What if this was a dream?
1281 Words
Chapter 2: If This Was a Dream
Aubrey POV
She looked at me with nothing but coldness in her eyes.
“What is it, Aubrey?” she asked with a mocking smile. “Can’t I take back what belongs to me? Can’t I reclaim everything you took from me? Is that a crime?”
She folded her arms across her chest.
“I deserve better too. And for once, I’m done settling for whatever is left after you. So wipe that pitiful look off your face and accept reality.”
I slowly turned to Edward.
Maybe…
Maybe he would tell me everything was a joke.
“This is all a prank… right?”
He rolled his eyes before looking at Lily. “Now you see why I can’t stand her?”
My heart shattered.
“When will you stop emotionally blackmailing people?” he continued. “Is crying the only thing you’re good at?”
The second round of tears I had been holding back finally spilled over.
“And don’t think those crocodile tears will change anything, Aubrey. What you’re seeing is the truth, and the sooner you accept it, the better.”
He let out a short laugh.
“Or wait…” He looked at me as though I had just said something ridiculous. “Did you actually think I was going to marry you?”
He and Lily laughed together. The sound tore through my chest.
“You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?” he said.
“Then you should have heard everything clearly.”
He slipped an arm around Lily’s waist.
“I never loved you, Aubrey.” Every word felt like a knife.
“Lily begged me to date you because she pitied you. She wanted you to experience love for once.”
He shrugged as if he were talking about the weather. “That’s what sisters do. They sacrifice for each other.”
His eyes turned cold. “But all you’ve ever done is receive. We’re tired of giving.”
I stared at him, unable to recognize the man I had loved all these years.
“And honestly…” he continued with a chuckle, running a hand through his hair, “you’ve made everything easier for us. Now we don’t have to pretend anymore.”
He paused before adding the sentence that completely destroyed me.
“Our parents are going to be happy. They’ve wanted me to marry Lily from the beginning.”
My breathing became uneven.
“So yes…” he finished. “Everyone already knows.”
My entire body went numb.
Slowly, I pushed myself up from the floor. My legs trembled beneath me, and my head spun so badly I could barely remain standing.
I forced a smile that even I didn’t believe.
“I’ll pretend I never heard any of this.”
Both of them stared at me.
“This is just a bad dream.” I nodded to myself.
“That’s all it is.”
Tomorrow was my wedding.
Tomorrow, I would wake up, wear my wedding dress, and marry Edward. Everything would return to normal.
“So…” I swallowed hard. “Get some rest. We have a wedding tomorrow.”
Lily’s face darkened. “What did you just say, b***h?”
She lunged toward me, but Edward grabbed her arm before she could reach me.
“Leave her,” he muttered. “Don’t let the devil drag you down with her misfortune.”
Watching him hold her so gently…
Watching him kiss her forehead…
It hurt more than every insult they had thrown at me.
Why couldn’t I accept what was right in front of me?
Lily pulled herself free from his grip and marched toward me.
“You’d better believe it,” she hissed. “Edward and I are getting married tomorrow.”
A wicked smile spread across her face.
“And you’re invited.” She leaned closer until our faces were inches apart.
“I want you to watch me become the woman you could never be.”
Before I could react, she shoved me with all her strength.
I crashed onto the floor.
“Believe it!” she screamed.
“Believe me!” She grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently.
“I hate you, Aubrey! I hate you so much!”
Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.
I didn’t fight back. I didn’t even know how to.
I simply looked at her.
“If beating me will make you give Edward back…” My voice broke. “Then keep going.”
“Shut up!” Lily screamed. “He’s mine! He has always been mine!”
Edward rushed over and pulled her away.
“Enough.”
He wrapped his arms around her protectively before turning to me with disgust.
“Just leave, Aubrey.”
His voice was colder than I had ever heard it.
“You always know how to ruin everything.”
He pointed toward the door.
“Get out… you piece of bad luck.”
I slowly stood to my feet.
“I’ll leave.”
I looked at both of them one last time.
“But tomorrow…” I forced the words out despite the pain crushing my heart. “I’ll see you at our wedding.”
I turned and walked away.
“Tell her to stop saying that—” I didn’t wait to hear the rest.
The door slammed shut behind me.
No… This wasn’t real.
It couldn’t be. I just needed to go home.
Sleep and wake up, then everything would return to the way it was.
It had to. Because this… This had to be nothing more than a terrible dream.
………………
“Ma, are you okay?”
Henry rushed toward me the moment I stepped out of the mansion. He gently held my arm and guided me toward the car.
I looked up at him, a faint smile spreading across my lips.
“Today isn’t real… right?”
His brows drew together in confusion.
“Ma… what happened?”
I shook my head slowly.
“Answer me, Henry.”
I searched his face desperately.
“This is all a dream, isn’t it? Today never happened… right?”
He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“Ma, I…”
A small smile found its way back to my lips.
“It’s okay.”
I nodded to myself as though I had finally figured everything out.
“Just take me home. Once I sleep and wake up, everything will go back to normal.”
I laughed softly.
“I’m sure this is just one of my wild imaginations.”
Henry didn’t argue. He simply opened the car door for me.
As I lowered myself into the seat, a wave of dizziness washed over me.
Strangely… I welcomed it.
Maybe if I fainted and slept long enough, I’d wake up and Edward would be apologizing.
Lily would laugh and tell me they had both been possessed by some evil spirit.
Everything would go back to the way it was.
The car hadn’t gone very far before another wave hit me, stronger this time.
The world around me began to spin. The trees outside blurred into streaks of green.
My breathing grew heavier.
“Madam…”
Henry’s worried voice sounded distant.
“You don’t look well.”
I tried to answer him, but my lips refused to move.
“Madam, stay with me…” I felt him grab my hand.
“You need to stay awake.” His voice became farther away with every passing second.
The last thing I heard before darkness swallowed me was—
“Ma hang on. I am on the way to the hospital!”
- Writer
