When the Joke Went Too Far, I Was Done Playing Along

A group of thugs dragged me into an alley. In a panic, I called my boyfriend thirty-nine times, only to have him decline every single call. My whole body trembled as I struggled desperately to break free. Just as they were about to strip me naked, laughter suddenly erupted around me. One by one, they removed their masks and caps. I looked up stiffly and saw that every one of them was someone close to me. My younger brother, Caleb Bennett, scoffed. "This is hilarious, sis. You should've seen the look on your face. Did you seriously think someone was stalking you?" My older brother, Adrian Bennett, teased, "How are you still this easy to scare after all these years?" My best friend, Maya Grant, smiled at the girl beside her. "See, Jenna? I told you she was a coward, but you didn't believe me. Do you believe me now?" I followed her gaze to Jenna Gale, the woman Blake Carter had always carried a torch for, who had just returned from abroad. She stood behind Blake, looking at me with feigned innocence. "I had no idea you were really this easy to scare, sis. "No wonder you guys do this every year, Blake. It's actually pretty fun." Blake remained completely indifferent, never once looking at me. "If you like it, we'll do it again next time." I stood frozen, my entire body went cold. Only then did I realize that this was yet another one of their pranks meant to toughen me up. Two years ago, they locked me in a pitch-black room and told me ghost stories, leaving me plagued by nightmares for an entire month. Last year, they put dead snakes and rats in my bed. I was so terrified that I collapsed and went into convulsions. Today, one more person had joined them in tormenting me. It suddenly occurred to me that it was time to put an end to this farce once and for all. Chapter 1 Once the prank was over, they followed their usual ritual of taking a group photo to remember it by. My older brother, Adrian Bennett, gave me a disgusted look. "Look at the state of you. Hurry up and fix your clothes." My younger brother, Caleb Bennett took a drag from his cigarette. "Just look at her. She's ugly and has no figure to speak of. No one would give her a second glance even if she's naked." Their laughter rang out around me as I gritted my teeth and fumbled to pull my disheveled clothes back into place. A sudden weight settled over my shoulders as a suit jacket was draped around me. Blake frowned slightly and said, "Put it on." The evening breeze stirred the fabric, carrying a faint trace of perfume toward me. It was exactly the same scent Jenna wore. I averted my gaze and wrapped the jacket tightly around myself, but the cold had already seeped into my bones. By the time we finished taking the photo, it was already ten at night. Perhaps my unusual silence had dampened their enthusiasm, because they soon lost interest in continuing to jest at me. Adrain pulled the car out from where it was parked and called over casually, "Come on, get in." I trailed after everyone with my head down, but just as I was about to climb inside, Caleb caught my wrist in a tight grip. "You can't come with us, sis," he said arrogantly. "The car will be overloaded." Maya Grant, my best friend, immediately backed him up. "Yeah, Nina. Your place isn't far from here anyway. Be a lamb, and take one for the team." That was when I finally noticed there were six of us and only five seats. I was the one who did not fit. When I looked up, my eyes met Blake's. He merely shifted his gaze away and handed Jenna the motion sickness pills he had brought for her, pretending from beginning to end that he had not seen what was happening. A faint, needle-sharp pain pierced my heart. I wrenched my wrist free, tossed the suit jacket back into the car, and walked away without another word. By the time I got home, it was already eleven. Sitting on the bed, I stared at the group photo they had just posted in the group chat. Everyone else was grinning happily, while I alone looked disheveled and humiliated. "Are you mad?" Blake asked, apparently surprised by how coldly I was treating him. "So you do understand that I have every reason to be angry." He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me, trying to placate me, but all I could smell was the same perfume, only much stronger now. My stomach lurched, and an instinctive wave of nausea surged into my throat. "This wasn't my idea." "I called you thirty-nine times." "I didn't get any calls." Blake immediately pulled out his phone to prove his innocence, but it took only one glance for me to spot my number sitting quietly among his blocked contacts. "Jenna had my phone all day. She must have tapped something by accident." He unblocked me without showing the slightest trace of guilt or apology. My fingers tightened unconsciously around my phone as my scalp began to prickle. "Don't be mad, Nina. I'm sorry. We won't pull any more pranks on you, okay?" My voice came out hoarse. "Blake, this is the tenth time you've said that." Yet they had never changed. After every prank, Blake would hold me and comfort me, swearing it would be the last time. But whenever the next one came around, he never failed to take part. He clearly had not expected me to call him out. His expression stiffened, and when he spoke again, his voice was even softer. "I mean it this time." And this time, I knew better than to believe him. "Let's get some sleep. Good night." The bedside lamp clicked off, plunging the room into darkness just as thunder cracked outside and the rain began falling harder. I had always been timid, and ever since I was a child, I had needed a night-light to sleep. Blake, however, was such a light sleeper that even the faintest glow would wake him. For his sake, I had gradually trained myself out of the habit over the three years we had lived together. But tonight, the terror of being cornered in the alley kept replaying in my mind. I lay in the darkness, drenched in cold sweat, every breath trembling, until I was on the verge of breaking down. Then the bedside lamp suddenly flicked