Double Deception

Chapter 3: A Web of Doubts

The unease that had taken root in my mind only grew in the days following my encounter with Emma at the coffee shop. Every interaction with Emily now felt slightly strained, as if I was scrutinizing her every word, every gesture, searching for cracks in the story she'd told me.

One evening, we were sitting in her living room, eating takeout and talking about her family.

"So," I said, trying to sound casual, "why didn't you ever tell me about Emma before the BBQ?"

Emily paused mid-bite, her chopsticks hovering in the air. "Oh, I guess it just never came up," she said lightly. "Emma and I weren't very close growing up, and she's been away for so long..."

Her explanation sounded reasonable enough, but something about her tone felt rehearsed.

"But she seems to know a lot about me," I pressed. "And about us."

Emily shrugged, her eyes flicking to the TV. "I've told her a little. I mean, she's my sister. Of course, she's curious about my life."

Her response didn't satisfy me, but I let it drop.

Emma's Flirtatious Texts

That night, as I lay in bed scrolling through my phone, another text from the unknown number popped up:
"Can't stop thinking about you. ;)"

My stomach twisted. I knew it was Emma.

I debated ignoring it, but curiosity got the better of me.
"Who is this?" I typed back.

The reply came almost instantly:
"You know who it is. Don't play coy."

I stared at the screen, my pulse racing.
"Emma, this needs to stop. It's inappropriate."

Her response was immediate:
"What's inappropriate about a little harmless fun? Or are you afraid you might enjoy it?"

I set the phone down, my head spinning. What was her endgame? Why was she doing this? And more importantly, why did she seem so confident that I wouldn't tell Emily?

Observing the Inconsistencies

The next morning, I decided to confront Emily about Emma's behavior, but before I could bring it up, she surprised me with a question of her own.

"Do you think Emma's... difficult to be around?" she asked, her tone tentative.

I hesitated. "Why do you ask?"

"She just seems to rub people the wrong way sometimes," Emily said, her brow furrowed. "I've noticed it at family events. Some of my relatives don't even talk to her anymore."

This was news to me. At the BBQ, Emma had seemed to get along with everyone.

"She didn't seem difficult to me," I said cautiously.

Emily sighed. "Maybe it's just me. We've always had this... complicated relationship."

I wanted to press further, but something in her demeanor told me not to push too hard.

Later that day, as I cleaned up around the apartment, I found a small stack of old photos tucked into a drawer in Emily's desk. Most were of her as a child, but one photo caught my eye.

It was of Emily and another girl who looked exactly like her, sitting side by side on a swing set. The girl had a scrape on her knee, and Emily had her arm around her protectively.

At first, I thought it must be Emma. But as I looked closer, I noticed something strange: there was no scar on the girl's left wrist—the scar that both Emily and Emma now shared.

A chill ran down my spine. If that wasn't Emma, then who was it? And how had Emma gotten the same scar as Emily?

Emma's Escalation

That evening, another text came through:
"You can't avoid me forever."

I decided to test the waters.
"Why are you doing this?"

Her response was cryptic:
"Because you deserve the truth."

The truth. The word echoed in my mind. Was she implying that Emily was hiding something from me? Or was this just another one of her games?

I didn't reply, but her words lingered. Whatever game Emma was playing, it was clear that she wasn't going to stop until I figured out what was really going on.

That night, as I lay awake beside Emily, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was caught in a web of deception—one that was growing more tangled with each passing day.