Ember's POV
My phone buzzed unexpectedly, lighting up with a message from Damian.
Damian: Hey Ember, how are you? I arranged a small get-together with our old friends in the village today. Can you join us?
I stared at the screen for a moment, my chest tightening.
Did I really belong there anymore? After everything that happened?
I took a deep breath and replied.
Me: Damian… you know what my image is now. I don't want to make things awkward for anyone.
Within seconds, his reply popped up.
Damian: Don't worry. I'll handle it. You're still you, Ember. And we all miss you. I'll come pick you up in the evening.
I hesitated… then typed:
Me: Okay. I'll come.
A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
Maybe for a few hours, I could pretend to be the old Ember again—the girl who hadn't been dragged into a scandal, who hadn't lost her scholarship or her foster home, who hadn't been married to a man still in love with someone else.
Just Ember
By the time evening rolled around, I stood by the entrance of the apartment building, hands tucked nervously into my jacket pockets. My heart pounded at the thought of seeing everyone again—after everything.
A black car pulled up, and the door opened.
"Hey," Damian said with a warm smile, stepping out. "You look… good."
I gave a shy smile back. "I feel nervous."
"Don't be. They're excited to see you."
The ride to the village felt like a blur. Familiar streets passed by, carrying whispers of a time when life was simpler. I wasn't the same girl anymore, but part of me hoped they'd still remember her.
We reached the small community hall where we used to gather. Laughter and chatter spilled from the open windows. As I stepped in beside Damian, heads turned—then silence.
My chest tightened. I was ready to turn and run… but then one of the girls, Mia, smiled.
"Ember!" she called out, rushing toward me. "Oh my god, you actually came!"
And just like that, the tension broke.
They pulled me in for hugs, asking questions, catching me up. For a moment, it was like the scandal, the marriage, the pain—none of it existed.
But deep down, I knew it did.
I laughed with them. I smiled. I ate the food Mia had made and let myself enjoy it. But I also noticed the occasional whisper, the quick glances when they thought I wasn't looking.
Across the room, Trisha, the same girl who had always given me judgmental side-eyes in school, leaned casually against the wall with a drink in hand. Her arms were folded, and her expression screamed fake sweetness.
"Well, well," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear, her eyes locked on me. "Look at the cute little homewrecker gracing us with her presence tonight."
The room fell quiet in an instant. Conversations halted. Eyes turned.
I froze where I stood, a hollow ache blooming in my chest.
Trisha sauntered closer, her voice laced with venom and amusement. "Thanks for breaking up Ethan and Veronica, Ember. Really. Now that he's single again, maybe I can shoot my shot. At least I know where I belong."
"Trisha," Damian said sharply, stepping beside me, his eyes cold.
"It's fine," I muttered quickly, forcing a brittle smile. "She's not worth it."
But inside, I was crumbling.
Her words weren't new, but hearing them out loud, in front of so many people, pierced deeper than I expected. Was I really the villain in their love story? The girl who ruined everything?
Trisha smirked, satisfied, and walked off, her heels clicking like punctuation marks to her cruelty.
I turned away, head spinning. My throat burned. I reached for a drink on the nearby table and swallowed without hesitation.
"Ember, stop," Damian said, grabbing my wrist gently but firmly. "That's enough. Let's go home."
I looked at him, eyes stinging, voice hollow. "Why does it feel like I don't belong anywhere anymore?"
"You do," he whispered. "But not here. Not around people like her."
I nodded weakly.
It was time to go.