LOGINRachael’s POVThe bell above the door chimed softly as I stepped into the jewelry store.Everything gleaming under soft lights that made the glass cases sparkle just enough to feel important.I paused just inside the entrance.Took a breath.This was it.The last piece.The ring.Something about that felt heavier than the dress.Because a dress could be taken off.A ring…meant something else.“Good afternoon.”The voice came from behind the counter.Familiar.Too familiar.I looked up.And froze.Daniel.For a second, neither of us moved.Then his brows lifted slightly.“Rachael.”My grip tightened on my bag.“Hi.”A pause.Not awkward.Just… loaded.“You work here?” I asked, even though the answer was obvious.He gave a small nod.“My family owns it.”That made sense.Everything about him screamed that kind of quiet wealth.I nodded slowly.“Right.”Silence stretched for a second.Then he stepped out from behind the counter.Professional.But softer than the last time I saw him.“I
Rachael’s POVThe boutique smelled like perfume and polished glass.Soft.Expensive.Carefully curated to make everything feel perfect.Bella walked in like she belonged there.Like this was her moment just as much as mine.“Today,” she announced, slipping her sunglasses up into her hair, “you fall in love with your dress.”I didn’t respond.Because I already knew I wouldn’t.The staff greeted us immediately.Smiles.Compliments.Energy that felt just a little too rehearsed.“Miss Virgo, we’ve been expecting you.”Of course you have.Everything about this had been scheduled down to the minute.I followed them further inside, Bella right beside me, already talking, already asking questions I wasn’t interested in answering.“How many fittings has she done already?”“Is this the final version?”“Can we see it now?”They laughed politely.“Yes, this is the final piece.”Final.The word settled heavily in my chest.Because this wasn’t just a dress.It was a decision.One I didn’t remember
Rachael’s POVI woke up before my alarm.Not because I was well rested.Because my mind never really slept.Bella was still beside me…half tangled in the duvet…one arm stretched across my waist like she had claimed me in her sleep.For a moment…I just lay there.Still.Quiet.Watching her breathe.Soft.Peaceful.Unaware.And that word again…unaware…sat heavy in my chest.I slowly slipped out from under her arm, careful not to wake her.She stirred slightly…murmured something incoherent…then settled again.Good.She didn’t need to wake up to this version of me.I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and stepped into the hallway.The house was quiet.Too quiet.The kind that made everything feel louder than it should be.My thoughts.My breathing.Everything.I leaned lightly against the wall and opened my messages.Jonathan.My fingers hovered over the screen for a second.Then I typed.“I won’t be coming in today.”I stared at it.Simple.Safe.Distant.Exactly what I neede
Rachael’s POV“I’m listening.”Bella’s voice was soft.Open.Unguarded.And somehow…that made it worse.My throat tightened.Everything I wanted to say sat right there…just behind my lips.Heavy.Dangerous.Real.I stared at the ceiling, my heart beating a little too fast.If I said it…Everything would change.There would be no taking it back.No pretending.No hiding.Just truth.Raw.Messy.Irreversible.“Bella, I…”A knock.Sharp.Sudden.The words died in my throat instantly.We both turned toward the door.“Rachael?” my mom’s voice came through. “Are you awake?”I blinked.The moment shattered.Gone.Just like that.Bella groaned softly beside me.“Saved by the bell,” she muttered under her breath.I exhaled quietly.“I’ll get it.”I pushed myself up from the bed, my body still tense from everything I hadn’t said.From everything I almost did.I opened the door.Mom stood there, already dressed for the next day like she had ten things on her mind and not enough time for any of
Rachael’s POVImmediately I got upstairs, I hid my heels and bag from the world… never to be seen again.Especially not by Bella.Bella didn’t go downstairs for dinner.Neither did I.At some point, she had dragged me into my room…Thrown one of my oversized shirts at me…And decided we were having a “reset night.”No makeup.No pretending.No thinking too hard.Just us.We lay side by side on the bed now…The lights dim.A random movie playing on low volume that neither of us was actually watching.Bella was on her stomach, chin resting on her hands, legs swinging slightly in the air.She looked… lighter.Like the trip had done something for her.Or maybe she was just good at pretending it had.Bella shifted slightly beside me, propping herself up on one elbow.“Wait,” she said, like something had just clicked in her head. “Before I forget…”I glanced at her.“What?”She made a face.“I owe you an apology.”My brows pulled together slightly.“For what?”“For Daniel.”Oh.She sighed,
Rachael’s POV“You won’t believe what I found out today.”Bella’s eyes were practically glowing.Bright.Excited.Completely unaware.And somehow…that made everything worse.I forced a small smile as she pulled me down beside her on the couch.“What?”My voice sounded normal.Steady.Like my heart wasn’t still racing from everything that had just happened.From the closet.From Jonathan.From how close she had been.Too close.Bella leaned in slightly, lowering her voice like she was about to share the biggest secret in the world.“My dad is seeing someone.”My heart dropped.Not gradually.Not slowly.It dropped all at once.Fast.Heavy.I blinked.“Oh…”I hoped that sounded like surprise.And not panic.Bella nodded eagerly.“Yes.”She sat back, crossing her legs under her as if she was settling in for a full story time.“I went to the penthouse first before coming here.”Of course you did.My fingers tightened slightly in my lap.“But I didn’t tell you because I wanted it to be a
Rachael's POVThe room is already too loud when I walk in.Fabric samples cover the long table, silks, satins, and lace in shades of ivory, champagne, and blush. The wedding planner talks endlessly about color themes and preparation, but my head is pounding. Everything feels too tight, too fast lik
Rachael’s POVMary Hills did not fill a room with noise.She filled it with awareness.Even sitting quietly on Bella’s couch, she carried the calm authority of someone used to being listened to.Bella, unfortunately, had never been very good at silence.“…and then Clinton decided the announcement s
Rachael’s POVFor a moment I stayed where I was.The balcony door had already closed behind Jonathan, but the air still felt warmer than it had a few minutes ago.‘The real version of that night was a lot harder to forget.’The words replayed in my head whether I wanted them to or not.I exhaled sl
Rachael’s POV Daniel was mid sentence when my phone buzzed. “…so I told him if you hate your job that much, maybe it’s not the job,” he was saying lightly, stirring his coffee. “Maybe it’s the room.” “The room?” I asked. “Yeah. Some rooms shrink you. Some don’t.” My phone buzzed again in my ha







