بين أنيابه

ANN LANNISTER

“You are invited to my wedding.”

I looked up, and my brows raised at the pink ribbon-bound card stretched towards me.

I raised my gaze to the holder, and a huff escaped my lips.

Juliet, my rival since childhood.

She was born into an influential family and privilege, yet she wanted whatever I had.

My position in class, my trophy, my job, and now I've been seeing her on the news with my fiancé, but they all claim it's ‘business’.

“You're finally getting something that doesn't belong to me,” I hissed at the smug-faced blonde and shifted my gaze back to the paperwork before me.

“You still believe I envy you?” She laughed, the sharpness of her voice echoing through the thin walls of my small, cramped office cubicle.

She straightened up and tilted her head to the side.

“You seem to forget you're a nobody,” she muttered in a cold voice.

My working hands stopped, and I felt a knot in my belly.

She leaned on my desk, her lips twitched up in a smirk.

“Just because you got a scholarship to the most prestigious high school back then doesn't mean you're special. You couldn't even get to go to college after it all,” she whispered, chuckling.

I closed my eyes, knowing well enough that my co-workers were listening.

“Just say you're here to mock me, Juliet,” I whispered.

“You pushed me to tell you the bitter truth!” She whined.

I smiled and pulled my eyes open, keeping my gaze on the screen before me.

“Now that you've done that, can you leave?”

She remained silent, that evil smile on her face.

When she finally moved after a long stretch, she dropped the card on my desk.

“Make sure you come tomorrow. You're a special guest,” she said in an unusually calm voice.

I looked at her, my eyes dark with anger.

“Don't expect me to show up,” I muttered.

“I will send you a dress if you don't have one!” She blurted out in a knowing, loud voice.

My co-workers cackled at her words, and she smiled.

“I'll see you tomorrow, Ann,” she muttered, turned around, and flounced out.

I let out a breath I had been holding the moment she was gone and rubbed my creased forehead.

The reason Juliet hated me had remained unknown till today.

Perhaps it was because I came from a poor yet organized family.

Perhaps it was because I was better than her in everything.

I was better at writing. I was better in grades. I was better at having a loving family.

She just… hated me.

Her father owned the high school I attended.

Whenever competitions were held at school, everyone knew I would win, but somehow, the award and prizes always went to her.

Despite being robbed of everything, I didn't stop fighting for what was mine.

After I was robbed of an award that would have secured a scholarship for me into college, I stopped holding back.

I went for her and her father. I cried for justice and fought as much as I could, but the world was evil, and no one came up to help me.

Juliet's father saw to it that I'd never get admission into college. Yes, he was that powerful.

And even after ruining my dreams and my future, I still had no regrets.

I had a well-to-do fiancé now, and even if I lost my chances of being a successful writer, I wouldn't lose the love of my life and my dreams of a happy home.

“Hey.”

I raised my head again and sighed as my friend, Kenny, slumped down into the chair across my small desk.

I faked a smile.

“The bitch came again, right?” She asked, her face twisted in a frown.

I chuckled and shrugged.

“Her blabber doesn't affect me,” I whispered, holding in the pain.

“You can stop hiding it, you know,” she grumbled.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair.

“I heard she’s getting married,” Kenny said as she sipped the energy drink in her hand.

“Good for her,” I muttered, arranging the newsletter handed to me.

“Do you know who she is getting married to?” Kenny asked as she packed her blacked-out hair into a ponytail.

I raised my gaze, my eyes narrowing to the card on my desk.

“It’s in there,” I nodded towards the card.

She popped a gum into her mouth, eyeing the card with hatred.

“You can throw it into the bin when you’re done looking,” I instructed as she picked up the card.

“That little sneaky bitch!” she cursed under her breath as she tore the card open.

I smiled and lowered my gaze back to the scattered pieces of articles.

I met Kenny during an application for the newspaper company. I had helped her with a pad when her period started during our wait.

Even though we both missed the interview, Kenny didn't give up on me. She wanted to repay me, and that debt led to a friendship that had lasted for years.

“Are you done with your work for today?” I asked as I sorted out the article.

“Yes,” she murmured.

I glanced up at her and scoffed. Her gaze was fixed on the card.

“So much curiosity for someone you hate, huh?” I mocked.

I waited for a scowl and a paragraph about how much Juliet’s presence irked her. The smile on my face dropped, and I tilted my head back when the silence stretched.

“Kenny?” I called, noticing how pale her skin had become.

She looked up, her lips parted slightly and eyes bulging.

“What’s your fiancé’s name?” she asked.

My lips pressed in confusion, and I cackled.

“Philip…” I trailed, tilting my head to the side.

“Why are you suddenly asking me a question you know the answer to?” I asked.

“Philip, right?” she snapped, panicking.

I threw my head back, the confusion growing.

“Yes and so—”

Philip McKason? His surname is McKason, right?” she asked, her voice rising.

I stared at her, dumbfounded. I darted my eyes around, and embarrassment gripped me as all heads turned towards my office cubicle.

I faced Kenny, a frown over my face.

“Kenny—”

“That’s the groom!” she spat as she jerked up from the seat, throwing the card at me.

I froze, staring at the card lying at my feet.

“The name of the groom is Philip McKason. I told you that bitch…” Kenny’s words slowly faded as I stared at the groom’s name on the card.

It was probably someone else. It was probably…

I slowly reached for my phone and logged into the web.

‘Famous bestselling author, Juliet Anderson’s fiancé.’ I typed.

The news outlets appeared, and I clicked on one.

The name ‘Philip McKason’ glared at me the moment the page opened.

It was probably someone else. It was probably…

I scrolled down to the photo, and a gasp escaped my lips.

The ‘business’ photo was right there next to a pre-wedding photo.

My fiancé. The man I was meant to marry in three months had his lips locked on my rival, Juliet Anderson.