"Tomorrow is your wedding. If you want to save us, you have to accept it."
I could never have imagined hearing those words from my own family. I was never their favorite child, that much I knew, but this? This was unthinkable. The cold, calculated tone they used still rings in my ears. I knew I would never forget that day, nor the words that shattered my life.
But in the morning, before all this chaos tore my world apart, everything seemed perfectly normal.
My best friend, Mia, and I were walking through the university campus, discussing our plans for the remaining part of the day as our last lecture ended.
"What are your plans for today, Lily?" Mia asked, tossing her hair over her shoulder.
"We have to go back to the office," I replied, adjusting the strap of my bag. "There's still so much paperwork left to finish."
Mia groaned, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Come on! You keep talking about work. Isn't it our company? We're the bosses, Lily. We work whenever we want."
"I know you don't particularly like working and that you're only here to support me," I said, giving her a pointed look. "But if we continue with this lazy attitude, we won't achieve anything."
"Don't be such a pessimist. Our parents are rich anyway. We could literally do nothing and live in peace for the rest of our lives."
"So what?!" I snapped back, a little harder than intended. "I want to achieve everything on my own. I didn't even use a single dime of their money to start this company, and I'm not planning to start relying on them now."
"I know, I know," Mia sighed, raising her hands in defeat. "But I'm just so tired. Look, look at that cute guy over there. Why don't you go meet him? Maybe a little romance will finally give me a break from your workaholic rants."
I wasn't surprised by her comment. Mia joked about my nonexistent love life all the time. Of course, she also knew she could never actually get rid of me. I kept up my fast pace, eager to cross out everything on our daily checklist and head straight to the office.
"Where are you running to?" Mia gasped, struggling to keep up with me.
"I don't have time for your jokes today, Mia."
"I'm not joking," her tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious. "Look, I know you're dating that idiot Joel, but I don't like him at all. I suggest you get rid of him soon, before he causes you real trouble."
I didn't have the energy to argue with her about Joel. My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten all day. "Let's just get to the cafe. I'm starving."
Right then, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and stared at the screen. A text from Joel: Can we meet up?
Mia peeked over my shoulder, and a smug, "I told you so" look immediately washed over her face.
"See? I told you," she smirked. "He won't leave you alone for even a second."
"You don't leave me alone either," I countered, locking my phone.
"That's different! I'm your best friend. No, actually, we're practically sisters. I'm your older sister, which means you have to do whatever I tell you." She grabbed my arm, pulling me forward. "Come on, let's meet him. I'll prove to you today exactly why you shouldn't have anything to do with him."
I sighed, giving in. "Okay, fine. Let's go."
I texted him back immediately, sending the location and time.
There was a cozy beachside cafe near the university that we frequented. Mia and I were notorious for spending ages trying to choose what to eat, so whenever we wanted to skip the decision-making process, we always ended up there.
The weather was beautiful, though the wind blowing off the ocean carried a sharp, chilly bite. Waves crashed against the shore with a thunderous roar. Mia and I pushed open the glass door of the cafe, greeted by the large, familiar sign that read Blue Summer.
The owner smiled warmly as we walked in. "Welcome back, girls."
"Hi!" we greeted him back in unison.
We came here so often that we were practically treated like VIPs; they even kept our favorite table permanently reserved for us. To be honest, I adored this place. It sat right on the edge of the sea, and almost everything inside from the walls to the cushions was a soothing shade of blue.
Without waiting for a waiter to guide us, we walked over to our usual spot. Within a few minutes, our order was brought to the table.
"Enjoy, ladies," the waiter said with a smile. "Exactly what you always get."
"Thank you," Mia said.
"It looks delicious, thanks," I added.
However, Mia was restless. She kept tapping her fingers against the table, clearly impatient to prove her point about my boyfriend.
"He's here," she muttered suddenly, her eyes darting toward the entrance. "You'll see I'm right soon enough."
"Or it will be the other way around," I murmured, hoping to diffuse her hostility.
The bell above the door chimed, and a tall, dark-haired boy walked in. He was dressed casually in a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Mia immediately rolled her eyes. She had always despised his fashion sense.
"As always, he looks like he doesn't even know how to dress himself," Mia whispered loudly.
"Be quiet, he's going to hear you," I hissed under my breath.
"So what? I'd gladly tell it to his face. I'm only keeping it down because of you."
"I know, so please, just keep it down."
Joel approached our table. The moment his eyes landed on Mia, the smile instantly vanished from his face, though he quickly tried to mask it with a strained look.
"Hello, Lily," he said, before glancing at my friend. "Mia... I didn't know you would be here too."
"Why?" Mia asked, leaning back in her chair with a cold smile. "Did I ruin your little plans?"
Joel smiled awkwardly, clearing his throat.
"Mia," I warned, giving her a sharp look under the table. "Remember what we talked about?"
"Yes, and did you forget my answer?" she shot back.
Hoping to break the suffocating tension, I looked up at Joel. "Come join us, sit down and order something."
