My Bestie Betrayed Me, I Dumped Him

Chapter 3

I lost track of time as the blood on my legs congealed, sticking to my skin in a tacky, uncomfortable film. I braced myself against the bed frame and slowly stood up. My knees were a mottled mess of purple and blue, swollen to nearly twice their size. Ignoring the pain, I bent down and gathered my clothes, dressing myself one piece at a time.

Next, I opened the closet and dragged out my suitcase. I had barely tossed a few items inside when my hand brushed against a small box in the corner.

Inside lay a simple silver ring, its surface polished to a gentle, lustrous finish.

It was the first year Dominic and I had been together; he had crafted it for me with his own hands. That year, he had risked a total fallout with the Kessler family just to be with me.

By day, he worked backbreaking construction jobs; by night, he came home with hands covered in calluses and blood blisters.

He spent three full days at a jewelry shop working on this ring, cutting his fingers so many times on the tools that the scars remained to this day. When he finally handed it to me, his fingers were wrapped in bandages. I had cried uncontrollably, scolding him for being such a fool. He had leaned in, kissing the tears from my eyes, his gaze smoldering.

"Why are you crying? Everything I do for you is worth it," he had whispered. "My Evelyn deserves the best this world has to offer."

I gripped the silver ring, tracing the rough, imperfect texture of its inner band. My body curled into a ball as tears welled up, unstoppable and suffocating.

I didn't know how long I wept, until my throat turned raw and my eyes were swollen shut. Finally, I placed the ring back into the box and zipped up my suitcase to leave.

The night was deep, and a thin crescent moon hung in the sky, its pale light cold as frost. I walked for two blocks before finding a hotel. The receptionist stared at me as if I were something vile, rejecting me with icy impatience. I froze, confused; my phone clearly showed they had vacancies.

She was cutting, practically ready to grab a broom and chase me off. "We're full. Can't you hear, or are you deaf? Or perhaps just stupid?" She sneered, "A mistress like you doesn't deserve to step foot in our hotel. You look filthy; don't go spreading your diseases to our other guests. Get out and stop being an eyesore—you make me sick."

She added a final jab, "In all of Port Haven, who would even rent a room to a mistress?" She turned to her colleague and muttered, "She doesn't even look like much. Where does she even get the nerve to be a mistress?"

My heart sank to rock bottom. Dominic. He had pushed things so far that he wouldn't even let me have a place to stay.

I dragged my suitcase along. A gust of night wind whipped through the street, making me shiver. My phone rang. It was the wedding planner.

"Ms. Marsh, regarding the wedding next week—"

"Cancel it."

"Excuse me?"

I closed my eyes, exhausted. Images of our past sweetness flashed through my mind, only to be overwritten by the look of utter disgust on Dominic's face.

"Replace the bride," I said. "Change it to my bridesmaid, Celeste. She has the contact info saved."

"Ms. Marsh, are you sure..."

"Do as I say."

I hung up and dialed another number. "That opportunity for an overseas assignment you mentioned. Is it still available?"

"It is, but didn't you say you were getting married? You wanted stability."

I fell silent for a moment. The person on the other end seemed to understand. He simply said he would take care of it.

I looked up at the sky. The crescent moon still hung there, its light thin and chilling. I didn't want to spend another second in this city.

I had only walked a few paces when three shadowy figures emerged from an alleyway. "Hey, pretty lady. Where are you off to so late?"

I retreated until my back hit a wall. In a panic, I pulled out my phone and dialed my emergency contact. Dominic's name flashed on the screen.

One ring. Two. On the third, he hung up.

I dialed again.

A busy signal. He had blocked me.

Terror seized me, and I started to tremble uncontrollably.

"Oh, looking for backup?" the guy with dyed yellow hair chuckled, stepping closer. His gaze dropped to my legs. Under the harsh glow of the streetlamp, blood was seeping through my pants, trailing down until a small puddle had formed on the pavement.

"Damn, her legs are covered in blood. Does she have some kind of gross disease?"

"Forget it, let's go! Don't touch her!"

The three of them exchanged a look and scurried away, cursing. As their footsteps faded, I slumped against the wall and slowly slid to the ground, blood pooling beneath me.