The morning sun filtered gently through the sheer curtains of Sophie's room, casting golden streaks across her walls.
Birds chirped softly outside, and for a moment, everything felt normal—peaceful even. But as Sophie turned in her bed and the memory of the previous day came rushing back, the calm dissipated in an instant.
She sat upright, brushing her tangled hair out of her face, her heart thudding with a mixture of anxiety and resolution. Today was the day Philip had planned the casual get-together to celebrate their engagement.
It was supposed to be simple, just friends and laughter, but the weight of Sophie's secret was becoming too heavy to bear. The legal marriage to Ethan still lingered like a shadow behind her every smile, every conversation, every loving word she exchanged with Philip.
"I can't keep carrying this alone," she whispered to herself as she paced back and forth in her room, her bare feet padding against the cold wooden floor. Her mind was a whirlwind of guilt, fear, and longing for relief.
"I have to tell someone. I have to tell Sylvia... she'll understand."
Her pacing halted as she heard soft footsteps pass by her door. Without a second thought, she swung it open and caught sight of her younger sister.
"Sylvia!" she called, reaching out and pulling her into the room in a swift, determined motion before closing the door behind them.
Sylvia looked startled. "Hey... what's going on?" she asked, scanning her sister's unusually serious face.
Sophie swallowed hard, her palms clammy. Her stomach was doing somersaults, and she could feel the pressure building up in her chest. Her voice was shaky but laced with urgency.
"There's something I need to tell you. And please, just don't freak out."
Sylvia furrowed her brows but nodded cautiously. "Okay... what is it?"
Sophie took a deep breath, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for the courage to continue. Finally, in one breathless rush, she said,
"I'm legally married to a guy named Ethan Thompson. But we're working on getting it annulled. It was a mistake, it happened when we were drunk, and we didn't even remember it until recently."
Sylvia's eyes widened in disbelief.
"WHAT?!" she exclaimed, her voice loud and shrill with shock.
But despite the outburst, Sophie felt a strange sense of relief wash over her. The words were out. The secret wasn't hers alone anymore. She had finally opened the floodgates, and the heaviness on her chest felt a little lighter.
"Please, Sylvia, don't shout!" Sophie pleaded, putting a finger to her lips.
"I said we're working on getting the marriage annulled. And besides, I have a whole year before my wedding with Philip. I'm trying to fix everything before it all spirals out of control. Please, I don't want Mom to find out. Not yet."
Sophie's voice cracked with emotion. She looked vulnerable in a way Sylvia hadn't seen in a long time.
"I'll tell the other girls through text before the get-together later this evening," Sophie added, her voice trembling but composed.
Sylvia blinked, still reeling, but her gaze softened. She stepped closer and placed a gentle hand on Sophie's shoulder.
"Hmm... okay. Don't worry. We're in this together, sis. I won't tell anyone."
Sophie's eyes glistened with gratitude. Then, with a tentative smile, Sylvia added,
"Besides, I know you don't really love Philip. You just said yes to him because of Mom's pressure."
Sophie gasped slightly, surprised that Sylvia had seen through her so clearly. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she managed to hold them back.
"Thank you so much," she said, wrapping her arms tightly around her sister in a heartfelt embrace.
"That's why I love you."
Evening eventually arrived, painting the sky in hues of lavender and gold. The get-together that Philip had eagerly planned was finally underway. They all met at a cozy but stylish restaurant in the heart of the city, one with soft lighting, warm décor, and just enough charm to make the evening feel special. Laughter and light chatter echoed through the air.
A long dining table had been reserved for them, spacious enough to accommodate both friend groups. Sophie arrived with Sylvia and a few close friends. Philip, ever the host, greeted everyone warmly, his smile radiating enthusiasm and pride.
"Thank you so much, guys, for coming tonight," he said with genuine joy in his eyes. Everyone smiled in return, raising their glasses or nodding in response.
A few moments later, Philip stood beside Sophie, gently resting his hand on the small of her back.
