Chapter 2

Alfie seemed shocked for only a split second, but he didn't answer me. I didn't press him, either.

That night, I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned in bed until morning, and one by one, all the things that had never made sense before started falling into place.

When Cameron supposedly died, I never even got to see him one last time.

There wasn't a single personal belonging left behind. I was only told that the accident had been so severe that the body was impossible to identify.

When I heard the news, I collapsed. I was too devastated to question anything.

Later, when I wanted to visit the accident site, Alfie stopped me. He told me that the area had already been sealed off and that family wasn't allowed anywhere near it.

Mom tried to talk me out of it, too. She said there was no point digging into these things when he was already gone. Even his funeral had been held with an empty coffin.

The next day, still in a daze, I went to the flower shop Tessa used to frequent.

The owner recognized me and smiled. "Hey, you're Tessa's best friend, aren't you? Her husband came in just yesterday to order a bouquet for her."

My heart sank a little. I pretended to sound casual as I asked, "Do they come here often?"

"Not so much anymore. A few years ago, they used to send someone over all the time to pick up flowers. They ordered the most when their daughter was born. Her husband came by himself a few times, too. He's really good to her."

When their daughter was born… I stood frozen in the middle of the shop, my vision swimming.

By the time I got home, Alfie was already there. Soup simmered in the kitchen, and my medicine was laid out on the table.

Everything was just as before, so calm and ordinary, like nothing had happened.

Just then, Alfie's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, picked it up, and headed for the balcony. For a split second, I glimpsed the caller ID.

It was Tessa.

My breath caught, and the last shred of hope in my heart finally died. Without any hesitation, I walked out of the apartment while Alfie was still on the call.

This time, I needed to see it with my own eyes. I needed to see how Cameron had betrayed me, to see how Tessa could take my place without a shred of guilt.

Using the address the flower shop owner had given me, I went straight to the apartment building where they lived. When I arrived, the first person I saw wasn't Cameron or Tessa.

It was Mom.

She was carrying two large bags of baby supplies. The security guard recognized her and greeted her with a smile and a nod.

At that moment, my world crumbled.

I followed her up to the same floor. When the elevator doors opened, the hallway was quiet. Mom stood outside the door and knocked with practiced ease.

The door opened almost immediately. The man standing there was Cameron.

I froze, forgetting how to breathe.

He was dressed casually, carrying a young girl in his arms. Her cheeks were flushed, as if she had just been crying. The moment she saw Mom, she reached for her and called out in her childish voice.

"Mrs. Lawson."

A deafening roar filled my ears, and my entire body went rigid.

Mom quickly took the girl into her arms, soothing her as she asked, "Has her fever gone down?"

Cameron stepped aside to let her in and took the bags from her hands. "Yeah. She's doing better. Tessa just woke up. She's inside."

He said her name so naturally.

The door didn't close right away. Through the gap, I could see the living room.

A small blanket was draped over the couch. Baby bottles sat on the coffee table, and building blocks were scattered across the floor. What a complete, happy home.

It was the kind of home I had dreamed of for so many years, the kind everyone knew I wanted, yet I had never been allowed to have.

Tessa appeared in her pajamas, her hair loosely tied back, and her face still looked as though she'd just woken up.

Cameron reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. My hand shot out to brace against the wall, keeping me from collapsing.

When I used to cook, he would do the same whenever my hair fell into my face. In winter, whenever my scarf came loose, he would lower his head and straighten it for me.

All those little acts of tenderness I thought had belonged exclusively to me were now being given to another woman. And of all people, it had to be my best friend.

Mom took a seat with the child in her arms, smiling as she talked about the baby food she'd brought and the new clothes she planned to buy next time.

The nanny came out of the kitchen and asked if she should warm up the soup. Cameron poured himself some water while Tessa sat with the child, speaking softly to her.

What a picture-perfect scene. It was so perfect that I stood outside feeling like I was the only one who didn't belong. Tears rolled down my face. I didn't even bother wiping them away.

I turned and walked toward the elevator. It was then that Alfie called.