"The Nicolas family is truly finished, resorting to having their daughter play mistress and social butterfly."
These mocking words and disdainful glances were all too familiar. In my previous life, I endured them twice.
Once at my wedding.
Henry openly fled the ceremony for Sandy, which caused my grandmother such grief that it ended her life. The scandal turned both me and the Nicolas family into a laughingstock in San Francisco.
The second time was at my funeral.
Before my body was even buried, Kristoff eagerly proposed to Sandy right at the service, reducing my entire life to a cruel joke.
The memories from my past life flooded my mind, and panic gripped my chest. My eyes darted to my grandmother, whose breathing was labored as she stared at the photos in disbelief, her eyes brimming with tears.
"My granddaughter would never do something like this!" she exclaimed.
Noticing her worsening state, my heart sank. I begged those around me to help take her to the hospital. But they all backed away as if avoiding contamination from someone as "dirty" as me.
In the end, it was my two childhood friends who stepped forward.
Henry offered to drive, while Kristoff and I supported my grandmother as we rushed her to the hospital.
"Good thing you brought her on time," the doctor said. "Any later, and her life might have been in danger."
I quickly thanked the doctor and stayed by my grandmother's bedside, my heart heavy with guilt.
While keeping vigil, I reviewed the security footage. As I suspected, Sandy’s figure appeared on the screen. She had deliberately swapped the photos. Each of the scandalous images was fake—carefully and maliciously doctored.
Clutching the evidence, I prepared to go to the police. But my two childhood friends blocked my way.
"It was just a prank. Do you really have to blow this out of proportion?" Kristoff scolded. "Do you even realize what kind of damage you’ll cause Sandy if you report this?"
I froze in place, stunned by his audacity, before erupting in rage. "And what about me? My grandmother nearly died! Doesn’t she care that she’s destroying me and the entire Nicolas family?"
Kristoff immediately stepped in front of Sandy protectively and shoved me forcefully. "Enough, Amelia! Your grandmother is fine now, isn’t she? Besides, flies don’t land on eggs without cracks. If people are saying these things about you, it’s probably because you did something to deserve it!"
Those words no longer pierced my heart. Numb, I brushed past them.
But Henry grabbed my wrist tightly, his expression cold and unreadable. "Amelia, don’t waste your time. You know how powerful our families are. No lawyer would dare take this case."
When I didn’t respond, his grip tightened.
"And don’t forget—your grandmother is still in the hospital. With one word, I can have her treatment stopped."
He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"Three."
"Two."
"I was wrong!" I collapsed to my knees, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.
I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t risk my grandmother’s life.
Kristoff snatched my phone and smashed it into pieces. Shards of glass flew, cutting into my skin.
He looked down at me coldly. "As long as we’re here, you’ll never hurt Sandy."
I remained motionless on the ground, watching their figures disappear before the pain in my chest spread, overwhelming me.
The grievances and sorrows of two lifetimes finally erupted. I cried, wrenching sobs tearing through me.
Youthful promises had been lies.
The affection of childhood friends was nothing but a facade. Only their cruelty had ever been real.
I didn’t know how long I cried before I dragged myself back to the hospital, moving like a lifeless shell.
Fearing that Henry or Kristoff might try to harm my grandmother, I refused to leave her side for days.
During this time, only Sandy kept sending me messages.
The two of them had taken her on a trip, going bungee jumping and completing all the plans we had once made but never fulfilled.
With a trembling hand, I blocked her number.
When I lifted my head, I saw two dignified men standing by my grandmother's hospital bed. They saluted me.
“Miss Amelia, we are medics assigned by the organization. Please rest assured, while you’re away, we will ensure your grandmother’s safety and health.”
It was then I realized the time had come for me to leave.
After thanking them, I went back home. I discarded every item related to my two so-called childhood friends.
Without a glance back, I boarded the plane.
Henry and Kristoff were not my pillars of support.
For my grandmother, for the Nicolas family, I had to rely on myself to carve out a bright future.
