Chapter 1

Four years after dumping my rich boyfriend, Devin Pierce, I returned on the very day he announced his engagement.

Privately, I struck a deal with his mother, Lacey.

And I, the woman he once loved, was officially back.

Lacey sent me an address and a sum of money.

I replied, [Mrs. Pierce, it's been five years. You must have gotten even more generous, right?]

Her reply came quickly. [This is just a down payment. If you succeed in breaking my son and that bitch apart, I'll give you 3 million dollars.]

I replied, [Mrs. Pierce, you'll have to show a little sincerity. I haven't seen Devin in four years. This won't be easy. I want ten times the reward.]

After a minute, Lacey replied, [Fine, but you'd better move fast.]

I answered with confidence, [No problem.]

Following the address Lacey gave me, I arrived at a fancy neighborhood.

Just thinking about seeing Devin's icy expression again made my stomach tighten.

I wondered if he still hated me after four years.

I was thinking about how to start our reunion when a little girl named Mara bumped into my leg by accident.

She glanced up at me, flashed a quick smile, and kept on walking.

She had a dog on a leash.

I glanced around, but there were no adults in sight. Worried she might be lost, I followed after her. "Hey, kid, where are your parents?"

She glanced back at me, didn't say a word, and just kept walking.

I said, "Do you remember where you live? Do you want me to take you home?"

She stayed silent.

Kids these days were incredibly wary. When they met a stranger, their instinct was simply to ignore.

However, that didn't kill my curiosity one bit.

I just tried to keep her company, quietly walking along with her.

When Mara finally glanced back at me, she spoke up. "I'm going to see my dad."

For the next half hour, I trailed after her and her dog in silence, just trudging through the complex.

Finally, she came to a stop in a dark hallway.

Looking at the dim hallway, I wasn't worried about her getting lost. Honestly, I was more worried about getting tricked myself.

Mara knocked on the door.

My heart was pounding as if it might burst right out of my chest.

I glanced up, and there he was, Devin.

He didn't even notice me at first. He just bent down to Mara and said, "Come in."

Just as he was about to close the door, Mara grabbed his hand and pointed at me. "Dad, this lady brought me back."

The moment our eyes met, all the things I had practiced saying melted away.

I just said, "Hi, it's been so long."

Four years had gone by, and Devin was no longer that boyish kid; he'd grown into a mature, steady man.

When he looked at me, his eyes barely showed a hint of emotion.

He just said quietly, "Yeah, it's been a while."

The woman inside clearly heard us. "Who is it, Devin?"

Then Audrey Rogers stepped out next to him, her gorgeous face looking a lot like mine.

Compared to Devin, she looked way more rattled. Her eyes widened in disbelief, a flicker of panic crossing them.

However, she quickly pulled herself together. She smiled at Devin and asked, "Is this your friend?"

Devin nodded. "Yeah, you could say that."

I don't know why, but it felt like something had ripped through my chest.

Audrey flashed a smile and ushered me inside.

The house was tidy and cozy, with a framed photo of the three of them displayed in the entryway.

I sat down on the couch, feeling a bit awkward and fidgeting with my hands.

Devin handed me a glass of water.

Audrey scooped up Mara and carried her upstairs.

"Isn't she adorable?" Devin asked.

I wasn't sure who he was talking about.

Not wanting to step on any toes, I just nodded and said, "Yeah, they're very pretty."

While Devin wasn't paying attention, I snuck out my phone and fired off a text to Lacey. [Mrs. Pierce, I just can't bring myself to break up a marriage. I'm out.]

"What brings you back?" Devin's voice cut through my thoughts.

I flipped my phone over. "Just had some things to take care of."

If he weren't married, if his mom was right and he was just messing around with that influencer, I would have hugged him and said, "I came back because I missed you."

Yet now, seeing him all settled down with a picture-perfect family, I just couldn't get those words out anymore.