Chapter 6

"Blaze!"

A diner's voice echoed through the eatery. Instantly, pandemonium erupted. Patrons rushed for the exits, their faces ashen with terror as they jostled and pushed, desperate to flee the impending danger.

I snapped to attention and rose, intending to make my way to safety. However, before I could take a step, someone crashed into me forcefully. As I struggled to regain my balance, I heard a familiar, panicked voice exclaim, "Grace, don't fret! I'll ensure your safety."

Daniel swiftly guided Grace towards the exit. His heart pounded, awash with relief, and in a surge of emotion, he embraced her tightly.

"Are you unharmed? Any injuries? No? Thank heavens..." he whispered, his voice laden with gratitude.

Suddenly, realization seemed to strike him. He turned, his gaze falling on me, standing nearby, observing them silently.

His speech became unsteady as he stuttered, "Lenore, I—I was just in a rush. It's not that I didn't want to assist you, I simply..."

"I understand," I interjected icily, cutting him off mid-sentence.

In that instant, as I stood there, watching Daniel's frantic attempts to explain himself, I grasped something that had been simmering within me for some time. The man who once vowed to always shield me—Daniel, who promised to stand by me through thick and thin—was no longer the same individual. The person I thought I knew had transformed.

His expression appeared to ease when he noticed I wasn't angry, but tension still lingered in his posture. He promptly offered to drive me home.

"I'm fine. I don't require a ride. She, however, could use your assistance—trembling like a leaf. You'd better help her first, take her home," I stated with an air of finality, not bothering to look at him again.

The subsequent days passed without my contacting Daniel. Instead, I concentrated on preparing everything for my nuptials. The designer had messaged me, requesting I come by during lunch to collect the bespoke wedding gown. It was intended for my engagement to Daniel, for that moment when he proposed—but destiny had taken an unexpected turn and that moment

As chance would have it, the moment I entered the boutique, Grace followed closely behind me.

She noticed the gift box in my arms and gave me a condescending look, addressing the designer. "I want to try on that bridal gown."

The designer replied courteously, "My apologies, Miss, but this dress was custom-made for the lady here. It's a bespoke order."

Grace scoffed. "A custom wedding dress, is it? You're behaving as if you're about to wed..."

At that moment, it seemed she realized something and her face contorted with fury. "Hold on, are you planning to wear that dress and crash my wedding?!"

I sighed, uninterested in her outburst. "You're delusional. Seek help. Don't come here causing a scene." With that, I turned to leave, carrying the wedding dress box. But as I moved, she lunged at me, seizing the box from my grasp. Before I could react, she tore open the packaging and began viciously ripping at the wedding gown.

Unsatisfied, she dashed to the counter, grabbed a pair of scissors and started slashing the fabric.

"Lenore, don't you dare think about ruining my wedding! I'll destroy your dress and see how you try to sabotage my wedding then!" she shrieked, her voice shrill with rage.

"Grace, have you lost your mind?" I yelled, incensed, as I attempted to reclaim the dress. In the scuffle, the scissors grazed my arm and blood began to ooze out.

Grace froze, her eyes wide with shock. Then, after a prolonged, tense silence, she too began cutting her own arm with the scissors, her face twisted in a manic expression. She slumped to the floor, quietly sobbing, clearly out of control.

I was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend her erratic behavior. I hadn't even had the opportunity to speak when Daniel suddenly burst through the door, rushing towards the scene. His eyes quickly assessed the situation—the shredded dress, Grace on the floor and me standing there, bleeding. His face contorted with rage.

"Lenore!" he bellowed, his voice filled with anger and disbelief. "What have you done?!"

His expression softened as his gaze shifted to Grace and filled with concern. He hurried to her side, gently lifting her into his arms. Grace, ever the actress, feigned weakness and tried to placate Daniel.

"Daniel, don't blame her. It's not her fault. She didn't intend to harm me. It was unintentional."

"You expect me to believe it was accidental?" Daniel snapped, turning to me with venom in his voice. "If Grace is injured because of you, Lenore, I swear you'll face consequences for this."