“Ready for some fun tonight, baby?” It was a week before my wedding, and my best friend was staying at my place, helping me with the preparations. That night, she was still in the shower when her phone buzzed. I picked it up and saw the message. Below it was a photo. The picture showed a bombshell bunny suit and a pair of pink handcuffs. Then, the man sent a voice message. “I’ve been craving you for ages. How about we try these out tonight?” I froze, playing the message again. My face flushed, then went ice-cold. It wasn’t just anyone; it was my fiancé, Liam Davies. The room was warm, but the sound of water from the bathroom hammered against my chest, making it hard to breathe. I watched as Liam, using a private SnapChat account I’d never seen before, flirted with Ashley Miller. A thought flickered in my mind. Was I wrong? Could it just be a coincidence, a voice that sounded similar? After all, Ashley and I had grown up together. She’d never dated, even explicitly stated she wasn’t attracted to men. And the first time she met Liam, she’d looked utterly disgusted, blurting out, “So you’re the lowlife she’s with?” Ashley had paid no mind to my embarrassment, which made my face burn. She’d eyed Liam up and down, then told him, “You piece of trash! You better treat my princess right, or I swear I’ll make your life a living hell!” That first meeting was far from pleasant. Even now, Liam would still bring up Ashley, saying, “I only tolerate her because she’s your best friend. Otherwise, I would’ve wanted to get rid of her the moment I met her!” I stared at the SnapChat. The man with the couple’s avatar with Ashley sent another question mark. As if shocked, I instinctively put down her phone and picked up mine, finding Liam’s contact. I sent him a video call. It rang for a few seconds. “Hey, honey.” Liam’s familiar face appeared on the screen. He turned the camera, and his buddies, who were with him, waved at me. “Chloe’s doing a check-up, huh?” “Don’t worry, Chloe, we’ll keep an eye on Liam for you!” “This dog, he’s got eyes only for you, so no need to worry, honey!” They were Liam’s childhood friends, also shareholders who were with him on this business trip, expanding the company’s reach. I looked at Liam’s gentle smile. “honey, did you miss me?” He leaned closer to the camera, whispering, “I missed you so much! I’ve been rushing them to finish up so I can come back to you.” Hearing Liam call me “honey” made my face flush, a warm current flowing through my heart. I forced a smile and told him, “Your work is important.” I shouldn’t innocently doubt Liam, doubt my love, and the marriage we were about to enter. “I was just wondering.” That voice message flashed in my mind. “Liam,” I looked into his smiling eyes, “what do you think of Ashley?” It sounded like a casual, joking question. “Ashley seems to be seeing someone.” Liam’s expression stiffened for a split second before returning to normal. “Who cares about that tomboy?” His voice was filled with disgust. “I have zero interest in her affairs,” he said dismissively. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even want to hear her name.” Liam smiled at me. “honey, I have to go now. I’ll call you later.” “I’ll bring you a gift when I get back.” Liam hung up the video call. I sat on the balcony, looking at the view outside, thinking of that mysterious man in the chat. A thick fog settled over my heart, refusing to dissipate. Before I could react, someone tapped my shoulder. “Chloe.”
Ashley was already dressed. The girl who always dressed like a tomboy was now in a sexy bodycon dress, with heavy makeup. I looked at my completely unfamiliar best friend, still unable to stop myself from asking, “Ashley.” “Are you dating someone?” I wanted to tell her that the man didn’t seem right, to caution her to be careful, but I didn’t know what I said that hit a nerve. Her face suddenly darkened. “Chloe, we’re best friends, no doubt, but you can’t just be happy yourself and then stop me from finding love, can you?” “Chloe,” Ashley suddenly snapped at me, “You really can’t stand to see me happy!” “I shouldn’t have taken time off work, disregarding everything, just to help you with your wedding prep. Chloe, you’ve disappointed me so much!” Ashley grabbed her bag and stormed out. I rushed after her, calling, “Ashley!” “I didn’t mean to!” The elevator doors closed. I chased her to the parking garage, but Ashley was nowhere to be seen. Standing in the empty lot, I still couldn’t process what had just happened, why she’d blown up at me like that. Fearing I’d lose Ashley, I suddenly remembered that hotel location. I remembered the man’s photo and his message: “Tonight, let’s play something exciting.” I was afraid my best friend was being tricked, and even more afraid she’d give me the cold shoulder. She was my closest person, closer than Liam, apart from my parents. Without thinking, I grabbed my car keys and headed straight for the hotel, forgetting my jacket. As I drove up to the hotel entrance, I immediately spotted Ashley’s car. Just as I was about to jump out, my breath hitched. I saw Liam, who was supposed to be on a business trip out of state, walk out of the hotel wearing the trench coat I’d bought him. He embraced Ashley intimately, kissing her openly, oblivious to everyone around them. They kissed until they were breathless. I still couldn’t believe it—the owner of that SnapChat account was actually Liam. I still couldn’t believe Liam would be involved with my best friend. My hands trembled uncontrollably. Fear made me instinctively turn off the engine, hiding myself in the shadows, like a thief spying on someone else’s happiness. I watched Liam thoughtfully wrap Ashley’s coat tighter around her, then asked her, “Aren’t you cold?” Ashley just smiled and shook her head. “Not with you.” Liam pinched her cheek and asked, “How did you tell Chloe you were coming out tonight?” Liam was all smiles. “Chloe is practically glued to your hip; she’d never agree to let you out.” My heart felt like it was being squeezed by something, even breathing became difficult. I watched my most intimate love and my best friend wrapped in each other’s arms, listening to Ashley’s nonchalant expression. “Just throw a little fit, and she’ll come running.” Ashley bit Liam’s Adam’s apple, then added, “What, you don’t know how wrapped around my finger Chloe is?” “Don’t you believe me? She’s probably still worried sick, afraid I’m mad, afraid I won’t talk to her anymore.”