on. As the light pierced the darkness, warmth slowly returned to my icy fingers. For one fleeting moment, I thought the man beside me had noticed how badly I was struggling. When Blake looked at me, I saw a hint of panic on his face. "It's thundering and storming outside. Jenna must be scared. "I'm going over to keep her company." Chapter 2 My teeth caught the tip of my tongue without warning, and the sharp metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. As thunder continued to roll outside, I instinctively reached for his hand and curled my fingers around his. "I'm scared too." "Nina, stop it." A flicker of impatience crossed his face, and his voice was cold and dismissive. "If you're scared, just pretend it's another one of those pranks to make you braver." That prank again. Everything that had happened that night was still playing on a loop in my mind. Blake could see how deathly pale I was, yet there was not a trace of concern in his eyes. "Nina Bennett, acting helpless over and over just to get sympathy only makes me more fed up with you." With that, he shook off my hand and strode out of the room. My lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. To him, every fear I confessed and every plea for help was nothing more than pointless whining. Yet all it took was one word from Jenna to send him racing to her side. I suddenly remembered what had happened a month earlier, when Jenna had just returned from abroad. Half joking and half testing him, I had asked whether he would leave me for the one who had always held a special place in his heart. He had ruffled my hair and laughed. "Silly girl. No matter how perfect she may have seemed, she's still part of the past. Nobody comes close to my Nina." Violent cramps twisted through my stomach, followed by a rush of nausea. I staggered to the bathroom and dry-heaved, leaving my entire body weak and drained. Our ragdoll cat, Pudding, seemed to sense that I was unwell and padded over to rub against my ankle. "Pudding, I'm fine." I stroked her head, my emotions in turmoil. Only the day before, I had discovered that I was three weeks pregnant. I had planned to tell Blake that day and surprise him, but now I suddenly saw no reason to. The night had gone deathly quiet when Jenna posted a photo of a table covered with beautifully prepared dishes. The caption read: "Blake's cooking just keeps getting better~" My nose began to sting. Just then, a private message from Blake appeared on my phone. "The rain is too heavy, so I won't be coming home tonight. "Get some sleep and make sure you stay warm." I stared at the screen without typing a single word in reply. Instead, I opened an email that had been sitting unanswered for weeks. My company had sent it the previous month, inviting me to take a position in Jadenborough. Since all my friends and family were in Norhamere, I had rejected the offer without a second thought. Now, I could only see how foolish and ridiculous I had been. My fingers moved swiftly across the screen as I typed my response. "Mr. Shaw, I would like to accept the transfer and am prepared to proceed in accordance with the company's arrangements." The next morning, noises outside the bedroom woke me. When I opened the door, I found Jenna sitting in my usual place at the dining table, eating breakfast. She greeted me with a gentle smile, though the challenge in her eyes was unmistakable. Blake emerged from the kitchen wearing an apron. "You're up?" he said casually. "We're out of groceries. Go pick some up." I stared at him, my voice turning cold. "What is she doing in my home?" Blake frowned as though there was nothing about the situation that warranted such a question. "Jenna's place flooded because of the heavy rain. "She just got back and doesn't have any friends here. Where else is she supposed to stay if not with us?" "Can't she stay at a hotel?" "Why waste money on that?" Before I could say anything else, Jenna cut in. "Nina, if you don't want me here, I'll move to a hotel right now. I don't want to intrude on you two." "Go ahead," I replied without expression. Blake immediately stepped protectively in front of Jenna, his brow furrowing even deeper. "Nina Bennett, do you have to be so petty about everything?" "Fine. Then I'll leave." "You're being unreasonable again." I pressed my lips together and said nothing. Turning away, I went back to the bedroom to pack my bags. Chapter 3 Two suitcases and Pudding were all I had to show for my time in that home. When Jenna saw me emerge from the bedroom with my luggage, she could not help asking, "Blake, are you really going to let her leave?" Blake answered irritably, "She's a coward. She won't be able to manage without me." I stopped in my tracks, then walked over to Pudding and picked her up. "Pudding, do you want to come with Mommy?" She licked my palm, as sweet and affectionate as ever. Without warning, a large, well-defined hand seized her by the scruff and yanked her out of my arms. Blake handled her so roughly that her fur instantly stood on end and a piercing cry tore from her throat. "No. I bought her, so you have no right to take her away." Three years ago, Blake had been away on business all the time. Knowing how frightened I was of living alone, he had brought home a ragdoll cat to keep me company. Now he was telling me I had no right to take her. Suppressing the ache in my chest and the tremor in my voice, I looked up at him. "What if I pay you for her?" "She's not for sale." My throat tightened until I could barely breathe, but I forced a stiff smile. "Pudding, be a good girl and stay with Blake for now. Mommy will come back for you." As though she understood me, she stopped struggling and gazed at me with her large, watery eyes. I forced down my grief and headed for the door. Blake did not even look at me. He simply carried Pudding over to Jenna at the dining table so she could play with her. Laughter filled the apartment, and my eyes suddenly began to sting. With seven days left before my transfer, I checked into a hotel for the time being. Only a few hours later, Jenna sent me a