REVENGE OF THE BETRAYED

A knock on the door made Sarah step forward, she opened the door and saw Rose holding a bottle of wine.

She flashed a bright smile. "Surprise, I came to celebrate Joshua's promotion to director next week," Rose said, stepping inside with an air of confidence.

Sarah let out and laughed, glancing at Rose. "Well, it makes sense that you would know about it. You work in the same office, after all." She stepped aside to let her in. "Alright, come in."

As Rose entered, Joshua walked out of the bathroom, towel draped loosely around his waist. His eyes immediately landed on Rose, and a sly grin spread across his face. "Hi Rose, What a coincidence. Sarah's making steak tonight, Come on, Sarah, get the food ready for Rose." He said

Sarah grabbed the bottle of wine and placed it on the table.

"Okay, wait, I'll prepare it, sit down," said Sarah and left Rose alone in the living room.

Joshua took a seat on the couch, and Rose sat next to him. They exchanged glances before Rose broke the silence with a teasing tone. "May I look good tonight?" she said, "Much better than Sarah, don't you think?"

Joshua chuckled, leaning back against the couch. "Of course. Sarah’s just… she's not the same anymore. She’s aging, losing that spark. She doesn’t turn heads like you do, Rose."

Rose’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Exactly. And let’s not forget how she’s so naïve. She still thinks everything is fine between you."

Joshua raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "You’re right. She has no idea what’s going on behind her back. But soon, I’ll have everything I want. Once I get my hands on this house and that store on Reader Street, I can kick her to the curb."

Rose’s eyes glimmered with excitement. She leaned closer to Joshua, her voice softening. "You know, you should just divorce her. We could be together. You and me, no more hiding, no more pretending."

Joshua let out a low chuckle, clearly amused by the suggestion. He wrapped his arm around Rose, pulling her closer. "I’m not ready for that yet. I have plans, and once I have everything in place, we’ll make our move. It’s just a matter of time before I can throw her out onto the streets, and no one will bat an eye."

Rose looked at him with a devilish grin. "She'll be nothing. Just another idiot woman you once knew. And we’ll be free to live how we want."

Joshua’s smile turned cold. "Exactly. She’ll be forgotten. And once we’re together, we can finally be rid of her. No more pretending."

They both laughed, a sinister edge to their laughter. The sound echoed through the room, a stark contrast to the normal atmosphere of a casual dinner. As they continued to talk, their voices dropped lower, their words becoming more secretive, as if they were carefully plotting every detail of their cruel plans.

Meanwhile, Sarah was busy in the kitchen, unaware of the treachery unfolding right under her nose. The sound of her chopping vegetables drowning out the malicious whispers from the other room. She smiled to herself, thinking about the happiness of Joshua, her husband who really wants a high position, but Sarah doesn't realize that Rose and Joshua are planning a crime behind her back, a betrayal that will change Sara's life.

Rose turned to Joshua, motioning for the man to follow her into the bathroom, when the door closed, they hugged

Joshua's voice lowered, his breath coming faster with excitement. "Once I get everything, we’ll finally be free. We’ll have the life we deserve no more holding back."

Rose nodded, her hand resting on Joshua’s chest. "And Sarah? We’ll leave her with nothing. No one will care. You’ll be free to do whatever you want."

Joshua kissed her briefly, "Exactly. I’ll be in control. And she’ll never see it coming."

They laughed again, Sarah, still in the kitchen, heard nothing but the usual sounds of the evening. She had no idea that the man she loved and trusted, along with her supposed friend, were plotting her ruin.

______

They had dinner together, and on the surface, everything appeared to be normal. Joshua seemed genuinely affectionate toward Sarah, occasionally smiling at her and complimenting her cooking. It was as though nothing had changed, and the warmth between them felt real, at least to Sarah. Joshua even took Sarah's hand, placing a delicate ring on her finger as a symbol of their bond.

