The pulsating beat of the music thrummed through the room, a rhythmic backdrop to the laughter and chatter that filled the air. Streamers and balloons adorned the walls, casting a festive atmosphere over Ethan's birthday party. The guests, a mix of friends and family, mingled and enjoyed the spread of food and drinks that covered the long table. At the center of it all, Ethan stood, the guest of honor, his smile bright and eyes sparkling with joy.
Emma, Ethan's girlfriend, moved gracefully through the crowd, her white chiffon dress floating around her like a cloud. She had spent weeks planning this party, ensuring every detail was perfect for Ethan's special day. As she approached him, she couldn't help but feel a swell of pride and happiness at the sight of his beaming face.
"Happy birthday, Ethan," she said, her voice soft and filled with love as she handed him a gift wrapped in silver paper.
Ethan's eyes lit up as he accepted the gift. "You didn't have to get me anything, Em," he said, pulling her into a warm hug. "Just having you here is enough."
As the evening wore on, the party shifted into high gear. The music grew louder, and the guests danced and laughed, enjoying the night. Emma, always the perfect hostess, made sure everyone had what they needed, her smile never fading. But as she moved through the crowd, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
It started with a whisper, a subtle shift in the air. Heads turned, and a hush fell over the room as a new arrival made her way in. Sophie, Ethan's ex-girlfriend, stood in the doorway, her white chiffon dress a mirror image of Emma's. The room seemed to hold its breath, all eyes flicking between the two women in identical dresses.
Sophie's presence was like a cold wind, chilling the previously warm atmosphere. She moved through the crowd with an ease that suggested she belonged there, her eyes never leaving Ethan. Emma felt a pang in her chest, a sense of foreboding that she couldn't quite place.
The music died down, and one of Ethan's friends, Bear, clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Hey, let's play a game to liven things up!" he shouted over the murmurs. "How about a game of 'Find Your Wife'?"
The room erupted in cheers, the tension broken by the prospect of a fun game. Ethan, good-natured as always, agreed, and the guests formed a circle. Emma stood to one side, her heart pounding in her chest as Ethan was blindfolded.
"Find your wife, Ethan!" Bear called out, and the game began.
Ethan spun around, disoriented, and the room watched in anticipation. He reached out, his hands searching the air, and then he moved, walking straight towards Sophie. The room held its breath as he embraced her waist, his hands finding her with a certainty that made Emma's stomach churn.
"Got you," Ethan said, his voice muffled by the blindfold as he leaned in and kissed Sophie passionately.
The room fell into an awkward silence, the music grinding to a halt. Everyone stared in shock, the atmosphere thick with tension. Emma felt her heart drop, her hands clenching at her sides.
To everyone's surprise, Emma began to clap, her hands meeting in a slow, deliberate rhythm. She stepped off the stage, her eyes never leaving Ethan and Sophie. With a calm she didn't feel, she walked over to the DJ and cued up a nostalgic love song about missing an ex—"I Still Miss You."
The speakers filled the room with a dreamy, intoxicating melody. "I still love you, want to enter your heart, peel away the mist and grab hold of your voice..." The lyrics hung heavy in the air, a stark contrast to the scene playing out before the guests.
Sophie and Ethan, still locked in their embrace, kissed as if entranced, oblivious to the room around them. Bear, the friend who suggested the game, looked embarrassed, covering his eyes and reluctantly tapping Ethan on the shoulder.
Ethan pulled off the sheer scarf, his face flushed with passion. He was quickly replaced by panic and awkwardness. "I thought it was you, I was walking towards you..." he stammered, his eyes searching for Emma in the crowd.
Before Emma, the real girlfriend, could even speak, Ethan was already anxiously explaining himself. He looked guiltily into her eyes. "Emma, it was a mistake."
Sophie, who had been drinking, was wobbly on her feet from Ethan's kiss. She clung to him, looking at Emma with a provoking smirk. "Emma, just treat what happened as a silly joke, okay? Ethan and I used to be the most intimate; you can't hold it against us forever, right?"
The friends all laughed it off, accepting Sophie's explanation and telling Emma to forget the incident. Seeing that Emma didn't argue back, Ethan visibly relaxed, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.
If this had happened before, Emma would have cried, momentarily ripping off her weak facade to question and accuse him in front of everyone, making a scene just to defend her pitiful self-respect that they trampled on. But not tonight. Tonight, she felt a strange sense of calm, a detachment from the chaos unfolding around her.