𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫 | 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐢

It's Going Down

It was the night of the rehearsal dinner.

I stood there with my mouth agape as Veronica dropped a bombshell on everyone.

"Cheryl and Toni are having an affair!"

A chorus of gasps and murmurs erupted from the crowd.

Cheryl grabbed the microphone from Veronica's hand and whispered to her sharply, "What're you doing?"

Mr. Blossom huffed. "Cheryl, this is not Blossom behaviour."

"It's not surprising." Mr. Lodge grumbled. "Women have a knack for getting involved where they don't belong."

I looked around helplessly, feeling like the walls were spinning around me as I tried to keep up. Before I could stop myself I blurted out, "But Veronica is sleeping with Jason!"

Mrs. Blossom shrieked. "Oh my!"

"That explains the hickey, at least." Mateo pointed out.

Veronica scrambled to cover her throat as Cheryl whipped her head around to glare at her brother.

"Is it true? After everything we've been through?"

Jason raised a hand to rub the back of his neck somewhat awkwardly. "Well, I-"

"Wait, Cheryl drove me into the arms of another! None of this is my fault!" Veronica retorted.

"Poor thing." I heard someone in the crowd say.

I rolled my eyes. "Please, stop lying. You're as much to blame here as anyone else. And no one drove you to cheat, you did that all by yourself."

"As did you." She crossed her arms with a satisfied smirk.

"Sounds like Toni's the homewrecker." A guest said to another.

"Leave Toni alone!" Cheryl yelled. "She wasn't the one who betrayed Veronica. I am."

Suddenly a white flash from the other side of the room blinded me briefly. I looked around frantically for the source.

"What was that?"

The wedding photographer nearby lowered her camera with a shrug. "Sorry, but I can make way more off these pictures than what I'm getting paid for the wedding."

Mr. Blossom grew furious. "I don't think so. Hand over the camera before I call security."

"Why? Don't want your daughter exposed for the cheater she is?" Mr. Lodge challenged.

Everyone started shoving and bickering. I got jostled in the crowd, being pushed towards the back.

"Cheryl?" I called out.

Cheryl's eyes filled with fear as they landed on me. "Toni!"

Somehow through the chaos, the two of us stood on opposite sides of the table from each other.

Just as the din reached a fever pitch, I felt someone tug on my arm from behind. I spinned and stumbled against Marcus' chest.

He held me close. "I got you, Ms. Topaz."

I smiled gratefully. "Marcus! Thank god!"

"Come, let's get you out of here. This bedlam is no place for a lady."

"What about?" I looked over my shoulder but couldn't see Cheryl through the crowd anymore. "Never mind."

Marcus nodded and we made our way towards the exit.

I locked my door as soon as I got back to the villa. Immediately collapsing on the bed and putting in my earplugs, pretty sure I didn't want to hear if anyone knocked on the door.. or worse, if no one did.