She Said She’d Watch My Man. Then She Stole Him Chapter 02

She Said She’d Watch My Man. Then She Stole Him Chapter 02

My stomach cramped so hard I nearly gagged.

A wave of nausea shot up my throat.

I leaned over the edge of the bed and dry-heaved.

Nothing came out.

I collapsed back onto the mattress, drained.

Sera and I had known each other for nearly twenty years.

She was the one who comforted me when I got bullied in school.

The first to show up when I got into grad school.

I practically treated her like a sister.

That was why I wanted her approval so badly.

When Dorian passed her test, I was the happiest person alive.

I never expected the two people closest to me—to do this behind my back.

The post was blowing up.

The comments were brutal.

[This is why people don’t trust the word ‘best friend’ anymore.]

[If I were the girlfriend, I’d be crushed.]

[Betrayed by the two people closest to her. Neither of them is innocent. Disgusting.]

Under every comment, Sera replied:

[He’s a good man. He treats her well.]

[I was confused. I was jealous.]

[I won’t do it again. I’ll stay away from him. For our friendship.”]

Tears hit my phone screen. Everything blurred.

It felt like someone was peeling open my chest.

I curled up, hurting.

—

The next morning, we stuck to the plan.

Sera was going with me and Dorian to pick out wedding dresses.

We’d promised each other we’d be the first to see the other in white.

I used to look forward to this day.

Now it felt like ice water running through me.

I didn’t know how to face her.

Dorian stopped the car in front of her building.

I got out. I saw Sera in the distance.

Her eyeshadow was pink.

You couldn’t tell she’d been crying.

She walked up to me, then paused.

She turned and went for the passenger seat.

“I’m a little dizzy. Better sit up front.”

Normally, she’d take my hand and squeeze into the back with me.

Dorian would sit alone in front.

This time, he didn’t get out.

She chose the passenger seat.

The car moved forward.

Dorian kept his head down. He was stroking my hand.

It was his habit.

He’d open my fingers, then close them slowly.

Today he was too careful. Too focused.

He never once looked up.

After a long silence, he spoke quietly, “Mira. Your hand looks empty.”

His hand was pale and long.

I was only wearing a plain ring on my middle finger.

He turned my wrist over, “I’ll take you to pick out a bracelet sometime.”

Sera, silent the whole way, turned around.

She raised her wrist and looked at him.

Her face was casual.

“You want a bracelet?”

“Cartier is nice. It’s pretty.”

Dorian closed his eyes. Annoyed.

I saw Sera’s smile slowly fade.

She dropped her hand.

When she glanced away, her eyes met mine.

She smiled again.

A little embarrassed.

Then she turned back.

I watched her back.

She raised her hand and wiped her eye quickly.

Quietly. A small sniffle.

As that soft sound faded, his finger on my ring finger stopped.

Then slipped away.

I looked down.

The ring on my finger—he had put it on me himself.

Last night.

The AC was still blowing cold air.

It had found a crack in what I thought was solid.

I pulled my hand away. Like that would save my dignity.

I turned to look out the window.

I felt empty.

Something had happened between them.