Hour Before Wedding, Bride Gets Anonymous Letter with Her Groom's Secret Photos Inside – Story of the Day

I was the happiest bride alive when I received an anonymous envelope with proof that my fiancé was cheating on me. Private photos of Kevin lying naked with a woman in our favorite hotel room ripped my heart. I loved him and didn't want to believe it. So I stormed there to find out.

Warm rays of the morning sun slanted through the sheer curtains, painting golden stripes across the plush white carpet. Every detail in my dressing room shimmered with anticipation.

The dress hanging on the door, its lilac folds catching the light like a blooming flower... the silver jewelry laid out on the vanity, sparkling like dewdrops... my reflection in the mirror, hair a cloud of artfully tousled curls, lips stained a soft pink that promised "happily ever after."

Today was the day. My dream was just 60 minutes away from coming true. The culmination of years of whispered dreams, stolen kisses, and whispered promises. Today, I'd say yes to Kevin, the man who held my heart in his hands… the love of my life behind my smiles and joy.

A nervous flutter danced in my stomach as I hummed along to the birdsong outside my window. I reached for the silver locket around my neck, its engraved inscription, "Always & forever," a silent vow between us.

Suddenly, a sharp tap on the door shattered the serenity...

"Just a sec!" I called out, the locket slipping back under my dress. My fingers trembled as I smoothed down the wrinkles on my silk robe. Sherin, my best friend who was helping me with the makeup, peeked in, her usually bright eyes shadowed with concern.

"Do you like it?" she asked, her voice carefree yet concerned hinting at the final touchup before she marched to the door to answer it.

"Perfect," I replied, admiring myself in the mirror. "I just love it, darling! Now all I gotta do is just prep for my grand entrance."

"Avril, there's no one out there. But... I found this..." she held out an envelope, its stark white contrasting with the vibrant colors of my room. "This just came under the door. Addressed to you."

My smile faltered. An envelope, unexpected and unwelcome, felt like a discordant note in the symphony of my perfect day. Hesitantly, I took it, my fingers brushing against Sherin's cold skin.

A jolt of unease shot through me, like a premonition of something off-key.

"Who could it be from?" I mumbled, my voice tight as I flipped the neatly-sealed envelope.

Sherin shrugged, her gaze lingering on the envelope for a beat too long. "Maybe a last-minute well-wisher?"

With a shaky breath, I nodded and tore open the seal. The crisp white paper unfolded, revealing a cascade of photographs. My breath hitched as my eyes scanned the pictures.

There he was—Kevin, my Kevin—laughing, arms wrapped around a woman... both of them naked. Wrapped in each other's arms in a compromising pose in the very same hotel room where Kevin and I had shared countless stolen moments.

The locket felt heavy against my chest, its inscription now a cruel mockery. The air seemed to thin, the colors in the room leaching away, replaced by a chilling grayscale.

My perfect day had untangled, thread by thread, leaving behind a gaping hole of betrayal and heartbreak I couldn't bear.

"Avril?" Sherin's voice, distant and muffled, barely registered. "Avril, what is it? Everything okay?"

Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring the image of Kevin's infidelity. Shame and anger warred within me, threatening to consume me whole.

At that moment, surrounded by the remnants of my shattered dreams, I knew one thing for sure: this wasn't the ending I'd envisioned. This was just the beginning. And I was not going to let this end this way.

The chair legs scraped against the hardwood floor as I collapsed onto it, the envelope forgotten in my trembling hands.

Tears burned trails down my flushed cheeks, mixing with the now-smudged mascara. More private photos tumbled out, each one a fresh shard of betrayal piercing my heart.

They kissed—mouths locked, eyes half-closed in a shared world I wasn't part of.

The backdrop screamed familiarity—the ornate balcony railing, the bougainvillea spilling over the trellis, the very same hotel room where Kevin and I had whispered sweet nothings under starlit skies. Where we made countless love and exchanged promises of togetherness.

