The living room of Helena's apartment was filled with the sound of laughter as she and Emily sat on the couch, a rom-com playing on the TV. For the first time in what felt like forever, Helena seemed to have let go of the weight pressing down on her chest. She leaned back, a blanket draped over her legs, as she threw her head back and laughed at a particularly funny scene.
"Okay, okay," Emily gasped between giggles, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "I take back everything I said about rom-coms. This is gold."
Helena grinned, her eyes sparkling with a hint of the carefree spirit she used to have. "Told you! Sometimes you just need a good laugh to—"
A sharp knock on the door interrupted her sentence. The sound echoed through the room, breaking the bubble of joy they'd created. Helena and Emily exchanged a glance.
"I'll get it," Emily offered, standing up and stretching. "You relax. Probably just a delivery or something."
Helena nodded, her smile fading slightly as she turned her attention back to the screen. Emily made her way to the door, her footsteps light against the wooden floor.
She opened the door and froze. Standing there, looking as infuriatingly confident as ever, was Matthew. His dark eyes gleamed with amusement, and the faintest smirk played on his lips. He was dressed impeccably, his expensive cologne unmistakable as it wafted in the air between them.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Emily hissed, stepping outside and shutting the door firmly behind her.
Matthew's smirk widened, his hands casually slipping into the pockets of his tailored trousers. "Good to see you too, Emily," he drawled. "Is Helena home?"
Emily's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening. "Why do you care where she is? Haven't you done enough damage?"
Matthew chuckled, a low, condescending sound that made Emily's skin crawl. "Ah," he said, tilting his head slightly. "So, she did tell you. I warned her not to say a word about my… arrangement with Hazel. But I suppose Helena's always been a little too emotional for her own good."
Emily took a step closer, her voice dropping to a fierce whisper. "You're a disgusting excuse for a man. You need to leave. Now."
Inside the apartment, Helena's voice called out, "Emily? Who's at the door?"
Emily turned slightly, about to respond, when Matthew seized the opportunity. With a quick motion, he stepped forward and pushed past her, the door swinging open as he strode inside.
"Hey!" Emily protested, grabbing his arm, but he shook her off effortlessly, his smirk never wavering.
Helena, who had been lounging on the couch, froze the moment she saw him. The color drained from her face, and the laughter in her eyes was replaced with a sharp, cold anger. She threw the blanket off her lap and stood up, her hands curling into fists at her sides.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, her voice trembling slightly but filled with fury.
Matthew stopped a few feet away from her, his smirk faltering just enough for her to notice. His gaze swept over her, taking in her casual outfit and the slight redness in her eyes from crying earlier. "Nice to see you too, Helena," he said smoothly.
"Answer the question, Matthew," Helena snapped, her voice rising. "Why are you here?"
Emily stepped into the room, glaring daggers at him. "I told him to leave," she said, her voice tight.
Matthew ignored her, his eyes fixed on Helena. "We need to talk," he said, his tone softening as if that would make her forget everything he'd done.
Helena let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "Talk? About what? About how you humiliated me? About how you've been screwing my sister behind my back? Or about how you had the audacity to show up here after everything you've done?"
Matthew's smirk returned, but this time it was laced with a hint of frustration. "Helena, don't make this harder than it has to be. We're both adults—"
"Adults?" Helena's voice cracked as her anger surged. "Adults don't betray the people they claim to love, Matthew! Adults don't lie and manipulate and destroy lives for their own selfish gain!"
Matthew took a step closer, and Emily immediately moved to stand between them. "Back off," she warned, her voice low.
"Stay out of this, Emily," Matthew said coldly, his eyes flashing.
"No," Helena said, her voice firm despite the tears threatening to spill. "She's not going anywhere. You don't get to waltz in here and act like you're the victim."
Matthew's jaw tightened, and for a moment, his composed façade cracked. "You don't understand, Helena. This isn't just about us. There are things—family things—that you don't know about."
"I don't care!" Helena shouted, her voice breaking. "You cheated on me with my sister! That's all I need to know."
The room fell silent, the tension thick and suffocating. Matthew glanced at Emily, then back at Helena. His smirk was gone, replaced by something darker, something calculating.
"This isn't over," he said finally, his voice low and dangerous. "You can hate me all you want, but you and I both know you're not going to do anything about it."
With that, he turned on his heel and walked out, the door slamming shut behind him.
Helena sank back onto the couch, her body trembling as Emily rushed to her side. "Helena, are you okay?" Emily asked, her voice filled with concern.
Helena didn't answer. She stared at the door, her mind racing, her heart aching, and her anger boiling over. For the first time, she realized that Matthew wasn't just a mistake—he was a threat. And she wasn't sure how much more she could take.
