CHAPTER FIVE

Rhaena’s POV

I stood there in my living room, my bag still slipping off my shoulder, keys clenched in my hand. I didn’t sit down. I didn’t move. I just listened, my mind struggling to catch up.

“I didn’t even know you were dating anyone,” I finally said.

She laughed softly. “That’s because it just… happened. I wasn’t looking for it, Rhaena. Love found me.”

I closed my eyes. My chest felt tight. I had heard those exact words before. Too many times.

“You’ve said that before, mum” I said quietly. “More than once.”

Her tone changed right away. Sharper now. Defensive. “That’s unfair. It’s not my fault those marriages didn’t work out.”

I sighed and walked over to the couch, sitting down slowly. The cushions sank under my weight.

“I’m not blaming you,” I said. “I’m just… surprised. Again.”

“Well, you shouldn’t be,” she snapped. “I deserve to be happy. I’m allowed to try again.”

“I know,” I replied, rubbing my temple. “But every time you say it’s different.”

“And this time it is,” she insisted. “He’s kind. He listens. He actually sees me.”

“You said that about the last one,” I said before I could stop myself.

There was a long pause. I could almost picture her frowning on the other end of the line.

“You’re judging me,” she said. “And I don’t appreciate it.”

I groaned quietly, pressing my lips together so she wouldn’t hear it. This was always how it went. I was the bad guy for remembering the past.

“I’m not judging you,” I said, forcing my voice to stay calm. “I’m just being honest.”

“Well, I don’t need honesty right now,” she shot back. “I need support. You’re my daughter. You should be happy for me.”

I leaned back against the couch and stared at the ceiling.

“I am happy for you, Mum,” I said, even though the words felt thin. “I really am.”

Her voice softened instantly. “Thank you, dear. That means so much to me.”

And then, just like that, she moved on.

“Oh, and I want you to come to my engagement party,” she said cheerfully. “It’s this weekend.”

My stomach dropped.

“This weekend?” I repeated. “Mum, I don’t think I can. I’ve got a lot going on.”

She sighed loudly. “You always have a lot going on.”

“I’ve just been busy,” I said. “Work’s been crazy.”

“You’re always busy when it comes to me,” she replied. “I never see you anymore. You don’t visit. You barely call.”

Guilt crept in, slow and heavy. It always did.

“That’s not true,” I said, though I wasn’t fully convinced myself.

“It is true,” she said firmly. “And it hurts. I’m getting married, Rhaena. Again. Don’t you want to be there for me?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose and exhaled. I was exhausted. Emotionally drained. I didn’t have the energy to fight her tonight.

“I’ll come,” I said at last. “Okay? I’ll be there.”

Her mood lifted instantly. “Oh, good!” she said, almost giddy. “I knew you wouldn’t disappoint me.”

I forced a small smile, even though she couldn’t see it.

“I’ll send you the details,” she added. “You’ll love it.”

“Sure,” I murmured.

We said goodbye, and the line went dead. I lowered my phone slowly and let it fall into my lap. The apartment felt too quiet now.

I leaned back, staring ahead, my thoughts tangled and messy. One wrong night. One wrong room. A refund sitting on my phone. And now an engagement party I didn’t want to attend.

I laughed softly to myself, tired and bitter.

Of course this was my life.

That weekend, I stood in front of the address my mum had sent me and just… stared.

I actually stopped walking.

I looked up at the building, then down at my phone, then back up again like the place might change if I checked twice.

It was a freaking mansion.

Not a big house. Not a “nice place.” A full-on mansion with tall white walls, wide steps, and huge windows that reflected the sky. There were gates too, heavy black iron ones, standing open like they were welcoming people into a whole different world.

“Okay,” I whispered to myself. “This has to be wrong.”

I checked the message again, reading the address slowly, my thumb hovering over the screen. Same street. Same number. No mistake. I wasn’t lost.

My stomach tightened.

Whoever my mum’s fiancé was, he was really, really rich. The kind of rich that made you uncomfortable just thinking about it. Probably richer than all her ex-husbands combined. And that was honestly impressive, considering her track record.

Expensive cars were parked all along the driveway. Cars so shiny they looked freshly polished just for today. Black, silver, dark blue. Big ones. Low ones. The kind you don’t touch unless you know what you’re doing. I parked my car carefully at the end and immediately felt self-conscious. It looked so plain sitting there, like it didn’t belong.

I adjusted my hair, took a deep breath, and told myself to relax.

It was just an engagement party.

Right.

I walked toward the entrance, my heels clicking softly against the stone. The closer I got, the louder the music became. Soft and classy. The kind of music that played in the background while people talked about things I didn’t understand.

Inside, it was even more impressive.

The moment I stepped through the door, I felt like I had entered another life. The ceilings were so high I had to tilt my head back to see them. A massive chandelier hung in the center, glowing warmly, every crystal catching the light. The floor beneath my feet was marble, smooth and cold, shining like it had never known dirt.

Everything smelled expensive. Fresh flowers mixed with something clean and sharp, like money and perfume had a scent.

People filled the space. Men in suits. Women in elegant dresses. Everyone looked polished, relaxed, like they belonged there. Laughter floated through the room, light and easy. Glasses clinked. Servers moved around quietly with trays of drinks.

I stood near the entrance for a moment, clutching my purse, feeling awkward and very aware of myself.

I scanned the room, looking for my mum’s familiar face, her loud laugh, her dramatic hand movements. She wasn’t hard to spot usually. But in this crowd, she blended in more than I expected.

My chest tightened just a little.

“What kind of man are you marrying this time, mum?” I muttered under my breath.