"This is where your fiancé is right now," an anonymous note mocked, its black letters stark against the white paper. My fingers traced the words, the irony cold and bitter on my skin.

Who sent this? How did they know? But those questions faded beside the one echoing in the cavernous silence of my heart—Why? And how long has Kevin been cheating on me?

Sherin knelt beside me, her hand reaching out hesitantly. It landed on my shoulder, a gesture meant to comfort me, but the weight of it felt like an anchor dragging me further down.

I flinched and kicked off the pristine white wedding shoes like shedding unwanted skin. They landed abandoned next to the white wedding gown that now seemed grotesquely out of place.

Everything... every single thing about my dream wedding turned into a nightmare.

"Avril?" Sherin jolted me, her voice laced with concern and something else. Pity? I couldn't bear it. This wasn't how my day was supposed to start. This wasn't how my life was supposed to be. I was beyond shaken. Beyond broken.

"I need to breathe…" I choked out, pushing past her and stumbling towards the door. Fresh air, cool and unforgiving, slapped me in the face as I stepped out onto the balcony. The scent of jasmine from the garden below couldn't mask the nauseating smell of betrayal.

"Avril, wait!" Sherin called after me, but I didn't stop. I needed to move, to escape the suffocating confines of my soon-to-be-broken dreams.

In a blur, I traded my elegant heels for a pair of worn sneakers, the familiar comfort grounding me for a fleeting moment as I raced out in my silk robe over my lace lingerie.

"Where are you going?" Sherin persisted, her voice closer now. I turned, my gaze meeting hers.

"To see him," I rasped, my voice thick with unshed tears and a rising tide of anger. "To ask him why."

Sherin's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes widening in fear and understanding. "No, Avril, you can't just..."

But I was already moving, past her pleas and the doubts gnawing at the edges of my resolve. I had to see him. I had to confront the man who shattered my carefully built world. Who stabbed me in my heart.

The address of the hotel we frequented burned in my mind, fueled by a cocktail of hurt and fury. My perfect day was gone, replaced by a burning need for answers and justice.

A tiny part of me, a part clinging desperately to hope, whispered that this was some elaborate scheme, a malicious prank designed to sabotage our wedding. It sounded like something out of a dark horror movie, yet here I was, living a nightmare far worse than any fiction.

My legs pumped, propelled by anxiety. The pavement blurred beneath my sneakers, the city noises washing over me in a wave of indifference.

An approaching taxi held me in place as I waved my hand. I got in and as the taxi hurried away to the hotel, each picture of Kevin and his 'new' love, each accusatory detail, replayed in my mind like a broken record, carving deeper into the raw wound in my chest.

The hotel loomed ahead, its opulent facade filling up my teary eyes. With a steeled resolve, I stared at the entrance, ready to face Kevin and demand the answers I craved, even if they were the ones I most feared to hear.

The taxi screeched to a halt, jolting me back to the harsh reality of my unrehearsed expedition. I stumbled out, my robe fluttering around my legs, the expensive lace digging into my skin with painful irony.

The receptionist's smile seemed mocking, deepening the churning pit in my stomach.

Taking the elevator to the fifth floor, I punched in the familiar digit—5—to take me up to our favorite suite in Hotel Grande Oasis.

Each floor announcement echoed my rising anxiety. Stepping out, the hallway was eerily quiet, the plush carpeting muffled my frantic breaths.

Then, a familiar sound from room number 709 pierced the silence—laughter. Light, carefree, distinctly Kevin's, especially when indulging in playful romance.

Panic clawed at my throat. A woman's giggle joined in, light and airy, weaving a mosaic of betrayal that choked the air from my lungs.

Without a second thought, I slammed my fist against the door across the hall, the thud reverberating through the silence. It burst open, revealing a scene ripped straight from my worst nightmare.

Kevin, face pale and in his gray underwear, stared at me in stunned disbelief. He moved instinctively, a shield against the woman behind him.

