On Trixie’s birthday, Arkin went all out.
A massive banquet, the kind people talk about for years.
The entire venue was covered in roses, endless rows of them, soft and overwhelming, like something out of a dream I didn’t belong in.
I heard someone say it cost millions just for the flowers.
Of course it did.
This was Arkin.
He didn’t do anything halfway.
Trixie walked in beside him, holding his arm, smiling like she owned the world.
She wore a custom outfit, something elegant and expensive, and I heard whispers that it was designed by Arkin’s mother herself.
For her future daughter-in-law.
They looked perfect together.
Too perfect.
And I stood somewhere in the background, holding a tray, pretending I didn’t exist.
For a second, my mind slipped back to our engagement.
It had been just as grand. Just as beautiful.
Everyone smiling, everyone watching us like we were the ending of a perfect story.
Arkin had held my hand the same way and looked at me the same way.
Like I was everything.
He’d taken out a ring, something passed down in his family, and slipped it onto my finger.
“You’re mine now,” he said back then, voice softer than I had ever heard it. “And I’m yours. No matter what happens, we don’t walk away from each other. Okay?”
I had nodded like I believed it would last forever.
I really did.
The noise around me snapped me out of it.
People talking, not even bothering to lower their voices.
“Can you believe Dahlia had the nerve to show up here? She's a criminal!”
“Seriously, she and Arkin grew up together. He treated her like a princess, gave her everything, and she still destroyed his family.”
“I still don’t get it,” another one said, shaking their head. “He loved her so much. Everyone knew it. Why would she do something that stupid?”
“Because she’s heartless,” someone else cut in. “People like her don’t think. They just ruin everything.”
“If that never happened… they’d probably have a kid by now. Maybe even in school already.”
Another scoff.
“Don’t even try to make sense of her. She doesn’t deserve that kind of understanding.”
“Yeah,” someone added, harsher, “someone like her should just disappear.”
“Honestly? She should just die.”
I heard all of it. Every word. And I didn’t react and didn’t defend myself. Because what was the point? They weren’t wrong about one thing.
I was going to die soon anyway. And this time, I’d make sure when I left… there wouldn’t be anything left behind.
…
After the banquet, Arkin stayed behind to send off his guests, still smiling, still perfect in front of everyone.
Trixie and I waited by the lake near the entrance, the cold air settling into my bones while everything finally went quiet.
It was the first time we were alone since I got out.
For a while, she didn’t say anything, just stood there, staring at the water like she owned even the silence.
Then she spoke.
“Sister… do you know something?” her voice was soft, almost sweet, the kind that pretended to be kind while hiding something rotten. “I’ve always loved Arkin. Not recently, not after you disappeared. I mean before. Even before you got together with him. Funny, right? You just… got him anyway.”
I didn’t answer.
She let out a small laugh, tilting her head.
“Back then, you two looked so happy,” she continued, “and I told myself to let it go. I thought maybe if I stepped back, I could still be your sister, still be part of your life. I even told myself I’d bless you both. God, I was so stupid.”
She finally turned to look at me, and this time there was no softness left, only something sharp and ugly behind her eyes.
“But then you ruined everything!” her tone tightening. “You destroyed him! Do you even know what he went through after that? Or were you too busy playing the victim somewhere? Do you have any idea how broken he was?”
Her lips curled slightly.
“I was the one who stayed with him. Me. I was the one who helped him calm down, who stayed up with him when he couldn’t sleep, who picked up every piece you left behind.”
Her voice dropped lower, almost mocking.
“And now you’re back. Why?” she asked. “Why show up again when things finally started to settle? Why can’t you just stay gone for once? Or is ruining things the only thing you’re actually good at?”
I looked at her, really looked at her, and it felt strange.
All those years, she was beside me, smiling, calling me sister, and I never knew she had been looking at him like that the whole time.
Or maybe I just didn’t want to know.
What was the point now anyway?
I wasn’t here to take anything back. I wasn’t here to fight for anything. I was already leaving.
“Trixie,” I said quietly, “I’m leaving soon.”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes like I’d just said something embarrassing.
“Leaving?” she repeated. “You expect me to believe that? Please. You always say things like that, Dahlia. Always acting like you’re some tragic heroine about to disappear. But you never actually do, do you? You always come back and make everything worse.”
Before I could respond, she suddenly slipped the ring off her finger.
The ring.
The one Arkin gave her.
Then she threw it straight into the lake.
The sound was small, barely anything, but it echoed loudly in my head.
“Opps! You dropped my ring, sister. Shouldn’t you go get it? Or is that too much effort for you now?”
I frowned slightly.
“I didn’t throw it,” I said.
But she just smiled wider, “Does it matter? You’re the one standing here with me, aren’t you? And we both know how this looks.” Her eyes flicked toward the path. “If Arkin sees it’s gone, who do you think he’ll believe? Me… or you?”
Before I could say anything else, footsteps approached.
“Arkin! My sister pulled off my fing and threw it on the lake.”
Arkin came into view fast, eyes already dark with anger. The moment he saw me, he grabbed my wrist hard.
“Dahlia, are you fucking crazy! What does Trixie’s ring have to do with you? Why would you throw it away? Are you that desperate to cause trouble?”
I looked straight at him.
His anger burned, but beneath it, there was something else, something I didn’t want to understand. Was he expecting something from me? Jealousy? Regret?
Did he really think I still had the right to feel those things?
A bitter feeling rose in my chest, but I forced a small smile.
“Why would I care about a ring like that?” I said quietly. “To me, it’s not even worth as much as the cash you throw at me.”
Something in his eyes went cold instantly and before I could react, he shoved me hard.
SPLASH!
