Rivals Redemption

chapter 86 : Unburdening secrets

Tina Diaz

As the engagement party went on, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Grace. She had been distant for a while now, and tonight, it was more obvious than ever. Her usual bright energy was dimmed, and even though she looked stunning in her yellow dress, there was a heaviness around her that I couldn't ignore.

I excused myself from Rowan and the group, making my way over to Grace. She was standing by herself, staring off into the distance, lost in thought. My heart sank a little. This was my best friend, the one who had always been there for me, through everything. Now, it was my turn to be there for her.

"Hey," I said softly as I approached her, trying to keep my tone light.

Grace glanced at me, offering a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Hey, Tina."

I gave her a gentle nudge. "You've been quiet tonight. What's going on?"

She hesitated, her eyes flickering with something I couldn't quite place. But I wasn't going to let her brush it off. I knew her too well.

"Come on, Grace. Talk to me. I know something's up." I reached out, taking her hand in mine. "You've always been there for me and Rowan, through all our craziness. Let me be there for you now."

That seemed to break something in her. Her shoulders slumped, and she let out a shaky breath, her eyes welling up with tears. I immediately pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly as the first few tears started to fall.

"It's been so hard, Tina," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I've been dealing with so much, and I didn't know how to handle it."

I guided her to a quiet corner where we could talk, away from the noise of the party. We sat down, and I held her hand, waiting for her to open up. After a moment, she took a deep breath and started to speak, her words slow and filled with pain.

"I didn't want to tell anyone, but my business... it's been struggling. There have been issues with clients, problems with cash flow, and I've been so stressed trying to keep it all together." She wiped at her eyes, but the tears kept coming. "I tried to manage it on my own, thinking I could fix everything, but it just kept getting worse. And the more I tried to deal with it, the more I pulled away from Nash."

She paused, her lips trembling as she continued. "He was so supportive, always there for me, but I... I didn't want him to see me like this. I didn't want him to see how much I was failing. So I pushed him away, thinking I was protecting him, but I was just making things worse."

I squeezed her hand, my heart breaking for her. "Grace, why didn't you tell me? You didn't have to go through this alone."

She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "I didn't want to be a burden. I didn't want anyone to know how bad things were."

Her voice wavered as she spoke, and I could see the weight she had been carrying all this time. It wasn't just about her business-it was about how she had internalized all that pressure and let it affect everything in her life, including her relationship with Nash.

"And then, it just... it all fell apart. Nash kept asking what was wrong, and I kept pushing him away until he couldn't take it anymore. We fought, and I said things I didn't mean. And then we broke up." She broke into sobs, and I wrapped my arms around her again, comforting her as she cried into my shoulder.

"It wasn't just about the business, Tina. I was dealing with so much... depression, anxiety, feeling like I wasn't enough. And instead of leaning on Nash, I shut him out. I thought I could handle it on my own, but I couldn't. I was drowning, and I didn't even realize it."

I held her tightly, letting her cry out all the pain she had been holding in. "Grace, I'm so sorry you've been going through this. But you're not alone anymore, okay? I'm here, and I know Nash would be too if you gave him the chance."

She shook her head, wiping at her eyes. "It's too late. I pushed him away, and now he's gone."

"No, it's not too late," I said firmly. "He still loves you, Grace. You know that. You guys just need to talk, to work through this together. You don't have to fix everything on your own. Let him in."

She sniffled, her expression softening as she considered my words. "You really think we can fix this?"

I nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "I know you can. You just have to be honest with him, let him see the real you-the strong, beautiful, brilliant woman I know you are. He loves you for you, Grace, not for your success or your business. He just wants you."

Grace wiped at her tears again, looking a little more hopeful. "Thank you, Tina. I don't know what I'd do without you."

I smiled, squeezing her hand again. "That's what best friends are for, right? You've been there for me so many times. It's my turn to be here for you."

We sat there for a while longer, just talking, with Grace slowly opening up more about everything she had been dealing with. I could see how much she had been hurting, but I also knew she was strong enough to get through this. And I'd be there, every step of the way, just like she had always been there for me.

By the time we went back to the party, Grace looked a little lighter, like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. I hoped that now, with everything out in the open, she could start healing-and maybe, just maybe, things between her and Nash could be repaired too.