Fated to Wed (English)

Chapter Eight

Since Theo didn’t believe me, I needed to upgrade my plan. I had to make him see Liana’s cheating for himself, and to do that, I needed to know when and where Liana would meet up with Jonas again. I still couldn’t believe it—my perfect friend, Liana, was cheating with one of Theo’s best friends, Jonas.

Over the past few weeks, I had observed Liana’s behavior closely. I knew she had a habit of leaving her phone in her locker at the start of class. I remembered the day she cried after our professor scolded her for disrupting class when her phone rang. Lucky for me, I also knew her class schedule—what time she attended and when her classes ended.

It was time for a bold move. I decided to steal her phone during her last class of the day since it was the longest, three hours straight. I knew that class would clash with my own, but I was desperate enough to cut class.

When the time came, I slipped into the school, dressed casually in a white shirt and some slippers, wearing a cheap cap and a mask to avoid being recognized by the CCTV. Lock picking was my expertise, so getting into Liana’s locker was a piece of cake. I smiled triumphantly when I grabbed her phone, and headed straight to the restroom. I chose a stall, quickly opened her phone, and entered her messages.

As I scrolled through her conversations, I found one that made my heart race:

Liana:

Babe, can we cancel our date today? Delilah knows about us. Although I'm confident that Theo won’t believe her, I still want to be careful.

Jonas:

Are you serious? How did she find out?

Liana:

I don’t know, but she’s been acting strange. I just can’t risk it.

Jonas:

Ugh, this is frustrating. We’ve been so careful!

Liana:

I know, but better safe than sorry. Let’s reschedule for next week. Same place, same time?

Jonas:

So, El Sabor del Mar on Tuesday at 8 PM?

Liana:

Yes, exactly. It’s usually quiet, so we’ll be fine there.

Jonas:

Alright. I just hate that we have to keep sneaking around.

Liana:

I get it, but I can’t afford to lose Theo yet. My family’s depending on me to keep this under wraps.

Jonas:

True. Just be careful. If Delilah starts digging, it could get messy.

Liana:

Don’t worry. I’ll handle it. Just stay close, okay?

Jonas:

Always. Love you.

Liana:

Love you too.

My stomach churned as I absorbed the weight of her words. They were planning to meet at El Sabor del Mar, the same place where I had seen them together before. I quickly memorized the details—time, place, everything. I took a deep breath, returned Liana’s phone to her locker, and ensured it looked untouched. After changing back into my school uniform, I passed a homeless person outside and gave them the casual clothes, feeling a strange sense of relief.

That evening, I messaged Theo to come to my room under the pretense of studying. When he arrived, I could see the confusion in his eyes.

“Why did you want to hang out all of a sudden?” he asked, still wearing his uniform.

I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “Just wanted to catch up. By the way, I heard Liana might be busy soon. She might not be able to make it for a while.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I just think she’s really focusing on her studies,” I said, my heart racing.

Theo sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’re probably right. She hasn’t been the same since we started college. It’s like she’s a different person.”

“Maybe she’s adjusting,” I suggested, trying to keep my voice steady.

“But what if she’s cheating?” he said with a laugh, brushing off my concern. “That’s impossible.”

“Is it?” I asked, leaning closer. “What if she is? What would you do?”

Theo laughed again, shaking his head. “That’s ridiculous. Someone sent me a photo of Liana kissing Jonas, but it’s obviously edited. You know how people are.”

I felt a pang of pity for him, but I brushed it off. “Just keep an eye on her, okay? It’s never too late to find out the truth.”

“Yeah, sure,” he replied, oblivious to the storm brewing beneath his calm demeanor. “Let’s hang out tonight, then.”

When the time came, I took Liana’s phone again to make sure they hadn’t canceled their date. I researched where they were supposed to meet, ensuring I was ready. Theo and I arrived at the restaurant-bar earlier than expected, ordering food while I kept glancing at the door.

“Why do you keep looking?” Theo asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“Just waiting for a friend,” I replied, my heart racing with anticipation.

A few minutes later, I spotted them. Liana walked in, her right arm entwined with Jonas’s left. My heart sank, and I barely noticed Theo’s shocked expression as he turned to me.

“What are they doing here?” he asked, standing up as if to confront them.

I quickly grabbed his arm, shaking my head to stop him. “Wait. Just let them be.”

He looked confused but obeyed me, his eyes glued to Liana and Jonas. I could see the moment reality hit him as he watched them kiss.

“Delilah,” he started, but I held his gaze, forcing him to look at me instead.

“How long have you known about this?” he asked, his voice low and strained.

“I tried to tell you,” I replied, my heart aching for him. “But you didn’t believe me.”

His eyes widened as the realization hit him. “Wait... you’re the one who sent me those pictures.”

I nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and sorrow wash over me. “I didn’t want to hurt you, Theo. I just wanted you to see the truth.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

“I tried! I really did!” I exclaimed, my frustration bubbling over. “But you brushed me off! You thought it was just a joke or some kind of prank.”

Theo fell silent, the weight of my words sinking in. He turned back to Liana, who was laughing with Jonas, and the pain in his eyes was almost unbearable. I realized that no matter how much I wanted to protect him, the truth had to come out—whether he was ready for it or not.