âTell me the truth, Lyse. Did you catch feelings for him again after that incident?â Mandy asked with concern.
âNot at all,â Alyssa replied firmly. âIâm not going to dig my own grave. I just want to pay him back for what he has done for me.â Her heart panicked for a moment, but she soon gathered herself.
âGood to hear. âJust know that if you ever consider getting back with him, youâre out of our lives. Itâs your family or that jerk,â Mandy warned and cast a frosty glance at Alyssa.
Alyssa rubbed against the goosebumps on her arm. Her skin prickled at Mandyâs threat.
âLyse! Mandy!â Coletteâs voice interrupted as she knocked on the door and entered.
She exclaimed, âThe dresses for Lylaâs birthday party have arrived, and I need your input! I mean, Iâm a woman who got married in jeans-I know nothing about womenâs fashion.â
âAlright! weâll be right there!â Alyssa replied. Eager to avoid more questioning from Mandy, she grabbed Mandyâs arm and headed to see Lylaâs dresses.
The three women hastily made their way to Lylaâs room, where endless opulent evening gowns were displayed on racks.
Each dress was a limited edition and the latest design from Bastian Fashion Week. It was truly dazzling!
On the floor, pairs of haute couture heels were laid out. Some of them were adorned with diamonds in an envy-inducing display of wealth.
Any other woman would have squealed in delight at the scene. The price of the diamonds on those heels alone could buy a house.
However, Lyla appeared lost as she sat on the couch in her simple lilac sweater.
âWhatâs wrong, Lyla? Itâs your birthday soon, but you seem upset,â Alyssa asked with concern. She took a seat beside Lyla and wrapped an arm around the latter.
âLyse, could you please ask your dad to cancel the party?â Lyla sighed. âIâve been insisting for months that I wanted a small gathering at home. Iâm not accustomed to dining out, and it feels exhausting and wasteful to host all the guests he invited. But he wonât listen. What should I do?â
âWoah, Lyla, is that a humblebrag? Colette poked fun at her.
âWe would have thought you were a bitch if we didnât know you better,â joked Mandy, who rested her hand on Coletteâs waist, Alyssaâs eyes flickered. She was a little uneasy by Lylaâs behavior. Ever since she was young, Lyla, who married Winston, had deliberately stayed out of her sight out of consideration for her feelings.
Alyssa would only see her during mealtimes, busying herself in the kitchen.
Back then, Alyssa was too young to understand much, but she knew that Lyla had been Jenniferâs romantic rival. As a child, she threw tantrums at home and caused trouble for Lyla to take Jenniferâs side.
She had even used hurtful words to insult Lyla.
At that time, she perceived women like Lyla as homewreckers. How could they humiliate themselves by staying with him, even after knowing that he had been married and had flings with multiple women?
It wasnât until she grew a little older that she learned the full story from Jonah and Silas. It was Lyla who had selflessly donated her bone marrow to Jennifer, who was battling a severe case of lupus.
The bone marrow transplant took place two decades ago when medical technology was less advanced.
Lyla had endured lasting side effects from the transplant, leading to occasional pain throughout her body.