Alise's eyes fluttered open, revealing a groggy morning world. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.
Grumbling, she turned over to silence the relentless buzz of her phone, which seemed to have a vendetta against her peace.
Her hand reached out, seeking the elusive device that vibrated with urgency.
Finally grasping it, her half-expectation of a message dwindled as—it was a swarm of Gmail notifications on her Lock Screen.
She rolled her eyes, her annoyance palpable, and slowly sat on the edge of her bed. A long stretch of her arms and a wide yawn followed, accompanied by a sudden wave of lightheadedness. Her descent back to sitting was slow as she battled the dizziness.
She mumbled, "Damn it. I knew I shouldn't have gotten up that fast."
Sitting there, she felt the need to recuperate. "I'll get up in a minute," she told herself, although all she wanted to do was remain in bed, but the day's pull was irresistible.
The traces of morning still lingered on her face, as did the taste of morning breath. Nevertheless, she pushed herself up and out of bed.
Alise walked into the bathroom, started the shower, and grabbed her toothbrush and face wash, aiming to take care of everything all at once.
Stepping into the shower, she let the hot water cascade over her skin, savoring a luxurious 20-minute shower to invigorate her morning. Afterward, feeling refreshed, she dried off, dressed, and faced her reflection in the mirror.
"I look good," she confidently exclaimed as she struck her signature pose.
Walking up to the couch, Alise couldn't help but overhear Neva gloating and cackling nearby.
Neva's hand signs accompanied her gloating, and Alise couldn't suppress her desire to laugh.
Noticing Alise's presence, Neva slowly looked up at her with a side-eye, feeling embarrassed for getting caught talking to herself while gloating. She cleared her throat and said, "Sooo…"
Alise followed up with, "Sooo… What was funny?" Trying to alleviate the awkwardness.
Neva's response, "Oh, nothing," she said with a mischievous grin.
"Okay," Alise replied, her tone expressing mild curiosity. The desire to know what was so amusing was starting to gnaw at her, and she couldn't help but wonder.
She waited, trying to maintain her composure and not reveal her overwhelming curiosity. Alise was determined not to give Neva the satisfaction of knowing just how eager she was to hear what Neva had to say.
Little did she know, it was nothing of great significance. Neva intended to watch Alise's curiosity take over her, enjoying the anticipation that seemed to consume her.
Alise waited for Neva to spill the beans, but to her surprise, Neva remained silent, thoroughly enjoying the moment. Alise's curiosity eventually overwhelmed her, and she couldn't help but blurt out, "Just tell me already."
Neva, with a mischievous grin, continued to toy with her sister. "Why should I?" she responded.
Alise's face dropped, a clear sign of her exasperation. She muttered, "Really, bro?"
Sensing that she had pushed Alise's patience to the limit, Neva finally relented. "Okay, okay, just check online."
Alise grabbed her phone, opened her social media app, and scrolled through her timeline, finding nothing of note. Neva couldn't wait any longer and sighed, saying, "Just hand it here." Alise handed over her phone, and she could hear the sound of the keyboard tapping as Neva searched.
After a moment, Neva returned Alise's phone. As Alise read the post, "The future son-in-law of the Osaka family caught in a scandal with Emily Hart," with the caption suggesting that he might be an ex-son-in-law now.
Alise's face dropped in disappointment. She squinted at Neva and asked, "Really? This?"
With a knowing smile, Neva replied, "I know, it's not news. I couldn't resist seeing you so curious."
Hearing Neva's response, Alise couldn't help but roll her eyes. She looked down at her phone, clicking on the comments to see what everybody else was saying as she walked away, heading towards the kitchen to grab a breakfast bar.
The irony of the situation and the comments from strangers on the internet added a layer of dark humor to the whole affair.
Walking into the kitchen, Alise opened the pantry to grab her snack and couldn't help but laugh while reading a comment that said, "It's funny until it's you." That comment hit close to home in this situation.
It served as a stark reminder of the bitter betrayal that still stung. All of those painful thoughts started to rush in.
Alise uttered, "I'm getting married tomorrow," but it was more of a statement to herself than anyone else.
She decided it was time to clear her mind and put all that behind her for good, thinking the beach would be the perfect place to find solace and ease that stark reminder.
She was determined to clear her head, so she borrowed a car for the day and left her house, heading for the beach.
Upon arrival, the sound of crashing waves and the salty breeze enveloped her, instantly calming her frayed nerves. She found a quiet spot in the warm sand and settled down.
With every passing wave, she let go of the negativity that had enveloped her.
A sense of ease came over her, and she realized there was nothing more she could do. It would no longer hold the same weight as before.
She said, "At least I confronted them and stuck up for myself, so still, in a way, it did bring some closure.
She remarked that she and many others had experienced a similar situation with a cheating boyfriend and a backstabbing friend.
She now knew that one should never ridicule or diminish the trials of others, for one day, you may find yourself living in their shoes, facing the very challenges they endured.
In the past, she had immersed herself in online stories but had never truly grasped this possibility. The idea that it could be her and that she might one day confront infidelity in her relationship never crossed her mind.
She had been too quick to judge, casually typing comments without considering the human experiences behind them. She was merely another voice in the crowd passing judgment.
Now, however, she is in a contemplative state, reexamining and recognizing the importance of empathy and understanding in the face of life's unexpected twists.
She laughed at herself for being foolish back then and started mocking what her past self had said.