Scorned No More

I didn’t expect anything grand. I just wanted to bring him lunch. His favorite—spicy tuna wrap and iced Americano. Kian said he was stressed lately, so I thought, “Why not surprise him?” Stupid. So stupid. The café door chimed as I walked in, that familiar little bell ringing like it always did. But this time… everything felt off. And then I saw him. Kian. And her. Lexa. They were sitting at a corner table, heads tilted together like they were in their own little world. Her hand rested on his, her laughter soft and sickeningly sweet. “Stop teasing me, Kian… you’re so bad,” she giggled. And then he kissed her. I stood there, frozen. The bag of lunch in my hand suddenly felt like dead weight. “Kian?” My voice cracked. It barely came out. They both flinched. Lexa jumped up like a startled deer and clung to his arm like a scared little girl. “Celeste… I didn’t know you’d be here,” she said, tears already forming in her eyes. “This—it’s not what you think. Kian was just comforting me. I’ve been going through so much lately…” There it was. The performance. Her go-to routine: the trembling lip, the doe eyes, the victim card. “Comforting you?” I said, taking a step forward. My voice shook—but only a little. “With a kiss?” Kian stood up, guilt written all over his face. “Let’s talk outside, please.” “No.” I looked directly at Lexa. “How long have you been faking your tears to get him?” She flinched. “I didn’t plan this,” she whispered. “It just happened. You were always so busy, and he was there for me…” So now it was my fault. I laughed. Low and bitter. “I was busy helping build his dreams while you were busy stealing him behind my back?” Kian reached for me. “Celeste, don’t—” “Don’t worry,” I cut him off, stepping back. “You two deserve each other.” I turned and walked out. No yelling. No tears. Not this time. Because something in me broke in that café. And something stronger… took its place