Chapter Four
1055 Words
Amelia didn't move.
Not even after Vanessa's footsteps disappeared down the hallway.
She remained standing in the middle of her apartment, staring at the door.
One sentence kept replaying in her mind.
One day you're going to learn the truth.
Amelia squeezed her eyes shut.
She didn't want the truth.
She didn't want secrets.
She didn't want explanations.
She wanted her life back.
But that wasn't possible.
Not anymore.
With a frustrated sigh, she walked back to the couch and sat down.
The apartment felt strangely quiet.
Too quiet.
Her gaze drifted toward the wedding dress hanging near the window.
The sight made her chest tighten.
Just yesterday, that dress had represented everything she wanted.
A future.
A family.
A life with Daniel.
Now it looked like a painful reminder of everything she had lost.
Her phone suddenly rang.
Amelia glanced at the screen.
Wedding Planner.
For a moment, she considered ignoring the call.
But she knew she couldn't avoid reality forever.
Taking a deep breath, she answered.
"Hello?"
"Amelia!" the cheerful voice said. "I've been trying to reach you. We still need final confirmation for Saturday."
Saturday.
Only three days away.
The word alone felt like a knife twisting in her chest.
"Amelia?"
She swallowed hard.
"The wedding isn't happening."
Silence.
"What?"
"The wedding is cancelled."
The words felt heavy.
Real.
Final.
"Oh my God."
Amelia closed her eyes.
Saying it out loud somehow hurt more than she expected.
The wedding was really over.
Six years.
Gone.
"Are you sure?" the planner asked gently.
A tear slipped down Amelia's cheek.
"No."
The honest answer surprised even her.
She wasn't sure of anything anymore.
But one thing she did know was that she couldn't marry Daniel.
Not after what she had seen.
Taking a shaky breath, she added,
"But I'm cancelling it anyway."
The planner didn't ask any more questions.
For that, Amelia was grateful.
After the call ended, she sat quietly on the couch.
The silence returned.
Only this time, it felt heavier.
Her phone buzzed again.
Rachel.
Her cousin.
A minute later, another call.
Her aunt.
Then another.
Daniel's mother.
Word was already spreading.
Everyone wanted answers.
Everyone wanted details.
Amelia ignored every call.
She didn't have the energy.
Around noon, another knock sounded at the door.
Amelia froze.
For one terrible second, she thought Daniel had come back.
Slowly, she walked toward the door and looked through the peephole.
Relief washed over her.
It was her mother.
The moment she opened the door, all the strength she had been holding onto disappeared.
Her mother immediately wrapped her arms around her.
And Amelia broke down.
The tears came hard.
Painful.
Uncontrollable.
Her mother simply held her.
No questions.
No lectures.
No advice.
Just comfort.
For the first time since everything happened, Amelia allowed herself to cry without holding back.
Hours later, they sat together in the living room.
The apartment felt calmer now.
Not better.
Just calmer.
Her mother glanced toward the wedding dress hanging by the window.
A sad look crossed her face.
"I always liked Daniel," she admitted softly.
Amelia laughed bitterly.
"So did I."
Neither of them smiled.
The joke wasn't funny.
Nothing about this situation was.
Her mother reached over and squeezed her hand.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Amelia hesitated.
Then she nodded.
Slowly, she told her everything.
Finding Daniel's apartment.
Walking into the bedroom.
Seeing Vanessa.
Daniel chasing after her.
The messages.
The phone calls.
Everything.
By the time she finished, her throat hurt.
Her mother looked shocked.
Heartbroken.
Angry.
Just like anyone would after hearing something like that.
"I can't believe they did this to you," she said quietly.
Amelia stared down at her hands.
"Neither can I."
Silence settled between them.
A few moments later, her mother stood up.
"I'm making tea."
Amelia nodded.
"Okay."
When her mother returned a few minutes later, she placed a mug in front of her and sat back down.
The warm tea helped a little.
Not much.
But enough.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Vanessa's words suddenly returned to Amelia's mind.
The truth.
Secrets.
Things she didn't know.
The thoughts refused to leave her alone.
"Mom..."
"Hmm?"
Amelia stared into her tea.
"Do you think Vanessa was telling the truth?"
Her mother frowned.
"About what?"
"Before she left, she said there were things I didn't know. She said there were secrets."
Her mother's expression became thoughtful.
Then she shook her head.
"I think she's looking for excuses."
Amelia looked up.
"You do?"
Her mother nodded.
"People often do that when they're caught doing something wrong."
She took a sip of tea before continuing.
"They try to explain it away. They try to make it sound more complicated."
Amelia remained quiet.
"But what if she's telling the truth?"
Her mother reached over and gently squeezed her hand.
"Sweetheart, you caught your fiancé with your best friend."
The words hurt.
Even now.
"There is no secret that changes that."
Amelia lowered her eyes.
Part of her knew her mother was right.
Yet something still bothered her.
Vanessa hadn't sounded defensive.
She hadn't even tried to justify herself.
And that was what confused Amelia the most.
Her mother stood and picked up the empty mugs.
"Try to get some rest."
"I'm not tired."
"You look exhausted."
A small smile touched her mother's lips.
The first smile Amelia had seen all day.
"I'll stay tonight."
Amelia felt a lump form in her throat.
"You don't have to."
"I know."
Her mother smiled gently.
"But I want to."
For the first time that day, Amelia felt a small sense of comfort.
Not happiness.
Not peace.
Just comfort.
And right now, that was enough.
Later that night, after her mother had gone to the guest room, Amelia sat alone by the window.
The city lights glowed in the distance.
Everything looked normal outside.
Cars moved.
People laughed.
Life continued.
Yet hers felt completely different.
She rested her forehead against the glass.
Maybe Vanessa was lying.
Maybe her mother was right.
Maybe there were no secrets at all.
But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't adding up.
And for the first time since the betrayal, Amelia found herself wondering if Vanessa was hiding something more than an affair.
Exhausted, Amelia finally fell into a light, uneasy sleep.
- Writer
