Chapter 20
Joanne’s POV
“Because you knew she got all dressed up today to look pretty and steal the spotlight! You knew she would’ve cried if she ended up covered in frosting, and you couldn’t bear to see that happen! That’s why you didn’t want…no, you flat–out refused to let Melody be humiliated.“}
I felt a tightness in my chest as I poured out the words I always wanted to ask.
“What about me, Derek? I’m your damn girlfriend! Do I deserve this?!“}
Tears were already streaming down my cheeks, hot and relentless. They mixed with the sticky frosting smeared across my face.
I probably looked like a total wreck, but I didn’t care anymore. Derek was s my boyfriend. The man I’d loved for five years, the one who’d told me he wanted to marry me and build a future with me, had just stood there while his childhood friend shoved a cake in my face as if it was a joke. And just like that, I was replaced, ignored, and pushed aside like I was some side character in my own relationship.
Why?
Why the hell did it have to be like this?!!
I yelled, demanding that Derek give me something to understand this.
kept asking if loving him meant I agreed to be hurt like this.
Was that the trade–off?
Was this my punishment for trusting him?”
For a moment, I saw a flicker of guilt in his eyes, but he remained still. Because, of course, Melody had already stepped forward, ready to play her part. The perfect little victim that she was, her eyes were red as if she’d been crying too.
“Joanne, I didn’t know you hated me that much,” she said, soft as glass. “I never thought of you as a rival. I really hoped we’d get along. Even if you and Derek ever broke up, I still wanted us to be friends.“}
Melody stayed just a few feet away, pretending to hesitate as if she were afraid to come closer to me. The whole scene was so rehearsed that it made my skin crawl.
She bit her lip as if it meant something, then finally took a slow step toward me.
“If you really need to let it out, I’m okay if you smear me with the cream. I won’t get mad like you did. I’ll take it as you being playful. If it helps you feel better, then I’ll accept it.”
Melody then reached out and grabbed my wrist, trying to get me to smear the cake frosting all over her pretty face.
But the second her fingers touched mine, I jerked my hand away and snapped at her.
L
“Get the hell away from me!“}
That was enough to push Derek over the edge. He rushed to Melody to help her steady herself, then turned to face me, his face flushed with anger &
*Joanne, what the fuck is wrong with you?!
His eyes were wild as he glared at me.”
“I’m telling you right now, apologize to Melody. Or I’ll never forgive you!“&
I raised my eyebrow as I sneered. “Apologize? Are you serious, Derek?”
I looked at Derek, then at Melody, curled up in his arms like a delicate flower. It was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but laugh. Still laughing, I raised my cream–coated hand and gave a sharp slap across Derek’s face.
“You want me to apologize? You really think you deserve that?”
And just like that, I turned around and walked away.”
I didn’t care what they yelled behind me, I didn’t care if they were crying, and I didn’t care about whatever crazy drama happened in that room after I left.”
All I could feel was this raging, raw pain swirling in my chest like a storm I couldn’t outrun. By the time I finally got home, my whole body was shaking.
Just when I thought I could finally catch my breath, I realized the water in my apartment had been turned off.
That was it. I broke.!!
I collapsed onto the couch and lost control. Loud, gut–wrenching sobs that took my breath away. I cried until my voice was gone, until everything inside me felt like it had turned to ash.
And then… my phone buzzed.
A WhatsApp video call.
1:34 AM PP.
My best friend’s name lit up the screen.
The moment I saw Angela’s face, everything I had worked so hard to hold back burst out. The tears came harder than before, and my entire body trembled.\
Angela said nothing.”
She drove to pick me up, visibly angrier than ever before.
Throughout the drive, she expressed her frustration with Derek, blaming his parents without hesitation.
When we arrived at her place, she didn’t hesitate. She quickly took off my ruined, frosting–covered dress and threw it straight into the trash, as if it were radioactive.}
Then Angela looked me dead in the eyes and said directly, “Joanne, your life starts over right now. Got it?”
Dressed in her oversized pajamas, standing in the middle of her livin my best friend seemed ready to burn the entire world down for me.
room with her arms crossed and a fiery look in her eyes,
We exchanged glances for a moment before both of us burst into laughter. And at that moment, everything began to change.