"Avril, what... what are you doing here?"

"Really, Kevin?" I spat, my voice hoarse, raw with emotion. "What are YOU doing here? And… and who is SHE? What is she doing here with you?"

Both of them were in their undergarments. Their clothes were strewn on the floor. He needn't explain. It was obvious. My heart cracked as I watched the woman quickly slip into a dress.

His words, when they came, were like punches to the gut. "I'm sorry, Avril. Nora… she's my first love. We reconnected." His gaze flickered nervously to the woman huddled behind him.

Tears, frozen in my eyes, suddenly overflowed, blurring the scene. "Your first love?" I choked out, the words laced with bitter humor. "Convenient timing, don't you think? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Avril… I… I tried to tell you everything. But—"

"But what, Kevin?" I cried.

He opened his mouth to speak again, but I cut him off, my gaze shifting to the woman, Nora. Her face, flushed with surprise, paled as our eyes met. Then, I noticed it—the unmistakable swell beneath her sundress, a polar opposite to the slender frame I remembered Kevin gushing about.

At that moment, a kaleidoscope of emotions swirled through me—betrayal, anger, grief, and a strange, unsettling envy. She was pregnant... with Kevin's baby. Happy, scared, undeniably real. The picture of their future, painted over ours in bold, bright strokes.

Is this why you decided to betray me, Kevin? What about my love? Was it a joke? Why did you play with my feelings? Why? I cried on the inside.

Silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by my labored breaths. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look at Kevin, my voice barely a whisper. "Congratulations," I rasped, the word like ashes in my mouth.

Turning away, I stumbled back towards the door, each step fueled by my growing heartbreak. It was so painful. It was only then I felt how emotions hurt more than physical wounds.

This wasn't the ending I'd envisioned, but it was an ending nonetheless. The door clicked shut behind me, a finality echoing in the silence.

As I walked away, the weight of the silk robe seemed insignificant compared to the heavy burden I carried—the shattered pieces of my heart, and the dawning realization that some love stories, no matter how beautifully written, simply weren't meant to be.

Kevin... he was not mine. The very thought of him being taken by another woman stabbed right at my heart. The elevator doors slid shut, swallowing Kevin's frantic pleas whole.

"Avril, wait... please..." he pleaded.

Each floor passed in a blur, the numbers mocking my descent into heartache as I raced out of the hotel and back to my wedding venue.

The air outside buzzed with the excited chatter of my guests. It should have been my cue, my signal to walk down the aisle with a radiant smile. The cascading carnations on the arches, lanterns strung in trees, and fairy lights appeared soul-crushing.

All I could hear was the deafening silence in my own head, punctuated only by the choked sobs escaping my lips. My silk robe, meant for pre-wedding jitters, now clung to me like a shroud, damp with tears and despair.

Concerned whispers filled the air.

Perhaps they saw the storm brewing in my eyes, the raw anguish etched on my face, and understood, in some unspoken way, that this wasn't bridezilla jitters. This was something far more profound, far more shattering.

I reached the edge of the manicured garden, the vibrant floral arch that was supposed to frame our vows looming ahead like a tormenting mockery. In one ragged breath, I ripped away the illusion, my voice raw but clear.

"This wedding is canceled!"

The announcement hung in the air, heavy and final. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by a stunned silence.

Before anyone could react, I was already turning away, the white blur of my dress a stark contrast against the lush green foliage.

My parents' voices, laced with panic and confusion, chased after me. "Avril, wait! What's going on? Where is Kevin?"

But their pleas fell on deaf ears. I didn't need their questions or their concerns. All I craved was distance, an escape from the suffocating scene that was supposed to have been the happiest day of my life.

How could Kevin do this? Where were his promises, his whispered vows, the warmth of his embrace? Was it all a lie? Did he ever truly love me?

Soon, it had been three days since my wedding was called off. Haunted memories flickered through my mind—Kevin's infectious laughter, the gentle brush of his fingertips, the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled.

