Chapter 4

Maya's POV

The car pulled up to a luxury hotel in downtown Manhattan. The interior was lavishly decorated in the over-the-top, extravagant style Chloe loved.

Chloe threw a bridesmaid dress at me. "Go put it on."

In the fitting room, I looked at my swollen cheek in the mirror. A raging fire burned in my chest.

My tears touched the raw skin, stinging like crazy.

I lowered my head, feeling utterly suffocated. When would I finally be free of this nightmare?

Suddenly, a knock rattled the door. "Maya! How long does it take to change a dress? Everyone is waiting for you!"

I quickly threw the dress on and walked out.

Chloe was standing right outside. The wedding gown she wore looked incredibly familiar.

She looked down her nose at me. "Do you remember this dress? Three years ago, you pointed at this exact gown in the boutique window and said you wanted to wear it when you married Ethan. I bought it just to remind you. From the moment you started dating him, you were never destined to be his bride."

Staring into Chloe's smug eyes, my heart broke into a million pieces.

Chloe reached out, her fingers brushing against the red mark on my cheek. Her laugh was chilling.

"I think I've been too nice to you for too long, Maya. You've forgotten who is the master and who is the servant. I'll let your words slip tonight, but don't ever raise your voice at me again."

Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a confirmation email. The flight tickets for my mother and me were booked for tomorrow afternoon.

Suddenly, a bridesmaid coordinator shoved a velvet box into my hand. "Carry this. Hand them to the bride and groom during the ring exchange."

I popped the box open. Inside were custom-designed diamond rings. The rock on Chloe's ring was several times larger than the one Ethan had used to propose to me.

The wedding march began to play. I stood there, watching Ethan hold Chloe's hand at the altar. Their smiles were radiant.

This was the scene I had dreamed of for years.

I let out a self-deprecating laugh. How did I end up so pathetic? Why was I standing here witnessing the union of the two people who ruined my life?

I threw the ring box onto a nearby table and turned to walk out.

But as I reached the corridor, several familiar faces blocked my path. My blood ran cold instantly, and my heart hammered against my ribs.

Standing before me were Ethan's groomsmen. They were the very same guys who had bullied and harassed me in the dark alleys during high school.

Terror threatened to swallow me whole. Suddenly, a hand clapped onto my shoulder.

"The ring exchange is about to start. Where do you think you're going?"

It was Ethan.

My whole body trembled as I pointed at the men in front of me. "You know who they are. Why the hell are they here?"

Ethan shrugged indifferently. "Chloe was worried you'd make a scene at the wedding, so she invited them to keep an eye on you."

My chest felt suffocated, and my legs went completely numb.

"Stop standing there like an idiot. Get up on stage and hand us the rings."

I bypassed the groomsmen and walked toward the stage, trying to stay as far away from them as possible. But after only a few steps, my long dress caught under my shoe, and I tripped, crashing hard onto the floor.

The sound of laughter echoed from all corners of the room. My legs refused to move. Ethan walked over, pulling me up roughly by my arm. "What is wrong with you? What are you doing?"

When I didn't answer, he dragged me into the VIP bridal suite.

Before I could even catch my breath, his phone rang. Chloe was calling him, and he left immediately.

I sat alone in the quiet room, shivering from the cold.

Five minutes later, the door clicked open, and Chloe's voice echoed through the room.

"Maya, do you really think playing the victim is going to work? Ethan and I are getting married. This fake-limping drama is so outdated."

I stared at her. "Did you invite those bullies on purpose?"

"Those guys are my friends. What's wrong with inviting them to my wedding?"

My jaw dropped. "Your... friends?"

Chloe giggled, a malicious glint in her eyes. "I was the one who paid them to bully you in high school, Maya. I just wanted to see what it felt like to play savior to a charity case like you."

I snapped. The ten-year friendship I had nurtured and protected was a lie from the very beginning.

I lunged forward and shoved Chloe with all my strength. "You monster! How could you do that to me?!"

"From the moment I was born, everyone kissed my feet. You were the only one who tried to act all proud and independent. I just wanted to break you."

"Chloe!"

For ten years, she was my only friend.

Blind with rage, I shoved her again as she tried to get up. Chloe fell backward, crashing heavily against the corner of a heavy wooden cabinet. She let out a sharp scream and collapsed, clutching her stomach.

Within seconds, a pool of crimson blood began to seep through her white gown.

Panic seized me. I quickly dialed 911 as I ran out of the room. "Chloe... she's bleeding. I think she's having a miscarriage!"

The moment the words left my mouth, Ethan came rushing down the hall. He pushed past me into the room, lifting Chloe into his arms. His voice was shaking.

"It was Maya! She pushed me, Ethan! She killed our baby! She wants us dead!" Chloe wailed.

The paramedics rushed in, pushing me aside. I stood frozen by the door, feeling like I had been plunged into an arctic abyss.

Ethan glared at me, his eyes filled with pure hatred. "If anything happens to Chloe or the baby, I will make you pay."

My mind was a chaotic mess. I tried to ask about Chloe's condition, but Ethan completely ignored me.

Half an hour later, I tried to leave the hotel. But as I reached the exit of the lower lobby, those same groomsmen blocked my path.

Seeing them close in on me, panic set in. "What do you want?"

The leader smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Ethan told us to teach you a lesson. You know what we do to girls who cause trouble, right?"

Bang.

They grabbed me, throwing me hard against the floor of a secluded holding room.

"He told us to 'entertain' you so you wouldn't have the energy to ruin their wedding."

I curled into a ball, my entire body shaking violently.

"So, is it true that this trash was actually dating Ethan for years?"

"Please, a charity case like her? She probably made it all up in her head. If Ethan actually cared about her, would he have handed her over to us?"

One of them slapped me across the face. "Tell us the truth. Was Ethan really your boyfriend? If you confess, maybe we'll go easy on you."

My voice was raw and broken. "Yes... he was..."

Their laughter grew louder. "Well, we're about to rip your pretty dress off, and where is your prince charming to save you?"

The sound of fabric tearing filled the room. I fought with everything I had, but I couldn't stop them.

"Please! I beg you, stop! Please!"

The struggle was loud, but the heavy doors were locked from the outside.

An hour later, the ordeal was cut short by a phone call.

I heard Ethan's voice coming through the speaker of one of the men's phones.

"Chloe is awake. Stop whatever you're doing. You didn't go too far, did you?"

One of the guys kicked a used condom wrapper under the couch and smirked. "Don't worry, man. Just gave her a little warning."

"Good."

I closed my eyes, completely numb. Once the men finally walked out, I lay on the cold floor for another half hour before I found the strength to stand up.

By the time I dragged myself back to my apartment, it was past midnight. I showered ten times, scrubbing my skin until it bled, but I couldn't wash away the feeling of filth.

I curled up on the bathroom floor, sobbing hysterically. The soap stung the raw cuts on my body, but the pain in my heart was far worse.

I didn't sleep a wink. The next morning, I grabbed my packed suitcases and headed straight for the airport.

My mom was waiting for me at the gate. I wore a heavy coat and a scarf to hide every single bruise on my body.

"We're going to Seattle, Mom. We're starting over."

We held hands tightly.

Three hours later, the plane touched down in Seattle.