Chapter 14
Marigold walked around the festival after having dropped the gift basket off; the task completed, but the knot of anxiety in her stomach was still tight.
The air vibrated with the genuine, uncomplicated joy of the Pumpkin Hollow Fall Festival, a world away from the emotional turmoil she’d been living in.
Dozens of twinkling, enchanted lanterns strung between booths cast a dim, cozy mood lighting over the entire park.
She heard the bright, cheerful chatter of the townsfolk strolling by, their voices booming with jovial laughter that seemed to dance on the cool air.
The scent of wood smoke, cinnamon cider, and savory frying dough from the endless row of food stands mingled in a comforting haze.
A voice crackled over the loudspeaker, pulling her attention to the brightly illuminated track nearby. “Attention, festival-goers! The first heat of the annual pumpkin carving contest is about to begin! Find your spot and cheer on your favorite carving menace!"
She started to follow the small crowd toward the makeshift racetrack, enjoying the momentary escape from her own head.
She looked up at the lanterns, their gentle, golden magic giving everything a dreamy, soft-focus glow.
This was the simple magic she believed in, the kind that could bring a smile to your face.
Then, through the shimmering light and milling bodies, she spotted them. Her heart performed a sickening drop, stalling her breath and causing her pulse to race in a frantic, panicked drumbeat against her ribs. She blinked, hoping it was an illusion.
Lucian.
He was standing near the edge of the race crowd, his intimidating 6’3” frame instantly recognizable, even in the half-light. And he wasn’t alone.
A white-hot rage filled her, sharp and sudden, searing away the lingering ache of sadness. A crushing wave of profound sadness and betrayal that clawed into the rawest wound in her heart immediately followed it. No matter how much she had debated the thoughts, nothing prepared her for this.
Ellie.
Ellie stood impossibly close to him, her posture proprietorial, her familiar brown hair falling over his arm.
And she tucked her arm securely in his, as if they were a long-established pair enjoying a cozy date.
The casual intimacy of the gesture—the easy way she leaned into his solid, muscular side—was a punch to the gut.
The seeds of doubt that Gertrude had planted, the small, cold core of distrust that had formed, instantly blossomed into a devastating, poisonous truth.
The fact that he was here at the festival with anyone was one thing; that it was her best friend, the woman who had hugged her and sworn loyalty just yesterday, was utterly ruinous.
The world didn’t just tilt; it fractured.
Every jagged piece of her heart seemed to slice into her lungs, making each breath a shallow, agonizing effort.
A cold, numbing dread washed over her, followed immediately by the white-hot sting of a thousand betrayals.
She had spent a decade wondering if he ever loved her, if the connection they shared had been as real as she believed.
She had not been able to hold a relationship due to what this male put her through.
And now, seeing him with the one person she trusted above all others, a sickening new possibility took root: had he simply replaced her with the better version?
Fear, sharp and jagged, clawed at her throat.
She couldn’t stay. She couldn’t let them see her shatter.
Goldie turned, the movement jerky and desperate, and began to push through the crowd.
The festive music turned into a dissonant roar in her ears, and the twinkling lanterns became blinding, mocking eyes.
She ran, her feet stumbling over the uneven ground, driven by the frantic need to put as much distance as possible between herself and the ruin of her oldest friendship and the one male she had ever let into her heart.
She ran blindly, her only goal the safety of her car, the thoughts tumbling like broken glass inside her mind. He didn’t see me. Please, Gods, let neither of them have seen me.
A chilling realization that rewrote ten years of history caused her to stop in the sea of people.
She remembered the devastation of their breakup, the way Lucian had left town almost immediately afterward, moving to Stonefall City after accusing her of being a manipulative witch who crafted love spells.
And then, a few months later, Ellie had also left Pumpkin Hollow, claiming she needed a change of scenery.
They must have kept in touch during that entire time.
The thought twisted her stomach into a tight, sick knot.
Lucian had found his replacement, and her own best friend had been his consolation prize, waiting patiently in the wings.
Gertrude had said Lucian was recently single.
Was this why Ellie came back a few months ago, begging for a job, whispering apologies for failed opportunities?
Goldie had believed her when Ellie was simply heartbroken over a bad situation.
Now, the sickening thought took hold: Ellie came back because she and Lucian broke up, and she needed a soft landing.
The sight of them together, Ellie’s arm nestled so comfortably in his, was eating her up, fueling a pain so profound it felt like a physical tearing of her soul.
She managed to bypass the final line of booths and sprinted across the rough gravel without running into anyone else, finally reaching the relative sanctuary of the parking lot. She collapsed against the cool metal of her car, forehead resting on the roof, gasping for breath as tears streamed.