Every shared moment felt like a joke, a taunt of what could have been.

"How could you do this to me, you pervert?" a sob escaped my lips, raw and uncontrolled. Despite knowing Kevin loved Nora, I yearned for him. Because my love was... true.

All I wanted was to rewind, to erase the betrayal, to run back to him and scream how much I loved him, beg him to choose me, to throw away Nora, the baby, everything.

But a sliver of logic sliced through the haze of grief. Kevin wouldn't abandon his first love so easily. I saw it in his eyes—the spark reignited, the protectiveness when he shielded Nora and her...their…child. The way he looked into my eyes and confessed his love for her.

The realization hit me like a freight train. The problem wasn't Kevin; he was only lost to a past he couldn't escape. The problem was that past. It was Nora.

She may have been his first love, but she had no business coming back into his life. She stole my fiancé and I knew I wasn't going to give up yet.

Fueled by a potent mix of scotch and simmering rage, a plan solidified in my mind.

It wouldn't be a battle fought with fists or screams, but a war waged in the shadows, a game of calculated moves. An invisible war where Nora wouldn't see the strings pulling her world apart, wouldn't understand the silent tormentor chipping away at her happiness.

A dark smile twisted my lips, a glaring contrast to the tears drying on my cheeks. As I poured another glass of scotch, the clinking ice sounded like a chilling battle cry. The war was on, and Nora wouldn't even know who her enemy was.

This wasn't about love anymore; it was about survival, about clawing my way back from the ashes, even if the path I chose was paved with darkness.

I was a mess of thoughts that night. But the one thing I knew was—the price of betrayal would be paid in full.

***

My fingers clenched the worn steering wheel, my knuckles went white as I stared at the quaint Victorian cottage bathed in the warm glow of the evening sun.

A week of following Nora, the woman who'd stolen Kevin from me, had led me here, to this seemingly idyllic life she was building in her peaceful cottage.

My heart, once burning with righteous anger, now felt heavy with a creeping unease. The very sight of Kevin and Nora together deepened my wounds, garnishing my hurt with salt and acid.

Information from a secret informer I had arranged confirmed Nora had taken out a hefty loan to open her new bakery downtown. She was an orphan, struggling on her own.

Perfect! I thought.

Each detail fueled the venomous fire of revenge in me, strengthening my mission to get Kevin back. But watching her genuine smile as she interacted with customers, a smile eerily similar to the one Kevin used to reserve for me, sent a tremor through my resolve.

Every time I saw them together, the image of their intertwined hands on the ultrasound picture burned into my memory. Their child. A grim reminder of my shattered dreams, a betrayal deeper than any I'd imagined.

I couldn't stand the joy on Kevin's face while dropping Nora off outside her bakery. My heart burned when I watched them kiss. When I saw them together.

Kevin... he was my happy place. I was supposed to have been there with him... in his heart. This heartbreak was steering out of control, so I decided to expedite my plans.

Disguised in oversized sunglasses, a garish scarf, and purposefully unflattering makeup, I'd blended into the bakery crowd for days. Witnessing Nora's routine, the casual way she left the cash register key unattended, had felt like a gift from the revenge gods.

Stealing it had been a cakewalk, almost laughable. A soap bar bearing the key's impression and a moment of opportunity, and voila, I held the key to her livelihood in my clammy hand.

A twisted pride had swelled within me then.

But was this truly what I wanted? To inflict the same pain? Would Nora's downfall bring Kevin back to me and mend the gaping hole in my heart?

But it... it's a crime. Wouldn't it just drag me further into the darkness, consuming me with negativity that wasn't me?

A car horn blared, startling me out of my reverie. Pressing the gas pedal hard, I drove to the locksmith to make the duplicate key. I threw a wad of dollars on his table and told him he's got 30 minutes.

And in just 20 minutes, the key was ready.

The dashboard clock glowed 7:45 PM as I sat in my car, the new key heavy in my pocket. Across the street, Nora's bakery buzzed with the last few customers of the day.

