I thought I had everything I ever wanted—a wonderful husband, a beautiful newborn daughter, and a best friend who felt like family. But one night changed everything. And even though ten years had passed, just when I had finally moved on, she showed up at my door. The woman I once called my best friend, looking like a ghost of her former self.
Everyone has that one best friend who feels more like a sister. Someone who knows you inside out, who shares your happiest moments and darkest secrets. For me, that was Katie. But she was also the person who shattered my world.
Katie and I had been inseparable since school. We did everything together—school projects, birthday parties, sleepovers. People even called us twins, even though we looked nothing alike. The older we got, the more different we became, but our friendship remained strong.
Katie had always been the life of the party. She was the girl who danced on tables, laughed the loudest, and caught everyone’s attention without even trying. I was quieter, more grounded. But our differences never pulled us apart.
So when I told Katie I was getting married, I expected her usual carefree attitude. Instead of being sad about me settling down, she just grinned and said, “Well, never mind, I’ll have enough fun for both of us!”
Despite her party-girl nature, Katie and my fiancé, Dave, got along well. They had no choice—I spent most of my time with her, and if you wanted to be close to me, you had to accept Katie too. She even cried at my wedding, despite promising she wouldn’t.
“Do you want me to throw the bouquet so you can catch it?” I teased her in the middle of the wedding reception.
She wrinkled her nose. “If you throw that thing at me, I will never forgive you. My soul is not ready for commitment!” We both laughed.
When I got pregnant, Katie was as excited as Dave and me. She was with me through it all—holding my hair back when I had morning sickness, helping me pick out baby clothes, and cleaning my house when my belly got too big to bend. I felt so grateful to have her.
The delivery was tough, but once Maya was born, Katie practically became her second mother. She showered her with gifts, stayed overnight to help, and called herself “Aunt Katie.” I thought I was lucky to have a friend like her.
One evening, Katie and I sat in the kitchen drinking tea while Maya slept upstairs. The house was quiet, and we talked like we always did.
“Maybe you want a baby too?” I asked, pouring her another cup.
She shook her head quickly. “Oh, no. That’s too much responsibility. I’m happy just being Aunt Katie.”
“But you’re so good with Maya,” I said. “You feed her, change her, rock her to sleep. You help more than anyone.”
Katie gave me a small smile. “Yes, but she’s your child, not mine. That’s different. I like helping, but I don’t want this life for myself.”
“You don’t want a family?” I asked.
She shrugged. “No. Maybe not ever. I don’t want one man, one house, one life. It feels like a trap.”
I frowned. “I want this life. I want it with Dave.”
She studied me for a moment before saying, “You got lucky. Dave is rare. Most men aren’t like him.”
Just then, Dave walked in. He wrapped his arms around me and grinned at Katie. “You’re here again? Maybe we should just give you a key.”
We all laughed. At the time, it felt like an innocent joke. Later, I realized how close it was to the truth.
One night, when Maya was three months old, she had colic and wouldn’t stop crying. Katie stayed over again, saying she wanted to help. I was exhausted, so I finally fell into a deep sleep.
Then, something woke me up. A noise from downstairs.
At first, I thought it was Maya crying. But no—it was something else. Voices. Whispering.
I reached out to the other side of the bed. It was empty. Dave wasn’t there.
Confused and still half-asleep, I walked towards the kitchen. The voices got clearer. And then I saw them.
Katie and Dave. Together. In my kitchen.
I froze. My heart pounded. My breath caught in my throat.
Katie saw me first. Her face turned pale. She pushed Dave away and scrambled to grab her clothes. Dave didn’t move as fast. He just stood there, watching me.
“Alexis, I’m sorry!” Katie sobbed. “I didn’t mean to—I don’t know what happened—please forgive me!”
I felt cold. My body shook. My voice came out thin. “Why?”
Katie fell to her knees, crying. “It was a mistake. Please, don’t hate me.”
Dave stepped forward, his face calm. “You brought this on yourself, Alexis. We haven’t done anything in months.”
My hands clenched into fists. “Because I was pregnant with your child!” I shouted.
He shrugged. “I have needs.”
“And I’m your wife!” I yelled. “You slept with my best friend!”
Dave sighed. “I won’t explain. You won’t understand.”
Then, he grabbed Katie’s hand and led her to the door. She kept crying, kept looking back at me, but he didn’t care.
The door slammed. And I collapsed.
Days blurred into weeks. I divorced Dave, took his parental rights, and threw his things out. He never fought me. He disappeared.
I was alone with my baby. But I survived.
Ten years passed. Maya grew into a smart, kind girl. I rebuilt my life, found happiness again. And then one day, the doorbell rang.
I opened it and saw her—Katie. She looked nothing like before. Thin, pale, eyes empty.
“Hello, Alexis,” she whispered.
I stared. “What are you doing here?”
Tears filled her eyes. “I have no one else. I’m sick. I need help.”
“And Dave?”
She gave a bitter laugh. “He cheated again. Left me. He never changed.”
I watched her cry. And for the first time, I didn’t feel anger. Just pity.
I handed her an envelope. “For your treatment. If you need more, let me know.”
She gasped. “You forgive me?”
I sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe I just accepted what happened. Life already punished you in ways I never could.”
She hugged me, sobbing. And even though I would never forget, I hugged her back.
Because sometimes, moving on is the best kind of revenge.
