Cocktail story

I had worked in corporate for 17 years. I met many people, some became good friends while most showed how fake friendship looks like. I met a woman Naina (pseudonym) who also was my college junior becoming my colleague. I saw Naina's life turning upside down in front of my own eyes. It is worth telling her story.

When Naina joined our office, she already knew me because I was her college senior. Initially she found it comfortable to be with me and my group. A few days later, she had made friends and joined another group. I was glad that she had found her own kind of people.

In Naina's group, there was a couple Rina and Vishal who had been seeing each other and had been recently engaged. Rina and Vishal had been set to get married in a few months. Naina and Rina, despite of their opposite personalities, had become best friends. They would be together everywhere - in the office, caferia, outside. They had a very close bond (supposedly). They would meet on weekends and go on shopping trips. Sometimes Naina would join Rina and Vishal on their dates too. Rina and Naina were inseparable. Naina was helping Rina with her wedding preparation as well.

But everything was not well in the dreamtown. The close friendship of Rina, Naina, and Vishal had been transforming into a love triangle. Vishal had started developing feelings for Naina and it had become apparent. Once a friend told me to speak with Naina to maintain distance from the couple. I had spoken to Naina and told she should maintain her distance from the couple. It would be in the best interest for all three of them. But Naina dismissed it, "we are amazing friends and people are jealous of our friendship". I thought being a friend I should have warned her about the outcome but afterall they all were adults to understand the consequences of their actions.

One day, I got the news that Rina and Vishal had called off their wedding. Rina had decided to end the relationship. At the same time she had taken a sabbatical leave for 3 months for "health reasons". I asked Naina who was Rina's best friend if Rina was unwell. "She is overreacting", Naina replied which shocked me. She was dismissive of Rina's wellness. I would never describe my best friend's heealth concern as "overreacting". I sensed that something was wrong. My instincts were telling me that very soon Vishal and Naina's wedding would be announced.

A few weeks later that announcement was made. Vishal and Naina were engaged and marriage was soon to happen. I was shocked and disturbed with how Rina was treated and sidelined. I decided to meet Rina. When I met Rina I saw that she had become thin and weak. She looked older than her age. She had bags under her eyes and her eyes had lost the sparkle. It was evident that she had been distressed, sad, and had cried a lot. I let Rina do the talking, "I never imagined Naina, my best friend would hurt me like this. She was helping me with the wedding preparations. While doing that she was betraying me behind my back. I never thought that Vishal would be so weak to throw 5 years of relationship for a girl he met 5 weeks ago. I don't know if I did something wrong or I missed to see the red flags. Both of them just came one day to tell me that they are madly in love with each other. I broke the relationship and threw those traitors out of my house. And look at their audacity, both of them sent their engagement pictures to me". Rina wept for several minutes. I saw how painful it was for her to lose a lover and a best friend at the same time. I felt really sad for her. I knew Rina deserved better.

As of today, I am still friends with Rina. I am not in contact with Naina and Vishal. I do not want to associate myself with back stabbers.