Ellen stood frozen in place, her breath shallow as she stared at the sight before her—Alexis, draped over Rick’s arm, wearing an expression of pure, saccharine pity. The very same Alexis who had once held her hand through heartbreaks, whispered secrets under blankets, and promised they’d be best friends forever.

The betrayal sat heavy in Ellen’s chest, a sharp contrast to the sickly sweet smile Alexis wore. “Ellen,” Alexis sighed, tilting her head, “I didn’t want you to find out this way. But… fate has a funny way of revealing the truth, doesn’t it?”

Ellen clenched her fists. “The truth?” Her voice was hoarse, raw. “The truth is that you were my best friend, and you—” She turned to Rick, her voice cracking. “You were supposed to love me.”

Rick averted his gaze, guilt flashing across his face, but Alexis was quick to fill the silence. She reached out, as if she were the victim here, as if she hadn’t just torn Ellen’s heart out with her bare hands. “Ellen, don’t blame Rick. Love can’t be forced… sometimes, people just belong together. It’s not my fault he realized who he truly wanted.”

Ellen’s stomach churned. The words felt rehearsed, perfectly designed to sound innocent while twisting the knife deeper.

Alexis sighed again, placing a delicate hand on Rick’s arm. “I just hope… one day, you can be happy for us.”

Ellen felt something snap. This wasn’t just betrayal. This was Alexis reveling in her pain, delighting in the destruction she had caused. And for the first time, Ellen saw her former best friend clearly—not as the person she used to love, but as the person who had been waiting to take everything from her.

And she had succeeded.

For now.

Ellen inhaled sharply, forcing back the tears that burned her eyes. She had cried enough for them—for a love that had been a lie, for a friendship that had been poisoned from the start. She had given her all, and in return, they had shattered her.

“You…” Ellen swallowed the lump in her throat and lifted her chin, forcing herself to stand taller even as her heart cracked open. “You really enjoy this, don’t you?”

Alexis blinked, feigning innocence. “Ellen, that’s not fair. I never wanted to hurt you, but it’s not my fault that Rick fell for me. You can’t expect him to stay with you just because you were together first.”

Rick finally looked at Ellen then, guilt swirling in his eyes. But it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.

“Tell me,” Ellen asked, voice quieter now, colder. “When did it start?”

Rick hesitated, but Alexis, always eager to twist the knife, answered for him. “A few months ago,” she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “At first, it was just conversations. He needed someone to talk to. Someone who understood him.”

Ellen clenched her jaw. “And that couldn’t be me?”

Alexis smiled, soft and pitying. “Sometimes, people change. And you were always so… busy. So wrapped up in your own world. I was just there for him when he needed someone.”

Ellen let out a bitter laugh. “Busy? Wrapped up in my own world?” She shook her head. “You mean I wasn’t clinging to him like you were?”

Rick shifted uncomfortably. “Ellen—”

“Save it,” she cut him off. “I don’t need your excuses.”

Alexis took a small step forward, lowering her voice as if she were imparting some great wisdom. “You know, Ellen… maybe this was for the best. You always had everything—your perfect family, your perfect life. Maybe this is just the universe balancing things out. Maybe you were never meant to have it all.”

Ellen stilled. The words hit deeper than Alexis could have imagined because for a long time, Ellen had believed them herself. That her life had been blessed, that she had been fortunate. She had never thought Alexis resented her for it. She had never thought her best friend had been keeping score.

“I see,” Ellen said softly. “That’s what this was about. It was never about Rick, was it?”

Alexis didn’t answer right away. Her silence said more than words ever could.

Ellen took a shaky breath, then let it out. “Well, congratulations,” she said, voice eerily calm. “You got what you wanted.”

Alexis tilted her head, as if considering something. Then, she smiled. “I really do wish you the best, Ellen. I hope you find someone who makes you happy.”

Ellen’s lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “Oh, don’t worry about me,” she murmured. “I will.”

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving them behind. The ache in her chest was suffocating, the betrayal like a fresh wound still bleeding. But as she moved forward, step by step, she made herself a silent promise.

She would not break because of them.

She would not let them win.

She would rise—stronger, wiser, and with a heart that would heal, no matter how much it hurt now.

And one day, when Alexis and Rick finally crumbled under the weight of their own choices, she would be there to witness it.

Not as a broken girl left behind, but as someone who had moved far beyond their reach.