Helena's chest heaved as the sound of the door slamming reverberated through the room. Her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white, and her nails dug into her palms. She sat frozen on the couch, her gaze locked on the door Matthew had just walked through, as if willing it to burn under the force of her anger.
"Helena," Emily said softly, kneeling beside her. "Hey, breathe. Are you okay?"
Helena's head snapped toward her, her eyes blazing. "Okay?" she hissed, her voice trembling with fury. "No, Emily, I am not okay. How dare he—" She cut herself off, her voice cracking as she buried her face in her hands.
Emily wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I shouldn't have let him in," she said, guilt evident in her tone. "I tried to stop him, but he—"
Helena shook her head and stood abruptly, pacing the length of the living room. "No, it's not your fault. It's him. It's always him! He thinks he can just show up here, throw his lies in my face, and walk away like it doesn't matter. Like I don't matter!"
Her voice grew louder with each word until she was nearly shouting. Emily stood, watching her best friend unravel with a helpless expression.
"He's insane if he thinks I'm going to let him get away with this," Helena continued, her voice sharp and venomous. "I should have—" She stopped mid-sentence, her hand flying to her chest as she let out a bitter laugh. "I should have known. I should have seen it. The way he looked at her. The way she lingered around him. God, how could I have been so blind?"
"Helena, don't do this to yourself," Emily said, stepping closer. "This is not your fault. He's a manipulative bastard, and Hazel—"
"Hazel," Helena spat the name like poison, her pacing halting as she turned to face Emily. "Do you know what hurts the most? Not that he cheated on me, not even that he did it with her, but that she—my own sister—did this to me. She didn't even care."
The tears that had been threatening to fall finally broke free, streaking down her face as she let out a shaky breath. Emily pulled her into a tight hug, holding her as she trembled.
"I hate him," Helena whispered, her voice muffled against Emily's shoulder. "I hate both of them so much, but it still hurts. Why does it still hurt, Emily?"
Before Emily could respond, a sudden loud bang at the door startled them both. They pulled apart, exchanging worried glances.
"Who the hell is that now?" Emily muttered, her protective instincts flaring up again.
Helena wiped her face quickly, her heart racing fast. "Don't answer it," she said, her voice shaky.
But the banging continued, more insistent this time. Whoever was on the other side wasn't leaving without an answer.
"I'll check," Emily said firmly, heading toward the door despite Helena's protest.
Helena stood rooted in place, her breath hitching as the door opened. Her heart dropped when she saw who it was.
"Hazel," Emily hissed, her voice dripping with disdain.
Hazel stood in the doorway, looking as unapologetically poised as ever. Her perfect makeup and tailored outfit made her look like she hadn't just detonated Helena's life the night before. She tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a smirk that mirrored Matthew's.
"Well, hello to you too," Hazel said coolly, brushing past Emily and stepping inside like she owned the place.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Helena snapped, her anger reigniting at the sight of her twin.
Hazel turned to face her, raising a perfectly arched brow. "Relax, Helena. I just came to talk."
"Talk?" Helena laughed bitterly. "You have the audacity to show up here after what you've done? Get out before I do something I'll regret."
"Calm down," Hazel said, her voice infuriatingly calm. "You're blowing this way out of proportion."
"Out of proportion?" Helena took a step closer, her hands trembling with rage. "You slept with my fiancé, Hazel! My fiancé! And you think I'm overreacting?"
Hazel crossed her arms, her smirk fading slightly. "Look, you and Matthew were never going to last anyway. He deserves someone who can handle him, someone who actually understands him."
Helena stared at her, her mouth falling open in disbelief. "You're unbelievable," she whispered, her voice shaking. "You ruin my life, and now you're trying to justify it?"
Emily stepped between them, her glare fixed on Hazel. "You need to leave. Now."
Hazel ignored her, her gaze locked on Helena. "I'm not the villain here, Helena," she said, her tone icy. "If anything, I've done you a favor. Matthew doesn't love you, and he never did. You were just convenient."
The words hit Helena like a physical blow. She stumbled back slightly, her chest tightening as tears filled her eyes again. But before she could respond, Emily stepped forward and shoved Hazel toward the door.
"Get out," Emily growled. "Before I throw you out myself."
Hazel huffed, adjusting her coat as she walked toward the door. "Fine," she said over her shoulder. "But don't say I didn't warn you when he comes crawling back to me."
The door slammed shut behind her, leaving Helena standing in the middle of the room, her body trembling with a mix of fury and heartbreak.
"She's not worth it," Emily said softly, turning back to her friend.
Helena nodded, her tears falling freely now. "I know," she whispered. "But it doesn't make it hurt any less."
Emily wrapped her arm around her again, and for the first time, Helena let herself truly cry, releasing all the pain, betrayal, and anger that had been consuming her.