Revenge of the Thorn Rose: The best friend is the Worst Person

Thirty-year-old Amanda had made an appointment for a top-secret beauty treatment at a high-end salon so that her wealthy boyfriend could find her even more desirable in bed. However, I, coming from a family of traditional medicine practitioners, warned her against it, explaining that the treatment could harm her uterus and make it difficult to conceive.

My friend took my advice and decided not to go through with the procedure. Her gold-digging boyfriend, however, felt she was no longer attractive enough and quickly found himself a younger girlfriend. Furious, Amanda blamed me, saying, “It's your fault I lost my meal ticket! You must be jealous of me!”

She then stabbed me in the stomach.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn. This time, I was determined to let Amanda make her own choices, even as she prepared to pay for another dubious beauty treatment.

——

"Amanda, why don't we make an appointment together for the top-secret beauty treatment?" The familiar voice of my best friend, Amanda Collins, rang in my ears.

I opened my eyes and the esthetician let out a small gasp. The serum on my face dripped into my eyes and I realized I had been reborn. Instinctively, I covered my stomach. The memory of the knife piercing my skin felt fresh in my mind as I tried to protect the life growing inside me.

I looked around, finding myself back in the salon. The beautician, seeing me freeze with wide eyes, reminded me gently, "Ma'am, you need to keep your eyes closed during the treatment."

Amanda noticed my lack of response and urged, "Samantha, say something."

I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "With this body, it's not worth it."

"But you, Amanda, you're stunning. You should go for it," I said, trying to sound encouraging. "I guarantee it will make him adore you even more."

Hearing this, Amanda seemed to make up her mind and turned to the salon manager standing nearby. "Manager Smith, please sign me up for the top-secret beauty package."

The manager, Ms. Smith, smiled warmly. "Ms. Collins, you've come to the right place. We have top experts in female beauty care and this technique is our exclusive offering. Celebrities, socialites and influencers have all made appointments with us. Take a look," she said, handing over her phone. "We women need to maintain ourselves in every way, so men stay captivated by us."

I frowned slightly as I listened. The so-called top-secret program was designed to make a woman more appealing to men by artificially enhancing certain attributes, effectively turning her into an object of desire.

Amanda was clearly tempted; this was exactly what she craved. She had always felt insecure, worried that she wasn’t attractive enough to men. Without hesitation, she transferred the twenty thousand dollars deposit, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.

"Your man is lucky," I said, offering a flattering smile. I knew she loved hearing things like that.

"Absolutely, he says he loves a woman with a little maturity like me," Amanda responded, casting a disdainful glance my way. I had been preparing my body for pregnancy and had gained some weight recently.

"Samantha, aren't you going to book an appointment too?" she asked.

I smiled and rubbed my stomach, feeling the new life growing inside. "No, I'm pregnant," I replied, letting the esthetician wash away the beauty lotion that was burning my skin.

Just as my face was being cleaned, the salon manager walked in, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. "Ms. Collins, congratulations! One of our top specialists has a slot open tomorrow. It's the perfect time, especially with our current promotion. You’ll enjoy lifelong care at a great price."

“You're also one of our VIP clients,” she added. “I'll give you a discount and all the restorative products will be free. Would you like to book the appointment for tomorrow?”

I glanced at the brochure and pretended to be impressed. “These restorative products are from big brands,” I remarked.

I saw Amanda’s excitement. After a moment of hesitation, she made her decision and said firmly to the manager, “Please book the appointment for tomorrow.”