Chapter 1
[I can't be with her, so I'll give her everything else instead. All my attention, all my care. It's the least I can do.]
A week before our wedding, I saw my boyfriend's post on Instagram.
He shared a photo of another woman sleeping, just her face in profile, peaceful and beautiful.
The post was public. Everyone could see it except me. He blocked me from viewing it.
I actually laughed out loud when I realized.
On our wedding day, my boyfriend showed up in his tux, ready to collect his bride.
He had no idea he wasn't the groom anymore.
*****
The night of the lab dinner, Alex Shaw suggested we play truth or dare.
The first round landed on me.
"Claire, kiss Michael for thirty seconds."
Everyone started cheering and egging me on.
Cara Lewis' face flushed crimson in an instant, and tears welled up in her eyes.
I stood up without hesitation and looked at Michael Hayes.
He acted like he hadn't heard a thing. He picked up food and placed it in Cara's bowl, and then held her hand to comfort her.
Michael didn't even look up at us until Cara had eaten the food he'd given her.
"What did you just say?"
The entire private room went silent. Everyone stared at me—some embarrassed, others smirking.
I gave a mocking smile. "Alex, what's the penalty?"
Alex quickly checked the card. "The penalty is to go outside, grab the third person who walks by, and kiss them for a minute! Or chug a bottle of beer!"
"The first one! Do the first one!"
People immediately started shouting.
Michael's expression turned dark, but then I grabbed a bottle of beer and opened it.
His face relaxed, and he smirked, turning back to pour Cara a glass of juice.
Cara's face lit up with a bright smile, and all traces of her earlier distress vanished.
As for me, the alcohol hit my stomach, and it started churning.
Alex remembered too late. "Claire, your stomach's bad. You don't have to finish it."
But by the time he finished speaking, I'd already downed the entire bottle.
"It's fine." My stomach cramped with sharp pain, but I held it in.
Michael glanced at me and seemed satisfied I was fine, so he turned back to coddling his sweetie.
*****
Cara was only three years younger than Michael and just a year younger than me, but he treated her like a child, innocent, pure, fragile, and constantly worried she might get hurt.
After dinner, Michael barely looked at me until he'd personally escorted Cara to her car. Only then did he finally turn his attention my way.
He asked, "Did you tell Alex to set up that truth or dare game?
"You know Cara has feelings for me. You made her watch us kiss in front of everyone. How do you think that made her feel?
"Claire, stop being so selfish.
"We're about to get married and you're still making a scene over nothing?
"This is over. We're not talking about it again."
My stomach burned. The pain was getting worse, and cold sweat beaded on my forehead.
Michael finally stopped lecturing me. "Is it your stomach again? You bring this on yourself, you know that? Wait here, I'll get you some medicine—"
There was a pharmacy right across the street, but before he could even cross, Cara's call came through.
"Michael, something's wrong with this driver. He's not following the route and I got out. It's so dark here and I'm scared."
I watched Michael spin around and rush back to his car.
He said, "Claire, take a cab home. Cara's in danger and I need to go now."
His car shot forward, and exhaust fumes hit my face. My stomach finally gave out, and I doubled over by the bushes, retching until there was nothing left.
By the time I got home in a cab an hour later, I'd taken my stomach medicine and dragged myself through a shower. I collapsed into bed and drifted into a restless sleep.
I woke up at two in the morning and grabbed my phone to check the time. Instagram had a new story update.
I opened it, and a post hit me right in the face: [The purest little angel. I'd be honored to be your guardian knight.]
The photo showed Cara sleeping peacefully, her face turned to the side.
Dozens of people had already liked and commented, most of them mutual friends. Alex's name was right there in the mix.
[Congrats, Michael!]
It was meant as a joke, but knowing full well that Michael and I were supposed to get married, the comment stung more than it should have.
Everyone at today's dinner liked the post.
I shouldn't have been able to see it at all. Michael had set the privacy to visible for everyone except me.
But Cara had reposted it with the settings flipped; she had hidden from everyone except me.
Suddenly, exhaustion crashed over me. Was this relationship even worth fighting for anymore?
I collapsed onto the couch and couldn't bring myself to move.
Of course, that's when Michael's mother, Juliana Hayes, called.
"Claire, how are the wedding preparations coming along? Let us know if you need any help."
Listen to that. Like mother, like son.
The wedding felt like my problem alone, and they just needed to "help out" when convenient.
If I asked them for something, that offer would evaporate.
Juliana never called without wanting something.
"Just say what you want," I said flatly.
I was too tired to play games with the Hayes family.
"It's about that property of yours—"
My heart dropped.
"You're marrying Michael, so that apartment of yours is going to be empty, right? Eric graduated a year ago and still hasn't found a decent job. He's not as capable as his brother. Michael said the apartment could go to him, didn't he?" Juliana said.
"Michael actually said that?"
Michael was a hypocrite, but he wouldn't openly scheme for my property. His pride wouldn't allow it, and honestly, he wouldn't dare.
Hearing my skepticism, Juliana's tone sharpened with displeasure.
"Never mind whether he said it or not. The point is you're an only child, and your parents already have their retirement home. That place will be yours eventually anyway. You don't need to hold onto this apartment, do you?
The HOA fees alone are a thousand dollars a month—such a waste. Just transfer the deed to Eric, and he'll cover the utilities and fees for you."
Her audacity was breathtaking. She might as well have slapped me with her abacus.
"And if I refuse?"
Something crystallized inside me, sharp and clear.
"Refuse? Do you still want to marry into the Hayes family or not? Plenty of young women would kill to marry Michael. Meanwhile, you're twenty-eight. If you don't get married soon, you'll be a geriatric mother. If Michael doesn't marry you, who else will have you?"
"Fine. Then let's cancel the wedding."
Juliana's voice cracked with panic. "You—how can you be so ungrateful—"
I hung up the phone and realized something unexpected—ending our seven-year relationship actually felt like a relief.