Kathie POV
The wedding date was set, the dress chosen, and the invitations sent. Yet it wasn’t my wedding.
That evening, Emma waltzed into the room, carrying a tray with tea and a smug grin plastered on her face.
“Kathie, even if your family is wealthier than mine, what does it matter? Jason still chose me,” she said, her words dripping with malice.
Before I could respond, she “accidentally” tipped the teacup, spilling the scalding liquid onto my leg. I hissed in pain, clutching the burnt skin.
Emma immediately shrieked, clutching her hand. “Ah! Kathie, why did you push me?”
The sound of rushing footsteps heralded Jason’s arrival. He stormed in, taking one look at Emma’s fake tears and my stunned expression before turning to her with concern.
“Emma, what happened?” he asked, his voice gentle.
“She burned me,” Emma whimpered, holding out her hand with a tiny red mark.
Jason didn’t even glance at me. Instead, he took her hand delicately, inspecting the mark like she was a fragile piece of glass.
“Kathie!” His voice was sharp, accusing. “How could you? She came to make peace with you, and you do this?”
I stared at him in disbelief. “She—”
But he wasn’t listening. He swept Emma out of the room, promising to tend to her “injury,” leaving me alone with my throbbing leg and a fresh wound in my heart.
Later that night, as I lay in bed nursing my leg, Emma’s laughter echoed down the hallway. It was accompanied by Jason’s deep chuckle, a sound that used to be reserved for me.
The next morning, Emma cornered me in the kitchen, holding her phone up with a triumphant smile. On the screen was a photo of her in my wedding dress, the one I’d carefully chosen months ago.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked, twisting the phone so the light caught the sparkle of the diamond ring on her finger.
My diamond ring.
“Jason said there’s no point in wasting such a lovely dress,” she said, her tone syrupy sweet. “And this ring? It’s perfect, isn’t it? He picked it out just for me.”
The diamond caught the light, mocking me as it twinkled.
That was the last straw.
I tore off my engagement ring and threw it into the trash without hesitation. The sound of it hitting the metal bin felt like liberation.
Then, I packed my bags and left.
A week passed, and I began settling into my friend’s flat. Jason, of course, noticed my absence too late. He called incessantly, but I ignored him.
When I finally picked up, his voice was sharp with irritation.
“Where are you? Emma found the ring I gave you in the trash. What does that mean?”
“It means we’re over,” I said, my tone calm but firm.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Kathie,” he snapped. “It’s just a ring and a wedding! Once this is over, I’ll—”
I didn’t let him finish. I hung up, blocked his number, and began rebuilding my life.
A week later, my colleagues threw me a farewell dinner. It was supposed to be lighthearted, but as the drinks flowed, a male colleague—known for his inappropriate behavior—decided it was the perfect time to confess his feelings.
“You’re beautiful, Kathie,” he slurred. “Any man would be lucky to have you. Forget about Jason. He’s marrying someone else anyway. I’ll take you.”
I rejected him politely, but his face twisted in humiliation.
“Don’t act so high and mighty,” he sneered. “Everyone knows your rich fiancé dumped you for another woman. You should be grateful that someone like me even looks at you.”
Before I could respond, a fist collided with his face, sending him sprawling to the ground.
I turned, stunned, to see Jason standing there, his jaw clenched and his eyes blazing with fury.
“Do you think you’re worthy of her?” he snarled at the man on the ground.
For a brief moment, my heart wavered. But as soon as we stepped outside, his aura changed.
His hand dropped mine, and his expression hardened.
“Let’s stop this charade,” he muttered.
“What charade?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He smirked, pulling out a pristine white envelope. “Emma wanted me to personally invite you to our wedding. She says you’re her only good sister and wants your blessing.”
The audacity of his words hit me like a punch to the gut. But instead of crumbling, I forced a smile.
“Of course,” I said evenly. “I wish you both a happy wedding.”
Relief washed over his face, and he patted my shoulder like he’d just done me a favor.
“Good. I knew you’d understand,” he said smugly. “Don’t worry, once her mother’s wish is fulfilled, I’ll give you an even grander wedding.”
I said nothing, my mind already racing with plans.
That afternoon, I boarded a flight back to London.
Two days after landing, I received a call from an unknown number. Against my better judgment, I answered.
“Kathie,” Emma’s panicked voice rang through the line. “Something’s happened to Jason.”
Her words stirred something dark within me, but I kept my tone neutral. “What happened?”
“He’s missing,” she whispered. “The night you left, he started drinking heavily. Last night, he got into a fight at a pub and… Kathie, no one’s seen him since.”
I felt a strange sense of detachment. “What do you want me to do?”
“Help me find him!” she pleaded. “He still loves you—I know it. Please, Kathie, you’re the only one who can bring him back.”
I hung up without answering.
As I sat in my new apartment, staring out at the London skyline, a cold smile crept across my face.
Emma and Jason had destroyed my life, taken everything I held dear, and expected me to save them?
No. This time, I’d be the one pulling the strings.
And they wouldn’t see it coming.