I watched, a silent observer, as she laughed and cradled her belly, sharing a moment of joy with a staff member. My grip tightened on the steering wheel, her happiness aggravating the turmoil within me.

As the bakery emptied, I rehearsed my next steps, the items in the backseat—gasoline, a lighter, tape—a testament to the lengths I was willing to go.

"This ends tonight," I murmured to myself, a vow whispered in the solitude of my car. Just robbing Nora had been my initial plan. But seeing her happy nudged me to add this small twist. I decided to burn down her dream—her beloved bakery.

Disguised to blend in, I stepped out, my heart a cacophony of beats, each step towards the bakery heavy with resolve and simmering rage. The plan was simple—enter, disable the cameras, and let the fire consume everything... every bit of Nora's dreams.

A young woman standing outside the cafe, unaware I was a woman, offered a fleeting distraction with a flirtatious smile. "You new around here, handsome? That's a cool leather jacket... and fedora," she flirted, trying to catch my eye.

I just nodded, my voice steady despite the chaos in my mind as I tried to hide my fine skin under the fake beard and mustache.

Nora left on cue, her departure the final piece falling into place. Watching her taxi disappear, I whispered to the night, "I'm sorry it came to this. But you left me with no choice, Nora!" My words were empty, the apology a hollow echo against the backdrop of my intentions.

"Love can drive one mad... and propel them to do the craziest of things!" I exclaimed to myself, the darkness swallowing my confession as I prepared to cross a line from which there was no return.

Silence enveloped the bakery as I watched the last worker disappear into the staff room. My heart raced, not from fear, but a twisted anticipation. I slipped inside and found refuge in the shadows of the men's toilet.

The muffled sounds of the worker's departure signaled my cue—the bakery was now under my command.

Crouched in darkness, I whispered to myself, a mantra to steel my resolve. "This is for every dream you shattered," I murmured, the words a bitter echo in the confined space.

"This is for stealing the love of my life from me, Nora."

The cash register opened with a satisfying click. I bagged all the money. I then moved methodically, splashing gasoline with a precision born of dark intent.

"No cameras will tell my tale," I chuckled, the camera lenses blinded by duct tape. "Perfect!"

As I stood at the back exit, a final glance back revealed a world about to crumble. "May your dreams rise from these ashes," I mocked, a twisted benediction for the destruction I was about to unleash.

The lighter's flame danced at my fingertips, a beacon in the darkness. With a swift motion, I sent it spiraling into the heart of the bakery.

Flames erupted, consuming everything like a voracious beast that knew no mercy. I watched, transfixed, as the embodiment of Nora's dreams became a pyre.

A perverse satisfaction filled me as I watched the flames leave destruction in their wake. "This is just the beginning," I promised the night, the fire reflecting in my eyes as I fled the scene.

But beneath the triumph, a shadow of doubt lingered—would this end Nora's world? Would it bring my Kevin running back to me?

The sun was setting when I knocked on Nora's door the following day. I could feel the weight of my intentions as she opened the door, her face a canvas of confusion and sorrow.

"Avril, what are you doing here?" Nora's voice was guarded, a hint of surprise flickering in her eyes at seeing me on her doorstep.

"I heard about the fire, Nora. I can't imagine what you must be going through." My words were smooth and rehearsed, but I made sure they dripped with a concern I didn't feel.

"How did you find me?" She was wary, yet the turmoil of her recent loss made her vulnerable.

"Does it matter? I'm here now, and I want to help." Stepping into her space, I noticed how the shadows played on her face, accentuating the mix of emotions she was trying to hide.

Nora sighed, the weight of the world seemingly on her shoulders. "It was a short circuit," she said, her voice breaking. "Everything... it's all gone. It was... it was my dream bakery. I struggled for years trying to establish it."

