Chapter 5

Atlas was in a simple black suit that looked more like a uniform, but he wore it with an air of quiet authority that Cameron, in his expensive designer clothes, could never match.

He moved to my side in two long strides, his solid presence a shield. He gently placed a hand on my back, his touch respectful and grounding.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Ms. England," he said, his voice a low rumble.

I wiped the tears from my face, my composure returning under his steady gaze. I turned my back on Cameron and Hannah for the last time.

"Let's go, Atlas."

As we walked away, I heard Cameron take a frantic step forward. "Alicia, wait!"

A weak, breathy voice stopped him. "Cameron... my arm hurts..."

It was Hannah, of course. Playing her part to the very end.

He didn't follow us.

That was his choice. His final choice. And it told me everything I needed to know.

Just before we turned the corner, I stopped by a trash can in the hallway. Without looking back, I dropped my diary into it. It landed with a soft thud, a final, definitive end to a life I no longer wanted.

We left the country that day. I didn't speak to Cameron again. I was busy preparing for a new life overseas; he was busy doting on his fragile, manipulative lover. Our worlds, once so tightly bound, had split apart completely.

A week later, a message from a high-end bridal boutique popped up on my phone. A reminder that my final fitting for my custom-designed wedding dress was scheduled. The dress. I had spent months designing it, sketching every detail, choosing every bead. It was supposed to be the physical manifestation of all my hopes and dreams.

A morbid curiosity pulled at me. I had to see it one last time. A final farewell to the naive girl who had designed it.

Atlas drove me to the boutique. The dress was waiting in a private showroom, shimmering under the soft lights. It was even more beautiful than I had imagined. I reached out a trembling hand to touch the delicate lace.

"It's a shame no one will get to wear it."

The voice, sickly sweet and dripping with false sympathy, came from the doorway. It was Hannah.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice cold.

She sauntered into the room, her eyes fixed on the dress. "I came to see the masterpiece. The dress for the wedding that isn't happening." She looked at me, a smirk playing on her lips. "But don't worry. Cameron will get over you. He has me."

I let out a short, sharp laugh. "Good. You can have him. I don't want a man who' s a liar and a cheat."

I gestured to the dress. "In fact, you can have this, too. A little parting gift. Maybe it'll fit."

Her eyes lit up with a greedy, desperate hope. She actually took a step towards the dress, her hands outstretched as if to claim it.

I sighed. "You're pathetic. You actually think he'll marry you?"

Suddenly, Hannah' s breathing became ragged. She clutched her chest, her face turning pale. "I... I can't... breathe..."

She collapsed onto the plush carpet, her body limp.

"Hannah?" Despite everything, a flicker of alarm went through me. I moved toward her. "What's wrong?"

"Stay away from her!"

Cameron's voice boomed from the doorway. He rushed in and pushed me, hard. I stumbled backwards, my head hitting the wall.

He knelt beside Hannah, his face a picture of panic. Her lips were turning blue, but as he leaned over her, her eyes met mine one last time. They were gleaming with malicious triumph.

She gasped out, "Alicia... she told me to look at the dress... she knows... the dust... my asthma..."

Cameron's head snapped up. His eyes followed her gaze to the shimmering dress. He ran his hand over the skirt and looked at his fingers. They were covered in a fine, sparkling dust from the beading. He brought his hand to his nose and sniffed.

His eyes, when they met mine, were filled with a murderous rage.

"You did this on purpose," he hissed.

He scooped a gasping Hannah into his arms and ran out of the room, shouting for someone to call an ambulance.

I just stood there, shaking my head in disbelief. "I didn't," I whispered to the empty room. "I didn't do anything."

But he was already gone.