"Sophie, I'd like you to meet a very good friend of mine and also the best wedding planner I know... meet Wayne."
Sophie turned toward the man now standing before her, a well-dressed figure with a confident smile and a professional air.
"Hi," she said, offering a polite wave.
"Hi Sophie! It's so great to finally meet you," Wayne responded, his tone warm and welcoming.
"As your wedding planner," Wayne began with a slight chuckle,
"I'll be involved in scouting venues, coordinating themes, liaising with vendors—all of it. But before we dive into that, I'll need both of you to get me your CENOMAR."
Sophie blinked, confused. "I'm sorry, what's that?"
Wayne smiled patiently.
"CENOMAR—Certificate of No Marriage. It's a legal document issued by the court that proves neither of you has been previously married. It's a basic requirement for the wedding process. Philip, I know you've got yours already, so just email it to me. And Sophie, you'll need to get yours done as well."
Philip chimed in confidently, unaware of the internal chaos brewing beside him.
"Yeah, I'll send mine in tonight. Sophie will get hers soon too."
The moment those words left his lips, Sophie felt her world tilt beneath her feet.
Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart began pounding like a war drum inside her chest. A sudden heat flushed her skin, and her palms started to sweat uncontrollably. Panic gripped her like a vise. She reached for her glass of water and took a slow sip, trying to steady the growing storm inside her. But her mind was no longer in that restaurant. It had spiraled into a tornado of dread and desperation.
What do I do now?
How can I provide a certificate that proves I've never been married... when I already am?
Her thoughts raced in a million directions. Her surroundings became a blur, the laughter and conversations melting into a muffled hum. She felt detached from reality, like a distant observer of a scene she couldn't control.
Sylvia, ever watchful, noticed the sudden change in her sister's demeanor. Quietly, she reached under the table and texted Sophie a simple message:
"Calm down."
The soft chime of Sophie's phone jolted her back into the present. She glanced at the message and inhaled deeply, holding the breath for a few seconds before releasing it slowly. She repeated this a few times, using the rhythm to anchor herself back to composure.
Finally, with a forced but convincing smile, she nodded and turned to Wayne. "Yeah, sure thing. I'll definitely get my certificate of no marriage to you," she said, her voice smooth and unwavering, betraying nothing of the crisis swirling inside her.
The moment passed, and the evening carried on with laughter, small talk, and toasts to love. But deep inside Sophie's mind, the countdown has begun. A clock had started ticking. She knew the next steps had to be precise, calculated, and swift. She had to get that annulment before the truth exploded in front of everyone.
As she sat beside Philip, smiling and nodding along to the conversations, her thoughts drifted, not to the wedding, nor to her future with Philip, but to Ethan Thompson.
Just when Sophie had managed to steady herself—her breathing even, her heartbeat gradually slowing, she thought the worst had passed.
She had convinced Wayne with a composed smile, Philip hadn't suspected a thing, and the room had slowly returned to its lively hum of laughter and chatter. She reached again for her drink, letting the coolness of the glass ground her in the moment.
But peace, as always, was fleeting.
Wayne, still standing confidently at the head of the table with the smooth presence of a seasoned wedding planner, suddenly added,
"You know, this CENOMAR is more important than most people think. I once heard of a girl who was engaged to her long-time boyfriend, but it turned out she was legally married to another man. The whole thing ended in complete disaster."
He let out a short laugh, unaware of the emotional grenade he had just tossed into Sophie's lap.
Sophie froze mid-sip, the liquid on her tongue suddenly bitter. Her fingers tightened around the stem of her glass. Inside, she was screaming. Her thoughts raced, forming a thousand snarky replies she wouldn't dare say out loud.
Her imagination went wild for a second, fantasizing about throwing the entire drink in Wayne's smug, storytelling face just to make him stop talking.
Instead, she bit down the impulse and turned toward him with a slow, piercing stare—a stare sharp enough to cut glass. It wasn't just irritation. It was the kind of look that carried a warning, veiled by an uncomfortable smile.
