A Heart Eclipsed by Shadows

Lorrie Scarrow stood frozen, stunned.

Chuck Bassett, the man who swore he loved her to the bone, had never meant a single word. She was just a stand-in for Lylith Fowler, nothing more.

Heartbroken, Lorrie turned away and entered the restroom around the corner. She splashed cold water over her face, trying to steady herself. The woman in the mirror looked shattered.

Lorrie first crossed paths with Chuck during a fashion week event.

The year before, she'd spent over six months working on her collection, and it won first place. As the designers stepped forward for their final bow, she could sense Chuck's gaze lingering on her.

From then on, he pursued her with everything he had.

Lavish gifts ranging from imported flowers to a limited-edition supercar were poured into Lorrie's studio.

Whenever she dealt with a difficult client, Chuck would swoop in, smooth things over, and then quietly ensure that the person went bankrupt.

Lorrie couldn't help but fall for his charm.

Last month, Chuck proposed, and she accepted with a heart full of joy. She even got his initial tattooed secretly below her collarbone.

Still, she couldn't shake the worry that Chuck, always the playboy, might not be ready to settle down. So she gave him three months to end things with all those other women for good.

But Chuck just chuckled, his voice warm with affection. "That's all in the past. There's only you now."

Lorrie's face burned red.

That night, they lost themselves in each other until dawn, moving from the floor-to-ceiling windows to the couch, then the dining table, leaving traces of their passion everywhere.

Lorrie had been sure Chuck was done with his playboy ways. But two weeks ago, he started hanging around the red-light district, staggering home drunk night after night.

At first, she thought he was slipping back into old habits until she heard what he told his friends. Only then did she realize he'd never stopped loving Lylith, his first love.

His sudden shift in taste wasn't random. Lylith had changed her style, and so had he. And just like that, Lorrie became the newest stand-in for the woman he'd always wanted.

Lorrie wiped her tears away and turned to leave the restroom. As she pushed the door open, the familiar scent of sandalwood washed over her.

"I saw someone at the entrance who looked just like you from behind. Turns out it really was you," Chuck said, his voice soft as he gently brushed a loose strand of hair from her forehead. "What brings you here all of a sudden? Miss me?"

Lorrie's heart still ached like an open wound. She seized Chuck's wrist. "Do you really mean it? About marrying me?"

Chuck paused before pulling her into his arms. "What's wrong? Getting cold feet?"

Lorrie winced as her fresh tattoo pulsed with a dull ache.

Chuck's eyes dropped to her chest. "You got my name tattooed?"

She quickly pulled away from his embrace. "It's just... kind of a trend right now."

"You know I don't like tattoos on women," Chuck said, his voice going flat.

Was it because Lylith didn't have any? Now that Lorrie did, was she no longer good enough to be her stand-in?

"I'll get it removed in a few days," Lorrie said.

She'd meant to tell Chuck that she'd only gotten the tattoo after seeing her initial inked on his skin, thinking they'd made a matching pair.

But now she knew the truth. That "L" on his body had never stood for Lorrie.

It was for his first love—Lylith.