"Here," he said softly, his voice sincere. "I got this for you. I know things haven’t been easy, but I want you to know how much you mean to me."

Sarah beamed, "Joshua, it’s beautiful," she whispered, and leaned in and kissed him gently on the cheek, believing that they were still very much in love.

But across the table, Rose watched them closely, her expression growing more and more displeased with every passing moment. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Joshua’s attention shift entirely to Sarah, his sweet words a stark contrast to the cruel thoughts running through Rose’s mind. Despite her discomfort, she kept her smile intact, pretending to be pleased, knowing that it was the best course of action for now.

Joshua noticed Rose’s quiet gaze and raised an eyebrow, sensing something was off. "What’s on your mind, Rose?"

Rose forced a smile and leaned back in her chair, her hand circling the rim of her wine glass. "Oh, nothing at all. Just admiring how well you two get along. It’s... nice to see."

Joshua chuckled lightly, "Well, Sarah’s been through a lot. She deserves a little kindness, don’t you think?"

Sarah, still blissfully unaware of the tension under the surface, nodded in agreement. "I appreciate it, really. It’s been a tough year, but we’re getting through it."

Rose’s smile tightened, and she picked up her glass, taking a slow sip of wine before responding. "Of course, Sarah. Everyone deserves a little kindness," she said, her voice smooth but with a hint of something cold beneath it.

Joshua returned his attention to Sarah, leaning in a little closer. "I know things haven’t been easy, but we’ll get through this. We always do," he murmured, his voice soft, almost affectionate.

Sarah smiled warmly at him, unaware of the undercurrent of deceit. "I really believe that," she said, "We’ll make it through together."

But across the table, Rose was struggling to maintain her composure. jealousy and frustration churned. How long do I have to keep up this act? she thought, staring at the couple in front of her.

Joshua, noticing the slight change in Rose’s expression, shifted in his chair and cleared his throat. "Anyway, what about you, Rose? What’s new? I feel like I haven’t heard much from you lately."

Rose forced a cheerful tone, masking her true feelings. "Oh, nothing exciting. Just the usual work stuff. You know how it is."

Joshua nodded, "Yeah, I get it. Work’s been crazy for me too," he said, turning his attention back to Sarah. "But after next week... well, everything's going to be different."

Sarah smiled, but Rose’s eyes flickered with annoyance. "After next week..." Rose thought, a dark smile curling on her lips. "Once Joshua’s promotion is finalized, everything will change for the better. For me, not for Sarah." Rose muttered in annoyance.

She stood up to clear the plates, smiling at Joshua and Rose. "I’ll be right back. You can chat while I clean up."

As Sarah disappeared into the kitchen, Joshua and Rose’s conversation shifted in an instant. Joshua leaned closer to Rose, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You know what’s coming, right? After next week, everything will be ours."

"I can’t wait, Josh. Once you get the assets transferred, it’s over. Sarah won’t be in the picture anymore. We’ll finally have everything we’ve been planning for."

Joshua’s lips curled into a wicked grin. "Exactly. I’ll get the house, the store on Reader Street, everything. Sarah won’t even know what hit her."

"And then... we can finally be together, without her standing in the way." she said

Joshua’s smile deepened, the darkness in his eyes unmistakable. "Once she’s gone, nothing will stop us. We’ll have it all. Just a little longer, and it’ll all be ours."

They both laughed softly, The sound was soft, but it carried a dangerous undertone, like a warning that Sarah had no way of hearing.

Sarah returned to the table, unaware of the conversation happening just inches away from her. She smiled brightly as she placed the plates on the table. "I’m glad we could all get together tonight. It’s been so nice."

Joshua quickly wiped the smile from his face, returning to his role of loving husband. "Yeah, it’s been great. Thanks for everything, Sarah."

Rose nodded politely, though her thoughts were elsewhere. She couldn’t wait for the plan to unfold. The night was just one more step toward the future, she had carefully crafted one where she would be with Joshua, and Sarah would be nothing but a forgotten memory.