Monica wandered through the garden paths, mind spinning, barely registering the laughter and music still floating from the party.
The truth kept replaying like a stuck record.
Jude, the handsome guy her father had practically hand-picked for her, was Jade's secret boyfriend.
Her best friend's boyfriend.
She shook her head in disbelief, unable to fathom that Jade had kept this from her. Jade had failed to confide in her.
A bitter scoff escaped Monica's lips. What kind of best friend hides something that big?
Her feet slowed, then stopped entirely.
Through the dim glow of the garden lights, she caught movement in the shadowed corner behind the house.
Two familiar figures, Jade and Jude, were standing close, having a conversation.
She let out a sigh and averted her gaze, feeling a mix of emotions. Hurt, anger, confusion, all of it twisted together until she couldn't breathe right.
Across the shadows, Jade's eyes widened as dge spotted Monica.
"Isn't that Monica? You... you need to go to her. I don't want her to catch us together like this."
Jude frowned, glancing over. "You sure she didn't see us?"
Jade shook her head, stealing another quick look. Monica was staring off into the distance, lost in her own head. "She's not even facing this way, and it's pretty dark here. I think we're okay."
"I don't want to leave you," Jude muttered.
"I know." Jade's voice softened. "But if she finds out like this… it could ruin everything between us. Just… talk to her. Get to know her a little. She's leaving for her MBA soon anyway."
Jude let out a sigh and reluctantly agreed. "Alright. Alright, I will."
"Then go. Now."
He gave her one last lingering look, then turned and started walking toward the main path.
Jade slipped back into the shadows the other way.
"Hey, Monica!"
Monica startled slightly and turned. Jude was approaching, hands in his pockets, trying for casual.
"Oh… hey, Jude." She forced a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Where'd you come from?"
He gave a low, awkward chuckle. "Around. Listen… can we talk? Just the two of us?"
Monica arched a brow, surprise flickering through the hurt. "Really?"
"Yeah. Really."
She studied him for a beat, then nodded slowly. "Okay. Let's go down to the beach. It's a tranquil place to have a conversation."
Jude dipped his head. "Sounds good."
.
.
.
The waves rolled in with a steady, rhythmic hush, the kind that smoothed out jagged thoughts if you let it.
"Listen to that," Monica said softly, tilting her head toward the water. "The sound of the waves… it's so peaceful. Especially when the beach is completely ours like this."
Jude nodded, settling beside her on the cool sand. "Yeah. It is."
They sat just far enough from the tide line that the foam kissed the shore without touching their feet. Monica had kicked off her heels earlier and her elegant evening gown pooled around her like spilled moonlight.
Jude glanced at the delicate fabric brushing the sand. "You're really not worried about ruining that dress?"
Monica gave a small shrug, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I have a closet full of them. It's fine."
He let out a quiet huff of amusement since he'd figured she'd say something like that.
After a beat, he spoke again. "I heard you're leaving for your MBA the day after tomorrow."
She nodded, drawing lazy circles in the sand with one finger. "Yeah. That's why tonight matters, I guess. We should probably get to know each other a little before I disappear for a couple of years."
Jude studied her intensely. "And you're not worried you'll meet someone over there? Someone new?"
Monica turned to him, eyes steady. "I'm loyal. Once I commit, even if it's just an understanding, I treat it like I'm already married. I don't play games with that."
Jude blinked, caught off guard. He'd braced himself for resistance, for her to push back against the whole arranged setup the way he had. Instead she sounded… almost at peace with it.
He tilted his head. "You're really okay with all this? Why?"
Monica hesitated. She blinked once, twice, then swallowed. "I… I trust my dad's judgment. He's never steered me wrong before..."
She glanced at Jude, really looked at him this time, taking in the way the moonlight sharpened the lines of his face. "And when I look at you… you don't seem so bad."
Jude stared out at the dark water for a long moment after Monica's words, trying to process them. She sounded so… willing. Accepting. It threw him completely off balance. He'd come here braced for anger, resistance, maybe even outright rejection. Not this willingness.
Monica smiled warmly at him, her eyes fixated on his handsome face.
A reckless idea took root in Jude's mind, and he narrowed his eyes. 'What if I make her hate me?' he pondered silently.
If she pulled away first, if she told her father no, maybe this whole thing would collapse before it even started. He could protect what he actually wanted without anyone getting hurt.
Sporting a smirk, he shifted closer, closing the small distance between them on the sand.
"I am thinking, since we are meant to be," he murmured, voice low, "I don't think it'd be wrong if I kissed you right now… right?"
Monica's smile transformed into a shy expression, and she replied softly, "No, it wouldn't."
Jude acknowledged her nod, and their lips met in a kiss. His grip tightened around her waist as their lips moved together in synchrony.
However, the enjoyable moment took a sharp turn when Monica started feeling the forcefulness of Jude's actions.
His grip tightened even harder and the kiss deepened, turning insistent.
Monica wanted to break free, but his hold remained firm, making her feel trapped and uncomfortable.
She made a muffled sound of protest, her hands pushing at his chest. But Jude didn't stop. He eased her back onto the sand, his weight pinning her down, lips still locked on hers.
He finally broke the kiss and Monica gasped, chest heaving. "Okay,?you need to stop," she said, voice shaky and breathless.
"Don't you want me?" he asked, eyes searching hers, as if expecting her to say yes.
She shook her head fiercely, twisting beneath him. "No."
Undeterred, he leaned in again, trailing forceful kisses down the side of her neck, causing Monica to cry out in distress.
"Please, stop. That's enough!" She pushed at his chest, but the weight of him and the sand beneath her left her feeling trapped and helpless.
She didn't want to do it. The last thing in life she wanted wasn't to become violated.
She kept shaking her head frantically. "No. No, please stop it. Help!" She sobbed, but Jude wasn't listening.
Her desperate pleas fell on deaf ears as Jude persisted, crossing boundaries. His hands shoved the fabric of her gown upward, rough and impatient, fingers closing over her breast in a bruising grip while his mouth continued its assault on her neck.
Monica felt violated and invaded, her mind racing for a solution. She couldn't breathe right, couldn't think past the terror clawing up her throat.
Her right hand scrambled blindly across the sand, fingers digging, searching, pleading for anything to defend herself with.
Eventually, her fingers encountered a solid object.
Driven by desperation, she no longer cared about the consequences. Her sole objective was to free herself from his grip.
With every ounce of strength panic could give her, she struck him forcefully with the large stone she had found.
The impact was sickening and Jude froze mid-motion.
His face went completely still as blood immediately welled from the gash along his temple, sliding down the side of his face.
Monica forcefully pushed him away with both hands, and he toppled sideways, collapsing heavily onto the sand beside her.