Chapter 4

Tessa's wedding was held in a stunning glass greenhouse in the Hudson Valley.

It was warm, bright, and romantic—a perfectly curated dream.

The second I walked in, Tessa slipped out from behind the welcome table and pinched my waist.

"Nora, what have you been eating? You're thicker around the middle."

I froze. "I am?"

I thought my face had just gotten a little rounder. I hadn't let my mind go anywhere else.

Tessa narrowed her eyes at me. "When was your last period?"

My mind went entirely blank. "I don't know. I'm never regular."

She frowned and flicked my forehead. "How can you be this clueless? Go get checked. If you're pregnant—"

She cut herself off, her eyes lighting up as she looked past me. "Julian is here!"

I turned.

A man in a light blue button-down stood a few feet away, a camera slung over his shoulder. He walked over, offering a warm, easy smile.

"Tessa told me you shot that light-and-shadow series in the Brooklyn cobblestone district. Incredible atmosphere. I checked out your Instagram. Your framing is bold, and your color grading is wild."

"Thank you."

We found a quiet corner to sit. He talked about everything from the newest wide-aperture lenses to the tactile feel of manual focus.

It had been so long since I had talked about photography with this much freedom. My cheeks actually hurt from smiling.

We were deep in a debate about vintage glass when a sudden hush fell over the greenhouse entrance.

I looked up.

Grant and Camille were walking in together.

The perfect power couple.

But my eyes instantly locked onto Camille's earlobes.

The emerald earrings.

It felt like a blunt object had just smashed into my chest. I couldn't breathe.

Late last year, Grant had drawn the design for those earrings himself.

And now, they were dangling from Camille's ears.

My throat seized. A high-pitched ringing filled my ears. All the strength drained out of my legs in an instant.

I swayed, the world tilting sideways.

Right before the darkness swallowed me, I heard Grant's voice shatter his composed facade.

"Nora!"

Chapter 4

Tessa's wedding was held in a stunning glass greenhouse in the Hudson Valley.

It was warm, bright, and romantic—a perfectly curated dream.

The second I walked in, Tessa slipped out from behind the welcome table and pinched my waist.

"Nora, what have you been eating? You're thicker around the middle."

I froze. "I am?"

I thought my face had just gotten a little rounder. I hadn't let my mind go anywhere else.

Tessa narrowed her eyes at me. "When was your last period?"

My mind went entirely blank. "I don't know. I'm never regular."

She frowned and flicked my forehead. "How can you be this clueless? Go get checked. If you're pregnant—"

She cut herself off, her eyes lighting up as she looked past me. "Julian is here!"

I turned.

A man in a light blue button-down stood a few feet away, a camera slung over his shoulder. He walked over, offering a warm, easy smile.

"Tessa told me you shot that light-and-shadow series in the Brooklyn cobblestone district. Incredible atmosphere. I checked out your Instagram. Your framing is bold, and your color grading is wild."

"Thank you."

We found a quiet corner to sit. He talked about everything from the newest wide-aperture lenses to the tactile feel of manual focus.

It had been so long since I had talked about photography with this much freedom. My cheeks actually hurt from smiling.

We were deep in a debate about vintage glass when a sudden hush fell over the greenhouse entrance.

I looked up.

Grant and Camille were walking in together.

The perfect power couple.

But my eyes instantly locked onto Camille's earlobes.

The emerald earrings.

It felt like a blunt object had just smashed into my chest. I couldn't breathe.

Late last year, Grant had drawn the design for those earrings himself.

And now, they were dangling from Camille's ears.

My throat seized. A high-pitched ringing filled my ears. All the strength drained out of my legs in an instant.

I swayed, the world tilting sideways.

Right before the darkness swallowed me, I heard Grant's voice shatter his composed facade.

"Nora!"