Chapter 1

After a 14-hour shift waiting tables, I finally had my Christmas bonus in hand.

The bonus would just about cover this month's rent and bills. Maybe even with a little left over to buy a gift for my boyfriend Luca.

So I rushed to the mall, making it just half an hour before closing. But as I passed the boutique Luca always lingered in front of, I froze.

There he was, inside. His face was close to a girl’s and they were leaning over a velvet tray of rings, talking with an excited familiarity that made my blood run cold.

The girl beside him was none other than Chloe. My best friend.

The salesperson beamed at them, her words clear through the glass: "You make such a lovely couple!"

Chloe covered her mouth with a modest laugh, her hand coming to rest softly on Luca's arm. He looked down at her with a fondness, a shared smile that spoke of a private joke.

A lovely couple.

I moved before I could think, pushing through the boutique doors. The bell chimed behind me, meaningless noise in my storm of rage.

The sound made them turn around.

Time stopped as I watched Luca's face transform. His posture going stiff.

"Eleanor? What are you doing here?" he started. “We didn't—”

The way he said 'we' made me nauseous.

"How long has this been going on?” I demanded.

Chloe's eyes widened. She yanked her hand away from Luca’s.

“This isn’t what it looks like,” Luca said, nervously laughing. “I’m picking out a gift—for you. Chloe was just helping me get a female perspective.”

I looked at the display case. The cheapest ring there was $25,000.

It was so clearly just an excuse. Luca had never even paid for groceries for all 3 years we had been together. There was no way he could afford anything in this store.

I would have believed it because he was an artist through and through, it made a little sense for him to attempt something romantic or creative. We didn't have any money, but I believed in his dream and supported it.

At least one of us got to chase one after my computer science degree program crashed.

Even when one of his art exhibitions put him in debt, I, the ever-dutiful girlfriend, even sold my mother's heirloom to cover the bulk of what he owed.

I took up more jobs and even became the breadwinner. I didn’t enjoy those shifts at the coffee shop or the restaurant, but it wasn’t like I had a choice.

In this economy with its job shortages—a young woman who’d dropped out without a degree didn’t have many options.

Was he seriously planning to use that pathetic excuse to cover up the fact that he'd cheated on me… with my best friend?

I swallowed bile. “You can’t afford this,” I whispered.

“Actually, I can... My family's rich. My father is Sebastian Rossi.” He said it so casually that it took a few seconds for his words to sink in then my mouth dropped open.

Sebastian Rossi. Everyone who lived in this city knew that name. He wasn’t just wealthy, he was the youngest, most elusive billionaire on the social radar, and half the blocks in the city’s core belonged to the family's vast and old portfolio. And I struggled to picture Luca's father was someone who even had $300 in his bank account.

For a moment, I almost thought it was another one of Luca's ridiculous excuses. But his expression held a certainty that made me bite back the sarcastic remark would only have made everything worse.

"But…” I asked.“Your last name isn't Rossi."

"I took my mother's name," he said, his voice dropping flat. "When I chose to leave."

Before I could press further, Chloe spoke up for the first time. “I’m sorry, Eleanor… we didn’t mean for you to find out like this.”

My heart sank even deeper because if this was the truth, it meant Chloe had known the truth about my boyfriend before I did.

"I don't understand any of this... When did you know? And why didn't you tell me? If this is some kind of joke, I have to say it's not funny. At all."

“It was a test, okay?” Luca said. “Before we took the next step, I needed to know you loved me for me, not the money. And you proved—"

"A test." The words tasted like acid. “You never once worried about the rent or the groceries—fine. But last month, when I sold my mother’s necklace, the only possession I have of her… you could have covered that debt yourself. Why didn’t you say anything?”

"I thought you were joking about the necklace," he said, his tone shifting toward defensive. "You were so casual about it and I didn't know it actually meant that much to you. Besides, I never forced you to do anything—you made those choices yourself. That's not my fault."

My eyes widened. “You can't be serious.” The tears finally broke free, tracing hot paths down my cheeks. I let them fall like a child.

I could feel the stares and hear hushed whispers from the other salesgirls around me. This was so embarrassing. My face burned as if I’d been slapped. But one truth came through, sharp and clear: I needed to leave.

Whether Luca had cheated or simply hidden his wealth didn’t matter to me anymore. One thing was certain—our entire three-year relationship had been built on a big lie.

My hands shook as I reached for the silver necklace at my throat. A gift from Luca last Christmas. I unclasped it and placed it on the glass counter between us.

I used to cherish it, but now it looked so thin and cheap compared to the wealth he claimed his family had.

"Don't be like this—" Luca started, but Chloe cut in smoothly. "Eleanor, don't make a scene. Why don't we all take a breath? We can sort this out later like adults."

"No,” I said. “It's over."

Luca shut his mouth.

Cowardice was on his face. On every feature I once found charming.

I ignored the scandalized expressions from everyone else in the store as I headed for the door heartbroken.

I shivered when I realized that I'd forgotten my coat inside, but I couldn't go back and risk seeing my boyfriend—ex-boyfriend again.

I walked without direction. My feet carrying me on autopilot while my mind tried to process the wreckage of my life.

In just a few minutes, everything I thought was real had crumbled.

My reality completely altered.

Three years. Multiple jobs. And I didn't even get a formal breakup.

All for nothing.

I found myself standing outside a skyline building. I realized it was a hotel—The Meridian Hotel. One of those places I never really looked at because I knew I couldn't afford it. A bar was attached to the ground floor. Its windows glowing warmly in the damp evening.

Without thinking, I entered the place. Maybe a drink would help.

I slid onto a barstool and ordered whiskey, neat.

It came immediately. I threw it back. The burn was a welcome distraction.

"Another, please."

The second drink went down easier. The third punctuated a silent toast to my own stupidity. The fourth blurred the edges of the betrayal enough for me to breathe.

A pianist sat in the corner playing something melancholic.

I hated it. What did it matter? The music was a Ltrick to make you relax. To let your guard down so that your boyfriend of three years could trample all over your heart.

Eventually, my bladder made its demands known, and I had to pee.

I slid off the barstool with extreme care. The floor was exactly where I expected it to be. Maybe I wasn't too drunk after all.

The ladies' room was at the back, down a short hallway that seemed longer than it probably was.

I was halfway there when the floor tilted unexpectedly. My low heel caught on absolutely nothing.

My stomach lurched. I was going to fall—

Strong hands gripped my waist, steadying me.

"Easy there." The man's breath was warm against my ear. His voice rumbled, deep and slightly amused.

I was steady now but my body was still buzzing from the near fall. My heart pounding roughly.

I was pressed against expensive fabric and solid muscle. When I breathed him in, his scent was more intoxicating than whiskey.

I looked up and up into the face of the most devastatingly attractive man I had ever seen.

But what truly captivated me were his hazel eyes held the same color with Luca.

Where Luca’s held boyish charm, this man's gaze was knowing. Lit with quiet intelligence. He was the embodiment of everything I’d ever pictured in a man—the kind you imagine building a life with.

My heart hammered against my ribs.

Perhaps it was the whiskey, but for a dizzying moment, I felt like I’d traveled through time and met the older, more potent version of the man I’d once imagined Luca could become.