Chapter 8

By the time Hailey arrived at the office, the place was screaming activities on a Tuesday morning with cameras rolling from every side of the company, not to mention the distant smell of burnt coffee.

She steadied her breathing as she walked through the hallway, forcing a polite smile at those that greeted her.

Just then, her eyes landed on Carter.

He was leaning against his desk, his white long sleeve was rolled up revealing his strong arms, his expression was calm and confident. The moment their eyes met, his face brightened almost immediately.

“There you are,”he remarked with a low teasing tone as he strode towards her, and before she could process what he wanted to do, he leaned towards her and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

The gesture was casual and affectionate, the kind of thing that would have made her heart flutter once. But now, it sent a cold chill down her spine instead.

A few coworkers nearby chuckled, whispering to one another. This made Carter grin , he was obviously enjoying the attention he was receiving. Casually he slipped an arm around her waist.

“What? Everyone already knows,” he teased with a small shrug. “Might as well let them see who the lucky woman is.” he added.

Lucky indeed, Hailey’s lips curved into a forced smile, though her heart thudded painfully against her ribs. She could feel the weight of a dozen eyes on them with admiration.

If only they knew.

If only he knew what he’d done to her… what he would do.

She forced out a low soft laugh, and she gently pushed his arm away, trying to play along. “I have loads of reports to make,” she said, keeping her tone light.

Carter chuckled, lowering his voice. “You’ve changed, you know that, right? You usually blush whenever I do that”

“Maybe I’m growing up,” she replied smoothly, already turning toward her desk.

As she walked away, she could still feel his gaze lingering at the back of her head.

He’s still the same, and he never changed even then.

But this time, she promised herself, she was’nt going to be the naive woman who had loved blindly.

Just then, Iris walked in looking effortlessly beautiful, her presence alone seemed to draw one's attention in the room, the gentle click of her heels against the polished floor and the way sunlight caught in her hair, all that just made her seem untouchable.

The moment she spotted Hailey, her face brightened instantly. “Hailey!” she called, a warm smile quickly spreading across her lips.

Hailey felt her stomach form a tight knot, but she forced her lips into a calm smile.

“Hey, Iris.”

Around them, the chatter in the office shifted subtly, people were whispering and throwing glances at them.

That was the kind of effect Iris had on people, she was the kind of woman who would walk into chaos and still make it look like a movie scene. Everyone adored, envied, and wanted to be close to her.

Hailey used to feel lucky to be the one closest to her, the best friend who got to see behind the perfect smiles even though she was older than Iris.

But now, everything just made her chest ache.

Still, she played along, pretending like nothing was wrong, like she wasn’t carrying the memory of betrayal in her bones.

Iris walked closer, setting her purse on the desk beside Hailey’s. “You’re looking a lot better today,” she said warmly. “Guess that rest really did help.”

“Yeah,” Hailey murmured, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, making sure her glasses stayed in place. “It did.”

Iris tilted her head, studying her face for a moment. “Are you sure? You seem a little… distant.”

Hailey’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Just thinking about deadlines.”

“What did I expect from the same old Hailey?” Iris laughed softly as she turned towards her desk.

During work hours, Hailey tried to focus on her screen, her fingers moving softly across the keyboard, but her attention was miles away from her work.

Just across the open office, Carter and Iris stood side by side, reviewing something on a tablet. Their heads were close, and even though their laughter was quiet, it looked natural, and every now and then Iris would touch his arm lightly whenever she said something.

Hailey’s chest tightened.

She knew this scene. She had seen it multiple times back then, but in this timeline, it hasn't become anything yet. They weren’t secretly lovers, not yet. At least, she didn’t think so.

Even so, watching them together felt like déjà vu, very impossible to ignore.

She swallowed hard, forcing her gaze back to her computer, acting like she was the least bothered.

But then, Carter turned. His eyes immediately locked with her, and just like that, his focus shifted completely.

“Babe,” he called softly, walking over to her desk. “You’ve been too quiet today. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Every head nearby seemed to lift at once. A few coworkers exchanged knowing glances, smiles tugging at their lips, ‘such lovely couples’ they probably thought.

The office had already grown used to the news of their relationship, but now that Carter was being so openly attentive, bringing her coffee and brushing stray hairs from her face, it only fueled the whispers and the anger building inside her.

“I’m fine…I'm just tired” Hailey said with a forced smile.

Carter smiled, leaning down to kiss the top of her head again. “Don’t overwork yourself, okay?”

She froze for half a second, her body instinctively tensing at the contact. When he walked away, she released a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

Her gaze flickered between him and Iris again. They were laughing now, completely at ease, as though nothing in the world could taint that moment.

They’re not together yet, she told herself. I still have time… But even as she told herself, she didn't know what she could possibly do.

A quiet dread settled deep in her stomach. Because she remembered exactly how this story would end and how bad it would be.

It was finally lunch time, and the office atmosphere had somehow gotten less work-tense.

Iris turned from her desk, her usual bright, cheerful self coming out in full display. “Let’s eat outdide” she suggested; her tone was light but oddly persuasive. “A new cafe just opened down the street, and everyone won’t stop talking about how amazing their pasta is.”

Carter didn’t even hesitate before he responded “Sounds great,” he said, smiling at Iris.

Hailey looked up from her work, her stomach twisting at how naturally they made plans, how easily he said yes without even glancing her way once.

“I think I’ll just eat in the cafeteria,” she said quietly, trying to sound casual. “I’ve got a few emails to finish up.”

Carter’s head turned toward her then, surprise flickering across his face. “Oh…uh, yeah? Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” she replied, smiling faintly. “You two go ahead.”

For a moment, guilt passed over his features. He rubbed the back of his neck, hesitating. “No, it’s fine. Let’s all just eat here, then.”

Iris’s lips parted slightly disappointed, but she recovered quickly with a reluctant nod. “Sure thing, that should work fine.”

Hailey offered a polite smile, pretending not to notice the faint disappointment in Iris’s eyes. They all made their way to the cafeteria together, the three of them drawing attention as usual.

Carter, ever the gentleman that he was, walked between them, but Hailey soon noticed the silent shift.

Every time someone passed too close, his hand automatically went to Iris’s back, gently guiding her through the crowd. When they reached the food counter, he pulled out a chair for Iris first.

Completely ignoring her.

Hailey froze for a second, a dull ache pressing behind her ribs. It wasn’t deliberate, she told herself. It was just a habit, an unconscious gesture.

But as she sat down across from them, watching how Carter laughed at something Iris said, a quiet realization settled in her chest like a stone.

She’d been the third wheel in her own relationship all along.

Even before the betrayal, even before the heartbreak, she had never really been seen, he had never loved her and she was just too blind to see any of it.

She lowered her gaze, stabbing at her food with a trembling finger, forcing a smile when either of them looked her way. Inside, she felt that same old sting of being invisible.

Only this time, she wasn’t going to ignore it.

“Someone might mistake you two for a couple,” Hailey said, her voice was light, but there was an edge to it.

Carter froze, then his lips curved into a slight frown, and Iris' smile faltered.