ALEX
She can't twist the knife so carelessly in me.
I thought everything was falling into place for us. After what happened between us, I was convinced we were meant to be together. The memory of her wrapped around me felt so divine, so right. And I know she felt it too. But the next day, something changed. She was distant—just enough to unsettle me, though I tried not to read too much into it.
Now, sitting across from her, coffee in hand, her words burn against my skin like open flames.
Dressed casually in jeans and heels, she still looks perfect—too perfect. And yet, there's pity in her eyes as she bites down on her quivering bottom lip.
"I never realized how much you sacrifice for everyone else," I say, my voice coming out harsher than I intended. I watch her flinch, and a part of me wants to reach out, to soothe the sting of my words.
Her gaze flickers around the coffee shop. It's moderately full—just enough people that causing a scene isn't an option. She clenches and unclenches her jaw, clearly uncomfortable with this conversation.
"Alex," she exhales. "I know you're upset. You're one of the few people who truly understands me, but please believe me when I say this is for the best—for both of us."
I scoff, suddenly feeling suffocated, the air thick and heavy in my lungs.
"Why now? Why are you trying to end this?"
"I tried before," she murmurs, almost to herself. "At the ball, remember? But—"
"You wound up in my bed."
Her breath hitches. "That was a mistake."
Her voice is hushed, barely audible over the low hum of the café, but the weight of her words crashes down on me. A mistake.
I look away, avoiding the truth reflected in her sepia eyes.
"Are you staying with him?" I ask, though I already know the answer. I just need to hear her say it.
She fidgets with the sugar packet on the table, her fingers restless. The urge to snatch it away just to force her to look at me nearly consumes me. But when she finally nods, my chest tightens with the words I've been holding back, the ones that feel like they could split me in two.
"Damn it, Raquel. He's cheating on you—"
"I know!" she snaps, the sharpness of her voice slicing through the tension between us. Silence swallows us both whole.
"You know?" I echo, stunned.
"I'm not stupid, Alex. He never bothered to hide it. And after what we did, I don't have the right to judge him."
"Don't," I say, shaking my head. "Don't compare yourself to him. I'll carry your sins if that's what it takes. Just leave him."
I reach for her hand, desperate to hold onto something—anything—but she pulls away, taking the warmth of her touch with her.
She glances around, unwilling to invite more speculation about us.
"I need to go." She pushes up from her seat and walks toward the door.
My limbs feel paralyzed, the weight of everything pressing down on me. Chasing after her would only cause more drama, and deep down, I know she doesn't want that. So instead, I throw a few bills onto the table and step out into the pouring rain.
The cold droplets soak through my jacket, but they do nothing to numb the ache in my chest.
Having emotions is a blaring beauty—
Until, in a flash, it's a beast taunting me.
***
Weeks pass, but it feels like years. I've been running on autopilot, caught between family issues and the uphill battle of work.
I know I sound pathetic, wallowing in this despair while she walks around unbothered. When photos of us surfaced, I finally understood why she let me go. I wasn't good for her image. The whispers in the office, the questioning stares from colleagues, even my sister—who happens to be a fan of Raquel—sat me down to ask if the rumors were true.
Derek had thrown a fit, threatening to fire me. But he didn't. Maybe she convinced him not to.
Not that it mattered. He still won. She was back in his arms, smiling for the cameras at lavish events. And now, she was marrying him.
The engagement was splashed across every magazine cover—Raquel and Derek, the picture-perfect couple. Maybe I'm bitter, but I can't shake the feeling that it's all a facade.
I had first heard the news from Derek himself when he called me into his office. He wore a smug grin as he announced that he and Raquel were getting married. And I wanted to do so many things.
Yell. Scream. Break something.
Instead, I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and forced out a single word: "Congratulations."
Congratulations for stealing the woman I love.
Despite how much it tore me apart, I convinced myself that Derek was the better choice. He had money, power—everything I lacked. She deserved a boss, not an assistant.
"Alex?" Angie's voice pulls me back to reality.
She watches me carefully, brows furrowed. We're going over the details for the engagement party—because, lucky me, I've been roped into planning the damn thing.
"Sorry, what were you saying about the band?" I ask, feigning interest.
She sets her iPad aside, clearly unconvinced. "We can take a break if you want."
"I'm fine. Let's finish this—"
"Don't lie to me," she interrupts. "You've been zoning out all night. Raquel does the same thing. It's so damn annoying."
Her name makes me flinch. Angie notices.
"How long?" she asks.
"How long what?"
"How long have you been in love with her?" she presses. "And don't you dare lie."
I let out a hollow chuckle. "Nothing gets past you, huh?"
She doesn't reply. She just waits. And for the first time in weeks, the mask I've been wearing cracks.
"You ask how long I've loved her? Maybe from the moment she tapped my shoulder. My days grew warmer. Did love fill me?"
Angie reaches out, tilting my chin up until I meet her gaze. She's smiling, but there's something knowing in her expression.
"Then why are you sitting here, planning her future with someone else?"
I exhale sharply. "She can't stand the judgment that comes with being with me. She needs someone like Derek. I'm just the help."
Angie's expression darkens. And then—
Slap.The sting spreads across my cheek, but she doesn't flinch.
"What the hell was that for?!"
"For being a coward. If you really love her, why didn't you fight for her?"
I have no answer.
She leans forward, her voice steady. "You can keep being Derek's mule, or you can be your own boss. Choose wisely, Alex."

YOU ARE READING
The One She Needed
General FictionRaquel has spent her life searching for something more-a love that isn't just fleeting moments and empty words. But every relationship has left her feeling unfulfilled, a shadow of what she truly desires. That is until one unexpected encounter chang...