Listen to The 1 by Taylor Swift

We returned home after spending two weeks at the suite. Morris still had some time off, so we had the house to ourselves. The little time we were away from psycho-Karen had been the best, it was like the whole world disappeared for those two weeks and it was just us getting lost in our feelings and learning new stuff about each other.

We had only been back for three hours and I was already worried about Karen. Tristan had texted Adrian informing him we were back from our mini vacation. I should have taken a little time to plot a move against Karen. The only one he would be greatly affected when the truth was out; was Adrian.

I promised to make dinner tonight, well it was a dare from Tristan to see if his hard work paid off. We went for a swim first, goosebumps grew on my skin as I entered the pool, it was so cold. I missed the night we spent at the suite talking in the bathtub while Tristan washed my hair. It was warm and safe, now everything felt cold and unsafe.

We swam for a while and did a swimming competition, Tristan won the first round. He tried to cheer me up when I got upset, he allowed me to win the rest of the rounds on purpose. The game got boring, so we decided to move to the Jacuzzi that was beside the pool.

The heat from the Jacuzzi made me groan in content. We relaxed inside, drinking Champagne, and sharing stupid jokes we found funny.

"Okay, I got one"
I raised a finger after laughing at his joke.

"Hit me," He smirked.

"So, there was this lady who was cheating on her husband every time he went to work, here is what the husband did when he started noticing it."

"What?"

"He would call her every day and ask her to turn on the blender to know if she was home."

"What?"

"Stupid right? Well, he decided to call their son one day and he asked the boy, 'where is your mom?' And he was like,' she left the house with the blender'."
We both laughed out loud.

We stayed in the jacuzzi for too long. Our fingers had begun to resemble prunes and the heat was starting to wear us out. The sun was starting to disappear below the earth's horizon, leaving the sky with an array of oranges and reds that scattered above us like a watercolor painting. We stumbled toward the door with our hands intertwined, still laughing at the jokes we spoke.

We went up for a shower and spent an hour inside doing more than washing bodies. Soon Tristan sat at the island watching me with an amused grin as I tried to make Sushi.

"Call me if you need help," he said to me as I struggled to mold the rice into the correct shape but kept failing miserably.

"I got this, you should be rooting for me."
I told him as he tried to suppress his laughter.

"You are doing great, woohoo!" he clapped.

"Is that what you wanna hear?"
He said and looked back at the laptop in front of him.

There was a crash from the living that stole our attention. I dropped the rice to the floor abruptly and turned to see if Tristan had been hurt. Tristan was fine, but he too stared curiously behind him.

Karen came to pay a visit, how generous. I hope she brought a first aid kit.

"What was that?"
I asked dropping the spatula in my hand and replacing it with a frying pan.

"Wait here."
He gave me that Don't you dare go against me look.

I rolled my eyes and trailed behind him with the frying pan in my hand.

One of the expensive ceramic vases in the living room was shattered on the floor.

"She is here."
I whispered behind him, his head snapped back like he didn't notice I was following him.

"I told you to stay in the kitchen."
He said with a clenched jaw.

"She won't get away tonight."
I told him with a tough look, I tried to walk past him but he gripped my arm and pulled me back.

"Cassie, " he groaned.

"Like I will listen to you, we might as well do this together. Use your muscle, I got this to hit her big head."
I raised my weapon to demonstrate.

He chuckled and shook his head at me.

"How are you sure is Karen? Maybe the vase just fell on its own."
He said.

"Yeah, or a ghost is in the house, huh?"
I said sarcastically.

"No one is here, go back to the kitchen while I clean this up."

"Really Tristan? You're just going to let her go?"

"There is no..."
The noise from behind us cut him off. We both looked back and saw a figure running through the back door.

"Told ya."
I winked at him and went after her.

"Hey!" Tristan yelled after me.

"Just call the cops!"
I screamed over my shoulder at him.

She didn't waste any time coming for a visit, she probably got tired of waiting.

"This is going to be fun."
I muttered as I increased my speed, her hood fell off her head revealing her long hair that kept bouncing as she ran.

There was no way I was letting her go, I increased my grip on the frying pan as I got closer. I hope she goes crazy once it hits her head.

I raised the frying pan as I got very close to grabbing her hair, I swung it and hit her hard on the head, she fell with a thump on the grass.

"Man, that felt good!"
I said staring at her unconscious form.

"The cops are on the way, did you get the person?"
Tristan asked running to where I was. He studied my body for any indication that I was hurt.

"Have a look."
He moved closer and the look on his face was priceless, I couldn't wait to see the look on Adrian's face.

"Karen?"
He squatted next to her body.

