Chapter 347 Betrayal
"If you're so confident, why act all shady? I'm an adult now; your little games won't work on me. But hey, there's something I wanna say. You wanna hear it?"
"Just spit it out," Jenny snapped, looking all pissed.
I said, "Look, you've got the whole package—family, looks, education, the works. But you still don't get that you can't force everything. Brad and I go way back, like over twenty years. Even if he doesn't end up with me, it sure as hell won't be you. So, stop wasting your time. The world's huge; plenty of fish in the sea. Why make it hard on yourself? Focus on stuff that's worth it."
"Shut up." Jenny cut me off, her face twisted with anger. "I know what I'm doing. I don't need your fake concern. Don't think I can't see you're just showing off. Just wait, I'll succeed, and you'll regret it."
Then Jenny angrily wheeled herself away.
I watched her go, feeling the urge to drag her back and knock some sense into her.
I thought, 'How can someone so wrong be so damn self-righteous?'
I stared at her retreating figure, feeling even more uneasy.
If Zoe was a troublemaker back then, Jenny was a whole new level of scary. She had brains, a strong background, and wasn't afraid to use any trick in the book to mess with me.
Jenny would do anything for Brad, but I didn't get it. What's the point of stealing a love that was never hers? Didn't she know that what she could steal could be stolen from her too?
I didn't know how long I stood there until my phone rang, snapping me back to reality.
Brad was worried since I'd been gone a while and hadn't come back, so he called to check on me.
"I'm at the botanical garden," I said, feeling completely drained.
"Okay, I'll come get you. Hang tight," Brad replied.
In less than three minutes, Brad's tall figure came into view.
"What happened? You look awful." Brad patted my face and gently pinched it. Sensing something was off, he kissed my forehead, his warm breath brushing against my skin. "Smile."
"I saw Jenny," I said.
"Jenny?" Brad looked around, surprised. "She's here too? How come I didn't see her?"
"She met with Rafael, planning to team up against us," I explained.
Brad's eyes turned cold. "Don't worry; I'll protect you. Nothing's gonna happen. Tell me, what did you hear?"
I mimicked the conversation between Rafael and Jenny.
Brad frowned deeply, his eyes flashing with anger. "She really thinks she can do whatever she wants with some cash. She's asking for trouble."
"Brad, guess what she wanted you to do that day?" I asked.
Brad thought for a moment, then took my hand and led me out of the botanical garden. "Whatever it is, if it goes against my principles, it's not happening. I know what I'm doing. Leave it to me; don't worry."
When it was gift time, Rafael popped up again, saying Brad's gift was from Brad and couldn't count as mine. He insisted I had to give him a separate present.
Brad, using his height to his advantage, pushed Rafael's head away and declared that we were a package deal, so no separate gifts were needed. He told Rafael to stop dreaming and scram.
Rafael started hopping around like a monkey again. But now, he just looked like a kid throwing a tantrum—kinda cute, actually.
After the birthday party wrapped up, Brad and I said our goodbyes to Professor Evans and Sofia. We planned to hit the supermarket for some essentials and then head home to chill.
After leaving the supermarket, I loaded the car with our stuff, and Brad took me to a nearby plaza to shop for clothes.
We'd only walked a few steps when we saw a couple about 30 feet away, struggling with each other.
The guy seemed to be trying to hold the woman, who looked drunk and was flailing her limbs at him. We were too far to hear clearly, but it sounded like she was yelling about not being loved anymore and lies and stuff.
By the time we got closer, the guy had finally managed to hold her tightly. She calmed down, like a little rabbit, crying in his arms.
The guy let out a long sigh of relief, a smile forming at the corner of his lips, his eyes soft behind his glasses.
As we walked past, the guy's face turned towards me.
It was him! My heart skipped a beat, making me freeze.
"What's up? You know those two?" Brad asked quietly.
"That guy looks like Amelia's boyfriend, Ryan," I said.
Brad raised an eyebrow, turning back for a better look. "It really is him. What's he doing here, and who's that woman? They seem pretty close."
I wanted to know too.
When I looked back again, they were already kissing passionately.
My anger flared up. No wonder Ryan was so cold with Amelia; he was into someone else. He actually came to meet another woman behind Amelia's back.
I rolled up my sleeves, ready to charge back and demand an explanation. I couldn't just stand by while my good friend got betrayed by her boyfriend.
I thought, 'Bad boy, you're in for a treat.'
Brad didn't give me a chance to act, grabbing my collar and pulling me back. "What are you doing?"
I angrily pulled my collar free, pushing his hand away. "He's betraying Amelia; I need to ask him why he's treating her like this."
Brad said, "Don't be impulsive. How long has it been since you last saw Amelia? What if they have broken up? If they did, wouldn't you be misunderstanding?"
I was shocked. "Then what should I do?"
Brad said, "First, let's find out the situation. Relationship issues are best resolved between the two people involved. Having an outsider interfere might make things worse."
We'd already walked quite a distance. When I looked back again, their kiss had ended, and they were gazing at each other affectionately. Ryan said something, making the woman smile shyly through her tears.
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