Once Tethered, Now Free

I stood frozen outside the private room of penthouse, my hands trembling around the Ferrari keys I'd planned to surprise Ken with. nine years of love, of building a future together, crashed around me like shattered glass.

"How much longer are you going to string Giggy along?" A deep voice cut through the door.

My heart stopped at the sound of my name. The Ferrari keys dug into my palm.

"Come on, Now that your true love has returned, Ken Brooks, what will happen between you and that backup little sister?”" Another voice chimed in, followed by the clink of glasses.

"To think you've been dating Cody's sister all this time." Someone laughed. "Does he even know his best friend's been sleeping with his runaway sister?"

My brother's name hit me like a punch to the gut. Cody. My brother Cody. The same brother Ken claimed was just a friend he'd met.

"The look on his face when he finds out..." The voice continued.

"He won't." Ken's familiar voice finally broke through. "Giggy was just... convenient. A replacement while Poppy was gone."

"Nine years is a long replacement." Someone whistled.

"She made it easy. So desperate for love after her family problems." Ken's words dripped with cruel amusement. "All those stories about knowing her brother, about waiting to tell him until we were married. She believed every word."

The keys slipped from my hand, hitting the marble floor with a betraying clatter. The voices inside went quiet.

Each word hit like a dagger to my heart. nine years. nine years of love, patience and unwavering support—and this was how he saw me? As someone with no other option?

Later, my family arranged for me to meet someone they thought would be a more suitable match. The day I was to marry this stranger was the same day Ken married Poppy.

As Poppy’s wedding day approached, he couldn’t shake a sense of unease. Something felt wrong. He warned his groomsmen to keep an eye out, worried I might crash the ceremony.

One of them hesitated before speaking. “You haven’t heard? Giggy’s getting married today too.”

___

“What made you decide so fast, Giggy Robert? Did someone hurt you?”Cody sounded worried as he asked.

I felt a stab of pain in my chest at the question.

I drew in a shaky breath and let it out as I answered him, “It's not like that. It's just that I've decided. Besides, I'm going to marry someone eventually, who I marry shouldn't be that important.”

Even though he couldn't see me, I smiled as I added, “Then there's our family's opinion of my groom-to-be. The fact that it is an arranged marriage means that you guys have done every background check possible on him.”

My words seemed to convince Cody and he chuckled as he said in a light-hearted tone, “I'm happy that you've finally decided! So when should we expect you to return? Also, don't you want to go on a date with him first?”

“I don't have to. Arranging the marriage as soon as possible would mean solving our bakery's bankruptcy right away! So talk to his family and begin making arrangements for the wedding day.” I replied, accepting my fate.

“Alright, and are you still talking to Ken or have you guys drifted apart? News is that his fairy has finally returned. Chat him up, he might be available to party with you and probably attract good fortune.” He asked as he laughed again.

It was shocking that Cody had all the details about Ken and Poppy's relationship. It now made sense why Ken wanted me to hide my relationship with him from Cody.

There was that stabbing pain in my chest again and I let out a shaky breath as I tried to mask it.

“Don't disturb him, bro. Besides, we're just acquaintances.” I said as I walked out of the bedroom and ran into Ken.

I knew that I couldn't talk for long, so I said, “Listen, Cody, I need to go.”

He didn't ask me any questions and readily agreed, “Okay, sure. Talk to you later!”

“Who are you talking about? Who are you just acquaintances with?” Ken asked me as I hung up the call with Cody.

“I'm just acquaintances with you!” I exclaimed truthfully.

A shocked look showed on his face then it was gone the next second, replaced by a mischievous one.

He cupped my face and moved his head closer to mine as his captivating blue eyes captured my brown ones.

His voice was low as he asked, “Is that so? How is it that we're just acquaintances when you've shared countless romantic moments with me?”

His eyes staring into mine made my tummy tighten into a knot, but then the effect was gone as soon as I remembered what I discovered in his bedroom today.

As his face drew closer to mine, I got a whiff of a woman's perfume from his neck.

Did she spray it on him so that I would become suspicious? And did he want to see me jealous? Was that why he let her to do as she wished?

Suddenly, pain filled me as my wounds from the cuts reopened.

A gasp left my lips and a pained expression showed on my face as I tried to contain the pain I was feeling, making Ken stop.

”Giggy, what's going on? Are you not okay?” He asked me as a worried look appeared on his face when he saw my pained expression.

I glanced at my fingers and he moved his gaze there.

His eyes widened when he saw the cuts on my fingers and hands.

Worry was evident on his face as he asked, “What is this? Did your hands become like this today? You should have told me sooner.”

He acted like he wasn't there when my hands became like this at the welcome party.

I didn't know how to reply, so I stayed quiet as I thought of whether I should help him recall and make a fool out of him or not.