Chapter 2

When the doctor cleared me to leave, I took a cab back to the apartment.

The living room had already been cleaned up. The bottles, fruit platters, and scattered playing cards were all gone.

It was as if last night's party had been wiped away.

I went into the bedroom, pulled my suitcase out from under the bed, and started packing.

Callum and I had been together for five years.

Yet everything I owned couldn't even fill a single suitcase.

More than half the closet was taken up by Brielle's things.

Her clothes. Her blanket. Her mug. Her makeup. Her stuffed animals.

Even the color of the couch cover had been put to a vote.

Footsteps sounded behind me.

Callum leaned against the doorframe, looking like he'd just woken up.

"Why are you up so early? You got back late last night. Why don't you get some more sleep?"

His gaze fell on the dark bruising across the back of my hand.

Something shifted in his expression.

"So you actually went to the hospital and got an IV just to prove you weren't faking it?"

He frowned.

"Addie, stop messing around. Your health matters."

When I didn't answer, he turned toward the kitchen.

"I need to make breakfast for Brielle. What do you want? I'll make you something too."

He'd barely taken two steps when his foot bumped into something.

His tone changed immediately.

"Why haven't you thrown this away yet? It's right in the way. What if Brielle trips over it?"

I followed his gaze.

A palm-sized ceramic figurine sat against the wall.

It was the only gift Callum had ever given me.

He bent down with a sigh.

"You've kept this piece of junk long enough. Only you would treasure something like this."

I nodded. "Then throw it away."

He seemed taken aback by how easily I agreed.

Before he could say anything, Brielle walked over and looped her arm through mine.

"Addie! Morning!

"Come on, don't be mad anymore. Your wedding's only a few days away. Let's go out and get your mind off things!"

She tugged me toward the closet.

"And don't be mad at Cal. He's clueless about this stuff. I'm going to make you look gorgeous today!"

Before I could respond, she flung open the closet doors.

She started pulling clothes out and tossing them onto the floor one after another.

"No, this one's awful. Your waist is already wide, and this just makes you look shorter.

"Pink? Seriously? What were you thinking? Aren't you a little old for that?

"And rhinestones? No way. That color already washes you out. You'll look ten years older."

I watched her quietly.

She'd been like this ever since she moved in.

Whenever I wore anything bright, she always found a reason to talk me out of it.

I was too heavy.

Too tanned.

Too unattractive.

I'd lost nearly seventeen pounds and spent six months taking care of my skin.

But to Brielle, I was still the same dull, plain girl I'd been years ago.

Then she pulled out an athletic set and beamed.

"Addie, this is perfect for you! It makes you look slimmer and so much more put together!"

"I'm not wearing it."

The room went quiet for a second.

Callum glanced at me, his tone casual as ever.

"Then let's vote. Majority rules."

He tapped his screen a couple of times.

As expected, the result was two to one.

Brielle smiled and shoved the outfit into my arms.

Then she grabbed Callum and headed out.

"Come on, Cal. I'm starving. I want fried eggs, and make sure the yolks are runny."

I stayed where I was and opened my chat with my manager.

Me: [I've thought about the training program in Westhaven you mentioned. I'll take it.]