Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Lilith
Rebecca started getting drunk around the time we were finishing dinner.
I noticed her glass emptied several times, but she kept laughing and seemed fine, so I didn't think much of it.
After Andrei stepped out to take a call, Rebecca went to the restroom. Just me and my sister left in the private room. I ate my cake while Elena leaned against me, humming softly.
"Lily, when I get better, could I be a singer?"
"Of course." I held back a smile, picturing Andrei's helpless expression whenever Elena sang, and my grin widened. "Andrei would definitely be your first fan!"
My phone buzzed.
A message from Rebecca.
"Lilith, I'm in the restroom. Not feeling well. Can you come?"
I showed Elena. "I'll go check on her. Wait here."
"Go ahead." Elena waved me off.
I left the room and followed the signs toward the restroom.
The hallway was quiet. I turned a corner, the restroom sign just ahead, but I stopped—my eyes locked on the figures at the end of the corridor.
Andrei stood there.
Rebecca leaned into him, one hand clutching his lapel, hair disheveled, face pressed against his chest. His hand rested on her shoulder.
I didn't move.
Something snapped in my head. Every sound in the world just... vanished.
I stared at them from a distance.
Rebecca was so thin, so pale, delicate. She looked fragile against Andrei's tall, handsome frame. Watching them together, I couldn't stop thinking how perfect they looked.
But they're like brother and sister, right? I took a deep breath. This had to be a misunderstanding.
Had to be. Rebecca was drunk, and Andrei was helping her. That's all. I should walk over there, clear this up, and everything would be fine.
I lifted my foot to move forward.
Then Rebecca raised her head, and... I watched her kiss Andrei. He didn't push her away.
My foot froze.
My heart felt like something squeezed it tight, so tight I couldn't breathe.
I wanted to run over and demand answers, but my legs wouldn't move. My mouth opened, but no sound came out.
I stood there maybe three seconds, chest aching, throat blocked, even breathing felt difficult.
I stepped back once, then again, then turned and headed toward the private room, my steps unsteady.
Before I knew it, I was running, like putting distance between me and that image would let me pretend I never saw it.
"We need to go." I pushed open the door, my voice tight, even I could hear something wrong in it.
Elena looked up. "What happened? Andrei's not back yet."
"He had something come up. I'll take you back to the hospital." I grabbed my bag, forcing down the sob in my throat.
She stared at me suspiciously for two seconds but didn't press. She stood and put on her coat.
I left with Elena without looking back. Got in a taxi.
In the cab, streetlights passed one by one outside the window, the city glowing cold in the night.
I leaned against the window, staring out, my eyes burning hot.
I didn't cry. Couldn't let Elena see and worry. So I held those tears in, kept my face turned to the window, but I couldn't see anything out there.
"Lily?"
"Yeah."
"I had a really good time today." Elena paused. "You did too, right?"
"Yes."
"Then what's wrong? You look... are you okay?"
I forced a smile, corners of my mouth straining upward. "I'm fine. Why ask?"
My smile must've looked awful. Elena frowned, that look in her eyes—the one I knew, the one that meant she was trying to figure out if I was lying. Been that way since we were kids. Couldn't hide anything from her.
But this time she didn't push. Just put her hand over mine and patted it gently. "If there's anything I can help with, tell me. You know I can handle it."
I looked down at her hand, throat tightening.
"I know," I said. "I'm fine. Really."
She didn't say anything else, just kept her hand there until the car stopped at the hospital.
I walked Elena into the ward and stood by the entrance for a while. The night wind messed up my hair. I didn't fix it.
I went home.
"Lilith." But when I reached my door, Luca stood there, hands in pockets, shoulders slouched. When he saw my face, his mouth curved up, that careless arrogance surfacing again.
"Look how miserable you are without me. Since you love me so much, I'll graciously give you a chance to beg me to get back together."
"You're insane." I cursed. "Get lost. Don't block the way."
I pushed past Luca. He grabbed my hand, face twisted in annoyance.
"Lilith, stop playing games. That stuff you posted on social media—wasn't that for me?" His tone was flippant, carrying that patronizing charity he always had. "You wanted to make me jealous, get my attention, right? Well, I'm here now. I agree to get back together. Playing hard to get is boring."
I almost laughed at his words.
I couldn't imagine how a gentleman like Andrei could have such a self-absorbed, tone-deaf son.