The thrill of her despair was a melody to my ears, but I masked my elation with a somber nod. "Oh, you poor thing! I can't bring back what you lost, Nora, but I can offer you a chance to start anew." I opened a suitcase, revealing stacks of life-changing cash.

Nora's eyes widened, a flicker of temptation passing through before she regained her composure. "Avril, I... this is too much. I can't accept this. Why are you offering me so much money?"

"Why not? Think about it. You could leave all this behind, Nora. Start fresh... without Kevin."

Her stance stiffened, and she took a step back. "Is that what this is about? You want me to leave Kevin?"

"It's the only way," I pressed, feeling the edge of desperation creeping into my voice.

Nora's expression hardened, her resolve clear. "No amount of money can make me leave the man I love, Avril. I won't be bought."

I felt the sting of rejection, my plan unraveling before my eyes. "You'll regret this," I muttered, the threat veiled thinly behind my words.

"No, Avril. The only regret I have is opening the door to you. Love isn't something you can manipulate or purchase. I pity you for not understanding that." Nora's voice was firm, her dignity intact despite her world crashing down.

As I left, the realization hit me. Money and manipulation had failed. My resolve turned darker.

If money couldn't remove Nora from the equation, perhaps there were other, more permanent solutions. My love for Kevin blinded me to the moral boundaries I was about to cross. This wasn't the end; it was a twisted new beginning.

I wouldn't let the woman who stole my man defeat me. Never. I had to think deep and hard... and come up with a plan that would end this nightmare once and for all.

***

The air was thick with the scent of desperation as I wandered through my garden, the silence haunting. My footsteps on the gravel path were the only sound, echoing the chaos of my thoughts.

"Why can't they understand? I need to be alone," I muttered to myself, replaying the conversation with my parents. They had tried to coax me back to sanity, to a life without Kevin, back in Ireland.

But how could I explain that without him, sanity felt like a distant memory? How do I make them understand that my happy place was with Kevin... in New York?

The garden, once a sanctuary shared with my man, now felt like a graveyard of our memories. The pond where we laughed, the bench where we dreamed and kissed—all taunted me with his absence.

And then, I saw them—the juicy poisonous blackberries—a dark, toxic temptation beneath the lush green leaves. My late grandma once told me that a handful of those berries could kill a whole rat! Imagine a concoction of hundreds of those wild, poisonous berries.

I knelt beside the plant, my hands trembling. "This could be it," I whispered, the idea unfurling like the very leaves that hid my solution.

The sound of a branch snapping startled me, and I spun around, my heart racing. "Who's there?" I gasped. But the garden remained silent, a silent accomplice to my dark thoughts. It was just a squirrel.

With no witness but the setting sun and the little squirrel, I donned a pair of rubber gloves and began to pick the poisonous berries. Each one felt like a step closer to reclaiming Kevin, a step further from the person I once was.

"Is this what love has turned me into?" I asked the empty garden, the question hanging in the air, unanswered. All I could see was Kevin's face flashing before my eyes. I could recall the taste of his kisses. Every little memory nudged me to pick more berries.

As the basket filled, a part of me recoiled at the enormity of my plan. Yet, the thought of having Kevin back, of erasing Nora from our lives, pushed all hesitation aside.

"I'm doing this for us, Kevin," I said, a plea to the silence, seeking forgiveness for a crime yet to be committed. The garden offered no judgment, only the echo of a heart too broken to see reason.

I hurried to the kitchen to prepare the recipe for eternal happiness. The gramophone crackled to life, filling the room with the haunting melodies of classical music, fueling my dark intentions.

As I prepared the lethal blackberry syrup, the phone call to Nora was a battle between my conscience and my vendetta. "Nora, I've been thinking... it's time we moved past all this, don't you think? Dinner at my place?" My voice was steady, but my heart was not.

Her hesitation pierced through the phone line. "Avril. How did you get my number?"

"From your bakery pics on Instagram!" I replied. "Thought we’d have dinner and… maybe get to know each other!"

"Oh, well, with Kevin away on business... I'm not sure it's a good idea," she hesitated.

