Wish you were mine

17. Glimmer of Fate

PENELOPE

Life has always been unpredictable for me. Just when I thought I had everything - my happily ever after within reach - fate played a cruel joke, snatching it all away. In those dark moments, when I had lost hope and all sense of purpose, life threw me a lifeline, gave me a reason to fight, and I rose like a phoenix.

But now, that clarity has faded, and everything feels like a mess again. My life is spinning out of control, tangled in emotions I can't unravel. I feel like I'm living in a delusion - that what I see, what I feel, isn't the truth. And as for the real truth? I'm not even sure what that is anymore.

I picked up my Dior lipstick, applying the final touch to complete my look, humming the tune of Flowers absentmindedly. After graduating, I can't remember the last time I felt excited for a weekend. They used to drag by in a blur of nothingness - just staying home, idle. But now, I have a job, and this week has been a whirlwind. I've spent every day sketching renovation ideas for the hotel project, and even though I've worked my fingers to the bone, I'm still nowhere near done. Tomorrow, I need to submit the rough draft, and the thought of it lingers in the back of my mind.

At least there was one silver lining this week: Sean didn't show up to the office. After our confrontation at the restaurant, the last thing I wanted was to face him. But unfortunately, I can't avoid him forever. He's my boss, and tomorrow I'll be standing in front of him, draft in hand, pretending like everything is fine.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of a familiar voice.
"Going somewhere?"

I turned to see Sophie standing in the doorway, her hair a mess from sleep, still in her nightgown. She gave me a curious glance, her blue eyes narrowing slightly as she stepped into the room.

"I am," I replied, returning my lipstick to the vanity. "I'm going to a friend's house."
Sophie walked over to the bed and sat down, crossing her legs. "Serena's, I'm guessing?"

"No," I shook my head, catching the confusion on her face. "I'm going to Madeline's. She's my new friend from work. She's been asking me to come over for a while, so we made plans for today."

"Oh," Sophie raised her eyebrows, a teasing smile on her lips. "Already making new friends at work in just one week, huh?"

I laughed softly. "What can I say? It's been a busy week."

Sophie leaned back, her smile fading a little. "So, what time will you be back?"

"Probably by evening," I said, zipping up my bag. Sophie's face fell, and I immediately felt a pang of guilt.

"What's wrong?" I asked, standing by the bed.

She sighed. "Nothing, I just thought we'd spend the day together, you know? Since Mom and Dad are on their trip, I didn't want to be alone."

I winced. I had completely forgotten that Mom and Dad were away, and now Sophie would be stuck here, alone in the big house.
"I'm sorry, Sophie. I didn't think about that."

She waved it off, giving me a small smile. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll just catch up on some work and wait for you to come back. We'll hang out tonight, okay?"

I smiled, but something in her words nagged at me. "Why don't you work on the wedding plans? It's only two months away, and Sean's probably free today, right? You two could spend some time together."

Sophie shook her head. "I've got a wedding planner handling everything, and you know Sean - he's always busy, even on weekends. I don't want to disturb him."

Her tone was casual, but it made me pause. Something about their relationship always felt a little off. They never seemed to spend any real time together. No excitement. No connection. Maybe I was overthinking it, but sometimes it felt like they were two strangers preparing for a wedding neither seemed fully invested in.