BEAUTIFUL TURNED UGLY

THE CONFESSION

The crowd fell silent , so silent even the wind seemed to stop mid-breath. The air was heavy, thick with the smell of rain-soaked earth and crushed flowers. Moments ago, there had been murmurs of grief, the shuffle of feet, the faint clink of bottles. Now, the graveyard held its breath.

Every head turned toward the five figures standing in the center. The gray sky hung low, pressing down on the mourners. Somewhere far off, a crow cawed—a sharp, lonely sound that cut through the silence like a warning.

“I told you all I would do it, didn’t I?”

Her voice shattered the stillness like glass. Gasps followed. A wine bottle slipped from someone’s hand and broke against the stone path. A woman flinched, her cry swallowed by the quiet that followed.

“For heaven’s sake, you two Ace’s funeral is not the place to throw accusations!” Roma’s voice shook as she stepped forward, bracelets clinking against her wrist. Her dark eyes flashed between Max and Amaya, fury and fear tangled in her expression.

The air felt alive with tension, vibrating with unspoken words.

“I agree with Roma,” came Edward’s low, steady voice from behind. “Inside. Now.”

A cold wind swept through the graveyard, scattering petals across Ace’s coffin. The five friends exchanged a glance before following the voice toward the house. The door shut behind them with a heavy click, sealing the storm outside and another one within.

Inside, the air was different. Warmer, but no less suffocating.

“What the hell was that out there, babe? What were you thinking, coming at her like that?” Roma’s tone was sharp, disbelief bleeding through.

“Everyone was saying it!” Max shot back. “I just had to know. I didn’t think she’d—” he swallowed hard, “—be so LOUD about murder.”

“She wasn’t being LOUD,” Edward snapped. “You drew every eye in that cemetery when you asked her if she killed Ace in the center of the grave yard.”

“Oh, calm down, Edward. Let her fight her battles.” Max’s words came out bitter, defensive.

Edward exhaled, rubbing his temples before turning toward Amaya. “Maya… what were you thinking? People out there would’ve crucify you for less, and you—”

“You all need to calm down.” Amaya’s voice cut clean through his. “We know no one can touch me. Even if they could, no one can prove I had anything to do with Ace’s death.”

She sank into a chair, posture perfectly composed. “Let them talk. The world saw it ,Ace had me strapped to a chair when the bullet went through his head.”

The silence that followed was unbearable. Then Max fell to his knees before her.

“Maya… baby doll…” His voice cracked, eyes pleading.

“I’ll rephrase my question,” He said quietly. “Did you orchestrate Ace’s murder?”

The words hung in the air like smoke.

Amaya tilted her head, meeting Max’s eyes before sweeping her gaze across the room. Roma shifted uneasily beside her. Edward stood frozen. Bella—red-haired and trembling—watched from the corner, her fingers twisting the hem of her sleeve.

“Maya, you don’t have to—” Edward began.

“I did it.”

The confession hit like thunder. The room seemed to inhale sharply.

“I orchestrated Ace’s death.”

Her words were steady, emotionless. Outside, thunder rolled, echoing through the walls.

“Do you hear that?” Bella whispered, voice shaking. Tears streaked down her face. “Even the heavens are angry with you, Maya. How can you sit there after taking a life?”

“Correction, Bella,” Roma said coolly, stepping forward. “Amaya didn’t take Ace’s life. She orchestrated it.” Her lips curved into a smile. “That chair stunt? Genius. I knew that loser didn’t have it in him.”

She perched on the arm of Amaya’s chair. Amaya’s smile mirrored hers small, dangerous.

“You happy now, babe?” Roma asked, glancing at Max. “You got your big confession.”

Max stared at Amaya, words caught in his throat. His face was pale, hollow. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely a whisper.

“Maya… why…”

But the rest never came.

She didn’t look at him. Instead, her gaze drifted to the storm outside. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me,” he shot back. “I stood by you when everyone else doubted you. I fought for you , defended you. But this....” he gestured sharply toward her, “....this is something else.”

“Don’t,” Edward warned, his tone sharp enough to cut through the tension. He stepped closer to Amaya, his presence protective, unwavering. “You don’t get to judge her, Max. Not after what Ace did.”

“What Ace did?” Max’s voice rose. “He’s dead, Edward! You think that makes this okay?”

Edward’s jaw clenched. “I think it makes it necessary.”

Roma shifted between them, her usual swagger subdued now, her eyes darting between the two men. “Enough. Both of you.” Her tone carried authority, “This isn’t the time to fall apart.”

Bella, still trembling in the corner, finally spoke. Her voice cracked, soaked in both disbelief and sorrow.

“I’m done. Whatever this is .....I want no part of it.”

Roma’s eyes snapped to her. “Don’t be dramatic, Bella.”

“I’m serious!” Bella’s voice trembled, her tears fresh again. “You’re all standing here arguing about why she killed him, when the real question is how you can still stand by her!”

Max exhaled, eyes closed, as if her words hit somewhere deep. “She’s right,” he muttered.

Edward turned on him. “You’re either with us or you’re not.”

“I’m with what’s right,” Max shot back, his voice hard now. “And if Amaya’s guilty, I won’t pretend otherwise.”

For a second, no one breathed.

Amaya finally turned her head, slowly, deliberately and looked at Max. There was no anger in her expression, just quiet sadness.

“You always did want to be the hero.”

He held her gaze. “Someone has to be.”

Outside, thunder rolled like distant applause.

" Your right " , her voice was calm "but you don't get to be the hero , none of you , but especially not you Max " , she said his name so bitterly he flinched .

"Bella"

"Edward"

"Roma"

"Max ......You talk like I’m the only one who wanted him gone,” she said finally, her voice low, dangerous.

Max frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Amaya turned to face them, eyes sharp with something between grief and contempt. “Don’t act like you don’t know. You all wanted Ace out of the picture ,each of you, in your own way. I just did what you didn’t have the courage to finish.”

Silence. Heavy. Unforgiving

“Isn’t it?” Amaya snapped. “Max, you hated how I chose him over you , how he treated me . Edward you’d have set the world on fire if it meant I’d love you and not him even when you were set to marry Bella here. And you, Roma…” she took a step forward, her voice softening into venom, “you just wanted the broke boy gone " .

Roma looked away and shrugged , " don't make me a villain to not mixing classes , yes ?" , she said under her breath

“And Bella,” Amaya said, turning last toward the trembling redhead, “Girl wipe your tears you knew he had it coming from the day you got into bed with him , honey you practically started the poor guy's timer ".

Bella flinched as if struck.

Amaya exhaled, the tension leaving her body like smoke. “So don’t you dare stand there and act righteous. We all played a part. I just... had the guts to make the move.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“He had to go.”