Chapter 3: Whispers Behind Smiles

The day passed in a haze. Amelia stared blankly at her bedroom wall, eyes swollen from a sleepless night of crying. Her chest still ached—raw from the betrayal that had shattered her world. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw them: Daniel, her fiancé, in bed with her stepsister, Celeste.

It wasn't a dream. It wasn't a cruel nightmare. It was real.

A soft knock on her bedroom door startled her from the pit of her thoughts. She didn't want to answer. But it came again—gentle, hesitant.

"Amelia?" Celeste voice floated through. "Can we talk?"

Amelia stiffened, rage and confusion churning in her stomach. What did she want now? More lies? Another knife in the back?

Still, curiosity got the better of her. She opened the door to find standing there with carefully puffed eyes Celeste a false gentleness.

"I know you hate me. But… can we please have dinner? Just the two of us. I want to explain. I owe you that much."

Amelia nearly slammed the door in her face, but something in her gut told her to hear her out. Maybe it would give her closure. Maybe she'd finally understand why her own blood would betray her like that.

"Fine," she muttered.

That evening, they met at a private restaurant downtown. The place was low-lit, elegant, with a calming classical melody humming in the background. Amelia sat across from Celeste, arms folded, her face guarded.

Celeste a pale blue dress and her usual fake smile, the kind Amelia had grown used to over the years.

"I don't expect you to forgive me,"Celeste began, brushing her hair behind her ear. "But things… they weren't as simple as they seemed."

"Oh? So sleeping with my fiancé was complicated?" Amelia snapped, her voice sharp enough to draw glances from nearby tables.

Celeste "It wasn't supposed to happen like that."

"How was it supposed to happen?" Amelia leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "Did you plan it behind my back for fun? Or did you both just trip and fall into bed?"

"I loved him too," Celeste lowering her gaze. "I knew it was wrong. But he said he felt trapped with you. That you were too distant, always too serious…"

Amelia's jaw clenched. Gaslighting. Classic. But she refused to let her emotions bubble over. She had cried enough for both of them.

"I was serious because I was building a life—with him. For us." She exhaled slowly. "You didn't just ruin a relationship. You humiliated me."

A waiter approached, setting down two glasses of wine.

Amelia stared at hers, then at Celeste "This is some closure dinner. You sure this isn't a guilt party?"

Celeste forced a laugh, shaking her head. "No. I just… I wanted one moment with my sister before everything falls apart."

Amelia looked at her glass, hesitating. She wasn't in the mood to drink, but her throat was dry, and her nerves were frayed. She took a small sip, the bitterness matching the taste in her mouth.

The conversation dragged on, filled with half-truths and fake apologies. Celeste wiped tears that Amelia knew were for show, trying to paint herself as a victim of love instead of a thief of trust.

As Amelia sipped her second glass, her thoughts started to feel… fuzzy.

Her heartbeat picked up. Her hands felt light. Her vision didn't blur, but something wasn't right.

"I'm tired," Amelia said quietly, blinking to steady herself.

Celeste nodded. "You should rest. I booked a room for you upstairs—just in case you needed a place to cool off before going home."

Amelia looked at her, confusion flickering in her gaze. "Why would you—?"

"I just thought... maybe you wouldn't want to go back to Dad's right away. I'll walk you up."

Amelia tried to stand, but the room shifted beneath her. Her legs wobbled.

"Celeste… what's happening?"

Her sister's hand slipped into hers, gentle. "Shh. It's okay. Just tired. I'll take you upstairs."

Amelia wanted to protest, to scream that something was wrong, but her tongue felt heavy. And before she could gather her thoughts, Celeste was leading her gently toward the elevator.

As they stepped inside, Amelia leaned against the cool wall, her eyelids drooping, heart pounding in warning. Something wasn't right. And this—whatever this was—was only the beginning.