I saw the undisguised contempt on Ashley’s face. I thought back to her sudden outburst, to my frantic dash that almost made me lose my mind. I was so afraid of losing her, so deeply cared, that I had become, in Ashley’s words, something she disdained to even compare herself to. A huge crack appeared in my heart. The fissure grew wider and wider, until I watched myself bleed profusely, yet still clung to hope, waiting for Liam’s response. The Liam who had always pampered me, who would do anything for me, simply said, in an offhand way: “Alright.” “After all, you two are best friends.” I remembered when I first met Liam. He told me, “The person I despise most in this life is a snake who backstabs and steals someone else’s partner.” He said, “My mom cheated with my dad’s best friend. When my dad found out, he disowned me.” “My dad didn’t want me, and neither did my mom.” “I was like a soccer ball, kicked back and forth until they both washed their hands of me,” Liam looked at me with self-deprecation. “So, Chloe, I don’t have a happy family like yours. My life is shattered, incomplete.” “Chloe.” “Do you understand?” Back then, I felt like Liam was about to break, and my heart broke with his. I sat quietly beside him, telling him, “Liam.” “Someone will love you.” “She’ll pick up your shattered pieces, claiming each one as her own. And together, she’ll help you put yourself back together, making you whole again, so you can live happily ever after.” Later, Liam pursued me relentlessly, to the point where everyone knew. Everyone sided with Liam, speaking on his behalf. Liam would travel a grueling 36-hour train journey, hundreds of miles, just to buy me a pastry I liked, simply because I mentioned it. Liam, despite being an struggling entrepreneur, counting every single penny just to eat, would spend hundreds of dollars on a trendy, gourmet cake for my birthday. Liam, on a business trip out of state, hearing there was a thunderstorm where I was, would rush back overnight just to tell me not to be afraid, then immediately leave for his trip again after the rain stopped. One by one. Each memory. They echoed in my mind. Those details, so profound I thought I could be proud of them my whole life, now became sharp knives stabbing at me. I watched Liam wrap his arm around Ashley and enter the hotel, and my heart still ached so much that tears fell uncontrollably. I frantically grabbed my phone, found Liam’s number. Just as he was about to enter the revolving door, I dialed his phone. I sat in my car. He stood outside the door. I saw Ashley’s clearly displeased face when she saw who was calling, but Liam just smiled reassuringly. “I need to take this.” Ashley tried to hang up, but Liam held his hand high, refusing. “I told you.” “I will never refuse Chloe’s call.” Liam’s tone was cold and firm. “Ashley.” “We agreed on this a long time ago.” I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, watching Ashley stomp her foot in frustration but remain helpless, forced to watch Liam walk aside to answer my call. “Hello?” Liam’s voice was still gentle, no different from usual. “honey.” “Miss me?” Tears streamed down my face, my suppressed sobs threatening to expose my breakdown. I heard Liam say, “I’ll be back tomorrow.” “I bought you a little gift.” Liam stood just a few feet away from me, absently twirling Ashley’s hair, and said, “You’ll definitely love it.” I couldn’t understand. I still couldn’t understand how a person’s heart could be split in two. I couldn’t understand why Liam, who had explicitly said he hated backstabbers and betrayal, who despised it, would become such a person himself. Just like I couldn’t understand. Liam. Did he ever truly love me?
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