Amira's POV
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I'm still processing."
Summer raised an eyebrow at me. "Uh-huh. Well, process faster because I had to cut my track time short for this. If you don't snap out of it, I'll make you do laps with me."
I groaned, not in the mood for her threats, but a tiny smile tugged at my lips. Summer was impossible, but she knew how to get a reaction out of me.
"Eat first," she ordered just as a servant walked in, carrying my reheated meal and a glass of warm milk. Summer gave me a look that dared me to refuse. "Then we can figure out what to do next. Because trust me, babe—this scandal? It's only the beginning."
I scoffed, shaking my head as I watched the endless stream of news clips about the wedding disaster. "How dare she get married to another man right on the altar? I told Jayden she was a crafty snake!" My voice rose with frustration. The audacity of that woman.
Summer let out a low chuckle, lounging beside me like she was enjoying a drama series. "This isn't Marina's fault. You should hear the whole thing before jumping to conclusions. Jayden was the one who rejected her at the altar first. She only gave him a taste of his own medicine."
I froze. My brain needed a second to catch up. "Jayden rejected her?" I repeated, as if saying it again would make it more believable. "On the altar? Why?"
Summer nodded, her voice laced with amusement as she gave me the full rundown. Every detail, every reaction. She painted a vivid picture of Jayden standing there like an idiot, only for Marina to humiliate him in return.
I barely registered the rest of Summer's words because something inside me snapped—but in the best way possible. A slow smile spread across my lips, and a warm, satisfied feeling bloomed in my chest.
Jayden and Marina were over.
"Tch!" Summer clicked her tongue at me. "I'm over here giving you top-tier gossip, and you're just sitting there daydreaming? Wow. So much for being a caring friend."
I blinked, barely snapping out of my daze before Summer suddenly shouted, "Amira!"
"What?! What happened?" I gasped, looking around in confusion, half-expecting something dramatic to have happened.
"You were zoning out while I was talking! Rude!" Summer huffed, arms crossed.
"Oops, sorry," I said, brushing her off with a wave of my hand. "I was just imagining how the whole scene must've looked. You should wait downstairs. I'm going to take a shower and change."
Summer hummed, eyeing me suspiciously but not pushing further. "Finally. I swear, being your friend is exhausting," she muttered, making her way to the door.
The moment she was gone, I grabbed my phone from the charger, my fingers moving swiftly across the screen. My mind buzzed with possibilities, ideas forming faster than I could type.
I hit send.
A sinister smirk curled on my lips.
—
The news clips kept rolling, showing different angles of the wedding fiasco—Marina standing there in her dress, Jayden's stunned expression, the gasps from the crowd, and finally, Marina walking off with another man.
I let out a slow breath, my mind already working a mile a minute.
Jayden was single again.
A slow smile crept onto my lips as I twirled a strand of my hair between my fingers. This was my chance—finally, after all these years. Marina was out of the picture, and Jayden would need someone to comfort him, to remind him that he wasn't alone.
And who better than me?
I grabbed my phone again, scrolling through my contacts until I found Jayden's number. My thumb hovered over the call button, but I hesitated. No, calling now would seem too desperate. Instead, I opened our chat.
Amira: I saw what happened… are you okay?
I stared at the message, then deleted it. Too sympathetic. I needed something casual, something that wouldn't make me seem like just another person pitying him.
Amira: Wow, Jayden. Never thought I'd see the day a wedding would turn into an action movie. You good?
I smirked, satisfied, and hit send.
Now, I just had to wait.
I tossed my phone onto the bed and got up, walking over to my vanity mirror. My reflection stared back at me—puffy eyes from crying earlier, but nothing a little makeup couldn't fix. If I was going to see Jayden soon, I had to look my best.
No. Not if. When.
I already knew he'd respond. And when he did, I'd make sure I was right where he needed me to be.
—
I paced back and forth in my room, waiting for Jayden to respond. The seconds felt like hours, and I could already feel the anticipation building. Finally, my phone buzzed, and I didn't even have to look to know who it was. I grinned as I unlocked the screen.
Jayden: Hey.
I let out a breath of relief and quickly typed back.
Amira: You okay? I was thinking maybe we could meet up. You know, just to talk about what happened. I'm sure it's a lot to process.
I hesitated for a moment, my fingers hovering over the keys. Was that too much? Too obvious? No, it sounded casual enough. He'd appreciate it, I was sure of it.
I hit send and waited.
Minutes felt like they stretched on forever. The next message came through, and I didn't even need to read it fully before a smile spread across my face.
Jayden: Yeah, that sounds good. I could use a distraction.
I felt a rush of excitement. He was agreeing. This was it—my chance to get close, to remind him of everything he'd been missing all these years.
Amira: Great. I'll meet you at your place in an hour?
A few moments later, his reply came in.
Jayden: Sounds perfect. I'll be there.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, grinning to myself. This was it. I'd make him see that I was the one he needed, the one who understood him, the one who could offer the comfort he was looking for.
I glanced at the mirror again, checking my reflection. Perfect. I would make sure he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off me.
"Let's do this," I whispered to myself, already feeling the familiar rush of determination in my chest.
I grabbed my purse and phone, heading for the door.