaking it in, when an uninvited guest crashed the scene.The room went silent for a beat, the air thick with tension. A friend tugged my sleeve and whispered, "Nobody invited him."I nodded, figuring as much.She relaxed, then added with a hint of disgust, "Those two are like roaches now. The Page family is in the gutter, and they're not thriving either. Especially Esther—she acts like Shane is some prize and gets jealous of any girl who gets close."I glanced over, and sure enough, Esther was trailing Shane like a shadow. When she caught my gaze, she flinched, then shot me a glare.Unbothered, Shane sat down across from me.Everyone else scrambled to keep the party going, and I slipped out to the bathroom for some

The Wiley and Rossi partnership grew stronger.Three years later, Stanley and I got married in an old town abroad, where every house had colorful wind chimes swaying in the breeze. Their clear, tinkling notes rang out like heartfelt blessings, warm and bright.As the day wound down, I received a gift. No name was attached, but the Page logo was unmistakable.After Stanley took over the Rossi Group, he'd crushed what was left of the Page family. If they were a crumbling house after Andrea left, Stanley turned it into rubble.He would never forgive those who betrayed his mother. I backed him up without hesitation and pushed harder.The Pages were a ghost in our world now, their names erased. I would not forgive traitors either.So, Shane sending a wedding gift was a shock. Inside the box lay a dazzling purple diamond ring. A forgotten memory from when I was eighteen came flooding back.It was blurry, but we were hunched over a practice test, me pointing out Shane's mistakes. I was