Tearing Up the Past

Maya's POV

The scissors made a loud ripping sound as they cut through the white silk.

I stood in front of my bedroom mirror, watching myself ruin the most expensive dress I'd ever owned. The wedding dress that was meant to make me look like a princess tomorrow was now just expensive scraps falling to the floor.

"This feels amazing," I said out loud, cutting through another piece of fabric.

Each cut felt like cutting away a lie. Each torn piece was another failed promise Marcus had made. The dress had cost three thousand dollars, but it was worth every penny to watch it fall apart.

Just like my fake relationship with Marcus was about to fall apart.

"Maya!" Mom's voice came from downstairs. "Lisa's here!"

My hands froze on the scissors. Lisa. My so-called best friend who had helped plan my death.

"Send her up!" I called back, quickly gathering the dress pieces.

I shoved the torn cloth into my closet just as Lisa knocked on my door. When she walked in, she looked exactly the same as always. Sweet smile, friendly eyes, the same Lisa who had been my best friend since second grade.

Except now I knew she was a snake in disguise.

"Hey, bride-to-be!" Lisa said, giving me a hug that made my skin crawl. "Are

you so excited? Tomorrow's the big day!"

"Yeah," I said, moving away from her. "Super excited."

She tilted her head. "You sound weird. Everything okay?"

Everything was definitely not okay. The person I'd trusted most in the world had betrayed me in the worst possible way. But I couldn't let her know that I knew.

"Just nervous," I said.

"That's totally normal!" Lisa sat on my bed like she'd done a thousand times before. "So, where's your dress? I want to see it one more time before tomorrow."

My heart started pounding. The dress was in pieces in my closet, and Lisa was sitting three feet away from where I'd hidden it.

"It's at the dry cleaner," I lied quickly.

"The dry cleaner? Maya, your wedding is tomorrow! What if something happens to it?"

"It'll be fine," I said, but my voice was shaking.

Lisa stood up and walked toward my closet. "Are you sure? Because I thought I heard something that sounded like"

"Like what?" I interrupted, stepping between her and the closet door.

She stared at me for a long moment. "Like cutting. Or tearing."

My mouth went dry. Had she heard me tearing the dress?

"I was just cutting some fabric for a project," I said.

"What project?" Lisa's eyes were sharp now, studying my face like she was looking for signs.

"Just... something for the wedding."

"Maya." Lisa's voice was different now. Colder. "Open the closet."

"Why?"

"Because you're acting really strange, and I want to make sure you're not doing anything crazy."

Crazy? The only crazy thing was that I'd trusted her for so long.

"I don't have to show you anything," I said.

Lisa's fake sweet smile disappeared totally. For just a second, I saw the real Lisa underneath. The jealous, angry Lisa who hated me enough to help Marcus kill me.

"Fine," she said, putting the smile back on. "But Maya, if you're having second thoughts about Marcus"

"What if I am?" I interrupted.

She blinked in surprise. "What?"

"What if I am having second thoughts? What would you say?"

Lisa was quiet for a moment, and I could nearly see her brain working. In the original reality, I'd never questioned Marcus. I'd been the perfect, trusting fiancée right up until the moment they pushed me off that cliff.

"I'd say you're just getting cold feet," she said carefully. "Marcus loves you so much, Maya. He'd be crushed if you called off the wedding now."

Heartbroken. Right. The only thing that would break Marcus's heart was losing access to my family's money.

"What if I told you I found out something terrible about him?" I asked.

Lisa's eyes went wide, but something flashed across her face. Fear, maybe? Or guilt?

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"What if I told you I know he doesn't really love me?"

"That's ridiculous," Lisa said quickly. "Of course he loves you. Why would you think that?"

Because he told me so right before he killed me, I wanted to say. Because you helped him plan the whole thing.

Instead, I said, "Just a feeling."

"Maya, you're freaking me out," Lisa said. "What's really going on?"

I stared at her, this person I'd shared all my secrets with. This person who knew everything about me, who I'd trusted with my life. Literally.

And she'd used all of that against me.

"Nothing's going on," I said finally. "I'm just tired."

Lisa studied my face for another moment, then nodded. "Okay. But Maya? Don't do anything stupid, okay? Marcus is a good guy. You're lucky to have him."

Lucky. I almost laughed.

After Lisa left, I pulled the dress pieces out of my closet and spread them on my bed. Looking at the destroyed dress made me feel strong. Like I was finally taking control of my life instead of letting other people make decisions for me.

But ruining the dress was just the first step. I needed a real plan.

I grabbed a notebook and started writing.

Things I know about Marcus:

- He wants to steal my family's bakery business - He has illegal business deals (but I don't know details) - He's planning to tear down the Christmas market for a shopping mall - He works with corrupt city officials - He's going to kill me after we get married

Things I need:

- Evidence of his crimes - Someone powerful enough to help me fight him - A way to protect my family's business - Revenge

I looked at the last word. Revenge. Was that what I really wanted? Or did I just want to survive?

Maybe both.

I picked up my phone and looked for "Jake Winters law office." His website popped up with a picture of him in an expensive suit, looking cold and scary. Everyone in town said he was cruel and mean, especially to people who crossed him.

Perfect.

I found his office address and phone number. Tomorrow morning, I was going to march into his office and ask for his help. I'd offer him everything I knew about Marcus's illegal actions in exchange for protection.

But what if Jake didn't believe me? What if he thought I was just a crazy bride with cold feet?

I wanted proof. I needed proof that Marcus was planning something terrible.

My phone buzzed with a text message from Marcus.

Looking forward to seeing my beautiful bride tonight. Can't wait to call you my wife tomorrow. Love you forever.

Love me forever. He'd be loving my bank account forever, maybe. But I'd be dead.

I stared at the message, and suddenly I had an idea. A terrible, dangerous, amazing idea.

What if I could get Marcus to confess? What if I could trick him into admitting his real plans?

I could wear a hidden recorder to the practice dinner tonight. I could ask the

right questions and get him to tell me the truth about why he really wanted to marry me.

It was risky. If he found out what I was doing, he might try to kill me tonight instead of waiting until after the wedding.

But I had one edge he didn't know about. I knew exactly what kind of monster he was, but he still thought I was the same naïve, naive Maya who believed his lies.

I could use that.

I grabbed my laptop and started studying hidden recording devices. There was an electronics shop across town that sold spy equipment. If I left now, I could buy a recorder and be back before the practice dinner.

As I was getting ready to leave, my phone rang. Unknown number.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Is this Maya Chen?" The voice was deep and cold.

"Yes, who is this?"

"Jake Winters. I believe you and I need to talk."

My heart stopped. "What? How did you get my number?"

"That's not important," he said. "What's important is that someone just tried to hire me to research you. Someone who seems very interested in what you've been doing today."

The room started spinning. "Who?"

"I think you know," Jake said quietly. "The question is, Miss Chen, what are you planning to do about it?"

I looked at the torn wedding dress on my bed, my hands shaking.

Marcus already knew something was wrong.

And now I was running out of time.