Chapter 2

Sierra pulled a tissue and offered it to me with fake gentleness, just like she always did whenever I was upset.

"Look at you, what a mess. Wipe your face."

I didn't take it. I just stared at her with bloodshot, hollow eyes.

Even through the crushing pain, I had to ask:

"Why?"

We were supposed to be best friends.

We used to have each other's backs through thick and thin.

How could she be carrying my fiancé's child?

Sierra blinked innocently:

"Chloe, we're besties. What's mine is yours, what's yours is mine."

"So what if I borrowed your man for a little fun when I was bored?"

Under the dim restroom lights, the pendant around her neck caught my eye.

I bought that for her.

It cost my entire first work bonus—fifteen hundred dollars.

Logan had even acted jealous back then, complaining:

"Why do you treat that friend of yours better than you treat me?"

And back then, I had smiled and said:

"Because she's my best friend. We share everything."

Seeing my gaze drop to her neck, Sierra touched the pendant, pouting her red lips:

"This necklace is honestly out of style anyway."

She gently caressed her flat belly with a smug grin:

"Logan promised to buy me a brand-new diamond one as soon as I deliver the baby."

"I guess I can give this cheap thing back to you then."

A cold smile tugged at the corner of my lips:

"Just throw it in the trash."

"Once something's been covered in filth, I don't want it back."

"Whether it's jewelry, or a man."

The sweet mask on Sierra's face instantly vanished, replaced by pure, ugly venom.

She slid closer, whispering like a snake right in my ear:

"So what if your family, your looks, and your job are all better than mine?"

"Your man still craves me."

A triumphant sneer spread across her face:

"He had to beg me multiple times before I finally let him get me pregnant."

All the warmth drained from my body.

In a surge of blind fury, I shoved her away.

She let out a dramatic scream and fell to the floor.

"My baby!"

Logan burst through the door almost instantly.

The moment he saw Sierra on the tiles, pure panic and heartbreak washed over his face.

"Chloe... she just couldn't accept the baby..."

Sierra buried her face in Logan's chest, sobbing hysterically:

"I didn't mean to make Chloe mad! Maybe I should just leave with the baby..."

"No way in hell!"

Logan's jaw clenched, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Why should you have to back down for her?!"

He whipped his head toward me, the veins on his neck bulging:

"Sierra loves me enough to give up a wedding just so you wouldn't feel left out!"

"And you can't even stomach an unborn child?!"

Slap! Slap!

Two brutal, stinging slaps landed square across my face.

Pain.

Humiliation.

Grief.

Rage.

Everything shattered inside me all at once.

My ears rang violently, and the sight of Logan's yelling mouth blurred before my eyes.

The only thing cutting through the noise was Tyler's voice sneering that I was an ungrateful bitch.

In the end, Sierra lightly tugged at Logan's sleeve, softly telling him to calm down.

Tyler scoffed:

"Sierra, you're way too nice! Why are you still defending her?"

Logan looked at me with cold disgust:

"Stay here and think about what you did."

"If you don't come out with a proper apology, the wedding tomorrow is off."

Throwing that final threat at me, Logan scooped Sierra into his arms and walked away.

My cheeks burned with throbbing heat. Wiping away my tears, I tried to drag my exhausted body toward the door.

Suddenly, everything spun. Darkness rushed in, and I collapsed onto the cold tiles.