Fall fell

BENEATH THE SURFACE

                       CHAPTER FOUR

Mai took a deep breath, composing herself before explaining the situation to Angela and Coco. "Sophia was a client of mine, a few years ago. We...worked together on one of her  project, and I thought we had a good friendly and professional relationship because she always call me  to take photos of her art works."

Angela leaned in, her voice soft. "What happened, Mai? You seem really shaken up."

Mai hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. Her voice cracked as she revealed the painful truth.
"Sophia...she cheated with my fiancé. They had an affair, behind my back. I trusted her, and I trusted him...and they betrayed that trust."

Coco's eyes widened in shock, while Angela's face contorted in empathy. "Mai, I'm so sorry," Angela whispered, pulling Mai into a hug. "That must have been incredibly painful for you."

Mai nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "It was like my world came crashing down. I thought I knew these people, but I didn't know them at all."

Coco's expression turned fierce. "That's disgusting.

Mai pulled back from Angela's hug, wiping away tears. "It's not just Sophia. My fiancé...he's the one who broke my trust. Sophia was just a symptom of a larger problem."

The three friends sat in silence for a moment, processing the weight of Mai's revelation. Finally, Angela spoke up, her voice firm. "We're here for you Mai, ok.?

Mai's eyes widened in shock as she revealed another layer of the complicated situation. "I didn't know...I didn't know my fiancé was Sophia's ex-boyfriend. They never told me. I had no idea they had a history together."

Coco's jaw dropped. "That's twisted."

"How did you find out all about this Mai"? Angela asked as she placed a comforting hand on Mai's arm.

Mai's voice trembled as she continued her story. "I found out the truth at a party...a party we all attended. I saw them together, talking and whispering. I thought it was just a friendly conversation, but then I saw the way they looked at each other...the way they touched each other's arms."

I tried to brush it off, to tell myself I was just being paranoid...but deep down, I knew something was wrong."

Angela's expression turned sympathetic. "Then what happened?"

Mai took a deep breath, her voice trailed off, her eyes clouding over with a mix of confusion and concern. "And then, just a few minutes later, they both disappeared out of thin air. I couldn't find them anywhere. I looked for them everywhere, but they were gone."

Coco's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Disappeared? What do you mean?"

Mai's hands fluttered helplessly. "I thought maybe they had stepped outside for some fresh air or something, but they never came back."

Angela's expression turned skeptical. "That's weird. Did you ask anyone if they had seen them?"

Mai nodded vigorously. "Yes, I asked some of her colleagues she introduced to me and everyone, but no one had seen them.

So just before the party ended I went to the restroom to collect myself and I caught them kissing
They didn't even notice me at first, they were so caught up in each other."

Coco's eyes widened in outrage. "That's disgusting! In a public bathroom?"

Mai nodded, her face twisted in pain. "Yes. It was like they didn't care who saw them, like they were taunting me. I felt like I was going to vomit."