Ada Harrington and Jane Harrington

Jane sat on the edge of her couch, her fingers frozen around her phone, knuckles white as she read and reread the message. “Ada and Nathan are married. .” A short message, yet the words pierced her as sharply as if they’d been carved into her skin. The phone screen dimmed, but the words lingered in her mind, burned there like an afterimage she couldn’t shake.

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, and a hollow laugh escaped her lips. Married. The word itself felt strange, twisted and out of place. She’d spent so many years with Nathan etched into her life, woven tightly into her plans for the future, a future she had long since lost any claim to. And now, here he was—about to marry her sister.

Setting the phone on the coffee table, Jane sat back and stared up at the cracked ceiling, her mind reeling with the unexpected news. The apartment felt emptier than ever, its silence stretching around her like a shroud. She had run away from Ahmed and returned to the city hoping for some kind of fresh start, a chance to take back what was hers. But now, that hope felt naïve, a wish she’d thrown into an abyss that would never echo back.

The shadows deepened as the afternoon wore on, and with each passing minute, her thoughts grew darker. Memories flooded her mind, bringing Nathan back to life with an intensity that was almost painful.

It wasn’t supposed to end like this.

She remembered the way his hands would linger on her shoulders, his touch gentle yet certain, like he was silently reassuring her that he’d be there forever. They had shared years together—years that were gone now, erased in her absence, replaced by the life Ada had stepped in to fill. She swallowed hard, her chest tight as the image of Ada’s face filled her mind. Ada, her sister who had always been there.

That was the thing about Ada. She had been the steady one, the dependable one. She didn’t demand or ask for anything; she simply filled the spaces Jane left behind, mending the cracks and pretending not to notice how deep they ran. This had always pissed Jane off. No matter how hard Jane pushed her, Ada just took it in stride.

Jane had never spoken to Ada, really spoken, without the weight of all the things they didn’t say pressing between them. And Nathan... he had moved on. He had a daughter to raise and a life that no longer included her.

In the dim light of the apartment, she was suddenly transported back to that first night she’d met Nathan. She’d been standing at a crowded party, feeling out of place and lost in the sea of strangers, when she’d noticed him across the room. He’d been speaking to Ada before he'd seen her too, offering a small smile as if they were already in on some secret joke. That night had marked the beginning of something that felt bigger than herself, bigger than anything she’d ever known. They’d spent hours talking, laughing about silly things, weaving stories about the future that had felt so real back then.

But those memories felt hollow now, ghosts of a life she could no longer reach. She had left, and Ada had filled the spaces Jane had left empty. But marriage? Jane had always known they were close, but this was different. This wasn’t just friendship or a matter of convenience—this was permanence, a bond that couldn’t be undone.

Her mind drifted back to the magazine photo she saw of Nathan and Ada. They had been at an event, standing a safe distance apart but Jane had seen the way Nathan was looking at Ada. The possessiveness and love in his eyes had hit her hard. She had asked herself why she acting as a concubine when her husband was richer and could offer her the life she deserved without hiding her. She should never have returned. Ada had taken over her life, her family, and now even Nathan was a part of that picture.

Pushing herself off the couch, Jane paced the small space of her living room, her steps echoing in the silence. She felt like a stranger in her own skin, unsteady and hollow. She didn’t know where she fit into this new reality, if there was even a place left for her.

Finally, she sank back down onto the couch, her hands trembling as she reached for her phone once more. She considered calling Ada, asking her how it had happened, how long she and Nathan had been together, and if Ada had ever thought of how this news would affect her. But what could she say that wouldn’t sound bitter, or petty, or hopelessly selfish? How could she ask her sister to explain why she was taking a piece of her life that was already so fragile and leaving her with nothing?

It doesn’t matter, Jane told herself. It’s over now.

A voice in the back of her mind whispered that she had brought this on herself, that she had been the one to leave, the one who had let her relationship with Nathan crumble. And Ada—sweet, loyal Ada—had stepped in to fill the void.

She finally gave in and called Ada. The phone rang and she was tempted to cut the call. Finally she heard a voice on the other end.

“Jane?” Ada’s voice was soft, hesitant, and Jane could hear the tension in her words.

“I... I wasn’t sure if you’d pick up.” Jane replied.

Jane continued, her voice steady but cold. “So... you and Nathan. You’re married.”

There was a brief silence on the other end, and Jane could picture Ada standing in her tidy kitchen, twisting her hands together as she searched for the right words. “I... yes. We are.”

“Well, congratulations,” Jane said, her voice edged with bitterness she hadn’t meant to let slip. “I’m sure you’ll both be very happy.”

“Jane,” Ada’s voice was growing harder, filled with a curtness that cut through Jane’s defenses. “Nathan and I... it just happened.”

A surge of anger flared in Jane’s chest, hot and raw. “You always wanted him. You think I didn't see the way you used to stare at him like a lovesick puppy?”

There was a silence on the other end, and Jane felt a pang of regret for her harsh words. But she couldn’t take them back now. They had been simmering beneath the surface for too long, and now they were out, raw and exposed.

“They needed someone, Jane,” Ada said quietly, her voice breaking. “And you... you weren’t here.”

The words struck Jane like a blow, each syllable landing with a weight that made it hard to breathe. You weren’t here. It was a simple truth, but one that carried a thousand unspoken accusations. She had left Nathan behind, had walked away when he needed her most. And Ada—kind, steadfast Ada—had been there to pick up the pieces.

“But he was mine,” Jane whispered, more to herself than to Ada, her voice tinged with a sadness that bordered on despair. “He was supposed to be mine.”

“I know,” Ada said, her voice barely audible. “But he’s mine now. You never even tried to get to know your daughter Jane. Deep down, you didn't want this. ”

The finality of her words hung between them, thick and heavy, and Jane felt something inside her shatter. There was no going back now, no way to undo the choices she had made, the years she had spent running from her past. She had lost Nathan.

“Goodbye, Ada,” she said, her voice flat and hollow as she ended the call.

The silence that followed was absolute, a crushing weight that filled the empty spaces of her apartment. Jane dropped the phone, letting it fall to the floor as she stared into the darkness. She felt empty, as if all the pieces of herself had scattered, leaving nothing but a hollow shell in their place.

She stayed like that for a long time, her thoughts spiraling into an endless loop of regrets and lost chances. There was no one left to blame but herself, and the knowledge cut through her like a blade. She had made her choices, and now she had to live with the consequences.