Chapter 11: How it happened!
661 Words
The silence of the house felt heavier than usual as Sofia sat in the living room, her hands gripping the armrests of her chair. The echo of the doorbell reverberated through the halls, snapping her out of her restless thoughts.
She stood, smoothing her dress as she walked to the door. Carmen’s cheerful face greeted her, the same wide smile that had always seemed so genuine—until now.
“Sofia!” Carmen chirped, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. “You sounded so serious on the phone. What’s going on?”
Sofia closed the door and turned, her eyes locking onto Carmen’s. “Sit down.”
Carmen frowned but obeyed, perching on the edge of the couch. “Is everything okay? You’re scaring me.”
Sofia remained standing, her arms crossed. “Cut the act, Carmen. I need to know the truth about the gala.”
Carmen’s smile faltered, confusion giving way to something darker. “What truth?”
“You pushed me to go,” Sofia said, her voice sharp. “You practically begged me, and then you disappeared before the night even started. And now Ethan’s acting like it wasn’t a coincidence that I was there. So tell me—what’s going on?”
Carmen sighed, leaning back. “Sofia, you’re overthinking this.”
“Am I?” Sofia stepped closer, her voice rising. “Because it feels like you knew exactly what you were doing.”
For a moment, Carmen said nothing, her eyes darting to the floor. Finally, she looked up, and Sofia’s stomach turned at the coldness in her gaze.
“Fine,” Carmen said, her tone flat. “You want the truth? I’ll give it to you.”
Sofia’s breath caught as Carmen began to speak.
Flashback ....
Carmen stood outside Ethan’s office, her hands trembling as she clutched the invitation. She hadn’t wanted to do this. Ethan had cornered her weeks ago, dangling secrets from Sofia’s past like a weapon.
“You’ll do this for me,” he had said, his voice a dangerous whisper. “Or Sofia finds out exactly who she’s marrying. And trust me, it won’t be pretty.”
Carmen had tried to argue, but Ethan was relentless. He wanted Sofia at that gala, and Carmen was his way in.
She had approached Sofia with a fake smile and fake enthusiasm, all while her guilt gnawed at her. The invitation felt like a ticking time bomb in her hand, but she handed it over, telling herself she didn’t have a choice.
When Sofia left for the gala, Carmen couldn’t bring herself to stay. She had fled, hoping that whatever Ethan had planned wouldn’t destroy her friend completely.
Present...
“You knew,” Sofia whispered, her voice trembling. “You knew he was setting me up, and you did it anyway.”
“I didn’t have a choice,” Carmen snapped, standing. “Ethan—he threatened me. He said he’d ruin you if I didn’t cooperate.”
“So you just threw me to the wolves?” Sofia’s voice broke, tears brimming in her eyes. “How could you, Carmen?”
“I thought I was protecting you!” Carmen shouted back. “Do you think I wanted to do this? Ethan is dangerous, Sofia. You don’t know what he’s capable of.”
Sofia shook her head, backing away. “I trusted you.”
“And I didn’t want to lose you!” Carmen’s voice cracked. “But I didn’t know what else to do.”
Sofia turned, the betrayal cutting deeper than she thought possible. “Get out,” she said quietly.
“Sofia—”
“Get out!”
Carmen flinched but obeyed, leaving without another word.
As the door closed, Sofia collapsed onto the couch, her tears finally spilling over. Whatever Ethan’s game was, she was more determined than ever to uncover it. And she knew she couldn’t trust anyone—not even her closest friend.
- Writer
