Alex’s povSitting by the bar with Ezra on a Sunday evening was not how I planned it but who cares? Plans change.I watched Ezra drink from a glass. He looked lost and wasn't acting like his usual self. On a normal day, he was bubbly and always told me to lighten up, but now, he looked like an extension of my own emotions.“Hey…” He turned to me, waiting for me to speak. “Are you…”“Ya, ya…” he answered the question before I could ask. “You don't look it…” I countered. He smirked, “Why would you say that?”“You are quiet. In a bar. That's not what you do.”He chuckled“So, let me ask again, are you fine?” He grabbed his glass of whiskey, “yes, I am. I'm just quiet, that's all.” I gave him a look but he shrugged.“Are you saying that I can't be quiet?” he
Emily’s POVThe late afternoon sun slanted low in the sky, painting the city in warm hues, but my chest still felt heavy. I couldn’t get Ava’s words out of my head, you’re scared of being happy. She hadn’t been wrong. Happiness felt like a fragile thing, something Sophie could snatch away the second I dared to hold it too tightly.I was still thinking about it when my phone buzzed again.It was Jace.Meet me at the square. Don’t ask questions.I stared at the message, a smile tugging at my lips despite myself. Jace had a way of making things sound like both an order and an invitation. I typed out a sarcastic reply: bossy much? before slipping my bag over my shoulder and heading out.The square was already buzzing when I arrived. Colorful lights blinked against the fading daylight, carnival rides whirring and whistling, music spilling from every direction.
Ava’s povEmily and I sat opposite each other in one of the best cafes in the city.It was Sunday and we had decided to have a nice time out. Her and Sophie’s incident has been blowing all over social media with people calling her the ‘the jealous sister.’ If only they knew.“So….” I began the conversation, she raised her head up from her phone. “Soo…?” she asked back.“Are you going to tell me what’s going on in your mind?”She gave a weak smile, “arrgh, must I talk about it?”I tilted my head, “yes…you need to.”She then ran her fingers through her hair, “Argghh, that’s one way to put it. I just want to forget about it and get ready for tomorrow.”“Tomorrow? What's happening?” “Work…tomorrow is the day Alex starts with his merge.”“Is he still going through with that?” Emily shu
Emily’s povThe night air was sharp against my skin, but it did nothing to cool the fire burning inside me. My heels clicked angrily against the pavement as I stormed down the driveway, each step heavier than the last. Behind me, I could still hear the faint hum of whispers, the echo of Sophie’s pitiful sobs, and my parents’ condemning silence.Of course, they believed her. They always did.I clenched the papers in my hands until they crumpled. I could taste the bitter humiliation on my tongue.Family? She dared to call us family.A laugh broke out of me, wild and raw, echoing in the still night. My own voice sounded foreign, like it belonged to someone else, like someone who is broken. My chest rose and fell in jagged waves, and for a second, I considered turning back and shoving every one of those words down Sophie’s lying throat but then I saw her face in my mind, her fake tears, her fragile trem
Sophie’s povWatching her walk into Wesley’s office made my blood boil. I wasn't done with her. I would make sure the pains she made me pass through….“She is really a slut….” I turned to see Lydia, my handy spy. She is not only obedient to the core but we also have the same interests. Take out Emily.“Did you know that this week she was promoted?” Lydia added. It surprised me because she was just promoted on Monday.“Again?” Lydia nodded, confirming it. “That’s strange….” “Yes, it is but no one is surprised. Everyone knows she sleeps with the president and is friends with his sister, so….” I smirked. That was useful information. I could use that. “ummh, Lydia.” she turned to me, “can you help me with something?”“Yeah, sure, anything.”“I need you to help me check up on the remaini
Emily’s POV The party dragged on like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. Laughter, clinking glasses, flashes from phones as Sophie posed with her perfectly decorated cake and baby-blue balloons. I stood in the corner, swirling my drink as if it were an anchor holding me steady. But I wasn’t steady, not even close. Every time I caught Wesley’s eyes on me across the room, something inside me clenched. He looked like a man who had already won, who had some cruel trick up his sleeve. I hated him for it. I hated that part of me still wanted him to look at me, even if it was with malice. After Sophie’s toast, fake tears, and all the crowd began to thin out. Parents and distant relatives gathered their coats, and the endless stream of Sophie’s influencer friends posted their final stories before tri