Chapter 5: SHRADS OF BETRAYAL

Chapter 5

SHRADS OF BETRAYAL

The sight of Patricia standing at the door sent a wave of conflicting emotions through Stella—anger, sadness, and a sliver of confusion. Stella’s eyes, swollen and red from hours of crying, met Patricia’s gaze. Patricia stood there, composed and calm, almost as if she hadn’t been at the center of the storm that had shattered Stella’s world.

"What are you doing here?" Stella asked coldly, her voice shaky but firm. She didn’t move to let Patricia in.

"Stella, please. I need to talk to you," Patricia said, her tone soft but cautious. "Can I come in?"

"No," Stella snapped. "You’ve said enough. I think I understand everything perfectly now."

"Stella, it’s not what you think," Patricia pleaded. "I... I didn’t plan for things to happen this way."

Stella let out a bitter laugh, wiping her tears away. "Not what I think? Really? Then enlighten me, Patricia. Explain how my best friend ended up engaged to the man I was supposed to marry. Explain how you sat there smiling at the party while I was humiliated in front of everyone. Explain that!"

Patricia’s face fell. She looked down at the ground, unable to meet Stella’s fiery gaze. "I didn’t mean for you to find out like that," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t know Richard would announce it at the party. I thought… I thought we’d have time to tell you gently."

"Gently?" Stella repeated, her voice rising with each word. "Patricia, there’s no gentle way to stab someone in the back! You were supposed to be my friend!"

"I am your friend, and I’m sorry. And that’s why I’m here—to explain everything to you," Patricia said, her voice trembling slightly. "I cherish our friendship, and I don’t want us to lose that because of a man."

Stella laughed out loud, a dry, bitter sound. "You cherish what? Please, I’m really busy right now. I need you to go." Her tone was sharp, filled with an edge of disbelief.

"Yes, I can see that," Patricia responded, mockingly. Her words seemed to sting more than usual. "If you’re here to mock me, then please, I need you to leave."

Stella’s face tightened with frustration. "Anyways, if you won’t listen now, I’ll come back another day when you're better and happier. I just need you to know, I love Richard, and we both love each other. So I don’t want you to spoil things for us. Hope you understand..." Patricia's voice trailed off as she turned to leave.

Before she could finish her speech, Stella slammed the door in her face, cutting her off mid-sentence. The sound of the door’s finality echoed through the hallway, and for a moment, all was silent.

Stella leaned against the door, her hand gripping the handle as if she were holding onto the last thread of her composure. Her breath came in uneven gasps, and her heart raced with a mixture of anger, betrayal, and sorrow. She turned away from the door and walked back to her room.

Her room, once a sanctuary, now felt like a prison. The scattered tissues and empty cups, remnants of a day filled with uncontrollable tears, lay in disarray. The room was a reflection of the chaos inside her heart.

Stella walked to the mirror, her reflection staring back at her like a stranger. She paused, her eyes widening in horror as she saw a pale, tear-streaked face—her own. She flinched back, her heart skipping a beat as she thought she had seen a ghost. But it was just her reflection, twisted and broken like the woman she had become.

For a moment, Stella felt lost, as if she was looking at someone else entirely—someone she didn’t recognize. Her hand shakily reached out to touch the mirror, as though trying to make sense of the person staring back at her. The woman in the mirror didn’t look like the confident, happy Stella she had once known. That girl was gone, replaced by someone who had been utterly shattered

Her tears began to flow again, but this time, there was no more energy to scream. She was drained—emotionally, physically, and mentally. The pain felt endless. Richard and Patricia had both taken something precious from her, and she didn’t know if she could ever get it back.

With a deep sigh, Stella turned away from the mirror and collapsed onto her bed, burying her face in the pillow. She had no answers, no solutions, and no one to turn to. All she could do was cry.