photo. In it, Pudding lay sprawled across the carpet, covered in injuries and barely clinging to life. My hands shook with terror as I hurriedly called Jenna, but no one answered. Frantic, I hailed a cab and rushed home. The apartment was deserted, and the windows had been flung wide open. Outside one of them, a gray-and-white shape dangled precariously in the wind. "Pudding!" My heart nearly stopped. I stumbled to the window, and just as my pupils contracted in horror, a chorus of voices erupted behind me. "Surprise!" Confetti burst over my head as raucous laughter rang out around the room. Adrian stepped out from a corner. "Look how badly we scared my little sister. She's even breaking out in a cold sweat." Maya emerged from the bedroom. "Surprised? Bet you didn't see that coming! Jenna came up with the whole idea." Only then did I realize that the object hanging outside the window was a stuffed cat. I had knitted it for Blake by hand several years ago. I had never been good at crafts, so I had watched the tutorial over and over until I finally got it right. When I gave it to him, he had been delighted and placed it on his bedside table, where he could admire it every day. Now its once-white fabric was covered in dust. My arm fell limply to my side. "I told you she was a coward," Caleb said. "One cat was enough to scare her half to death." A soft meow sounded behind me, and I turned to see Jenna holding Pudding, who was completely unharmed. "This prank was so much fun. Sorry, Nina. I honestly didn't think one doctored photo would scare you that badly." Biting my lip, I took Pudding from her and held her tightly against my chest. "Is frightening me like this really that entertaining?" They had not expected me to lose my temper, and the room fell silent for a moment. Adrian patted me on the head. "We planned this prank to help you overcome your fears. Why are you getting angry?" Blake stepped forward and wiped the cold sweat from my forehead with a tissue. "It was only a prank. Don't get so worked up." A prank. I had long since lost count of how many "pranks" they had played on me. Maya slipped an arm around my waist. "Come on, don't be mad. Let's all go out and have some fun." Holding Pudding, I followed them numbly, but Jenna stepped in front of me. "Nina, Blake already gave Pudding to me." I froze and turned to Blake. "Is that true?" He nodded. "She's scared when she's alone at night. Having a cat around will help." Then he added, "I don't have to work overtime at my new job, so you have me to keep you company." A crushing wave of grief closed around my throat, and my stomach churned violently. Fighting back the nausea, I followed them downstairs. Chapter 4 "Who do you think you're giving that attitude to? To think we went to all the trouble of finding you a ride." I looked up and saw a battered secondhand electric scooter parked beside the car. I had seen it that morning. Someone who was moving out had dumped it beside the trash, and it was practically ready for the scrapyard. A heavy, suffocating weight settled in my chest as I looked at them. "I'll take a cab." I would treat this outing as my final farewell to the first twenty-five years of my life. Maya nodded. "We'll meet you at the amusement park then. Jenna's never been there before." With that, they climbed into the car without a second thought. When we arrived at the amusement park, they headed straight for the haunted house. My legs went weak as I stood outside the entrance. "You guys go ahead. I'm not going in." "Oh, come on. What's the point if you don't join us? Don't worry, we'll keep you safe." Before I could stand my ground, they forcibly dragged me inside. The haunted house was pitch-black, and within moments, everyone around me had vanished. No matter how loudly I called out, only deathly silence answered. A terrifying projection suddenly leaped out at me. My legs gave way, and I collapsed to the floor as something warm slowly trickled down my body. Waves of cramping tore through my abdomen, accompanied by a heavy, sinking sensation that left my entire body convulsing in pain. With trembling hands, I called Blake. "Blake, where are you? I think I'm..." The other end of the line was filled with noise and laughter, completely unlike the eerie silence surrounding me. Blake cut off my plea for help. "Jenna is scared of the dark, so we all exited the haunted house early. Find your own way out. We've gone to try some of the other rides." Two short beeps sounded as he hung up. The darkness around me felt vast and empty, with not another person in sight. Just then, new messages appeared in the group chat. Maya: "Nina's been in quite a mood today. Let's leave her in the haunted house for a while and teach her a lesson." Caleb: "Exactly. How dare she give us attitude?" The messages were then quickly deleted. Staring at the faint glow of my screen, I slowly closed my eyes. When I woke again, I was lying in a cold hospital bed. The slight curve of my belly was gone, and my entire body felt as though it had been pulled apart. When the doctor saw that I was awake, she spoke with regret. "The shock was too much, and we couldn't save the baby..." My lips trembled uncontrollably as tears streamed down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and answered through my sobs, "I understand." "Would you like me to contact your family?" "No." The doctor shook her head and left. When I checked my phone, the group chat was still as lively as ever. Not one of them had even bothered to find out whether I was dead or alive. Then a message from my boss appeared. "There's been a change of plans. You'll be leaving tomorrow." Without a ripple of emotion, I replied: "Understood." It was not until the following morning that Blake finally sent me a message. "Throwing another tantrum?" Calmly, I blocked every last one of them and climbed into the cab that had been waiting outside. "To the high-speed rail station, please." As I watched the streets recede rapidly beyond the window, I forced a faint smile. Today was the day I would finally sever every last tie between us.