Sarafina continued to move deeper into the house, her heart pounding as she strained to make sense of the voices coming from the bedroom. She paused outside the door, her hands trembling, and listened closely.
"I really think you're smart, babe. How could you come up with the idea of cancer insurance?" Solana's voice carried an unsettling tone of admiration. "Her father died of cancer, after all."
Caleb's voice responded coolly, "I think it's about time we implement the policy. She's not going to last much longer."
Sarafina's knees nearly buckled as her mind tried to process the betrayal. She kept inching forward, her hands shaking uncontrollably. Finally, she reached the door and peered inside. What she saw made her heart drop—Caleb and Solana tangled together on the bed, oblivious to her presence, their conversation continuing as if she didn't exist.
"You did a great job," Solana purred, running her fingers through Caleb's hair. "Was it a million-dollar policy?"
"Yes," Caleb replied without hesitation, his voice cold and calculating. "If she dies, we cash in."
Solana smiled wickedly, signing a document Caleb handed her. "I already got the diagnostic insurance," Caleb added. "I even bought you that designer bag you wanted and put the rest in stocks so we can keep getting more."
Solana leaned in, her lips brushing his cheek. "Good, but after Sarafina's death, I want you to buy me a house."
Caleb laughed darkly. "That bitch is holding out longer than I thought."
Solana smirked. "Maybe I should take her out for work and... push her somewhere."
"No," Caleb said quickly, his tone protective. "I don't want you to risk yourself."
Sarafina couldn't bear it any longer. Her world spun with anger, heartbreak, and disbelief. She turned to leave, but her eyes caught something in the corner of the room—a picture frame of her and her family discarded in the waste bin. Fury consumed her.
She stormed into the room, slamming the door with a force that startled the two lovers. "You crazy bastards!" she screamed, her voice trembling with rage.
Caleb and Solana froze, their faces pale with shock. They quickly pulled away from each other, scrambling to cover their tracks.
Sarafina's voice broke as tears streamed down her face. She grabbed objects from nearby and began hurling them at the pair, unable to contain her fury. Caleb stepped forward, shielding Solana.
"Are you out of your mind?" Caleb barked, his voice laced with anger.
Sarafina's eyes blazed as she pointed at him. "Out of my mind? You're the one planning my death! This is insurance fraud, Caleb. I will report you!"
Caleb chuckled darkly, his amusement only adding fuel to her rage. He turned to Solana. "Let's go," he said, ignoring Sarafina entirely.
Solana hesitated for a moment but followed him, leaving Sarafina behind. Alone in the house, Sarafina crumbled to the floor, sobbing as the reality of her shattered life sank in.
Alone in the room, Sarafina stood in the deafening silence. Her tears had dried, but her chest still heaved from the weight of her sobs. She looked around at the shattered remnants of her life—broken picture frames, scattered papers, and the lingering scent of betrayal that hung heavy in the air.
Her eyes fell once again on the photo of her and her family lying discarded in the waste bin. Slowly, she walked toward it, her hands trembling as she picked it up. The smiling faces of her loved ones stared back at her, a cruel reminder of the happiness and love she once had.
"How did it come to this?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. She clenched the photo to her chest, sinking to the floor as a fresh wave of grief washed over her.
Memories of Caleb's sweet words and false promises replayed in her mind like a cruel joke. She remembered the vows he had made to her, the dreams they had once shared. All of it had been a lie. And Solana—her so-called friend—had been the knife in her back, twisting deeper with every calculated move.
The room felt suffocating, filled with the ghosts of a love that never truly existed. Sarafina's anger flared again, her fists tightening around the edges of the photo. She wanted to scream, to break everything in sight, but all she could do was cry.Sarafina slowly stood up, her legs unsteady, and made her way toward the living room. Caleb was buttoning his shirt, his movements casual, as if nothing had happened. Solana was already dressed, her eyes avoiding Sarafina's gaze, clearly aware of the storm about to break. Sarafina's anger, still raw and uncontained, pushed her forward.
"Why?" Sarafina's voice was a hoarse whisper at first, but it quickly grew louder as her emotions flooded to the surface. "Why did you betray me like this?"
Caleb turned, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips, his expression cold and distant. "It wasn't personal, Sarafina. It was business. You were always a means to an end."
Sarafina felt her breath catch in her throat, the words hitting her harder than anything else. "Business?" she repeated, the word tasting bitter on her tongue. "You think I was just a business deal to you?"
Caleb's eyes hardened, his expression turning even more detached. "It was never about you. It was about money. You were a stepping stone."
Solana, standing beside Caleb, finally spoke, her voice laced with condescension. "You were never enough, Sarafina. You were too weak, too trusting. You couldn't see how much you were being used."