Chapter 1

When Virginia Kelley placed the last dish on the table, the sound of the front door lock clicked open.

There were three dishes and a soup—everything Camdyn Deleon liked—honey-glazed pork ribs, sautéed seasonal greens, garlic butter shrimp, and a light vegetable consommé.

She always cooked according to his tastes: low salt, low oil, ribs braised until they fell off the bone, shrimp carefully deveined and peeled.

Camdyn came in, changed his shoes, and didn't look at her.

Virginia wiped her hands and stood by the dining table, waiting for him to come over. That was the unspoken rule between them. When he didn't speak first, she waited in silence.

He was wearing a dark gray shirt today, sleeves rolled up to his forearms. The Patek Philippe on his wrist caught the light from the chandelier above the dining room.

She noticed a faint crease at his collar, as if someone had grabbed him there.

"Dinner's ready," she said.

Camdyn stood by the entrance, unmoving.

Virginia lifted her head to look at him.

Three seconds later, she saw the person standing behind him—a woman in a white dress, long hair falling softly over her shoulders, her features gentle and composed. She stood half a step behind Camdyn, delicate and still.

Virginia recognized that face.

Or rather, she had been staring at it for three years: on his phone wallpaper and in the framed photo on his bedside table.

It was Tatum Beasley, the name he called out when he was drunk.

*****

"She just returned to the country and doesn't have anywhere to stay," Camdyn said, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather. "She'll be staying here for a few days."

Virginia met Tatum's gaze.

Tatum looked back at her, her eyes soft, almost curious, with no hint of hostility. That gentle look made Virginia think of the first time Camdyn had met her. He'd said, "Your eyes look just like someone I know."

"Hello," Tatum said softly. "Sorry for intruding."

Virginia smiled.

"Not at all," she said. "It's just dinner. Why don't you join us?"

She turned and headed into the kitchen to grab a third set of cutlery.

When her fingers brushed the cupboard, she hesitated for a moment.

She caught her reflection in the cupboard's glass door—her brows, nose, lips. Studying herself, Virginia suddenly realized just how much she and Tatum resembled each other.

It wasn't about their features, but something you couldn't quite put your finger on. Especially their eyes, both had ends that tilted up ever so slightly, both had pupils so dark they seemed almost black.

She took the cutlery and returned to the dining room.

Camdyn was already seated at the table, with Tatum beside him. Virginia set the cutlery in front of Tatum and took her usual seat across from Camdyn.

Dinner was quiet.

Camdyn didn't say a word, and neither did Tatum. Virginia kept her head down, eating pasta and only using her fork to pick at the sautéed seasonal greens in front of her.

The honey-glazed pork ribs sat right by Camdyn's hand, and Tatum reached over to serve him a piece. He ate it without saying anything.

Virginia watched as he took a bite of the rib, and suddenly remembered her birthday last month.

She'd bought herself a small cake, and when Camdyn came home early that day, he'd paused at the sight of it and asked, "What's the occasion?"

She'd replied, "It's my birthday."

He'd just said, "Oh, happy birthday," and then went straight to his study.

It took her three days to finish that cake.

"Virginia," Tatum suddenly said.

Virginia looked up.

Tatum smiled. "Is it alright if I call you that? Camdyn talks about you all the time when we're on the phone."

Virginia glanced at Camdyn.

He didn't react at all, just kept his head down, sipping his soup.

"Whatever works for you," Virginia said.

"Your cooking is amazing," Tatum said. "Camdyn is really lucky."

Virginia didn't respond.

After dinner, she cleared away the dishes and went to wash up in the kitchen.

The faucet was running, and she could hear Tatum and Camdyn talking in the living room, their voices low, with the occasional laugh. She let the hot water scald her hands, not caring to cool it off.

Her phone buzzed in her apron pocket.

She wiped her hands and pulled it out. It was a text from the hospital.

City General Hospital: [Ms. Virginia Kelley, your scheduled medical report is ready. Please come to the hospital to pick it up as soon as possible.]

She put her phone back and kept washing the dishes.

By the time she finished, it was almost nine. She stepped out of the kitchen, but the living room was empty. Voices drifted in from the balcony, so she walked over.

Through the glass door, she saw Camdyn and Tatum outside. Tatum was draped in his jacket, her face angled toward him as she spoke, a soft smile in her eyes.

Camdyn listened, his head slightly bowed, nodding every now and then.

Virginia stood there for a moment, then turned and headed toward the bedroom.

Virginia paused at the master bedroom door. The guest room was open, lights on, and an open suitcase sat on the bed.

Inside, she saw rows of skincare products—brands she'd only ever seen in commercials.

She returned to the master bedroom and shut the door.

The room was silent. She sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought for a while, and then reached for the photo frame on her nightstand.