3: 3
The next morning.
I met my cousin Vanessa at a coffee shop.
"You're finally divorcing that snake Barnaby Fox?"
Vanessa had been away on a business trip and hadn't made it back in time for my wedding.
She'd only just gotten in that morning, and the moment she heard what had happened she rushed straight to me, more worked up than I was.
"When you first met Sara Swanson, I told you that girl had a nasty streak. But back then you were a little rabbit, and she led you around by the nose. And Barnaby, the first time he dropped you and ran off just because Sara called herself his future mother-in-law figure, I told you the man had no character."
Sara and I had shared a dorm in college.
Word was her family had it rough, that she'd taken out student loans on her own just to enroll.
Her parents didn't send her any money for living expenses, and sometimes she couldn't even afford to eat.
My own parents had divorced when I was small, but I never went short on love from either of them, and whatever I wanted, I got.
So when I first heard her story, my heart ached for her and I actually cried.
No one in our class had any time for her. I was the only one who spent time with her, who bought her meals.
Bit by bit, we became inseparable.
Then in junior year Barnaby showed up, gentle and attentive, good to me too.
From the moment he started pursuing me right through us getting together, Sara kept trying to get in the way.
She said she didn't want us to drift apart, didn't want to share me with anyone.
Back then I still thought she was wonderful. Having a friend like that felt like the greatest luck in the world.
Who could have guessed that once Barnaby and I were together, all it took was Sara calling herself his future mother-in-law figure.
And Barnaby happily looked after her for five years.
Every little thing, he'd go running for her.
And it was always at the exact moment I needed him most.
Thinking back now, Sara probably did it all on purpose.
"Jemma, you're sure? Suing for divorce?"
I came back to myself and nodded. "I'm sure."
This time, it didn't matter who showed up.
"Jemma!"
Someone lunged out from the side.
It startled me.
When I got a clear look, it was Sara.
She was still in yesterday's bridesmaid dress, hair a mess, eyes swollen and red.
Barnaby trailed behind her, just as disheveled.
By the look of it, he hadn't slept all night and had gone to fetch Sara first thing in the morning.
Before I could say a word, Vanessa cut in first. "How the hell can you be this shameless? After pulling all that garbage, you've still got the nerve to come looking for her? For what?"
Sara grabbed my hand, tears spilling the instant she wanted them to. "Jemma, don't divorce Barnaby, okay? All of this, every bit of it, is my fault. I only did it because I wanted to be good to you after you two married. I'm so sorry."
How had I never noticed how thick the fake-innocent act ran with her?
I let out a cold laugh. "Sara, I can see exactly what you've been hiding in that head of yours now. But I don't care anymore. From here on, you have nothing to do with me, and he has nothing to do with me. Do whatever you want, both of you. Vanessa, let's go."
Seeing me about to leave, Sara flung herself forward.
"Jemma! Don't do this. Let me kneel and beg you to forgive me, okay?"
I smiled, took a step back, and gestured for her to go ahead.
"Then kneel."
