"My name is Boris. And here's your purchase and your change."
The man in front of me had somehow managed to turn an awful day into something almost bearable. For the first time in what felt like forever, I actually wanted to smile again. Maybe there were still good people left in the world. I'd spent so long obsessing over certain people that I'd stopped noticing everyone else.
"Thank you," I said, taking the bag and the money from him. "I'm Zoe. And you have no idea how much better I feel right now. But that girl isn't getting off with nothing more than a shoplifting fine."
"Then I'm guessing what she did was a lot worse than fighting over the same guy," he said.
Heat rushed to my face, and I dropped my gaze.
I had never been this flustered around a man before, and I had absolutely no idea what to do with myself, so I just nodded.
"Well, have a good day, Zoe."
He flashed me one last heart-stopping smile and stepped aside. I threw one last look toward the door my former friend had disappeared through, then headed outside.
My phone rang in my pocket, and I stopped in surprise when I saw the name on the screen.
Kriss.
Well, would you look at that. So she'd had her phone with her the whole time and had been ignoring my calls on purpose. And now suddenly she remembered I existed?
She probably needed something.
Deal with your own mess, Kriss. I always have to deal with mine.
I got home a little after noon and, unfortunately, found the whole family there.
Mom was in the living room, drinking tea and talking to one of her friends on the phone. Dad was in his office, loudly complaining about his useless employees. And Valeri was in the kitchen making sandwiches.
I headed straight for her.
"What time did you get home, Zoe?" my sister asked, narrowing her eyes.
She looked different today. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes were shining, and she looked ridiculously happy.
Apparently meeting her fiancé had gone very, very well.
"Right before sunrise," I said quickly, already trying to think of a way to change the subject.
On the way home, I'd taken a better look at what I'd bought, and it turned out to be a cute blouse exactly in Valeri's style. I set the bag down on the table and smiled.
"This is for you. A little present. So? How did it go with your fiancé?"
Apparently, that was exactly what she'd been waiting for.
Valeri looked inside the bag and blinked in surprise.
"You bought me clothes? From this store?" She glanced at the logo on the bag. "Zoe, this must've cost a fortune."
"I just wanted to make you happy."
She immediately handed me half her sandwich, and I practically inhaled it while she started talking.
"I'd seen his pictures in newspapers before, but in real life..." She sighed dreamily. "He's completely different. He's such a gentleman. Polite, kind, attentive. And..." She nodded toward the windowsill.
An enormous bouquet stood there in a vase, so beautiful it barely looked real.
"He gave me those flowers. And he invited me to his country house next weekend so we can get to know each other better. I asked if you could come too, and he said yes."
"Oh no, Valeri," I said around a mouthful of sandwich. "He wants to be alone with you. Talk to you. Maybe drag you off into a bedroom somewhere. I'm not going. I refuse to be the third wheel."
A piece of ham fell out of my sandwich and landed in my lap.
Without even thinking, I grabbed it and stuffed it back into my mouth.
Valeri gave me a look.
"You're coming with me. Otherwise I'll tell Mom and Dad you secretly applied to literature school and refused to study law and finance."
I snorted and glared at her.
Low blow.
"And why do you even need me there? I'll just be in the way."
"Girls."
Mom walked into the kitchen.
She set her cup in the sink and looked at us. I had to admit, she looked incredible. Fresh, beautiful, glowing.
Of course, that was mostly thanks to countless surgeries and expensive treatments. Over the years, she'd changed so much it was hard to tell what she had originally looked like. Valeri was the female version of Dad. As for me... maybe I looked like Mom used to, before she'd remade herself completely.
"Your father and I are flying to the United Arab Emirates tonight for work, so we won't be back until the end of the week. If anything happens, call us. I'll transfer money to Valeri's account."
We both nodded.
Mom stepped away a second later when her phone started ringing again.
The second she was gone, I looked at Valeri.
She understood immediately.
"Check your account," she said. "I sent you your half half an hour ago."
I pulled out my phone and saw the notification.
Perfect.
Unfortunately, Mom came back at exactly the wrong moment.
"Zoe, did you deliver the documents?"
I froze.
Beside me, Valeri looked way too interested in my answer. I grabbed her wrist before she could betray me.
"Of course, Mom. Everything's fine. I already got accepted."
"The only thing I worry about," Mom said coldly, "is whether you'll embarrass this family one day. Valeri, keep an eye on your sister."
Then she walked out.
I lowered my head.
"I'll go with you," I muttered. "Just please don't tell them. You know they'll make me study whatever they want."
"I won't," Valeri promised with a smile. "As long as you keep your word. You'll see, Zoe. You're going to like him. Alan is exactly what a perfect man should be."
"I believe you," I said.
After I finished eating, I went upstairs to my room.
I was exhausted. My whole body felt heavy, and even though I never slept during the day, this time I gave up and crawled into bed.
What had happened in the store had given me a strange kind of peace.
Then Kriss ruined it.
My phone buzzed over and over with messages from her.
Please call me back.
I'm in such a horrible situation.
I'm so miserable.
This is so unfair.
And finally:
Help me, Zoe. We're friends.
The worst part was realizing there was something ugly inside me. Something mean. Something that had probably always been there.
Because after getting a taste of revenge, I wanted more.
Kriss dreamed of landing a rich boyfriend. That was the only reason she'd dragged me around with her all this time.
She was such an idiot.
Why would any rich, spoiled guy want a liar and manipulator like her?
I wanted something completely different.
I wanted to fall in love with an ordinary guy. Someone funny. Someone I chose for myself.
He didn't need to be rich.
A life like Valeri's was the last thing I wanted. The truth was, she'd never really been given a choice. Our parents had picked a fiancé for her, and somehow she'd gotten lucky enough to fall for him at first sight.
But me?
It was suddenly painfully obvious that I hadn't managed to save myself for the man who was supposed to be my first.
Curling up under the blanket, I pressed a hand against my stomach, and all the warmth inside me disappeared.
I thought about that bastard.
About what he had done to me.
And I swore that I would never, ever get involved with a man like him again.
