Bella couldn't remember what was said later that day.
It marked the first silent standoff between her and Brad in over twenty years, lasting half a month.
Then came the second, the third... many, many more.
There were so many silent standoffs between them that they hadn't spent more than ten days together throughout the long year.
Every time their silent standoff came to an end, it was almost always Bella who, worn down by the emotional frost, would be the one to swallow her pride and extend an olive branch.
She always thought that their two-decade-long friendship and the ties between their families shouldn't be strained over trivial matters.
But her concessions seemed to symbolize victory in Brad's eyes, prompting him to act more recklessly and speak more hurtfully each time.
Before the incident about the photo on social media, Bella declined to go scuba diving with Brad, so he blocked her on all social platforms.
He knew full well that she had a severe fear of water, let alone the vast, unpredictable ocean, ever since she had an accident in the swimming pool at six.
He unblocked her only because of the birthday of Brad's sister, Juliana Simpson. She's Bella's best friend as well.
Just a few hours after he unblocked her, the single photo nearly triggered another silent standoff.
Since it was Juliana's birthday, Bella didn't want to dampen the mood for everyone due to her small issue. She typed a message and then deleted it. In the end, she sent a cute emoji.
When she arrived at the Simpson family's mansion, she was surprised to find Brad already there.
As soon as he saw her, he whistled and called out with a grin, "Bella, we've been waiting for you."
Instantly, Bella felt all eyes in the banquet hall turn towards her with scrutiny, surprise, disbelief, and a hint of subtle mockery.
Bella had barely sensed that something was wrong when Juliana dragged her aside.
Juliana was concerned while gazing at Belly. "Bella, Brad may be acting foolish, but why are you enabling him like this? How can you allow him to take such a photo and post it on his social media? Now everyone knows it, including my parents."
Bella's heart sank.
She had always been the epitome of an elite socialite in Bexwell. She was circumspect, meticulous, and never once stepped out of line. Deep down, she knew she was the face of the Shaw family, and her family was one of the most prominent families in Bexwell. In high society, she was her family's golden ticket.
If others mistook that photo for her, it wouldn't just tarnish her reputation but also the entire Shaw family's honor.
She hurried to explain. "Not that. The photo isn't..."
"Juliana, why are you pestering Bella again?" Brad's voice abruptly interrupted their conversation. Then a large hand firmly pressed down on Bella's shoulder.
Brad wrapped an arm around Bella affectionately and winked at Juliana. "So? Are you jealous of Bella's great figure?"
He sounded playful, but he subtly pinned the social media photo's subject on Bella.
Bella was stunned and glanced at Brad. He smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. Instead, he gave her a cautionary glance.
"The photo was of..." Bella began to say, but Brad turned her head and cupped her chin.
He silenced her with a deep kiss, completely blocking her from saying anything further.
