Chapter 1 My story

"Pah!" A hard slap landed on the face of Herieth Jones Martin. The slap came from none other than her mother, better known as Mama Martin.

"You have let me down a lot. Your sister has had a hard time for over 20 years, now she is back and wants to get married. You shamelessly plan to take away her man. You have absolutely no shame!" Mama Martin told her daughter Herieth.

Covering the painful part of her face, Herieth looked at her mother in disbelief. "Mom, Zack is my boyfriend since I was in school. Everyone knows that. How can you be such ignorant people?" The words that lacked respect for her mother came out of Herieth with anger.

Firstly, Herieth arrived home after a study trip in the United States. She found her long-lost older sister, Julia Jones Martin, back. At that time she was sitting with her boyfriend Zack on the couch. Sitting on the other side of the couch were Zack's parents, Zackaria Lowe and Daughter of Maximus who seemed to be having an interesting conversation.

Zack was Herieth 's boyfriend. They had grown up together as neighbours but as they grew up they became much closer. It was when they were in secondary school where they studied in the same class that a romantic friendship blossomed between them. they fell in love and promised to marry each other. After graduating from college, Zack joined the family business as a manager for Lowe Enterprises. Herieth also worked for a short while at their family company, Martin Family Building Design Group, before going to increase her higher education in construction engineering at the University of New South Wales in the United States, sobs he could lead her family company well. For two years they were in contact only by phone.

Now after Julia's return, Herieth wonders how it happened again that Zack turned around and took her sister. She couldn't understand Because their phone calls had been going well between them. They still talked about the same plans and dreams that they had for each other. Nothing out of the ordinary ever raised or was ever spoken between them. Zack gave her no signals that he had moved on. Julia had only just returned home after a scary time she had but they had talked a little and she knew in her heart that Tina must have known about her and Zach. Why would she want to hurt her? They never had any misunderstandings as children, in fact, they used to be so close. What happens between them?

She couldn't help but go to Julia to ask her about it. However, she ended up being slapped in the face by her mother right there!

"Mom, please stop hitting Herieth ." With a worried look, Julia said. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have come back."

Zack quickly grabbed her shoulders. "No Julia, it's my fault. I always considered Herieth as my little sister and my friend. She may have confused something between love and friendship."

Something seemed to explode in Herieth 's head. The pain in her heart was so intense that she couldn't breathe. why would each say that? In front of their whole family? How much humiliation and betrayal could she take?

"Really, as Your sister? That is, today I have become your sister?" Herieth 's eyes widened in response to his words. "Why did you promise to marry me if you considered me as your sister?

Why did you always hug me so tightly and kiss me and sing me sweet words if you only considered me as your sister?"

"Herieth .." Julia wanted to say a word but was stopped by Herieth 's harsh rebuke.

"Shut up!" she found those words unbearable and filled him with disgust. how could these people hurt her like this? Her sister was the only sibling she had.

"You are the one who should keep your mouth shut. Is this how you are supposed to talk to your sister?" Mama Martin shouted at Herieth. "Can't you respect your sister? Considering she's had twenty years of hard life outside of this family?"

Shocked, Herieth relaxed a little. There had to be a tolerance limit, however. Why should she let her love get lost? She is also human, he has a beating heart.

At that time, the father of the family, Jones Martin stood up and told Herieth harshly as well. "Are you done? Zack has already said he is not your boyfriend. We still need to discuss Julia's engagement party now. If you can't keep quiet, you better leave. Don't make a fuss here."

Herieth shivered and looked at Zack who didn't care at all. Then he looked at Julia who was clinging to him. Suddenly, she felt like her heart was freezing with anger. These people were the ones she cared about the most, but each of them was leaning on Julia's side at that time. Tears seemed to flow from her. After wiping her tears, Herieth turned and left with her purse without looking back. Not knowing where to go, she stopped and called her close friend, Tina Jones.

"Tina, it's me Herieth, I'm back. Come and have a drink, today I want to get drunk until we wake up." Her voice sounded hoarse amidst her sobs.

Tina immediately agreed after hearing Herieths voice on the phone. "Sure. I'll be there shortly.