A 'you've said enough and one more word will cost you your dignity' kind of look. Her eyes held a cold intensity, narrowed just slightly, lips pressed into a tight, sarcastic smirk.
Oblivious, Wayne gave a light chuckle and took a sip of wine.
"Oh no, that's terrible," Philip chimed in, trying to lighten the mood with boyish confidence. He laughed, clearly amused by the ridiculousness of the hypothetical situation.
"Well, my case will never be like that. I trust my Sophie completely. And besides," he added proudly, turning toward her with a hand resting affectionately on her shoulder,
"I've been her one and only boyfriend, right from our high school days. So, no need to worry, Wayne. I just want you to give her the wedding of her dreams."
His eyes sparkled with the kind of love that deserved to be true, and his smile was filled with sincerity, even excitement. He was feeling proud—proud to be engaged to the woman he believed had never once betrayed him, proud to show her off to his friends and family, and hopeful for the perfect life they were meant to build together.
Sophie forced a laugh, her voice hollow beneath the sound of it. At the tail end of the laugh, a quiet sigh escaped her lips, unguarded.
She caught Sylvia's eye and then shifted her gaze toward her close friends, who were watching her with concern written plainly across their faces. With a subtle raise of her eyebrows and a tight-lipped smile, Sophie gave them all a look that screamed: "I am finished."
Trying to redirect the tension in the air, Sylvia leaned forward, her tone casual but laced with subtext.
"Uhmm... Philip," she began carefully, "let's say... hypothetically... a girl accidentally gets married to a stranger, maybe through some unfortunate legal mix-up. And then, she's also engaged to someone else. As a lawyer, what do you think she should do?"
Philip, ever eager to show his knowledge, sat straighter in his chair.
"Well, in that case, the first thing would be to assess whether the marriage was legally binding. If it turns out to be a legal marriage, then the girl would need to pursue a proper annulment or divorce.
And honestly, in this city, marriage certificates aren't treated lightly. The constitution here is extremely strict about upholding the sanctity of legally registered unions. So... it would be a long and complicated process."
Sylvia nodded slowly.
"Ohh, okay," she replied, her tone neutral, like she was just mildly curious. But Sophie's heart was pounding again. She felt like she was slowly unraveling with every passing minute.
Then, Philip's eyes narrowed slightly with curiosity. "Wait... who's this person you're talking about?" he asked, tilting his head.
The table fell into a sudden, almost suffocating silence. Time seemed to pause. Sophie could feel her friends stiffen beside her, and even Sylvia glanced down for a second before recovering.
"Just... a friend of mine," Sylvia said smoothly, breaking the silence with practiced ease. "She's not here with us tonight."
Philip shrugged, unconcerned. "Oh, okay. Well... good luck to her on getting the annulment then," he said, turning his attention back to his plate as he resumed eating.
But Sophie could barely taste the food anymore. Her appetite had long since disappeared. Her thoughts were too loud, too chaotic.
She spent the rest of the evening nodding politely, forcing the occasional smile, laughing at jokes she didn't hear, pretending to be present when all she could think about was how everything could fall apart with just one misstep.
The hours dragged on. She had never wanted a dinner to end more than she did now.
When it was finally time to leave, and the check had been paid, Sophie stood beside Philip as they prepared to say their goodbyes. He turned to her, pulling her into a tight embrace. His arms wrapped around her protectively, and he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.
But she didn't feel anything.
Not warmth. Not safe. Not love.
At that moment, she didn't want to be held. She didn't want to be told everything was fine. She just wanted to go home, crawl under her sheets, and disappear into her thoughts. She wanted silence. Solitude. And maybe just a moment to cry without pretending anymore.
They each said their goodnights, offering hugs and promises to "catch up soon," and then went their separate ways under the soft moonlight. The city was quiet, the night air still and cool.
Sophie walked beside Sylvia in silence, her heels clicking against the pavement, her heart heavier than ever.
And as they turned the corner toward their apartment, the only thought in her mind was:
How much longer can I keep hiding this?