Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 102

**Healing Slowly But Surely**
By R. Joseph

102 Stupid Caelum, stupid Gavin.

Leilani.

1

As I slowly pivoted back to face Maya, my voice slipped out as a mere whisper, “How do you know her?”

Maya scoffed, her eyes rolling in a way that was both amusing and alarming. I had never seen her display such irritation before; it was as if she harbored a deeper disdain for Chalice than I did, and that struck me as oddly humorous. “We met once when I was out shopping for bags, and she was an absolute bitch. I swear, I would have given her a black eye if she didn’t look so much like you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, the sound escaping me like a snort. “Don’t do that!”

“Girl, just scolding her that day made me feel guilty. It was like I was scolding you!”

Tears of laughter welled up in my eyes as I recalled Maya’s fierce spirit. It was a moment of levity that momentarily pushed away the weight of the glaring triplets who were currently boring holes into the back of my head.

Amidst our chatter, we ordered food, and just as we were finishing up our desserts, a sweet, sugary vanilla scent wafted through the air, tickling my nostrils. I rolled my eyes, fully aware of what was coming.

“Yeah, right!” Maya snorted, her fork clattering onto her plate of strawberry cheesecake just as Chalice approached us.

“Hi!” Chalice greeted, her smile so forced it could have been a mask.

I turned to acknowledge her, allowing my gaze to wander over her with exaggerated scrutiny. She flinched slightly under my glare but quickly straightened herself, saying, “I spotted you from a distance, sister, and thought I’d come say hello. Who’s this pretty woman with you?”

It was the same tactic she had always employed to steal my friends when we were younger. I recalled how she had tried to befriend Agnes and failed miserably, how she had snatched Amy and Dawn from me, and then Jennifer, who tragically passed away shortly after due to mysterious circumstances.

A frown creased my forehead as I recalled those memories, and I turned to Maya, who looked ready to incinerate the entire world. Her deep scowl was unmistakable, and she didn’t bother to hide it as she turned her glare toward Chalice. “Do you have a short-term memory?”

I froze in shock. Chalice paled visibly.

“Huh?”

“Oh, I heard about your recent accident. Did you hit your head or something? Are you suffering from amnesia, or do you just plan to be stupid?” Maya asked, and I couldn’t help but let my jaw drop.

My eyes widened to the point where I thought they might pop out of my skull. But the real comedy was Chalice’s reaction. Her face flushed a bright pink, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears, making her look like a cartoon character. Her usual smug demeanor crumbled as she glared at Maya.

“Excuse me?”

I fought hard against the urge to giggle, but I lost that battle spectacularly, nearly choking on my cheesecake. After sputtering for a moment, I finally managed to speak. “What’s up, Maya? Are you feeling okay?”

Chalice interjected, her voice soft and trembling, “Have we met before? Or do you just have a personal vendetta against me?”

Maya’s gaze flicked between my face and Chalice’s, and then she scoffed again. “Oh no, honey. I don’t. You’re just not that important!” Then, turning back to me, she continued, “Is she always like this?”

I frowned, genuinely confused. “Like how?”

Maya shrugged defensively, then turned to Chalice, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I don’t know… does she always play the innocent card? Because I swear, she wasn’t this sweet with me when we crossed paths on Fifth Street!”

I chuckled at Maya’s words, choosing to remain silent because, honestly, what could I say? Chalice was a self-righteous brat who thrived on making others believe she was a delicate flower. I had grown accustomed to her antics, but clearly, Maya had not.

Chalice hastily wiped her face with the back of her hand, turning to Maya with a faux apologetic expression. She spoke softly, though her eyes darted around us, as if seeking public sympathy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t know what I’m talking about, or are you just pretending to be clueless? How can you possibly act like you don’t remember me? Me, from Fifth Street?”

“I go to Fifth Street often, so I don’t know—” Chalice began, but she was cut off by Maya, who waved her hand dismissively.

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