Chapter 4

Alena Koch POV:

Jake' s reflex to shield Britney, even at my expense, had been unnervingly swift, a deep-seated instinct. It confirmed what I already knew: I no longer loved him. The pain in my foot was searing, but the pain in my heart was a dull, numb ache. He was a broken railing on a bridge, meant to offer support but only leading to a deeper fall. I had leaned on him, and he had thrown me into the chasm.

My emotions, surprisingly, settled quickly. The Alena of old would have been shattered, crying tears of betrayal. This Alena felt a cold, quiet certainty.

Britney, still clutched by Jake, sniffled dramatically. Her eyes, red-rimmed from her performance, flickered with a fleeting, triumphant glint as she glanced at me. "Oh, Jake," she whimpered, "this is all my fault! You should have protected Alena first! You always put me first, but she' s... she' s your Alena!" Her words were saccharine, a thinly veiled attempt to both appear innocent and remind him of his loyalty to her.

"Enough, Britney," I interrupted, my voice sharp and steady, cutting through her practiced theatrics. "Save your Oscar performance. It' s not going to work on me anymore." I looked at Jake, my gaze unflinching. "This isn' t about loyalty. This is about negligence. Here' s the bill for my medical treatment, my lost wages while I recover, and a reasonable sum for pain and suffering." I extended my hand, the crumpled hospital bill a stark contrast to his pristine suit.

Britney gasped, her eyes wide, then narrowed. She bit her lip, a picture of wounded innocence, but her embarrassment was clear. Jake' s eyes, still fixed on Britney, hadn't even registered the angry red burns on my foot. He immediately bristled, stepping between us. "Alena, what are you doing? It was an accident! Britney didn' t mean it. And you' re making such a fuss over a little burn!" His words were a dismissive wave of his hand, a brush-off of my pain, a defense of his 'little sister.'

I just shrugged, a cold indifference settling over me. "Suit yourself."

Britney stared at the bill, her face a mask of mortification. "My legs are so delicate, Alena! And you used so much medicine! Are you sure this is all necessary?" she whined. "I... I need to go home to get my purse. I don' t have that much cash on me." She turned, already heading for the door.

Jake, ever the dutiful protector, immediately started after her. He glanced back, his eyes catching my bandaged foot as I shifted, wincing slightly. A flicker of something-doubt? regret?-crossed his face. He hesitated for two agonizing seconds, then turned and hurried after Britney, disappearing down the corridor.

I stayed home, nursing my burns, the physical pain a dull throb compared to the quiet ache of finality in my heart. I hadn' t seen Jake or Britney since.

A few weeks later, my foot was mostly healed. I drove to the cemetery, a bouquet of white lilies in the passenger seat, the weight of grief still heavy on my shoulders. I saw them from a distance, Jake and Britney, standing by Mom's grave, their backs to me. I considered turning around, but something primal compelled me forward. I wanted them gone.

I tried to walk past, my head held high, but Jake stepped into my path, blocking me. His face was solemn, a carefully crafted expression of remorse. "Alena," he began, his voice low, "I didn' t realize... I mean, about your mom. And everything. I never meant for things to turn out this way." His words were rote, empty.

Then he dropped the bombshell. "And about that job... the one you applied for at the research facility before I left. The one you thought you didn' t get." He paused, his gaze shifting uncomfortably. "I... I replaced your application with Britney' s. She really needed it, Alena. And I always knew you' d find something better. You' re so smart."

My heart squeezed tight, a sickening realization dawning on me. My breath hitched. This was it. The missing piece of the puzzle. The reason I' d never gotten a call back from my dream job, the one I had worked so hard for, the one I had poured my soul into. "You did what?" I hissed, my voice barely a whisper, then rising to a furious roar. "My dream job? The one I worked sleepless nights for? The one for which I moved cities? You gave it to Britney?" I couldn't believe the audacity, the casual cruelty. "How could you? I trusted you, Jake! I believed in you!"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, his eyes avoiding mine. "Alena, please. Britney was so fragile then. She was going through a tough time. She needed a fresh start. And I just thought... you, you would always land on your feet. You're strong. You' d find something better." His words, soaked in self-justification, were a bitter mockery.