Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"June, stop wasting your breath. You aren't my type."

I didn't understand him back then. I just asked him like an idiot, "Then what is your type? I can change for you!"

"Lila Somerset."

Whenever he mentioned her name, his cold expression would soften into a gentle smile. "I like girls like her."

His words felt like a confession that froze me to the spot.

I never imagined he would fall for my best friend.

Lila hadn't lied to me; she really did look down on him.

During our sophomore year, for her birthday, Cade saved up for months to buy her a designer bag.

It cost over three thousand dollars. It was a fortune for him.

But when Lila opened the box, she just sneered. "Do you think I'm a beggar?"

I watched, horrified, as she tossed the brand-new bag into the trash can.

"Lila, that's not right. It's the thought that counts. He worked so hard for that."

I knew she came from money and didn't care about a three-thousand-dollar bag. But seeing his heart trampled on made me ache for him.

Lila just looked at me and frowned. "June, are you jealous or something?"

"Whatever. You can have the bag if you want it so bad."

I held that bag like a thief holding a hot coal.

That was when I realized how wide the gap was between us.

The things I stayed up dreaming about were nothing but trash to her.

……

The pain kept me awake all night. I crawled out of bed to swallow some painkillers.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my phone screen light up.

Lila was texting me in the middle of the night?

A bad feeling washed over me.

"June, surely you know Cade and I are back together now?"

"He doesn't love you. Please stop clinging to him like a leech. Get out of the way so I can take my place as his wife."

"I also heard you're faking cancer? June, it's been three years. How did you become such a pathetic loser?"

Those few sentences made my blood boil with rage.

I snapped back. "Lila, have some dignity. Are you actually proud of being a homewrecker?"

A moment later, Lila sent a photo.

My body went stiff. It felt like I had been struck by lightning.

The photo showed a man and a woman tangled together in bed. The dim light of a lamp cast a warm, intimate glow over them.

Lila was snuggled into his chest, her lips looking swollen and red.

Beside her, Cade had his eyes half-closed. He looked relaxed and satisfied.

"Ugh..."

My stomach churned violently. I couldn't hold it back. I ran to the bathroom and threw up until my throat burned like fire.

It was disgusting.

They were absolutely revolting.

Something that had been keeping me upright finally collapsed inside of me.

A wave of total despair crushed me.

I sat on the bathroom floor, staring at the moon through the window.

Suddenly, life felt completely meaningless.