I tried my best to change the subject, but my efforts were completely useless. Mia had no intention of playing nice.
"Joel, don't you have anything better to do?" Mia asked, crossing her arms. "Why don't you just stay away from Lily?"
Joel's jaw tightened, his voice rising. "What kind of question is that? Why are you always so rude to me?"
"Because I don't like you," Mia said bluntly, her voice cutting through the cafe. "And I want you to leave my sister alone."
"Stop arguing, both of you," I whispered frantically, feeling the burning gaze of the surrounding tables. "Everyone is staring at us."
"I don't care," Mia insisted, glaring at Joel. "I want you to see his real face, Lily."
Unable to take the public humiliation anymore, Joel's face flushed with anger. He turned on his heel and stormed out of the cafe.
I turned to Mia, my chest tight with embarrassment and frustration. "I understand you want to protect me, Mia, but this is not the way. You treated him terribly. You humiliated him in front of all these people!"
"Why are you defending him?" Mia asked, looking genuinely offended. "I'm just trying to show you that he isn't right for you."
"But not like this! If you want to prove something, do it differently. There was absolutely no need to humiliate him."
Through the large glass window, I could see Joel pacing nervously on the sidewalk. A wave of guilt washed over me. Mia was like a sister to me, but sometimes, her brashness was entirely too much to handle. She could be incredibly brutal to others. I knew she did it out of love and protection for me, but she constantly threw me into these awkward, suffocating situations.
"I need to go to the restroom for a minute," I said, standing up. "Hopefully, by the time I get back, you'll have calmed down."
"Fine. I'm calm now," she muttered, looking away.
I walked into the restroom, splashing cold water on my face. I stared at my reflection, taking a few deep breaths to steady my racing heart before heading back out.
When I returned to the table, Joel still hadn't come back inside. I checked the window, but his pacing figure was gone.
"Did anything happen while I was gone?" I asked, sitting down.
"Nothing," Mia replied carelessly.
"Where is Joel?"
"I don't know. I'm not his babysitter."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Okay, I won't argue about this anymore. I'll just text him."
I pulled out my phone and typed rapidly: Where are you? Did you leave? I am so sorry about Mia. She's just overprotective.
My phone buzzed almost instantly. I didn't leave. How could I leave without saying goodbye to you? You shouldn't apologize for her behavior. I'll be back inside soon.
Mia glared at me as I put my phone down. "Is he gone?"
"No, he'll be back soon."
Mia checked her own phone and frowned. "Look, I can't come over to your place tonight. The girls just texted me, and we're going out. You can come too, if you want."
"No, thanks," I declined with a weak smile. "I have a mountain of work to get through for tomorrow."
"Why? Is it your wedding tomorrow or something?" Mia joked, her mood suddenly bouncing back. "Is he going to propose to you tonight? Would you even say yes?"
I chuckled, glad the tension was dissolving. "Yes, I would. Where else is he going to find a girl like me?"
"True," Mia laughed. "He'd be an absolute fool to let you go. When are you going to tell your parents about him, though?"
"Let him actually propose first, and then we'll worry about talking to them."
Mia smiled, throwing her hands up. "Well, what else can I do? I wish you guys happiness."
We both laughed, and I felt a sense of relief. I hadn't expected her mood to shift so quickly, but unfortunately, the peace was short-lived. The cafe door opened again, and Joel walked back over to our table.
"Lily," Joel said, his voice tense. "I think it's better if I leave now. I'll text you later I have something important to tell you."
"Why can't you just say it now?" Mia challenged, her voice dropping back into hostility.
"Mia! Stop," I cut her off firmly, then looked up at Joel. "Goodbye, Joel. Call me later and we'll talk."
After saying goodbye, Joel quickly left. Mia and I stayed for a while longer, eventually shifting our conversation to the company. Business had been booming lately, mostly because our agency had successfully planned the massive Hamilton party. It had been a huge hit, turning into the talk of the town. Ever since, high-profile event requests had been piling up on our desks.
"Let's talk about the rest of this tomorrow," Mia sighed, stretching her arms. "We've already discussed so much today. Even outside the office, we're still working."
"That's because you never show up to the actual meetings," I pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "This is the only way I can get you to look at the plans."
"Okay, okay, let's leave," she groaned.
"So you're really not coming to the office today?"
"We already settled everything, didn't we? Plus, I have to meet the girls and I need time to get ready."
I didn't bother arguing with her. We paid the bill and walked out to the parking lot.
"See you tomorrow," Mia said, unlocking her car. "Don't work too hard. At least try to get some rest."
"Just make sure you go home early tonight," I warned her. "I don't want to come to your house in the morning and have to drag you out of bed."
"I can't promise you anything!" she called out with a grin.
I shook my head, smiling slightly. Mia would never change. She would always prefer partying and relaxing with friends over everything else.
Waving goodbye, I got into my car and drove straight toward the office, completely unaware of how quickly my life was about to alter its course.