Chapter 1

I'd already picked out our tenth-anniversary gift. When I switched payment methods at checkout, I accidentally selected the card linked to my boyfriend's account.

I switched payment methods, intending to use my own card, but a notification flashed across the screen. [Your authorized user card has been deactivated.]

My fingers hesitated for a moment, but I paid anyway and messaged James Reed.

I asked: [You took me off your account?]

James replied instantly: [Yeah.]

I stared at the screen, my fingers scrolling up.

For the past two months, no matter what I messaged James, he'd reply instantly, and it was always either "Yeah" or "Got something going on."

I touched the little cat necklace he gave me, then booked a flight to Southgate for tomorrow morning.

After landing, I checked into the hotel right across from James's place.

While waiting for the elevator, I called my bestie, Sophie Lane.

"Sophie, I think James has changed on me after this much time apart..." I said.

Before I could finish, she cut me off.

"Don't overthink it. I'm swamped today, I'll call you tomorrow," she said.

The screen went dark. I put my phone away, swiped my room key, and the curtains slid open automatically.

I couldn't help glancing at the floor James lived on.

My best friend, who kept claiming she was busy, and James, who barely bothered to answer me, were laughing it up with my stepsister, the one person in the world I couldn't stand.

*****

When I saw James get up and head to the kitchen, my hands shook as I opened his chat window.

I asked: [Who are you with?]

Bella Stone picked up the tablet, rolled her eyes, and typed back: [Got something going on.]

I gripped my phone tightly, staring at that instant reply. It just felt so absurd.

For the past two months, I thought James was just losing interest in me. But I never imagined that all this time, it was Bella, the one responsible for my mom and her unborn child's death, replying to my messages.

Once James sat down, I started a group video call in a chat none of us had touched in six months...

But just a second later, they both instantly hung up on me.

I took a deep breath, pulled the curtains shut, and dug out my tablet from my suitcase.

Almost masochistically, I checked the live cam at James's apartment.

After 100 days apart, I asked James to install it.

But ever since Mittens passed away six months ago, I hadn't opened it once.

On the screen, Bella spotted my picture come up on the tablet. She pouted and put on her sweetest voice.

"It's my housewarming today, I'm the main character. Nobody's allowed to answer any calls," Bella insisted.

Everyone around joined in, making a fuss. "James, even if the sky falls, it can wait. Today, you gotta pamper Bella."

James chuckled as he powered off his phone, and Sophie followed suit.

I stared at the dead video call, and before I knew it, I was laughing so hard that tears streamed down my face.

They were there when Bella pushed my mom to her death.

They knew all about how Bella's mother, Helen, used my mom's ashes as fertilizer for her vegetables.

When I was thirteen, they hugged me and swore they'd always have my back.

But now, they were treating the killer like she was some kind of princess.

And today was supposed to be the tenth anniversary of me and James being together.

A dozen people gathered around Bella, cheering her on.

"Bella, come on, it's your turn for 'Two Truths and a Lie.' Spin the bottle first," someone called out.

Bella gave the bottle a lazy spin, and it wobbled to a stop, pointing right at James.

Everyone burst out laughing.

Bella's cheeks turned red, and she cleared her throat.

She said, "I've slept with James.

"I have a card linked to Evan's bank account.

"My bra size is 36C."

Each time she said something, the group burst into knowing laughter.

I nearly smashed my tablet in anger.

James said with a teasing grin, "The last one's a lie. It should be 36D."

"Alright, alright, you two are just showing off. Next time, let's just skip to the drinking," someone joked.

My chest tightened, and I clutched at my heart, gasping for air.

My mind went back to the fight I'd had with James three days earlier.

He had that impatient look all over his face.

He said, "Are you seriously bringing up the whole transfer thing again?

"Nora, I just got promoted to manager. I need to keep things professional."

I spent fifteen days away from home, working nonstop to perfect his plan. Not once did he show any concern, just kept worrying about appearances and avoiding suspicion.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I broke down in front of him, tears streaming down my face as I confronted him.

I asked, "James, nobody knows about us except Sophie. What exactly are you trying to avoid?

"My performance has been number one in the country for the past three years. Even if people found out we're together, so what?

"I'm twenty-nine. I don't want to keep doing long-distance anymore. Do you get that?"

Ten years of keeping our relationship underground, five years of long-distance.

James always managed to come up with the perfect reason to avoid suspicion and keep his distance from me.

Back in college, I wanted to join his department, but he rejected me, saying it was to avoid gossip.

After graduation, we ended up at the same company, but he sent me to Harborview, again, just to avoid rumors.

I thought that was just his nature, so I resigned myself to it.

But when did Bella start hanging around him? And why did he never bother with all that "keeping things professional" when it came to her?

She'd even been logged into his account, answering the messages I sent him.

My stomach churned.

Once the suffocating feeling finally eased, I set the live cam to auto-save and hit the elevator button for James's floor.