Page 22 of Betrayed By Sin

Me: I’m good.

I pull a brush through my hair nervously watching as three dots appear on the screen and then vanish.

Me: Please don’t hate me.

My phone rings, and the voice on the other end is hyper. “I was worried you hated me!” she cries.

“Never.”

“What’s life like on the other side?” I imagine her mischievous grin.

“It’s different.” I settle onto the bed, unable to stop the smile on my face. “I’m sorry.” I tell her.

“For what?”

“I know you hate us.”

She’s quiet for a moment. “I love you. You’ve become my best friend, and I think that surpasses the hate I have for your family. I can’t fault you for their actions when you weren’t even apart of them.”

I hate that she despises my brother, mother, cousins. It’s hard to be put in this situation, but they’re at war. “They’re not so bad.”

“Can we not talk about that?”

The conversation is going badly, and it started off so strong. “Want to meet up for dinner after I get off work?”

The scent offreshly brewed espresso and old paper fills my lungs the moment I step inside Alice in Brewland.The comforting mix ofroasted beans, vanilla, and aged bookswraps around me like a warm hug, settling the storm inside my chest.

I feel like I can finally breathe.

A shriek pierces the air.

I barely have time to process before a blur ofpink, unbridled energybarrels into me,arms wrapping around my shoulders in a crushing embrace.

“Oh. My. God!” Victoria squeals,bouncing on the balls of her feet as she grips my arms.“You’re alive! You didn’t quit! I was two days away from making a dramatic missing-person flyer!”

Despite myself, I laugh. “You’d really do that?”

Shegasps, clutching her chest.“Of course! You think I wouldn’t plaster your face all over town with ‘MISSING - SUSPECTED ABDUCTION’ in bold letters?”

I shake my head, amused. “You’re unhinged.”

“And you love me for it.”

“I’m sorry I vanished on you.” I tell her.

“It’s okay, you know I have an army of college students always itching for a shift.”

She loops an arm through mine,dragging me toward the counter like I never left.

The café isbustling with the usual mid-morning crowd.Businesspeople tapping away at laptops, bookwormscurled in the reading nook with oversized mugs, groups of students laughing over chai lattes.

It’s the kind ofperfect chaos I didn’t realize I missed.

Victoriagrinsas she ties her apron over her dress. “So, mysterious Magnolia returns. Tell me, were you off on some whirlwind love affair? Running from the law? Secretly a spy?”

I snort, reaching for my own apron. “If I was, you’d be the last to know.”

She gasps,hand flying to her heart.“Rude. I’m your favorite coworker.”