The Stain, the Secrets, and the Spoiled Brat

"What on earth...?" Elma muttered, staring in disbelief at the dark red stain spreading across her white dress. Her breath caught in her throat. The luxury silk clung to her body, utterly ruined—soaked in wine.

Her fingers trembled as she clutched the fabric. "He should've apologized," she whispered through gritted teeth. "He literally stained my clothes and just walked off like I didn't even exist."

Her jaw tightened. The nerve.

Glancing around, she searched for someone—anyone—who wouldn't recognize her. The last thing she needed was some overexcited fan squealing, "Is that Elma—THE Elma from Canada?" Not today. Not looking like this.

Her eyes caught a glimpse of an elderly janitor mopping near the hallway corner. Perfect.

"Excuse me," Elma approached, adjusting her sunglasses and mask. "Could you tell me where the restroom is?"

The woman pointed with a kind smile, asking no questions. Elma offered a quick thank you and slipped away.

Inside the restroom, she avoided the mirror—but the harsh lights made the damage impossible to ignore. The stain was worse than she thought. Her head pounded. What a day...

Minutes later, she returned to the table—confidence cracked, outfit destroyed.

Lila gasped. "Oh. My. GOD. What happened to your dress?!"

Elma didn't bother hiding her fury. Her dimples vanished, and her eyes flashed like lightning. "This is all your fault, Lila."

Lila blinked, confused. "Wait—what?"

"You forced me to drink," Elma snapped, snatching her bag. "I told you—I don't drink. Have you forgotten? I'm allergic to alcohol!"

Vivienne's mouth dropped open. The shock on her face said everything.

"I was gone for one year," Elma continued, her voice rising. "One year, and you've already forgotten everything about me."

"Elma, wait—" Vivienne reached for her arm.

Elma stepped back, raising a hand. "Don't. My head's pounding, my dress is ruined, and I'm surrounded by people who claim to know me—but act like complete strangers."

With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the restaurant, heels clicking with unshakable purpose.

Outside, the late afternoon sun had softened, casting shadows along the restaurant's awning. Elma stood in the shade, massaging her temples. The alcohol had triggered a migraine, and her patience had long since evaporated.

Where was her driver?

Moments later, Vivienne and Lila burst through the doors behind her.

"Elma!" Lila called, slightly out of breath. "Please wait. We didn't mean to upset you."

"Yeah," Vivienne added gently. "We're sorry. Truly. We should've remembered. That was careless of us."

Elma turned, arms crossed. "And the dress?"

Vivienne didn't hesitate. "We'll replace it. The most expensive one in the mall—whatever you want."

Elma let out a long breath, lips twitching. "I already have a bunch in my luggage... but fine. Let's go."

They laughed, the tension breaking as they made their way to the mall. Elma tried on several gowns, letting the glamour of silk and sparkle distract her from the earlier disaster. Eventually, she emerged from the fitting room in a cream silk piece that shimmered like moonlight.

"You look like a goddess," Lila whispered.

Elma rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "I always do."

By the time the driver arrived, they were back to giggling like old times. He dropped them off at Elma's home—a cozy modern estate tucked into a quiet part of the city.

As soon as they stepped inside, Elma's mother swept her into a warm hug. "Welcome home, Elmy!"

Elma groaned. "Mom, I told you to stop calling me that…"

Her dad chuckled as he ruffled her hair. "You've only been gone a year, superstar. Not a lifetime."

"I missed you both," she said, genuinely hugging them tight.

Later, Elma brought her friends up to her room.

The second she opened the door, nostalgia rushed in like a wave.

"My room is still the same…" she whispered, brushing her fingers across posters, bookshelves, and folded blankets. "Wow. Aww… old me."

They collapsed onto her bed in a heap, laughter bubbling between them.

"You know…" Lila began with a sly grin. "You're kinda evil."

Elma raised a brow. "Excuse me?"

"You didn't even tell your boyfriend you were back," Lila teased, eyes gleaming.

Vivienne gasped. "Right?! He has no idea!"

Elma bit her lower lip. "It's not like I'm avoiding him… I just wanted to keep my return quiet for now."

Lila smirked. "He's gonna go ballistic when he finds out."

Vivienne chimed in, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Nah. He won't scold her. He'll just pull her into a hug and say, 'Don't do that again, okay?' in that soft, pampering voice of his."

They all burst into laughter.

"That's why you're a spoiled brat," Vivienne added, tossing a pillow at her.

Elma caught it and smirked. "I don't deny it."

But as their banter continued, Elma's mind wandered—to the man who'd ruined her dress without a second glance.

Jason Blackwood.

She didn't know his name yet.

But fate had a funny way of circling back.

And 10:00 PM was just around the corner—her usual meeting time with her boyfriend.