Chapter 4
982 Words
SARAPHINA'S POV
I sat at the edge of the couch, my hands clasped tightly on my lap. My mind was empty. I couldn't think. I didn't even have the strength to try.
Susan walked in, holding a bundle of clothes. Her voice was soft as she handed them to me.
"Go change into these." She said gently. "You'll catch a cold."
I looked up at her, my voice barely a whisper. "What's the use? I don't care. I've lost everything, Susan. I have nothing left. No one."
Susan raised an eyebrow. "And what am I to you, Sara? A bag of chips?"
She sat beside me and placed her hand over mine. "You've got me. I'm here for you, and I'm not letting you go. I'm never leaving your side."
I didn't want to cry anymore. I was tired of crying. But looking at Susan—seeing the care in her eyes, I couldn't hold it in. I broke down, sobbing loudly.
"Oh dare." She said softly, pulling me into a hug. She held me close, patting my back gently, doing her best to comfort me.
She might not know how much this means to me right now, but it's everything. All I wanted was a shoulder to cry on, someone to hold me through this storm. And Susan was doing just that. She wasn't just my best friend, she was my sister in every way that mattered. She'd been there for me through thick and thin.
I wrapped my arms around her, crying hard into her shoulder.
When I finally calmed down, I pulled away. Susan wiped my tears, and that's when I noticed she'd been crying too.
"Why are you crying, Susan?" I asked, gently brushing away her tears.
"I hate seeing you like this." She said. "I'll go to your father myself if I have to. He should know his daughter. You'd never do something like this."
I sniffled. "It's useless, Sue. Ciara won." I tried to smile, but it came out broken.
Susan frowned. "Ciara? What does she have to do with any of this?"
"She's behind everything." I said quietly.
"She framed me. She posted those fake photos of me with someone else to ruin my relationship with Lucien, and it worked. My father disowned me, stripped me of my inheritance, and banned me from the company."
I paused, swallowing the lump in my throat.
"When I went to see Lucien, I found him proposing to Ciara. She's got him wrapped around her finger. And when I tried to defend myself, no one listened. Not my father. Not Lucien. They both believed her."
Susan's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief.
"I've lost everything, Sue. And it's all because of Ciara. She even had the nerve to invite me to her wedding—said she'd talk to my father and get him to forgive me if I attended."
I sighed deeply and sank into the couch.
"I don't know what to do."
Susan's eyes widened in shock. "Wait—Ciara? Your stepsister?" She asked.
I nodded slowly, the pain still fresh in my chest.
She shot up from the couch and began pacing in front of me. Even with the air conditioner on, she was fanning herself with her hand, clearly overwhelmed.
"I can't believe this." She muttered. "This is insane. Who would've thought Ciara could do something like this? I mean... I've never liked her. I've always known she was a b***h, but this? This is next-level evil."
She stopped pacing for a moment, her eyes blazing. "I swear, if I ever get my hands on her, I'll ruin that bitchy face of hers. How can someone be so cruel? And then she had the nerve to invite you to her wedding?"
Susan trailed off, then quickly sat beside me again. Her tone shifted, still firm, but now filled with concern.
"Saraphina." She said, narrowing her eyes. "Please tell me you're not actually thinking of going to that wedding."
I sighed. "I have no choice, Susan. I have to give it a shot. I can't lose my relationship with my father like this. I've already lost Lucien... I can't lose him too. If going to this wedding is what it takes to earn his forgiveness, then I'm willing to do it."
"Oh, Sara." Susan ran her hand through her hair, clearly frustrated. "I really don't have a good feeling about this. What if it's a setup? What if she's luring you into something worse? It's not even safe for you to be out there right now. You shouldn't go. I mean it."
"I know, Sue." I said quietly.
She stared at me for a long moment, then shook her head. "And I also know you're going to go anyway, no matter what I say "
I gave her a weak smile. "I have to."
Susan let out a deep sigh. "Alright then. But you're not going alone. If you're going to that wedding, those motherfuckers wedding, then I'm coming with you."
"You don't have to, Sue. I don't even know what I'm walking into. I can't drag you into my mess."
"There's no 'but' here, Sara." She said firmly. "You need me. And because we don't know what you're walking into, that's exactly why I have to be there."
"Please, Susan." I said softly. "Just this once, listen to me. You don't need to worry. I'll be okay. If anything goes wrong, I'll run out as fast as I can." I let out a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood, but it didn't help. Her face was still tight with concern.
I reached out and placed my hand over hers. "Please."
She sighed again, loud and heavy, but finally nodded. "Fine. But only if you promise to call me the second something feels off. Promise me, Sara."
"I promise." I said.
And I meant it.
- Writer
