"So! You didn’t come with the brothers-in-law but hubby himself," Jade said to me as she did my nails.

I veered my eyes to Zade, standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows showing the view of the shopping arcade. He had one hand buried in his pocket while the other held his phone as he made a call.

My plan for the day was to see Jade again under the guise of doing my manis and pedis. I needed someone to talk to, but Zade being here just made all of it sink back in.

"Is he really gonna wait till I finish?"

I shifted my eyes back to Jade. Her dark hair was in a messy bun held together by several hairpins, her hazel eyes brighter from smiling broadly.

It was always infectious, and even though I didn’t have it in me, I found myself smiling too.

"Yes," I replied. "Unfortunately."

"Wow! Talk about the next level of patience. I’ve been here a while, and I don’t ever see husbands accompanying their wives, especially one as busy as yours. He’s the CEO of Monarch Group, isn’t he?"

I nodded only.

"You go girl! If I see a man willing to transform his schedule just for me, I’ll drop my panties."

I snorted, and she giggled.

However, my amusement died quicker. "This was an arranged marriage."

"What?" she blinked. "They still do shits like that?"

"Welcome to my world."

She grimaced. "That is just seriously fucked up. Are you telling me this is a loveless marriage? You two like...sleep in separate rooms or something?"

"You could say that?"

"Damn! And here I thought shits like that happen in movies."

"Story of my life."

"But are you sure though?"

"About what?" I asked.

"That it’s a loveless marriage? Well, I do admit hearing that from you came as a shock, but..."

"B-But...?"

"Butttttttt!"

"Jade!"

"Okay fine! It’s hard to believe it when you two seem like a real couple to me."

"Absolutely not!"

"Inside voice!" she scolded me, but quietly.

On cue, I looked toward Zade, but he was still deep in his phone call, and we were halfway across the room.

"And that is the biggest lie I have ever heard. Who says absolutely not at such speed?"

I licked my dry lips. "Jade, you’re wrong. We’re not a real couple. Half the time all I think about is killing him."

"Don’t all couples do that with their partners? And then the next minute, they are having the most mind blowing sex ever."

"You don’t understand," I muttered.

"I wanna, really... because ever since you walked through that door, I could tell something was bothering you, but knowing you won’t come out and say it to my face, I had to push a few buttons. The right buttons, it seems."

Her words hit a tender spot and it was the push I needed.

"I actually came to talk with you..."

"Lemme guess, it all sank back in."

A faint smile curled my lips. "You have only known me for a little while, and yet it feels longer than that."

"Let’s say I’m good at knowing a person without them telling me." She added the finishing touches to my nails.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I wanted to start as planned, but I found myself getting stuck. I told myself the reason why I hadn’t was because of Zade, but that wasn’t it.

I have only shared everything with Annabeth, and doing that with someone else felt like I was betraying her in some way.

"The thing is, Ana, you carry a lot."

I blinked, confused. "What?"

"You carry a lot of pain, it’s hidden behind your smiles and laughter. To you, your existence is painful."

A swallowing feeling consumed me. "Do I?" I questioned, attempting to sound unaffected, but Jade could see right through me.

Her voice softened. "It makes it harder, doesn’t it? To share. Hence why we speak in sharks."

I smiled but only for a second. "It has gotten harder to do that ever since my sister."

"I heard," Jade murmured. "I’m sorry."

"It has always been her whenever I needed to. Then there’s Jacob, my closest friend and someone I loved with all my heart growing up."

The memories flooded in of the times I would try so hard to get seen by Jacob.

"So much has happened in my life and all I’m filled with is doubt and... pain."

"Why do I get the feeling that this has to do with the truth you’re trying to seek?" Jade said softly.

I released a shaky breath, a collapsing sensation quivering my insides. "It does, and I have found it."

"Sorry... I don’t know if I should celebrate. You don’t look happy for someone who found out about the truth. Was it not what you wanted?"

"The truth hurts, right?"

I don’t know what to believe anymore. That is the truth. There was another truth I know. Zade scarred me. Something that can never heal, and I don’t think that would ever change.

I have to stick to that no matter what.

"Okay!" Jade chirped, and I blinked away the tears that almost fell.

The sudden gloom that hung over the air was suddenly dispelled.

"Sorry! Had to do that because, boy, was the air tightened or something."

I giggled as I nodded. "The right call as always."

"But I’m glad you shared again," she said with a smile on her lips.

"I’m glad too."

"But it doesn’t lift the weight off your chest, does it?"

"I think it has a little bit."

"Again, I’m glad. Oh look, done!"

I checked my nails. "This is beautiful."

"Another one of my designs just for you."

She pushed to her feet, and I followed suit but then she rounded the table, and embraced me. It happened all of a sudden, and took me by surprise.

"I still hate calls, you can call me anytime, alright?"

"I promise to annoy the shit outta you," I said.

"Do that, and my nails will magically transform at night and haunt you. Did I not mention I’m a witch?"

She did the spooky hands, and I laughed. She joined in, making the amusement stick longer.

"For what it’s worth, Ana," she said, amused. "You’re strong."

"Jade—"

"Yes, you are." She took my hands and held them tight. "Don’t doubt you’re anything less. Girl, I don’t know what it’s like, but to keep going, despite having that huge pain and having to live in a world with the sharks, that is strength."

I hugged her again, and this time it was my turn to hold her tighter, like I didn’t wanna let go.

"Can’t breathe!"

"Sorry!" I pulled back.

"It’s okay."

I nodded, suddenly nervous. "I should get going. Unfortunately, I have a date."

"Unfortunately?" she teased.

I rolled my eyes. "You know what I mean."

She shrugged.

I turned to walk, but I didn’t move, compelled to face her again.

"Jade..." I began, feeling a weight pressuring me. "I-I made a choice."

"A choice?"

"One that I don’t know if it was the right call."

"Well, I don’t know what it was, but I have a feeling you made it for a reason."

"Yes," I replied, recalling the day I called Clara.

Jade studied me for a moment, sensing something was wrong.

"Then maybe the real question isn’t whether it was the right choice. It’s whether it was worth it."