I tried to shake off the tension, focusing on enjoying the party. Laughing and chatting with guests, I attempted to forget Anissa's hurtful words.
But as the night wore on, I realized Clyde was nowhere to be found.
I searched every room, asking friends and family if they'd seen him.
No one had.
Panic began to set in.
Where was he?
Why hadn't he told me he was leaving?
Desperate for answers, I decided to check Anissa's room.
Maybe she knew something.
As I approached the door, I hesitated.
What if they were arguing again?
I took a deep breath and knocked softly.
No response.
I turned the handle, pushing the door open.
The sounds stopped me cold.
Soft moans.
Clyde's grunts.
My heart shattered.
Tears streamed down my face.
Sobs wracked my body.
How could he?
How could she?
Betrayal and pain overwhelmed me.
I stumbled backward, fleeing the room.
Collapsing onto the hallway floor.
My world crumbled.
Everything we'd built.
Every promise he'd made.
All lies.
Anissa's words echoed in my mind.
"You're fake... You're dead to me."
As I stood frozen in the doorway, the sound of my name on Clyde's lips cut through me like a dagger. His moan, a desperate plea, shattered the fragile threads of my heart. Tears burst forth, streaming down my face like a torrent of anguish.
With a cry of rage and betrayal, I flung open the door and slammed on the light. The scene before me was a grotesque travesty, a mockery of everything I thought I knew.
Clyde, the man I loved, the man who had promised to cherish me, lay on top of my sister. Their bodies entwined, a sickening parody of intimacy. My mind recoiled in horror.
"How could you, Clyde?" I screamed, my voice shattering the silence. "How could you do this to me?"
Clyde's eyes fluttered open, clouded with drink and guilt. He stumbled off Anissa, his face contorted in a mixture of shame and supplication.
"Dahlia, please—" he begged, his voice slurred and pathetic.
"I hate you!" I spat, my words dripping with venom. "I will never forgive you. You're dead to me."
Anissa cowered, her face hidden behind her hands. Tears streamed down her face, but I felt no pity. Only contempt.
"You too," I hissed, my eyes blazing with fury. "You're my sister, my blood. How could you betray me like this? I thought I had betrayed you by loving him but I only did that when I knew he was forced but you...."
With a swift, sharp motion, I slapped her. The crack of my palm on her cheek echoed through the room.
Anissa's eyes widened, her face pale with shock. But I didn't stay to see more.
I turned and ran, fleeing the room, the house, and the shattered remains of my heart.
Into the night, I vanished, consumed by darkness and despair.
As I collapsed into the cab, sobs wracked my body. Tears streamed down my face, blurring the city lights outside.
"How could I be so stupid?" I scolded myself, anguish twisting my voice.
"They're married, Dahlia. They're bound to be together."
But logic offered no solace.
I thought of Clyde, of our laughter, our whispers, our promises.
Lost.
Three times.
First, when he ghosted me.
Second, when I watched him marry Anissa.
And now.
This final betrayal.
Cut deepest.
I pulled out my phone, booking a ticket to anywhere.
Escape.
I couldn't bear the thought of staying.
Facing Clyde.
Anissa.
Their marriage.
Their lies.
As the cab sped through the night, I wept, mourning the loss of love, trust, and my shattered heart.
Destination didn't matter.
Just away.
From the pain.
From the memories.
From Clyde.
As I headed to the airport, determined to escape the heartache, a sudden tug on my arm spun me around.
Clyde's eyes pleaded for forgiveness.
"Dahlia, please listen," he begged.
I tried pushing him away.
"Don't touch me!" I spat.
But he held tight.
"I swear, I didn't willingly do it," he urged. "I was drugged. I wouldn't betray you like that."
I scoffed.
"Liar!"
Clyde's grip tightened.
"Come with me," he demanded. "You need to see."
Helpless, I let him drag me back home.
The scene inside shattered my resolve.
Anissa sat on the floor, lifeless and weak.
Her eyes locked onto mine, pleading.
Clyde's glare pinned her down.
Anissa crumpled, falling to my feet.
"Dahlia, forgive me," she whispered.
Tears streamed down her face.
"I was desperate. I needed him. But I realize now—"
"Shut up!" Clyde growled.
Anissa cowered.
I stood frozen.
Witness to their twisted dynamic.
Clyde's eyes locked onto mine.
"I'll explain everything," he vowed.
But could I trust him?
As I hesitated, Anissa's fragile form trembled.
Her once-vibrant eyes now dull.
Her skin pale.
Her voice barely audible.
"Please, Dahlia...forgive me."
Clyde's grip on my arm tightened.