I pulled Lillian to me, feeling like the fucking king of the world. My arms wrapped tightly around her slender frame, anchoring her to me like she might vanish if I let go. It hadn’t been what I counted on. It hadn’t been what I expected from her. Not in the slightest. Never in a million years had I thought she would actually leave with me—leave all of it behind, just because I asked. But she did. She took my hand. She said the words.And suddenly, the entire world tilted on its axis.Robert had pushed every single button she had. He had twisted her heart and crushed her spirit until she was left with no choice but to run. He had manipulated her so expertly, so cruelly, that she had nothing left but the tattered remains of her trust—and she gave that to me. Me. Of all people. I hadn’t earned it, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to waste it.I wanted to strangle him. I wanted to tear him apart limb by limb, dismember his face with my fists until he was unrecognizable. I wanted to cut of
“You look beautiful, Lil,” Ana smiled at me, her hands sliding gently up and down my arms. Her smile was tentative, a bit too practiced, like she wasn’t sure if the compliment would land or if I would dissolve into pieces right there in front of her.I looked at myself in the mirror, stared at the reflection of what the professional team had turned me into, and I couldn’t recognize myself. It was as though I was watching a stranger—a mannequin, a painted doll wearing a borrowed identity. My hair was pinned up in an intricate updo, small flowers and glittering stones strategically placed to catch the light. Every inch of it sparkled as if trying to distract from the emptiness behind my eyes. A delicate bun sat at the nape of my neck, secured with a vintage clip that held my veil in place. The veil itself was long and flowing, with a lace pattern so detailed it almost told a story of its own. It cascaded to the floor, adding another layer to my already heavy train, and made me feel like
I couldn’t quite name what was worse—the fact that Lillian didn’t seem happy at all about her upcoming wedding, or the fact that Jeremy and I couldn’t go to her graduation. It was a bitter pill to swallow. We had been there with her through it all—supporting her emotionally, financially, and in every way we possibly could. We helped cover what her scholarship didn’t, cheered her on through long nights of studying, and backed her up when professors gave her grief. We had seen every struggle, every success, every quiet victory.I still remembered the fury that bubbled inside me the day she called Jeremy, voice trembling with frustration, and told him that one of her professors had been treating her unfairly. The reason? Because she was a scholarship student. The injustice of it made my blood boil. So what if she didn’t have thousands tucked away in a trust fund? So what if she hadn’t grown up with everything handed to her on a silver platter? That scholarship was a symbol of her hard wo
I kept my mask in place, doing everything I could to maintain a smile as I greeted the guests. I wore the expression like a second skin—polished, practiced, and passable. But every time Robert touched me, every time he put his hand on me like I was a trophy, every time he leaned in too close or pressed his thumb into the curve of my hip as if to remind me that I belonged to him, I had to fight the overwhelming urge to vomit all over his perfectly tailored suit and run out the door.His arm was draped securely around my back, thumb rhythmically brushing my side like it was a casual gesture of affection, but it felt calculated—possessive. He laughed easily, smoothly working the room as we slowly navigated the chaos of our rehearsal dinner. There were so many people. Some I knew, some I didn’t. All of them talking, clinking glasses, praising us, toasting to a future I no longer wanted.It had been days since the truth hit me like a freight train—the day I realized he didn’t love me. Not
Hearing Lilliana upset over the phone was probably the worst thing I’d ever experienced in my entire life. The sound of her voice—cracked, shaky, barely stitched together by false composure—gripped me with a panic I hadn’t felt in years. Knowing she was hurting, knowing she needed someone, and realizing that someone should have been me... it wrecked me. The worst part? I hadn’t been the first person she called. That role belonged to her brother, Jeremy.Sure, she’d asked for him. But he was unavailable—tied up with something else—and I was the only one left who could get to her quickly. I knew the city like the back of my hand; I could navigate its chaos without blinking. And even more than that, I wanted to get to her. Not just for comfort. Not just to be the hero. But because the thought of her standing alone, outside his workplace, heartbroken and lost, lit a fire inside me that I couldn’t ignore.The mere image of her waiting in the shadow of that scumbag’s office, her heart in sh
“Miss Caraway,” Dylan nodded politely as I stepped out of the elevator, the gleaming chrome doors sliding shut behind me with a soft hiss.“Hello, Dylan, how are you?” I asked, offering him a soft smile while slipping my sunglasses into the designer purse Robert had given me last month—a sleek black leather piece, elegant and far too expensive for everyday use, but here I was, using it anyway.Dylan returned the smile easily, a natural charm in his expression. “I’m doing good. Finals are slowly approaching—but you know that.”He was one of the firm’s temps, currently working his way through law school while gaining real-world experience. His name had become somewhat of a staple around here. He had earned a fixed spot on Robert’s team, something rare for a temporary hire, but not surprising. Dylan put in more effort than most, staying late, volunteering for the grunt work, and showing up early to prepare for meetings that didn’t even require his presence. I had overheard Robert praisin