Adelina and Isla stood side by side in the bustling airport terminal, waiting for Isla's luggage to be checked in. The noise of the crowd and the distant hum of announcements were nothing compared to the storm raging inside Adelina's chest. She had just witnessed something that cut deeper than she could have imagined.
Her step-sister, Mila, and her ex-fiancé, Jared, hand in hand, strolling through the airport like a couple of lovebirds. The sight was enough to stop Adelina's heart for a moment. She stood frozen, unable to move, as they laughed together, oblivious to her presence. And the worst part? Jared had his arm wrapped around Mila's waist like she was the one who had always mattered. Like Adelina had never existed in his world.
Isla noticed the sudden change in her best friend's demeanor and followed her gaze. She cursed under her breath, eyes narrowing as she watched the pair. "How can they even be this shameless? After what they did to you?" she said with a sneer, her voice full of anger.
Adelina's heart thudded painfully in her chest. She wasn't sure whether she was more hurt by the sight of them together or the fact that it seemed like no one, not even her family, had questioned the betrayal. Everyone had just accepted it, as if her pain didn't matter.
Isla placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Come on, let's get out of here."
But as Adelina turned to leave, her mind drifted back to the past, to the day everything had fallen apart.
---
Flashback: The Day It All Went Down
The day had started so perfectly, too perfectly. Adelina had spent hours in the bridal shop, trying on dresses, laughing with the sales staff, and imagining her upcoming wedding. She had felt like the most beautiful woman in the world as she twirled in the mirror, admiring the lace and silk. This was it—the moment she would be married to Jared, the man she loved, the man she had trusted with everything.
After selecting the dress, she had texted Jared, excited to show him what she'd chosen. "I'm so happy, babe! I can't wait for you to see it!" she had written, her heart fluttering at the thought of their future together.
But then, the message she received in response shattered everything. "Sorry, I can't make it today. Something came up. We'll talk soon."
At first, she had assumed it was just work, or some other commitment. But as she waited for him, something gnawed at her gut. He had always been there when she needed him, so why was he pulling away now? Her thoughts became a whirl of doubt and confusion.
Still, she went to the café where they were supposed to meet. She ordered a matcha latte and sat at a corner table, waiting for him to show up. As the minutes passed, her stomach twisted in knots. She checked her phone again, hoping for a new message. There was nothing. Just the same empty silence.
Time seemed to stretch as she sat there, quietly lost in her thoughts. Her fingers traced the rim of her cup, the green matcha calming her, but only for a moment. Something wasn't right, and her instincts were screaming at her to do something.
Without thinking much more, she paid for her drink and left. A dark feeling had settled in her chest, an unshakable sense that something was wrong.
She hailed a cab and gave the driver her apartment address. The ride was short, but it felt like hours. The weight in her stomach grew heavier with every minute that passed.
When she arrived at the building, she quickly made her way to the elevator, her feet moving faster than her thoughts. Her mind raced, and despite everything, she hoped—no, prayed—that she was wrong, that her fears were nothing but a product of her overactive imagination.
But when she stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall to the apartment, she heard it.
Soft, intimate sounds. The unmistakable moans of someone in pleasure. Her heart raced, and her breath caught in her throat. The noises were coming from inside her apartment, from the room she had once shared with Jared.
Her body froze, unable to move. And then she heard them—Jared's voice, low and urgent, followed by Mila's breathy gasps. They were together, and it wasn't just a momentary lapse of judgment. They were making love on her bed, the place where they had once dreamed of a future together.
Adelina's heart shattered, the pieces falling into a deep abyss. She stood there, unable to tear herself away, unable to process what she was hearing. Her step-sister and her fiancé—both of them—had betrayed her in the most intimate, painful way.
Without thinking, she shoved the door open, her legs trembling as she stepped inside. She felt like an outsider in her own home, watching as Jared and Mila entwined in each other's arms, completely unaware of her presence.
Time seemed to slow down. Her hands shook as she fought to hold herself together. Every part of her screamed in agony, but her lips remained pressed together in silence. She couldn't make a sound. She didn't know if she was angry or heartbroken or both.
She turned and left the apartment without a word, not able to face them, not able to process the betrayal.
---
Adelina's chest tightened as the memory flooded back. Isla had been her rock through it all, offering support and a shoulder to cry on when no one else had. But the pain still lingered, an ache that would never truly fade.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I'm fine," she whispered, more to herself than to Isla. "It's just hard to forget."
Isla squeezed her shoulder. "I know, Adelina. But you've got so much more ahead of you. You deserve someone who will never betray you. You'll find happiness again. Just give it time."
Adelina nodded, but the truth was, she wasn't sure if she could ever trust someone again. The wounds from the betrayal ran too deep. She had tried to move on, to heal, but the scars remained, hidden beneath her smiles and her brave face.
As they left the airport, Adelina couldn't shake the images of Jared and Mila, their smiles, their laughter. She tried to focus on Isla, on the present, but her mind kept drifting back to that fateful day. The day she had lost everything.