Chapter 1

On the night of our sixth anniversary, Ryan Summers didn't come home.

I searched all over Riverdale, but I couldn't find him anywhere.

He finally picked up my call around dawn, but a woman answered his phone instead.

Her voice was hoarse and tired. "It's so late, and Ryan's already asleep. Do you need something?"

I stood there in the cold wind, and my whole body went stiff.

The next day, Ryan came home and smiled at me like nothing had happened.

But when I asked where he'd been last night, he snapped at me. "What do you think a grown man does? I was working late at the office. Can you stop being so paranoid all the time?"

I looked at his annoyed face, and I finally made up my mind to let him go.

*****

My brother, Alex Harper, called and said the family had already picked out someone for me to marry.

I didn't fight back like I usually would. I just went quiet for a moment, then agreed and told him I'd come home in a week.

Ryan came back while I was still sitting on the couch, staring at nothing. He walked over and pulled me into his arms. "Why are you just sitting here?"

I looked at the hickey on his neck and didn't say anything. I couldn't figure out what to say.

Ryan wrapped his arms tighter around me, and his warm breath hit my ear. "What's wrong? Are you mad I didn't make it back yesterday? Don't be mad, okay? We can celebrate our six-year anniversary later, I promise."

When he leaned in, I caught a scent that didn't belong to either of us.

My eyes burned, and my fingers started shaking. "Ryan, why do you smell so good?"

He let go of me immediately and took a step back. He grabbed his shirt and sniffed it, and his face went stiff. "It's nothing. I showered at the office yesterday, and they have different body wash there."

Then he got up and headed to the bathroom.

I smiled when I heard his excuse, but the smile didn't reach my eyes.

We'd been together for six years. He'd stopped being shy about undressing in front of me a long time ago.

I watched him fold his shirt carefully and place it in a corner where it wouldn't get wet, as if he were trying to preserve that scent.

I'd always been the one who bought our toiletries, both at home and at the office. I always got the same brand, the same scent. This strange smell could only have come from that woman yesterday.

I sat frozen on the couch, listening to the shower run, and my chest ached.

Six years together. I'd been so sure Ryan and I would get married and spend our lives together. But I never thought he'd stopped being sure, that somewhere along the way he'd already found someone else.

I didn't know how long I sat there before Ryan's arms came around me and lifted me up.

His familiar scent wrapped around me, and his lips brushed against my ear. My body went rigid instantly, and I turned my head away on instinct. "I don't feel well."

Ryan looked at me, and his expression slowly turned serious. "What's wrong?"

"My head. It hurts."

He pressed his hand against my forehead and frowned. "You're running a fever. You need to take something for that."

He rolled over and reached for the medicine kit.

The concern in his eyes looked completely genuine, and I started to wonder if I'd really been talking to some strange woman on his phone last night.

"Ryan." I wanted to ask him about it and give him a chance to explain, but his phone rang.

I was too far away to see anything but an unsaved number on the screen.

But Ryan stared at that number, and something complicated crossed his face.

My heart started pounding, and panic crept in without warning.

I wanted to tell him not to answer it, but he didn't even look at me. He grabbed his phone and walked out of the bedroom. "What happened? I'm coming right now! Don't be scared!"

Through the door, I heard the panic in his voice, and then the front door opened and slammed shut.

It felt like my heart shut down with that sound, going still and cold like dead water.