I could hear the reluctance, the underlying fear. Yet, my resolve pushed me to say, "I insist, Nora. It's high time we acted like adults. I'm sorry about the other day. You know... I didn't mean to offend you. And you know what? Kevin's left his childhood photo album here. I'm sure you'd want to see how he looked when he was little!"

The silence that followed was heavy, laden with unsaid words and unhealed wounds. "Alright, Avril. I'll be there," Nora finally agreed, her voice a mix of resignation and hope.

Hanging up, the reality of what I was contemplating hit me like a physical blow. The anticipation of her arrival, the dinner setup on the terrace under the guise of reconciliation—it all felt like a meticulously planned betrayal not just to Nora, but to my very soul.

But there was no looking back now. I had gone too far to give up. The jug of mocktail infused with the toxic blackberry syrup made my heart flutter with delight. I knew every ounce of my heartbreak would end tonight.

The taxi pulled up an hour later. Nora stepped out with care. The realness of her condition, her vulnerability, it all became overwhelmingly tangible as I watched her hold her bulging belly.

The sight of her, so full of life and innocence, made me question the depth of my hatred. Could I really go through with this? Was it fair to kill her to get my love back?

Kevin! His infectious smile, his charming talks, and delicious kisses fueled my motive. I'd do anything and everything to be his again.

"You look beautiful, Nora," I found myself saying, and I meant it. There was something about her smile, a glow of genuine happiness, that reminded me of what Kevin saw in her and not in me.

The terrace was set under a sky transitioning into twilight, the city lights beginning to twinkle in the distance. We sat down to dinner, an odd sense of normalcy enveloping us as we shared stories and laughter, the breeze gently teasing the edges of her evening dress.

"It's a beautiful evening, isn't it?" Nora exclaimed, her voice light, unknowingly echoing my earlier, darker thoughts.

"It is," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper, the irony of the situation not lost on me. As I poured the mocktail from a slightly bigger jug, my hands trembled, not from the chill in the air but from the weight of my conscience.

"Here you go! Hope you like it!" I gently placed the glass on the table before grabbing another smaller jug of mocktail I'd made exclusively for me.

"This one's spiced, just the way I like it," I said, nodding towards my glass in an attempt to deflect any suspicion.

As the evening breeze whispered through the terrace, the moment hung between us, charged with an unspoken tension.

"You've outdone yourself, Avril. This setting... it's beautiful," Nora said, her gaze taking in the carefully arranged dinner, the city lights flickering like distant stars beyond us.

I forced a laugh, my heart racing. "I wanted it to be special. After all, it's not every day we get to bury the hatchet, right?"

Nora nodded, her smile gullible. "I was surprised you called. After everything that's happened..." Her voice trailed off, laden with the weight of unspoken history.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking," I said, carefully measuring my words. "Life's too short for grudges, Nora. It's time we moved past our differences."

As Nora reached for her glass, her movements deliberate, I couldn't help but watch with a mix of anticipation and dread.

"Could you pass a napkin, please? I'm always so clumsy with these things," she said, her voice laced with an innocence that belied the gravity of the moment.

"Of course," I replied, my voice steady despite the storm raging within me. I turned around and handed her a box of napkins, the irony of my thought process not escaping me.

She thanked me, her focus returning to the glass in her hand.

She raised her glass, the light catching in her eyes. "To moving forward!" she toasted, a hint of hope coloring her tone.

"To moving forward!" I echoed, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. As I sipped my mocktail, the spiced flavor a sharp contrast to the sweetness of Nora's, I watched her closely, searching for any sign of suspicion.

Nora took a sip of her drink, her expression relaxing. "This is really good, Avril. I didn't know you were such a mixologist."

"I've picked up a few tricks!" I shrugged, a mock humility masking my inner turmoil as I watched Nora down the mocktail. I drank along and upon finishing my glass, rose from my chair with a triumphant grin.

