Success bred resentment.
Unspoken competition replaced encouragement.
The fractures developed slowly enough that Emma barely noticed them.
Until it was too late.
The invitation arrived unexpectedly.
A weekend hiking retreat.
“Just like old times,” Brooke had written.
Emma hesitated.
Months had passed since they’d all spent meaningful time together.
Still, nostalgia has a powerful way of softening caution.
Eventually, she agreed.
The first day unfolded pleasantly enough.
They rented a cabin near Eagle’s Peak, one of the region’s most breathtaking overlooks.
They laughed over old photographs.
Shared stories.
Cooked dinner together.
Yet beneath the surface, something felt different.