He stared at her face for a few seconds before standing up, he turned to look at me.

His lips were slightly parted like he didn't know what to say, he ran his palms down his face and wrapped his arms around me tightly.

"I'm so sorry for not believing you, I'm really sorry."
He said running his hand up and down my back in a soothing way.

"I feel so awful right now, I'm sorry Cassie."

"I will only accept your apology if you promise to give a foot massage every day."
I withdrew and smiled at him.

"I promise."

"And teach me Nana's recipe."
I added.

"I already taught you that yesterday and it was the fifth time."
He groaned and a smile crept slowly onto his face as he stared at me with amusement. Playfully, I shrugged and stuck my tongue out at him.

"Fine," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Thank you," I whispered.

He turned to look at Karen again, he stared at her like he was trying to remember something.

"Do you know her from somewhere?"

"No, Adrian introduced her to me. I have never met her before."

"Well, she knows Fiona. Maybe she is related to her, she told me she was here to make you pay for whatever happened."
There was a dark look in his eyes that made him look like a frightened kid but he hid it with a smile. I hated seeing him like this.

"She's not related to her," he said still staring at her, his tone was different.

"Let's take her inside, it's getting cold outside."
He said quickly and tried to carry her but I stopped him.

"I will do it."
I grabbed her leg and dragged her body with me to the house.

"Okay?"

Tristan texted Adrian and his mom as we waited for the cops. I sat on one of the sofas and kept my eyes on her. I hated that I was right, for some reason Tristan looked bothered by her presence. I couldn't wait for the cops to come and take her away, hopefully, things will get better.

I stood up when she started moving, she groaned sitting up on the floor. She rubbed the back of her head wincing at the pain.

I raised the frying pan to hit her again but Tristan stopped me.

"Relax, the cops will take care of her."
I dropped the frying pan and glared at her, she smiled smugly and made herself comfortable on the floor.

"What do you feel like? A hero?"
She mocked.

I reached forward and punched her across the face. My fist made contact with a satisfying crack. I pulled my hand away and shook it out.

"Now I do," I grimaced when my knuckle began to hurt. Karen raised her hand to her nose---when she pulled her hand away from her nose, fresh blood was present.

"Cassie." Tristan grabbed my wrist. He pulled me away from her. It was a good thing he did, otherwise, I would be tempted to punch her again.

"Is that all you got?" She said laughing.

I yanked my wrist out of Tristan's grasp. I reached out and grabbed a fistful of her ebony hair, I pulled it harder than she did to mine, ripping some out in the process.

"Cassie, stop." Tristan put his hands around my waist and pulled me away from her. I glared at her from Tristan's arms.

"Now you know how that feels." I spat the words at her with a satisfied smile, damn revenge was really sweet.

Adrian burst through the front door, he looked worried. He slowed down when he saw Karen. His eyes widened at the sight of his fiancé sitting on the ground looking like she had just been dumpster diving.

"Karen?"

"Hi." She said dryly and rolled her eyes, she tried to wipe the blood oozing out of her left nostril.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Texas to see your brother?" He frowned, looking from Karen to Tristan and back again. My heart dropped for him, he had no idea.

"Grow up, all those things were lies." Karen rolled her eyes at the bewildered expression that formed on Adrian's face.

"So Chloe was right?" He approached her with slow steps. "Do you even feel anything for me?" He asked, looking heartbroken.

She removed the engagement ring and threw it at him.

"Ohh before I forget, I sold the real one and got this fake one to replace it."
She said and smiled.

"You...."
He clenched his fists not knowing what to say. I immediately grew sorry for him. The woman he thought loved him, never did. I watched him sadly as he tried to make sense of this situation.

"Yes Adrian I was using you to get close to Tristan, so I could carry out my plans."

"Wow, and you were just going to get married to me to carry out your plans?"
He yelled but she just rolled her eyes like he was acting childish.

The police sirens filled our ears from outside, Mrs. Sanchester arrived with Nana. Three officers walked in with their guns pulled out.

"I don't care about going to jail Tristan, at least Fiona would be happy you got to relive those memories."
Tristan's clenched his hands, his jaw hardened as he stared at her.

"Don't listen to her."
I whispered.

"You killed her Tristan, you killed her and the baby!"

"Shut up!!!"

"What? Did you lie about it to her?"
She asked looking at me.

"He didn't lie."
I defended him and shot her a glare.

"How would you know? He has done nothing, but lie to you since you got here."

I tried to block out her voice as a flicker of doubt entered my mind.

"Officers take her away!"

"I know everything Tristan, I know why you brought her here."

That got my attention.

"Take her away!"

"You're never going to be anything but a murderer!!!"
She screamed as one of the Officers pulled her up.

