Chapter 3: Surprise

At work, my phone rang unexpectedly.

The moment I heard Marcus’s voice, my heart dropped.

“Anna… Mother has been rushed to the hospital,” he said, panic thick in his tone.

I didn’t wait to hear more. I quickly asked for permission to leave and rushed straight to the hospital.

She had been diagnosed with heart disease. The doctors said she was lucky if she had arrived late; the outcome could have been fatal. As I stood beside Marcus, I saw a fear in his eyes, the same one I saw when he lost his father

When the doctors finally said she was stable, relief washed over us. I offered to stay behind, but Marcus refused firmly because he didn’t want to put you in a difficult situation with his mother

Reluctantly, I agreed to leave,but not because I wanted to. He needed me. I’ll go home, prepare something warm, and come back, I told myself.

When I got home, my phone kept buzzing with several messages from Jessie, inviting me to a party after work. I didn’t bother replying because I was no longer interested; I just needed a moment of peace for my exhausted mind.

 I slipped off my shoes at the entrance and exhaled deeply, ready to let the weight of the day wash away

Then the doorbell rang, and I walked to the door, unprepared for what waited on the other side.

The moment I opened it, a wave of expensive perfume filled the air. I blinked, stunned, my heart skipping.

Standing before me, elegant, polished, glowing like someone straight out of a fashion magazine, was Gina.

 She looked rich, confident, with success wrapped in beauty.

For a second, I needed to look twice just to be sure I wasn’t imagining her.

Gina and I had been inseparable growing up. We’d shared dreams, the same dreams, laughter, and secrets. We’ve always been ambitious and she's unpredictable. One day, she vanished. No calls, no messages. Nothing. The last time I saw her was my engagement with Marcus. Seeing her now, radiant and self-assured, made my heart twist.

“Gina,” I called softly, still trying to process her sudden appearance.

“Annabelle!” she replied brightly, her smile widening as if we were still the carefree girls we used to be.

I stepped aside and welcomed her in, unsure of how to react. Her heels clicked across the floor, her perfume trailing behind her. “It’s so good to see you!” She hugged me tightly, suddenly, her tone dripping with sweetness. “You still look… the same. Nothing’s changed.” She said, looking at me from head to toe

The words stung more than they should have, as if she were subtly mocking me, but I pushed the feeling aside. I was genuinely happy to see her after all these years, but part of me was mad at her.

“Where have you been all this time?” I asked as we walked back to the couch together and sat down.

 “It’s a long story, and I'm sorry I couldn’t reach out; life was also difficult,” she said, flipping her glossy hair over her shoulder. “I was in China. Got married to a rich man, built a life… you know how it goes.” She said it as if wealth and marriage were small details now.

“But that’s not important.” Her eyes brightened, leaning in with excitement. “What matters is. I have my own clothing line now, and I want you to join me.”

She shifted happily, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.

“Imagine it, Annabelle. You and me, taking over New York City. Just like we always dreamed.”

I blinked. “That’s… amazing, you finally got what you’ve always wanted I’m happy for you. But about your offer, I just started working at Sweet body”

“Sweet Body,” she interrupted smoothly. “You’re lucky to work in such a prestigious place, but are being recognized there the way a real designer like you deserves.”

I rubbed my hands together, trying to steady my voice. “Not really, Gina. It’s just… I worked so hard to get there. I’m not ready to give that up yet. It’s only a matter of time.”

She nodded slowly, her smile thin but deliberate. “But you could have done much better with your talent, Anna. You’ve always settled for less than you deserve.”

Her words were soft, almost kind , yet they landed like quiet judgment.

“By the way… when is Marcus coming home?” she asked out of nowhere, eyes narrowing with sudden interest

At that moment, I remembered Marcus was still at the hospital. But I didn’t want to say that.

“He should be home soon,” I said instead as I walked to the fridge for a glass of juice, offering her some.

“I can see you’re enjoying your marriage, Anna,” she said, her voice low and almost teasing. “You’re lucky. Marcus loves you deeply. Not many men love like that anymore.”

Her gaze lingered on me a beat too long. “I’m sure he’s a very proud husband.”

“Yes… he has been a great and supportive one too,” I replied, taking a slow sip of my drink

For a split second, something sharp flashed in her eyes, gone almost instantly behind a polite smile. She paused, casually brushing an imaginary speck off her gown. “

 Then a thought crossed my mind. “You still haven’t told me why you left. No calls, no texts, nothing.”

She glanced at me over the rim of her glass, her lips curved in a slow, knowing smile. “That will be for another day, right now I should get going.” She stood gracefully. “Check out the gift I got you, you’ll love it. And… think about my offer.” 

I nodded, escorted her to the door as she walked out gracefully, every step deliberate.

 I looked from the window, watching her muttering every step of the way as she paused beside her sleek car, pulling out a small bottle of hand sanitizer rubbing on her hands before getting in.

Something about that gesture made my stomach tight; wow, she’d changed too much. There was something calculating beneath that smile, something I couldn’t quite figure out yet.