The Friend She Trusted
898 Words
Elena barely slept that night.
Not because of the call.
Not even because of Sophia’s name.
It was the last sentence Ethan said before ending it.
“And Elena can’t find out about us. If she does, the whole contract is void.”
The words stayed in her head long.
“Contract.”
“What contract?”
Elena kept staring at the ceiling beside Ethan that night, pretending to be asleep whenever he moved. But her mind wouldn’t settle. Every time she closed her eyes, she heard his voice again.
“About us.”
The next morning felt strange from the beginning.
Ethan was calmer than usual.
He even asked if she wanted coffee while getting ready.
Elena looked at him for a second before answering.
“No. I’m fine.”
Something about the way he acted irritated her more than if he had been cold.
Because now she was paying attention.
And once Elena started paying attention, she noticed things she normally ignored.
Like how quickly he turned his phone over whenever a message came in.
How he smiled slightly while texting sometimes.
How his mood changed randomly during the day for reasons he never explained.
Before, Elena would’ve blamed work stress.
Now, she wasn’t sure anymore.
By afternoon, she was sitting in the living room scrolling through emails she wasn’t really reading when her phone suddenly buzzed.
Sophia.
Elena stared at the screen for a moment before answering.
“Hey,” Sophia said softly.
Her voice sounded normal.
“Hi,” Elena replied.
“You disappeared after the charity dinner last week. I haven’t seen you properly in days.”
Elena swallowed lightly.
“Work.”
“That man works you too hard.”
Sophia laughed a little after saying it.
Elena used to laugh too whenever she said things like that.
Today she didn’t.
There was a small pause.
Then Sophia spoke again.
“Come out with me tonight.”
Elena frowned slightly.
“Tonight?”
“Yes. Dinner or something. You need air, Elena.”
Elena leaned back slowly against the couch.
Sophia had been her friend for years.
Before some awards, movies. Before Ethan became Ethan Moretti to the public.
Sophia knew things about her that nobody else did.
Or at least Elena thought she did.
“I don’t know,” Elena said quietly.
“You always say that.” Sophia’s voice softened. “Please?”
Elena closed her eyes briefly.
Maybe this was stupid.
Maybe she was overthinking everything because of one sentence she overheard.
“Okay,” she finally said.
Sophia sounded genuinely happy immediately.
“Good. I’ll send you the location.”
The call ended.
Elena sat there for another minute without moving.
Then slowly looked toward the hallway.
Ethan wasn’t home yet.
For some reason, that relieved her.
Dinner was at a rooftop restaurant downtown.
Somewhere expensive enough to feel private.
The city lights stretched around the building like glass stars by the time Elena arrived.
Sophia was already there waiting.
She stood the moment she saw Elena.
Sophia smiled warmly and pulled her into a hug.
“You look exhausted.”
Elena gave a small smile.
“That obvious?”
“A little.”
Sophia looked beautiful as always. Simple black dress.
Comfortable confidence.
The kind Elena used to admire.
They sat down together near the edge of the rooftop.
Soft music played quietly around them while waiters moved between tables carrying wine glasses and expensive plates.
At first, the conversation felt easy.
Movies, fashion events and celebrity gossip.
Things they always talked about.
Sophia made Elena laugh once over a ridiculous actor rumor online, and for a moment Elena almost forgot the feeling sitting in the back of her chest.
Then Sophia asked casually, “How are things with Ethan?”
The question came gently.
Elena looked down at her glass before answering.
“Fine.”
Sophia studied her face for a second.
“You know you don’t have to lie to me, right?”
Elena forced a faint smile.
“I’m not lying.”
Sophia didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she leaned back slightly in her chair.
“Elena…” she started carefully, “You’ve changed lately.”
Something about the sentence irritated Elena instantly.
Not enough to show.
But enough to feel.
“People change,” she said softly.
Sophia kept watching her.
Then they finally sighed.
“I just worry about you sometimes.”
Elena nodded slowly as she appreciated it.
But deep down, something felt strange now.
Every smile, look and sentence.
Her mind kept replaying Ethan’s voice from the night before.
She can’t find out about us.
The waiter arrived with drinks.
Sophia thanked him before looking back at Elena again.
Then suddenly her phone lit up beside the table.
Just for a second.
But Elena saw the name before Sophia flipped it over.
Ethan.
The world inside Elena went completely still.
Not dramatic, just still.
Sophia looked up too quickly afterward.
Too aware. Then she smiled.
“Sorry,” she said casually. “Work stuff.”
Elena stared at her quietly.
The city lights around them suddenly didn’t feel beautiful anymore.
Sophia reached for her drink again like nothing happened.
But Elena couldn’t stop hearing
That sentence in her head now.
“About us.”
And for the first time since marrying Ethan, Elena felt something worse than sadness.
She felt stupid.
- Writer
