It turned out they had built another group chat behind my back.
It wasn't as if I hadn't tried to blend in. I really had.
But in their world of "original members," I was always the outsider—an intruder who didn't belong.
My hands trembled, my chest tightened. I resisted the urge to smash her phone and instead saved every one of those chat records as proof.
By the time Serina walked back in, I had already placed her phone neatly where it had been.
She picked it up, hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Hubby, those people are so clingy, insisting on tagging along with me. Why don't you just be good and stay home this time?"
I calmly reached for my jacket. "Claire has been my friend for more than a decade. If this project involves her, I'm going too."
She froze, then stretched out an arm to stop me.
"You never get along with them anyway. Better not come—you'll just spoil the mood."
She turned as if to leave.
I caught her wrist, locking eyes with her.
"Today is my birthday."
I didn't add anything more. It was the last chance I was willing to give her.
Outside the door, Beckett stomped impatiently.
Serina's expression instantly twisted with annoyance. She yanked her arm free with a violent shrug. "Why are you acting like some nagging old woman? What's so special about a birthday?"
My fist slammed into the doorframe. Pain shot through my knuckles, through my chest.
"Tsk, tsk!" Beckett's hand came up to pinch her cheek.
"Sis, what did I teach you? Be gentle with men. Honestly, I think Marvin's brand of sulky, petty overthinking is pretty rare—you should be grateful for him!"
Serina snorted. "He can't live without making a fuss. If he's not causing drama, he's uncomfortable."
She brushed past me as if I didn't exist, lunging instead for Beckett's side. Her hands darted into his armpits to tickle him.
"And who were you just calling your ‘sis'? Hmm? No manners! Call me Mom!"
Beckett laughed, ducking theatrically, his expression exaggerated.
"Mommy, I want milk~"
Serina smirked and arched her chest forward. "Come on then, son. Mommy will feed you until you're full!"
Their little troupe burst into laughter as they disappeared down the hall together.
I stood there, feeling suffocated, as if the air itself had been sucked out of the room.
Watching them vanish into the elevator, I finally pulled out my phone and dialed.
"Claire, wait for me at the campsite. I'll come find you."
Her reply was short. "Alright."
I've known Claire since childhood—our friendship had boundaries, clarity. I knew what real loyalty, what clean companionship, looked like.
Two years of dating. Three years of marriage.
I needed to see, with my own eyes, just how filthy, how degrading the end of my marriage would be.
The camping base was far from the city. Early autumn winds rustled cool and gentle through the mountains.
Beside rows of white tents, a group of young men and women cheered in excitement.
Claire had saved me a spot on the edge of the camp, handing me a chair.
Across the artificial lake, I saw them—a cluster of men and women circling around Beckett.
Wearing nothing but shorts, blindfolded, he stumbled forward and lunged—wrapping his arms around Serina with perfect aim.
The crowd whooped.
"Serina lost! Truth or Dare, Truth or Dare!"
"Tell us honestly—do you like Beckett?"
Beckett hooked his arm around Serina's neck, laughing as he cursed at them.
"Oi! You guys are so annoying!"
But someone shouted louder, "Oh, come on—it's obvious!"
"Forget Truth, let's go Dare! Didn't Beckett already bite Serina's ass? Come on, do it again so we can see!"
Roars of laughter filled the air.
Beckett smirked, eyes flicking toward Serina with wicked glint.
"I think that sounds like a good idea!"
Before the words had even faded, he reached for the waistband of her pants.
"Hey! Stop it!"
Serina laughed as she dodged him—her movements were light, playful, but not firm.
Suddenly, Beckett slipped, and Serina instinctively reached out to catch him.
The two of them toppled together, collapsing in a tangled heap on the soft grass.
