I could barely hear my lawyer over the pounding in my head.
The news had spread like wildfire—Jesse had left me standing at the altar only to marry someone else the very same day.
And of all the people he chose to marry, it was my childhood best friend.
I knew already that everyone was talking about it.
My heart had been crushed under the weight of that betrayal into thousands of irreplaceable pieces, and now it felt like breathing was difficult. My tongue even betrayed me.
"Serena, are you still with me?" Lawyer Sinclair's voice cut through the fog in my mind. I tried to answer, but nothing came out.
Nina must have sensed my distress because she snatched the phone from me.
"She can't talk right now. What is it?" Her voice was sharp, a far cry from my shaking attempt to appear calm.
He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about Jesse, truly. But there's something Serena needs to know. The Vancouvers are suing Serena for theft—"
I jolted, my heart tightening at the word; the phone was on speaker, and I heard what he said.
"What?" I gasped. "What is he talking about? I didn't steal anything!"
Nina gave me a worried look, her eyes searching my face for answers I didn't have.
"He said Jesse's family is accusing you of theft at the company." She relayed, her voice quieter now. Nina had been my friend for a long time, and she knew that I was innocent. I had never taken what wasn't mine.
Never.
Tears rolled down my cheeks, a mix of anger, confusion, and heartbreak.
" I didn't do it. I didn't steal anything!" I sobbed, grabbing onto Nina's arm like she was the only thing keeping me from collapsing.
"Yes, I know Serena," she whispered, pulling me into a tight hug. "We will figure this out, I promise."
But it wasn't enough. Not now. Not when Jesse's betrayal still felt fresh, like a knife in my chest. Through the haze of my tears, one thought crossed my mind: I had to see her. Jesse's older sister — Cassie. She was my only hope now. She could talk sense into him.
Maybe she could get him to drop this ridiculous case. He had to listen to her. He couldn't believe I had stolen from the company. He was the one that ought to defend me before his family members that I stole nothing.
We have been through so much together, and he knows me better than anyone.
"Nina." I choked out, pulling away from her slightly."I... I have to see Cassie. And I also need to see Jesse."
Nina's face immediately hardened."Are you crazy? Do you think going to her will change anything? You know how they are—they will never believe you no matter what you say."
I shook my head, determined."I have to try."
Nina gave me a long, hard stare. "Serena—"
"Please, this is very important. I can't go to jail." I insisted, wiping my eyes as I stood up."I can't sit here and do nothing. I have to beg him to consider me."
Nina didn't try to stop me again, but the disapproval on her face was clear.
______
The Vancouver's Mansion felt colder than I remembered. I stood at the entrance, my knees wobbling, waiting for Cassie to open the door.
When she did, I was met with a carefully constructed mark of politeness, her eyes devoid of any warmth.
"Serena,"she greeted, her voice neutral but her posture rigid.
"Cassie, please," I began, my voice shaking as I stepped forward."I need to talk to Jesse. This whole thing... It's a misunderstanding. I didn't take anything, I swear."
She raised an eyebrow, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face."Is that so?" she said in her indifferent tone."I'm afraid I don't know much about it."
I swallowed hard, knowing she was lying. She had always been like this—cold and distant, never fully accepting me. But I had no choice.
"Cassie, please let me talk to him. I was thrown out of my apartment a while ago and now I've been accused of theft. This isn't fair." I sniffed and wiped my tears and runny nose with the sleeves of my dress.
She let out a small sigh, looking away as if the conversation bored her. "Serena, I'm not involved in this. Jesse is a grown man. If he's doing this there must be a reason."
Her words cut deeper but I pushed on. "Okay if you can't talk to Jesse, please talk to your parents and tell them to take down the case. I'm not a thief."
She hesitated for a moment and smiled—a cold, cruel smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I will see what I can do."
Before I could respond, the sharp screech of car tires pulling into the driveway made us both turn. My stomach dropped when I saw her.
Jesse's mother, Margaux Vancouver, stepped out of a sleek, black car. The look of disgust on her face was immediate and as she approached I felt the familiar weight of hatred pressing down on me.
"What are you doing here, Serena?" she spat, eyeing me with open disdain.
"I just… I need to speak to Jesse." I managed to stammer, my heart pounding in my chest.
Margaux let out a harsh laugh, the sound cutting through the air like shards of glass."Speak to Jesse?" She scoffed."So you think coming here to see him will make him turn around and get married to you?"
"He left me at the altar." I managed to say, my voice shaking.
She raised her palm, stopping me. Margaux stepped closer, eyes narrowing.
"You have always been nothing, Serena. Nothing but a leech. I never liked you, and now everyone can see why, klepto."
Tears welled up again, but I forced myself to speak."I'm innocent."
"Oh, please spare me." She said almost immediately.
I swallowed hard and decided that this was the moment to let them all know.
"I'm pregnant," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Margaux froze for a moment, her eyes narrowing even further.
"Pregnant?" she repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. "And you expect us to believe that?"
Cassie crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. They didn't believe me. Of course, they didn't.
"I'm pregnant." I insisted, my voice cracking with desperation.
"Please, you have to let me speak to him."
Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something. A movement from one of the windows upstairs.
It was Jesse. He was watching. He was there the whole time, listening, but he wasn't coming down to help me.
I tried to push past Margaux, desperate to get to him.
"Jesse," I screamed, hoping he had heard me, my voice hoarse with pain. "Jesse, please!"
But before I could make it inside, Margaux hand was on my chest, shoving me back. I stumbled, losing my balance as the world spun around me. I felt my body hit the ground hard, and everything went black.