Chapter 2
I woke up in the hospital. The sharp smell of disinfectant stung my nose, and the ceiling was blindingly white.
My best friend, Mia Davis, sat by my bed, her eyes red and puffy.
The second I opened my eyes, she gasped and leaned over, half angry and half relieved. "You're finally awake. You scared me to death."
I tried to move, but every part of me hurt. My forehead throbbed like it was splitting open.
"My dad..." My voice was rough and weak.
"He's okay," Mia said quickly, tucking the blanket around me. "Surgery went perfectly. He's in a regular ward now. But you have a mild concussion and eight stitches in your forehead. The doctor said you have to rest."
I exhaled deeply. The tension inside me finally loosened.
"Where's Julian?" I looked around the room, but there were only the two of us.
At his name, Mia's face twisted with disgust.
She grabbed her phone, pulled up a video, and shoved it in front of me. "Look at your wonderful husband. He was quite the star last night."
The video showed the awards ceremony. Under the lights, Julian and Seraphina stood side by side.
Seraphina gave a flawless speech, thanking the judges and her team. Then she looked at Julian, her eyes glowing with affection.
"I also want to thank Julian," she said. "He inspired me. When I was at my lowest, he lifted me up. This award is as much his as mine."
Even Julian, usually so cold, softened as he looked at her.
He took the microphone, his voice low. "Seraphina, you're too kind. You're the soul of this project."
The crowd erupted in applause.
They shared a quiet, knowing smile, so in tune that no one could come between them.
At the end, reporters asked questions. One bold reporter joked if wedding bells were coming.
Seraphina blushed and looked down.
Julian did not deny it. He smiled faintly.
That smile pierced me like a needle, popping the last bubble of denial I had left.
Mia could not stand it anymore. She snatched the phone back, furious. "I called him. His phone was off. I called his assistant. They said he was at the after-party.
"I sent him a dozen texts from your phone, telling him you were in a car crash and being rescued at Averdon Memorial Hospital. But he didn't reply."
She pointed at Julian and Seraphina, looking smug on the screen. "Iris, look at them! You gave up your PhD for him and took care of him for three years. This is his reward? Flaunting his muse while you lay alone in the ER?"
"You know how the hospital reached me? They could not reach Julian, so they checked your call log. When I got there, you were alone, covered in blood."
Mia was so mad that she started crying.
I reached out and touched her hand, but no words came out.
A heavy weight sat in my chest, making every breath hard.
What was I even doing this for? I had loved Julian for ten years.
It started in the college library. He wore a clean white shirt, sunlight falling over him. One look, and I fell for him completely.
I chased him for four years. I brought breakfast, saved seats, and did countless stupid things.
Everyone said I was wasting my time, that no matter how hard I tried, Julian would never love me. But I refused to believe it.
Before graduation, I confessed.
He looked at me, unreadable. He neither said yes nor no. "Are you sure about this?"
I nodded so hard that my neck hurt.
We got together, and then we married.
I thought loving him enough would one day make him love me back.
I was wrong.
Some people never warmed up to anyone. To him, I was never a priority, only someone who was always there.
His love was never meant for me.