No one could understand how hurt and furious Elsa was right now.

She had joyfully shared her engagement news with the two people she considered her best friends. And how did they react?

No congratulations. No happiness for her. Just suspicion.

They questioned Xander's motives. They questioned his love for her. It made Elsa feel like a complete fool.

No wonder. No wonder people say that in a friendship of three, one person is always the odd one out. It seemed she was that person.

After Elsa finished her tirade, Gertrude's eyes welled up with tears. Her body trembled as she said, "Elsa! How could you say that? Are you really going to end our friendship over a man?"

It was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. She thought they were the best of friends. It's true that people say things they don't mean when they're angry. But often, the things said in anger are what they truly feel deep down.

Elsa let out a small, bitter laugh. "Did I say anything that wasn't true? Gertrude, there are things I've wanted to say for a long time, but I held back. For the sake of our friendship, I held back until now. When you and your boyfriend decided to get married, how did I treat you? I didn't just travel all the way to your hometown for the wedding; I was your bridesmaid! I never looked down on you for where you came from, so what right do you have to look down on my boyfriend?"

"What gives you the right?"

Gertrude sobbed, "It's not the same, Elsa! It's not! As your friend, I want you to be happy, not to throw your heart away on a jerk!"

Elsa's face was a mask of scorn. On what grounds did Gertrude call Xander a jerk? She was about to retort when Caitlin, who had been silent, spoke up.

"Elsa, are these words all from your heart? To you, am I just a divorced, arrogant heiress, and Gertrude and her husband are just country bumpkins?"

Caitlin's voice was calm, betraying no emotion.

"Yes," Elsa nodded, her response immediate and unwavering. "That's exactly what I think! Caitlin, don't I think I don't know that you've always looked down on me. Your constant attempts to drive a wedge between my boyfriend and me were nothing but a compliance test. You just wanted to see if I was a puppet you could control!"

"Well, let me tell you now, I am not a marionette for you to manipulate! No one can

control the love between my boyfriend and me!"

Perhaps, all along, Caitlin and

Gertrude had never considered her a

real friend. If Caitlin had, she wouldn't have belittled her boyfriend like this. It would be one thing if Xander's character was truly flawed but it wasn't. Caitlin was just using this situation to test her foyalty. The moment she didn't obey, Caitlin started slandering Xander.

He clearly loved her. But in Caitlin's

sel

eyes, he was only proposing because of Caitlin's status. It was laughable. Utterly laughable. Who did Calllin think she was? All she had were her fancy titles. That might be impressive to some people, but to Elsa, Caitlin was no different from anyone else.

The more Elsa thought about it, the angrier she got. She glared at Caitlin. "Caitlin, you really think you're something special, don't you? You think the world would stop turning without you?"

Gertrude shouted in anger, "Elsa! You've gone too far! Have you forgotten how much Catie has helped you?"

Years ago, Elsa's family business had faced a massive crisis, staring down a ruinous lawsuit. Her parents had been so distraught they were standing on the roof of a building, ready to end it all to escape the debt.