"I must confess," I began, the words recklessly tumbling from me, "the fire at your bakery was my doing."

Nora set her empty glass down, her gaze steady, unnervingly calm. My laughter, meant to be a release, felt hollow, echoing off the terrace walls.

"And to think, you walked right into my trap. You and your... your future," I said, my eyes darting to her belly.

Yet, her reaction was not what I expected. No signs of distress, no foaming, no struggle—just a serene nod that chilled me to the bone.

"Aren't you afraid?" I demanded, the thrill of my perceived triumph fading into confusion.

Nora's response was a quiet force, her indifference irking me to the core.

"Fear is a choice, Avril. And I choose not to indulge in it."

She suddenly rose, her laughter ringing out, stark and unexpected against the backdrop of the calm night. Her gaze locked onto mine, fierce and unyielding.

"You really thought you could outsmart me, Avril?" she said, her voice laced with a mix of amusement and scorn. "I had my doubts about this dinner... and you confirmed them all."

Fury boiled within me, my vision blurring at the edges. "You're too late, Nora! You've already drunk your demise!"

Her laughter, however, only grew, slicing through my anger. "Oh, Avril, your desperation is almost pitiable."

Pain lanced through my stomach, sudden and vicious, doubling me over. "What... what did you do?" I gasped, the realization dawning too late.

Nora's triumphant smile filled my eyes. "I saw through your petty games the moment you tried to bribe me in exchange for Kevin. Did you really think I'd come unprepared? I switched the mocktail glasses while you turned your back to fetch the napkins, Avril! And thanks for your little confession! Everything's recorded on my phone!"

Her words were a cold splash of reality, my plans unraveling before me. "Wha... what? You... you switched the..." I choked out, the pain intensifying.

Nora's expression softened, but her voice remained firm. "This was never a game, Avril. It's a tragedy that you couldn't see beyond your own vengeance. Your obsession. Kevin... he loves me. Not you."

As the sound of sirens grew closer, Nora's silhouette blurred into the lights of the approaching ambulance. My consciousness waned, her final words echoing in my fading awareness as I collapsed on the floor, a choking pain crawling up my gut.

***

The sterile beep of the hospital monitor pierced the silence, each pulse a grim reminder of the consequences of my actions.

Lying there, a mosaic of emotions battled within me—pain, loss, and the weight of guilt that seemed to crush my chest.

"Why are they crying?" I whispered, my voice barely a thread of sound, as I heard the muffled sobs of my parents just beyond the door.

The door creaked open, casting a sliver of dawn's light across the sterile room. The doctor, a silhouette against the brightness, approached with a gravity that immediately set my heart racing.

"Avril, you're awake. You're stable now," the doctor began, his voice a calm anchor in the storm of my thoughts. "But... there's something you need to know."

The pause, heavy and ominous, filled the room before he continued.

"You lost your baby."

A cold numbness spread through me. "I was... pregnant?" My own voice sounded foreign, detached from the whirlwind of despair that began to engulf me.

"Yes. I'm so sorry," The doctor's eyes, full of sympathy, met mine. "The police... they're here. They're talking about charges—vandalism, and attempted... harm, towards Nora and her child."

The room seemed to spin, the words hitting me like physical blows.

As the door clicked shut, leaving me alone with my thoughts, the reality of my actions settled in with crushing clarity. Not only had I sought to destroy another life, but in my blinded quest for revenge, I had unknowingly endangered my own unborn child.

The magnitude of my loss, of what I had become, was overwhelming. I was more than a villain in my own story—I was a mother who had turned my womb into my child's grave. I killed my own… baby.

Revenge, I realized, was a poison with far-reaching effects, sparing no one, least of all myself.

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On our wedding night, my husband Scott wanted to indulge in romance. But I turned him down because I was tired. He understood and kissed me goodnight. But then, I woke up to the bed shaking at midnight. I turned to my side, only to gasp at what Scott was doing on our bed. Here's my full story.

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