CHAPTER THREE — Shadows of Jealousy
790 Words
Ryan dropped Emily off at her apartment later that evening, giving her one last lingering smile before driving away. Emily watched his taillights disappear down the street, her heart warm and fluttering. It had been a long time since she had felt something this genuine… this promising.
She didn’t know that the moment she closed her door, danger was already gathering against her.
---
At the Thompson Residence…
Margaret Thompson sat in her pristine living room, a glass of wine in her hand, flipping through a magazine she wasn’t reading. Her mind was stuck on only one thing—Ryan.
Ryan, who hadn’t called her since morning.
Ryan, who had refused dinner with her.
Ryan, who was “busy.”
She narrowed her eyes. Busy doing what?
When the doorbell rang, she rose slowly, irritation etched into every step. But when she opened the door, the irritation shifted to curiosity.
“Vanessa?” she said, surprised. “What are you doing here, dear?”
Vanessa walked inside without being invited, her face flushed with anger and humiliation.
“He’s with her,” she spat.
Margaret’s brows arched. “Her? Who?”
“That girl from last night. The one who pretended to be shy. The one who thinks she suddenly deserves Ryan’s attention.”
Margaret’s lips curved slightly—not in approval, but in immediate dislike. Anyone who could distract Ryan from his mother was already an enemy.
“What’s her name?” Margaret asked.
“Emily,” Vanessa said bitterly. “Emily Carter.”
Margaret repeated it, tasting the name the way she might taste something bitter. “Emily… Carter.”
Vanessa sank onto the couch. “I knew he liked her yesterday, but today? He ignored me. Completely. He chose her over me.”
Margaret’s expression darkened. She had always seen Vanessa as the perfect match—polished, loyal, predictable. Someone who wouldn’t take Ryan away from her.
But this Emily?
Quiet. Unfamiliar. And already a threat.
“We will not let this… girl… ruin things,” Margaret said calmly, taking a seat. “Ryan deserves someone who understands his world. Someone like you.”
Vanessa looked up, hope flickering. “So you’ll help me?”
Margaret gave a tight smile. “Of course, dear. But we must be smart. If Ryan thinks we’re interfering, he’ll only run toward her more.”
“Then what do we do?” Vanessa asked.
Margaret leaned back, eyes cold and calculating.
“We find out everything about this Emily. Her past. Her weaknesses. And then…”
She took a slow sip of wine.
“…we make sure Ryan sees her exactly the way we want him to.”
Vanessa felt a chill.
Not fear.
Excitement.
Together, they were going to destroy Emily Carter.
---
Meanwhile…
Ryan parked outside his apartment and leaned back in his seat, smiling faintly as he replayed his day with Emily. Her laugh… her eyes… the way she blushed when he complimented her. It had been years since something felt so natural.
He pulled out his phone and typed a message.
Ryan: Made it home. Thank you for today. I can’t wait to see you again.
He didn’t send messages like that. Ever.
But for Emily, he didn’t even hesitate.
As he walked inside, he didn’t notice his mother trying to call him. Twice.
He didn’t see Vanessa’s messages either.
His world had begun to shift—and the people who once held his attention were slipping from it.
---
Emily’s Apartment
Emily sat on her bed, hugging a pillow as her phone buzzed. When she saw Ryan’s message, her face softened instantly.
Emily: I can’t wait too. Goodnight, Ryan.
She lay back, smiling at the ceiling, feeling something she hadn’t felt in years—hope. A soft, glowing, fragile hope.
Her roommate, Jenna, peeked through the door. “Someone’s smiling suspiciously.”
Emily laughed. “It’s just… Ryan. We spent the whole day together.”
Jenna grinned. “Took him long enough to notice you. I always said you’re a catch.”
Emily rolled her eyes, but her cheeks warmed. “It’s too early to say anything.”
“Not with the way you’re glowing,” Jenna teased.
Emily tried to fight it, but the truth bubbled inside her.
She liked him. A lot.
But neither of them knew what was coming.
That night, while Emily drifted into peaceful sleep, Margaret and Vanessa began digging through her life—her job, her past, everything. And each new detail only deepened their hatred.
Emily had no idea her quiet world was about to change—
Not just because she was falling in love…
but because two women were preparing to tear her life apart piece by piece.
- Writer