Thinking of Andrei brought back the image of him kissing Rebecca. My heart stabbed with pain.
Luca thought he'd hit the mark. He raised an eyebrow, put his hand on my shoulder, and spoke with fake gentleness. "I admit breaking up with you was immature. After we split, I realized I'd fallen for you. Lilith, I'm saying yes to getting back together. I'll make it up to you."
"Luca, if your ears don't work, get them checked. Don't stand here making me sick." I shook off his hand. In that instant, I remembered everything—how chasing me was just a bet, how he humiliated me with his new girlfriend.
My eyes reddened. "You dumped me. I accepted it. You cheated. I dealt with it. Now you show up talking about getting back together—why? You figured it out, so I'm supposed to forgive you? Why should I let you all jerk me around?"
I nearly screamed. My nose stung, but I wouldn't cry in front of this asshole.
"Lilith, I know I messed up before, but I'll change.
" Luca's face flushed red and white, anger surfacing then hidden.
"We were together for three years. You should give me a chance.
And when we broke up, were you blameless?
You got fat, and I didn't complain, but you wouldn't even let me touch you. What man could accept that?"
"So it's my fault?"
"I forgive you." Luca nodded. "Okay, Lilith, let's forget the past. You need to understand—besides me, no man will marry you. Stop throwing tantrums, okay?"
"You're shameless!" Furious, I slapped Luca's face. Seeing his disbelief, I laughed coldly. "Luca, who the hell do you think you are? I'm getting married!"
Luca smirked. "Lilith, you're making up a wedding to hurt me?"
"You're not worth that. He's ten thousand times better than you. He won't cheat. He'd never bring his mistress to humiliate me." I stared at him. "I love him. That's why I gave myself to him. Not to someone like you."
Luca's face cracked completely. That charitable shell fell away, revealing crazed rage. "You slept with him? Lilith, how long have we even been broken up?"
I said nothing and stayed calm. That made him angrier. He pointed at me, speechless, then finally sneered. "Lilith, you'll regret this. I made a mistake every man makes. You think he won't cheat?"
"Maybe right now he's kissing someone, screwing someone, and you just don't see it! No man in this world stays loyal to one woman. Impossible!"
"Shut up!" I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. I felt nothing. "Shut up!"
"He's not like you. He's not!"
My emotions surged. My mind was chaos. Andrei and Rebecca. Luca's words. They fought in my head.
My body shook, but I couldn't show weakness in front of this bastard. And I couldn't condemn Andrei without hearing it from him. At least I needed that.
"My wedding's next month. You'll get an invitation. Until then, stay out of my sight. Now leave!"
Luca froze. Something in his eyes seemed to shatter. "You're serious? Lilith, you don't need a fake wedding to play games. I'm giving you one more chance to win me back. Keep this up and the offer's gone."
"I don't need it."
He stared at me for a long time. Finally punched the wall beside me. "Fine, Lilith. You better have a real groom. Because if you're alone at that wedding, I'll watch you come crawling back!"
Luca stormed off.
I ignored him and went inside. Put down my bag, changed shoes, and sat on the couch.
The apartment was quiet. I'd only turned on one lamp. Light hit the opposite wall, stretching shadows long.
I sat there. Didn't want to do anything.
I tried telling myself maybe it was all a misunderstanding. I shouldn't have rushed off. Should've asked. Could still ask him now.
But my mind kept torturing me with that image of Andrei kissing Rebecca.
Luca's words circled my head too.
I picked up my phone and looked at old messages between Andrei and me. Every text brought back sweet memories.
Would he really kiss other women, sleep with them when I couldn't see?
The thought sent dull pain through my chest, stealing my breath.
I was scared.
Scared Andrei had lied to me. Scared he and Rebecca had been hiding something all along. That thought made me shake with cold.
But I was also scared I was wrong about him.
Scared this was another misunderstanding. That I was paranoid, imagining betrayal where there was none, then walking away without letting him explain. Hurting him. Hurting myself.
I thought it through over and over, more confused each time, unable to tell what was real.
I wished someone would tell me right now that I'd seen it wrong, that kiss never happened, that Andrei was still the man I thought he was. That he hadn't lied and wouldn't lie.
But deep down, I knew that hope was ridiculous.
My phone sat on the coffee table, screen lighting up then dimming, again and again. I didn't want to look at it. Just sat on the couch staring at nothing.
After who knows how long, the phone lit up again. Still Andrei's name.