Locked In Love

It's often said to guard against fire, theft, and even against close friends, but I never thought I would need to guard against my best friend.

I have known Carrie for nearly ten years, starting from high school. We were as close as can be, doing everything together. We would even share a piece of candy.

In such a strong relationship, who would have thought that one day she would betray me and seduce my boyfriend?

Last night, my boyfriend called to say he was going on a business trip and would be back in a few days. He promised to accompany me to choose a wedding dress when he returned.

Realizing it had been a while since I had seen Carrie, I decided to visit her for a couple of days.

I bought snacks to surprise her without prior notice.

When I arrived at Carrie's place and was about to knock on the door, I suddenly heard my boyfriend, Hector, speaking inside.

"Carrie, you are so slutty. I just can't stay away from you."

Carrie coquettishly replied, "Then break up with Roxanne. I don't want to keep hiding like this. It's tiring to act every day."

"But I don't know how to break it to Roxanne. I'm afraid she can't handle this blow. She's so innocent."

"What should we do then? Are we going to sneak around like this for the rest of our lives? Hector, you can only choose one."

"Carrie, give me some more time. After all, I promised to choose wedding dress with Roxanne yesterday..."

"Within three days, you must break up with Roxanne!"

"Fine, I promise." Hector said without hesitation. After a while, his voice turned seductive, "Carrie, can we do it again?"

"Sure. Break up with Roxanne, do you hear me?"

"Yeah."

"Mmm..."

Soon, the room was filled with lewd sounds.

I couldn't believe that my best friend and the love of my life could be so deceitful and despicable.

How could they pretend to care in front of me while shamelessly engaging in an affair behind my back?

It was infuriating!

I had never been this angry. Leaning against Carrie's door, I was so enraged that I could barely stand.

Realizing that everything from the past was a facade and today was the reality, I nearly collapsed from anger.

I'm impulsive by nature. In this situation, I kicked open Carrie's door.

They were caught in the act, naked and startled by the sound. Both of them screamed in shock, scrambling to cover themselves with the blanket.

The commotion caused by my door-kicking attracted the attention of the neighbors.

Suddenly surrounded by onlookers, Carrie and Hector turned red with embarrassment, wishing they could find a hole to hide in.

"Roxanne, close the door. Let's talk!" Hector said to me in a commanding yet pleading tone.

Carrie, looking displeased, wrapped the blanket tightly around herself.

She shouted at me, "Roxanne, you've gone too far. Are you trying to make me the laughingstock of the world?"

I threw the snacks at Carrie, "How dare you!"

Perhaps driven by excessive anger, my speech became irrational.

At that moment, I cared little for the reputation of them.

I told the neighbors: "Allow me to introduce. Hector Gonzalez, my boyfriend. In half a month, we are to be wed. Carrie Poole, my best friend of nearly a decade. My boyfriend informed me last night that he would be away on a business trip and wouldn't return for a few days. I never imagined he would be 'working' in my friend's vagina."

Consumed by rage, my voice trembled incessantly.

Someone advised me, "My dear, why don't you just let them be together?"

Another person remarked, "Let me tell you, this man has visited more than once. We all believed him to be Carrie's boyfriend."

Hearing these words, my frustration grew.

Betrayed by both my friend and boyfriend, not a single person stood up for me.

They dared suggest I should let them be together?

I was furious!!

Carrie tossed the snacks I had thrown at her back at me.

"Roxanne, you want to expose me, don't you? Fine, let whoever wants to see, see. I have a great body, I'm not afraid of being admired!"

With those words, Carrie lifted the blanket and got out of bed in front of everyone.

I couldn't believe she would act in such a way. Her actions left me stunned.

Carrie dressed and walked up to me. With a swift motion, she slapped me twice, then grabbed my hair and slammed my head against the wall.

Carrie excelled in sports at school. I knew she was formidable.

But I never expected her to turn on me.

Holding my throbbing head, I cowered in the corner, regretting my rash words.

"Roxanne, I've been tolerating you all along, can't you see? If it weren't for your feelings, I would have told you long ago! What can you compete with me?"

Carrie's scolding was harsh. I gritted my teeth and dared not retort. Even though they were the ones having an affair, I was now portrayed as the villain.

Despite being struck, not a soul spoke up for me, all watching with a detached amusement.

Perhaps Hector still had feelings for me.

Seeing Carrie strike me, he couldn't bear it any longer.

Quickly putting on his clothes, he rushed forward and slapped Carrie hard.

"Carrie, how dare you strike Roxanne? We were at fault first."

"Hector! How dare you strike me? Are you now protecting her? You've betrayed her, yet still harbor thoughts of being with her?"

Carrie's face turned ashen with anger.

Not only was Carrie surprised, but I was as well. Just moments ago, they were entangled in passion. How could they turn on each other so quickly?

"Even if Roxanne doesn't accept me, I won't be with you. You're too cruel!"

Hector held me close. We stormed out.

Given the situation, I no longer wanted any association with Hector.

Once outside, I pushed him away and ran off alone.

Walking aimlessly on the street, I felt like a failure.

What my boyfriend did cut me deeply.

And the words spoken by my friend were like salt, cruelly sprinkled on my wounds.

They were the ones I trusted most, yet now, they have both hurt me.

In all my years, I've never been humiliated like this.

I thought everything that had happened was the darkest experience of my life.

However, I never anticipated that my truly dark life had just begun.

"Roxanne!" a deep voice called out to me.

I reflexively turned my head, and in an instant, a pungent liquid was suddenly splashed onto my face.

"Ah...!"

I screamed in agony, feeling my entire face engulfed in flames...

The incident occurred so unexpectedly that I couldn't even see clearly who had splashed me.

Faintly, I heard someone exclaim, "Heavens, this is sulfuric acid!"

"She must be a mistress."

I wanted to speak out loud to defend myself: I am not a mistress!

I wanted to call the police, to summon an ambulance.

But when I tried to speak, I couldn't even open my mouth.

The sulfuric acid had already burned my face.

My upper and lower lips were stuck together, rendering me unable to speak.

In this city, I only knew Carrie and Hector.

Typically, in such situations, I would have sought them out.

But now I was suspecting that Carrie might be the one who had splashed me with sulfuric acid.

The person who called my name had a very deep voice.

I couldn't discern whether it was a man or a woman.

Carrie, do you hate me this much?

Would you go to the extent of disfiguring me with sulfuric acid?

Do you wish to ruin my life forever?

Hector, where are you?

If you truly still have feelings for me, you would surely follow behind me, wouldn't you?

You would try to appease me, beg for my forgiveness, wouldn't you?

Hector, where are you? Come out and save me!

I tried to open my eyes to search for Hector's figure, but my upper and lower eyelids were also stuck together.

In a moment of utter helplessness, I heard a stranger's voice.

"Don't speak, and don't open your eyes!"

I didn't know who this person was, but his voice was soothing.

In this dark world, he became my sole beacon of hope.

With him around, I felt I could survive.

Unable to see or speak, I clung to his legs, making murmuring sounds from my throat.

"Save me... Save me..."

"Don't speak, I'll save you!"

The man lifted me and carried me into a car.

Inside the car, a voice spoke,"Freddy, Andre is waiting for you. Are you sure you want to save a stranger at this moment? If Andre gets angry..."

"Shut up and drive!"

Freddy commanded in a tone that brooked no argument, then softly instructed me not to move.

I heard the sound of a box being opened in the car.

After a while, a needle was piercing my arm.

"I've given you a painkiller injection. Rest for a while. When you wake up, everything will be better..."