Chapter 1 #2
The drive home is a blur of traffic lights and muscle memory. I park crookedly in front of my apartment building and sprint up the stairs, fumbling with my keys at the door.
The door flies open, banging against the wall as I stumble in. Emily freezes mid-twirl, one arm dramatically poised overhead while Lily's blonde bob whips around, both caught in their elaborate living room choreography as Taylor Swift's latest hit pulses through the karaoke machine's speaker.
"Charlie?" Emily lowers her hand. "I thought you were—"
I drop my bag and make a beeline for the kitchen counter, where a spread of tacos sits in their foil wrappers. Without a word, I grab one and stuff nearly half of it into my mouth.
"Ooookay," Lily says, her British accent stretching out the word. "Who died?"
"Mpggh hmm," I try to speak around a mouthful of deliciousness.
"Chew first, existential crisis second," my sister advises, coming to stand beside me. "What happened? Did your client finally push you over the edge?"
I swallow hard and reach for my phone in my jacket pocket, unlocking it with trembling fingers. Without speaking, I turn it around and show them the photo on my screen.
Emily's eyes widen. "No. Fucking. Way."
Lily rushes over, peering at my phone. Her head shakes in disbelief. "Is that—"
"Ethan," I confirm, my voice cracking. "Engaged. To her."
"Her who?" Emily grabs the phone for a closer look. "Wait. Is this the woman from his office? The one with the wandering hands?"
I nod, grabbing another taco and unwrapping it with unnecessary force. "The Olivia Sutton.” I roll my eyes. “Apparently, his soulmate."
Lily's face hardens. "That absolute cunt."
"Six months," I say, gesturing with my taco sending pieces flying through the air.
Bits of lettuce and meat cascade across the countertop, landing in a sad little pattern, like confetti at a party where nobody showed up.
"We broke up six months ago because he 'wasn't ready for marriage yet.
' He said he 'needed to focus on his career' and 'wasn't in the right headspace for commitment. '"
Emily's jaw sets in that way it does when she's furious. "What a load of bullshit."
The full weight of it hits me all at once.
My eyes fill with tears as I set down my dinner.
What hurts most is that Ethan, Emily and I grew up together since we were in diapers.
Spent every Christmas holiday together and we started officially dating four years ago after we both graduated from our respective colleges.
"Four years we were together, and he..."
My voice breaks and the tears spill over. Emily immediately pulls me into a hug, her arms wrapping tightly around me.
"Don't you dare," she says fiercely. "Don’t you dare waste one more second crying over that off-brand Ken doll who was CLEARLY assembled during a power outage.”
"But—"
"No." She pulls back, holding me by the shoulders and looking directly into my eyes. "He's not worth your tears. He never was."
"Emily's right," Lily joins in, her voice gentler but no less determined. "He's shown his true colors, love. And they're the colors of a man who cheated on you—yes, I'm saying it—and couldn't even give you the courtesy of a solid break before parading his new relationship."
I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. "I look like such an idiot."
"No," Emily shakes her head. "He’s the one that looks like an idiot. A transparent, classless idiot who just announced to the world that he's a cheating scumbag."
I hiccup a laugh through my tears. "When you put it that way..."
"I have an idea," Lily says suddenly, her eyes lighting up. "We're going out tomorrow night."
Em catches on immediately. "Oh my god, yes! You need to get out of your head and into a killer outfit."
"I don't know," I hesitate. "I'm not really in the mood for—"
"Charlie," Lily cuts me off. "When was the last time you went out? I mean properly out, dancing and drinking and the whole bit?"
I open my mouth, then close it again. "Um..."
"Exactly," Emily says triumphantly. "Ethan hated clubs. He hated dancing. He hated anywhere that wasn't a craft brewery with pretentious beers named ‘Whispering Oak Ale’ or ‘Lanternlight Lager.’"
She's not wrong. Ethan preferred quiet nights in, or carefully curated outings to places where he could show off his knowledge of... well, anything. Our social life had gradually shrunk to match his preferences.
"You've spent the last four years living only half a life," Lily goes on. "It's about time you remember what you've been missing."
The determined glint in both their eyes tells me I'm not winning this argument. And maybe I don't want to. Maybe they're right.
"Fine," I concede. "But I'm not wearing anything uncomfortable."
Emily claps her hands together. "That green dress."
I blink at her. "What green dress?"
"The emerald one with the low back that you bought forever ago. The one that's been hanging in the back of your closet with the tags still on."
I vaguely remember the dress. I'd fallen in love with it in the store. The color reminded me of the way the trees look after a good rainstorm, deep and vibrant. But Ethan had wrinkled his nose when I showed it to him, suggesting something more "understated" instead.
"I don't even know if it still fits," I protest.
"It'll fit," Lily says with certainty. "And you'll look bloody gorgeous in it."
"Operation Revenge Glow-Up starts now," Emily declares, grabbing her phone. "I'm texting my friend. We're getting a table at The Velvet Room."
My eyes widen. "The Velvet Room? Doesn’t that place have a waiting list a mile long?"
Em winks at me. "My friend knows the owner. Leave it to me."
For the first time since seeing that stupid post, I feel something other than hurt and anger. A small spark of excitement ignites in me.
"Okay." I roll my shoulders back. "Let's do it."
Emily's grin spreads wide, her eyes lighting up. "That's my girl. Now finish your taco before it gets cold."
I pick up the abandoned taco and take another bite. It tastes better now, somehow. Less like a consolation prize and more like fuel for what's coming.
"To new beginnings," Emily raises an imaginary glass. "And to Ethan choking on his regret when he sees what he lost."
"To being single and fabulous," Lily adds.
I manage a genuine smile. "To green dresses and nights out."
Ethan may have moved on, but that doesn't mean I can't do the same.
I finish my taco and reach for another one.
Tomorrow is going to be interesting.