"Fiona would have been here if it wasn't for you!"
She said crying. The tears came so suddenly. Not there one moment, then there the next.

"I didn't know!"

"Yes, you did! I called you, don't you remember?"
She pulled away from the cop holding her and moved closer to him. She leaned into his face and glared into his eyes. The tears ran down her cheeks making her look miserable.

"I called you after she told me about getting pregnant, I begged you, Tristan. I told you she was lying about the pregnancy being safe!"

"She told me it was okay!"

"Because she was desperate to have her own baby."

"I'm sorry."
He mumbled.

"It's too late! She's dead, and you're the one that killed her!" She said and turned to me. She laughed out loud humorlessly.

"Aww, Poor Chloe, did he tell you why he did all that in the church?"

"Yeah, he did it for his mom."
She scoffed at my answer.

"Lies lies lies."
She said and laughed.

"When are you all going to tell this little girl the truth?"
She asked and stared at me Mrs. Sanchester.

"Get her out of here."
Tristan said to the cops.

"Wait!"
I shouted, stepping forward.

"Give us a minute, please," I begged the cops. They agreed and gave us some space.

"What are you guys not telling me? You told me your mom has cancer and she doesn't have much time to live."

"Really? Cancer?"
Karen laughed, everyone in the room stared at her.

"Why should I believe a psychopath like you? You tried to kill me," I said crossing my arms.

"You got in the way, sorry not sorry besides you think I will waste my time making that up?" She said and scoffed.

"Do you really believe you were seeing him for the first time at the wedding? According to my research and also, Adrian's help, " she paused and gave Adrian a smile.

"You both ran into each other at a restaurant, you stepped on him and instead of you apologizing, you asked him to apologize for standing in your way. He refused and you were adamant about it, Adrian had to come between you two and apologize on his behalf. You were the perfect candidate honey, " she said and giggled.

"Perfect candidate?" I mumbled. I did recall that day, it was two years ago and I totally forgot about it. Tristan had no stubble back then from what I remember and Adrian had long hair.

"Please tell me, you didn't lie?"
I turned to look at him.

"I'm sorry."
He said not looking at me.

The expression on Tristan's face grew sad, he looked to the floor to avoid my gaze.

"Why am I here?!!!" I screamed, my emotions getting the best of me. Why had he lied to me? Did I mean nothing to him? My heart began to race as pain made its way to the beating organ in my chest. My thoughts raced, trying to find an explanation.

"Maybe you should ask his mom, she knows."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. When I felt calmer, I turned to her.

"Mrs. Sanchester?" Tristan's mom studied her hands to avoid the brewing question.

"Even the old hag too."
Karen added.

"You all knew?"
I turned to each of them. It was becoming harder to keep myself under control. I needed to break something. I angrily run my hand through my hair.

"You made me put so much effort to prove to you that I was pregnant!"

"I'm so sorry."
Mrs. SanchesterI cried. I laughed humorlessly. Did they think this was a joke? Who was I supposed to believe?

"Oh, and that whole hospital thing was an act, I can't believe you fell for it." Karen only added more wood to the quickly growing fire, and she knew it. Her amused and proud look made me want to slap her across the face---hard.

I didn't know what to say, different emotions ran through my body. I begin to shake, losing control of the way this was affecting me.

"Everything was a lie?"
I turned to Tristan, I couldn't hold the tears back anymore.

"Why am I here? Tell me!!!"

"Interesting question. You see; after he killed my best friend and her precious baby, he began to suffer the consequences but then he tried to move on---or should I say his family thought that will help him."
She laughed and paused when none of found what she said funny

"Well, at first they thought Sofia was a good choice to keep him distracted from his suicidal tendencies and start over but I guess you have already met the spoilt brat. So, by the time they got to the church, they knew it was a bad idea. The whole drama went down and from what Adrian told me, he recognized you and picked from the crowd as his way out but I guess it became more than that, and I had to step in since he wanted to move on as if nothing ever happened with Fiona."
Karen said.

"I couldn't watch him become happy again, I wanted him to keep suffering."
She said with venom dripping from her voice.

I turned to look at Tristan, I tried to find my voice as I opened my mouth to speak.

"You destroyed my life for nothing? You all did!!!" I screamed at them, completely vexed.

"Wow, I was brought here as a distraction?"
I said and laughed at myself.

I laughed at how stupid I was to believe him. How stupid I was to fall for him. It was all just one big game to them. I was nothing but a distraction. The memory of Tristan calling me a distraction when I was in the car sank in. He had really meant it. The damn bastard fooled me. They all did.

"A distraction, " I whispered to myself and laughed again.

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