C3 Drinking

"Ellie, this is way out of line. How could you resort to violence? When did you become so fierce?"

Anatol whirled around, his eyes ablaze with fury and accusation.

My heart felt as though it was being shredded to pieces. I faced Anatol, my complexion ghostly. It was painfully clear that, in his eyes, I couldn't hold a candle to Skylynn.

Yet, I was his fiancée. We were set to marry tomorrow, but here he was, making love to another woman in our new home—my best friend from college, no less.

"Skylynn, get the hell out! This is my new home. Leave!"

I lunged at her, frantically grabbing at Skylynn's arm, desperate to expel her from my house.

"That's enough! Ellie, you're going too far!"

Anatol intervened, shoving me to the floor and shielding Skylynn in his embrace.

The ache in my backside paled in comparison to the agony within. Rising to my feet, I offered Anatol a wry smile. In that instant, I saw my true standing in his heart—I was nothing compared to the other woman.

"Anatol, I hate you!"

The words tore from my throat in a hysterical scream, draining all my energy.

I fled the complex, running wildly. Only the pounding of my feet on the pavement could momentarily distract me from the scene that kept replaying in my mind.

The night before my wedding, my fiancé entangled with my best friend, who had even borne his child. Such soap opera twists were supposed to be confined to TV screens, not ripping through the fabric of my reality.

For seven years, we had been in love. I had believed that after tomorrow, we'd live happily ever after, always together.

But tonight shattered every illusion. He was no longer the Anatol who professed his undying love, who vowed to spend a lifetime with me.

At the bar.

The air was thick with the stench of smoke and spirits, the music cranked up to a near-deafening volume. The protagonist gyrated wildly on the dance floor, while I sat in a corner, knocking back the harshest liquor, my emotions teetering on the brink of collapse.

On the eve of my wedding, I caught my fiancé and my best friend in bed together. It was utterly ludicrous and heartbreaking.

For seven years, I never once suspected anything between them, because they were the people I trusted and held dearest.

Yet now, the very two people I considered closest to me have betrayed me. Is there anyone more miserable than me in this world?

The image of Skylynn, bare and fervently gyrating on Anatol, with him wearing that look of sheer pleasure, is both laughable and revolting.

And Viraj—he's Anatol's child. Their betrayal wasn't just an affair; they had a child together. I had always thought Skylynn was silent about Viraj's father because of past hurts, so I treaded lightly, never broaching the subject. Now I see how foolish my tact was.

Were they that adept at deception, or was I just too naive?

After all these years, I hadn't noticed a thing.

My emotions are in turmoil. Upon hearing the news, I tilted my head back and took a deep swig of liquor. The burning in my throat was intense, bringing tears to my eyes, but it did nothing to clear the tightness in my chest. There was no relief, no catharsis, just a deep-seated anguish.