Chapter 65 Friendship on the Brink
It was that time of the month for Ophelia, and the cramps left her feeling lethargic and drained. She stayed indoors, not venturing out.
After a call with Magnus, she dove right back into her job search, casting a wider net in hopes of better odds. She couldn't afford to be out of work for long—the meager funds in her account were dwindling, and rent was due next month.
When it came down to the necessities of life, all the petty frivolities paled in comparison.
Ophelia was scrolling through job listings when one in particular caught her eye—a promising position in Parks Corporation's planning department, complete with a generous salary package. Parks Corporation was a top-tier company in A City, spearheaded by the formidable and respected Chairwoman Dovie Parks. Ophelia had once seen her photo online and felt an immediate warmth toward her.
With a sense of hopeful anticipation, Ophelia sent her resume their way. Right as she hit submit, the doorbell rang.
Rising from the couch, she went to answer the door and found Seraphina looking worriedly at her.
"Ophelia, did you have a miscarriage? How are you feeling? How could it happen so suddenly? Don’t be sad."
Ophelia’s mind raced. "Who told you I had a miscarriage? Did Magnus call you?"
"Yeah, he asked me to look after you while he's away on business." Seraphina's concern was palpable. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Ophelia replied curtly, turning back to the sofa and her computer, giving Seraphina the cold shoulder.
Deep down, accepting the fact that Seraphina was Finnegan's girlfriend wasn't an easy pill for Ophelia to swallow.
"If you're hurting, just cry it out, Ophelia. You'll feel better," Seraphina said, oozing insincere concern.
Focused on her screen, Ophelia responded indifferently. "I’m doing just fine..."
"How can you be fine after a miscarriage?" Seraphina tugged gently at Ophelia's hand, her voice softening. "Ophelia, are you still mad at me?"
"There was no miscarriage. The hospital made a mistake. I wasn't even pregnant," Ophelia took a deep breath to calm her mind before facing Seraphina. "At first, I was mad, mad that you kept secrets from me. But then I realized, everyone has a right to their own privacy, and what they share is really up to them."
Seraphina's shock was evident. "You weren't pregnant?"
She had thought the abortion pill she tampered with had taken effect, but it turned out that Ophelia wasn't even pregnant to begin with.
Ophelia nodded solemnly, "No, I wasn't pregnant and I'm fine. You can go back. I don't need any help."
Ophelia preferred to keep her distance from Seraphina. Solitude was her only desire at the moment.
"Ophelia, don't be like that," Seraphina said, noticing the shift in Ophelia's demeanor. She had wanted to cut ties with Ophelia but now felt unsettled by her coldness. Panic set in. "I didn't mean to keep things from you. Please, don't be angry."
"I told you, I'm not angry anymore," said Ophelia, moving Seraphina's hand aside with a cool tone and a reasonable attitude. "Seraphina, don't think I'm meddling or that I'm jealous or anything. You’re free to take my advice or to just ignore it. Just be careful with Finnegan."
Ophelia had phrased it gently. She did not relay Caspian's exact words to avoid upsetting Seraphina.
Despite being best friends, there were unspoken rules about not meddling too much with a friend's boyfriend, regardless of whether he was right or wrong, good or bad. Otherwise, no matter the outcome, she would only have herself to blame.
She hadn't known Finnegan was Seraphina's boyfriend and, out of concern, had offered advice which nearly ended their friendship. Therefore, Ophelia chose to stay silent.
Seraphina's discomfort was palpable upon hearing this, and her expression soured. "What, you think I'm not good enough for Finnegan? You don’t think we’ll last?"
Ophelia, already grappling with the emotional toll of her menstrual cycle and the stress of recent events, had little patience for Seraphina's passive-aggressive remarks.
Ophelia fired back with a question that cut to the quick, "Don't you know deep down whether you're worthy or not?"
That was a bit too blunt for Seraphina to take. A flush of embarrassment spread across her face as she confronted Ophelia. "Ophelia, I thought we were friends. Why aren’t you happy for me? Why would you say something like that?"
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