Chapter 3

I stared at the photos Melanie took, my heart pounding.

There was no mistaking it—Jay was cheating.

The way he looked at Caroline, the way their hands lingered, the way he leaned in just a little too close when he whispered something in her ear.

Kaia needed to see this.

But she wasn't going to believe me easily.

I had to be smart about this.

The next morning, I found Kaia at a café near her office.

She was sitting by the window, absentmindedly stirring her coffee.

I slid into the seat across from her, pushing a folder toward her.

"You need to see this."

She glanced at the folder but didn't open it.

"Ellie, I told you—"

"Just look." My voice was firmer than usual.

She sighed, flipping it open.

The second her eyes landed on the first picture, her entire body stiffened.

A deep silence stretched between us.

She slowly turned each page, each photo revealing another betrayal.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached the last one—a shot of Jay leaving the hotel with Caroline, his hand resting on the small of her back.

I waited.

For anger.

For denial.

For anything.

But Kaia just closed the folder and set it aside.

"Where did you get these?"

"Melanie and I followed him last night," I admitted.

She let out a short, humorless laugh.

"Of course you did."

I clenched my jaw.

"Kaia—"

"I have to go." She abruptly stood up, grabbing the folder.

I reached for her wrist.

"Kaia, wait—"

She pulled away.

"I need to think."

Then she walked out, leaving me sitting there, my heart hammering.

I had won the bet.

But why did it feel like I had just lost something?

Kaia's POV

I drove straight to Jay's place, gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.

The photos flashed in my mind, over and over again.

When I arrived, I barely knocked before Jay opened the door, smiling.

"Babe, what a surprise—"

I shoved the folder into his chest.

"Explain this."

His face darkened as he flipped through the pictures.

Then, to my disbelief, he let out a slow chuckle.

"Kaia," he sighed, "you're really going to believeEllie?"

My stomach twisted.

"So you're denying it?"

"Of course I am." He tossed the folder onto the table.

"This is exactly what she wanted.

She's been waiting for an excuse to come between us."

I swallowed.

"But these photos—"

"Are misleading." His voice was smooth, calm, as if he had rehearsed this already.

"Yes, I met Caroline, but it was for work.

We were discussing a project at her hotel."

I stared at him.

"Atmidnight?"

"She had a late flight the next day," he said easily.

"It was the only time we could meet."

Something in my chest ached.

"And the way you were touching her?"

Jay stepped closer, cupping my face.

"Kaia, I love you.

Not her.

Ellie is the one trying to manipulate you."

I wanted to believe him.

God, I wanted to believe him.

But doubt had already started creeping in.

And for the first time in our relationship, I wasn't sure if Jay was telling the truth—or if he was just a really good liar.

Kaia's POV

I wanted to believe Jay.

I wanted to take his words and let them erase every doubt Ellie had planted in my mind.

But the pictures.

The late-night meeting.

The way his hand rested on Caroline's back socasually, like it wasn't the first time.

It didn't add up.

I stood in his apartment, my arms crossed.

"Jay, look me in the eye and tell me nothing is going on between you and Caroline."

He didn't even hesitate.

"Nothing is going on between me and Caroline."

Lies.

Maybe before Ellie showed me the pictures, I would have believed him.

But now?

Now I couldseethe cracks in his perfect mask.

I swallowed, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Have you ever cheated on me?"

His jaw clenched for the briefest second—a flicker of hesitation so small that if I wasn't watching him so closely, I would have missed it.

And that was all I needed to know.

I took a step back.

"You're lying."

Jay sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Kaia, don't do this.

Ellie is—"

"This isn't about Ellie!" I snapped.

"This is about you!

About how I stood by your side, trusted you,lovedyou, and you—" My voice broke.

I forced myself to breathe.

"You lied to me."

Jay's face darkened.

"So, what?

You're taking Ellie's side?"

"I'm takingmyside," I said, my voice cold now.

"And I'm done."

I turned toward the door, but before I could take another step, he grabbed my wrist.

"Kaia, wait—"

"Let me go."

He didn't.

"We can fix this—"

"Let.

Me.

Go." I hissed, yanking my arm free.

For a moment, he just stood there, staring at me.

And then, finally, he exhaled, his expression unreadable.

"You're making a mistake," he said quietly.

I shook my head.

"No.

The mistake was trusting you."

And with that, I walked out.

Out of his apartment.

Out of his life.

And straight intoEllie's arms.

Ellie's POV

I wasn't expecting Kaia to show up at my doorstep at midnight.

But when I opened the door and saw her standing there—eyes red, hands clenched into fists—I didn't ask questions.

I just pulled her into my arms.

She didn't cry.

She didn't speak.

She just stood there, holding onto me like I was the only thing keeping her from falling apart.

After a long silence, she whispered, "You were right."

I closed my eyes.

I hated being right.

"I ended it," she said.

"It's over."

I tightened my grip around her.

"I'm sorry."

She let out a shaky breath.

"I don't know what to do now."

I pulled back slightly, just enough to look her in the eyes.

"You don't have to figure it out alone."

She searched my face, as if trying to find something.

Then, finally, she whispered, "Can I stay here tonight?"

I nodded.

"For as long as you need."

And just like that, everything changed.

I never thought I'd see Kaia like this.

She was always the strongest person I knew—the one who never let anything break her.

But tonight, as she sat on my couch, hugging her knees, she looked... small.

And ithurtto see her like this.

I handed her a cup of coffee, but she barely touched it.

Her eyes were unfocused, lost in thoughts I couldn't read.

For the first time since this whole thing started, I wasn't thinking about the bet.

I wasn't thinking about the marriage contract.

I was thinking abouther.

Was this really the right thing to do?

Kaia had just gotten out of a relationship that shattered her.

And here I was, about to throw her into another one—one she never asked for.

Would I really be any better than Jay if I forced this on her?

She finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I feel stupid."

I frowned.

"Why?"

She let out a bitter laugh.

"Because I should've seen it.

The signs.

The lies.

Everything." She looked down at her hands.

"I gave him everything, Ellie.

And it still wasn't enough."

My chest tightened.

"Hey," I said gently.

"This isn't about you not being enough.

This is about him being a complete idiot."

She gave me a small, sad smile.

"Maybe."

Silence filled the space between us.

I wanted to tell her the truth—about how I felt, about how much I wanted this marriage to be real.

But now, looking at her, I realized...

Maybe this wasn't the right time.

Maybeforcing her into this marriage was the worst thing I could do.

I swallowed hard.

For the first time, I wasn't sure if I could go through with it.

Kaia's POV

I knew Ellie was watching me.

She didn't say much, but I could feel her hesitation.

And I didn't blame her.

Because for the first time...

I wasn't fighting against the idea of marrying her.

Maybe it was the heartbreak.

Maybe it was the comfort of having her beside me.

Or maybe it was something deeper—something I wasn't ready to admit yet.

But the thought of being with Ellie didn't feel as impossible as it did before.

I glanced at her, studying the way she stared at the floor, lost in thought.

She was having second thoughts.

And for some reason, that made my chest ache.

I didn't want her to regret this.

I didn't wantherto walk away.

And that terrified me.