Chapter 1

It was my birthday. For once, Rowan Shore had time to be with me.

I was just about to cut the cake when his phone buzzed.

"I need to take this." He smiled at me, his voice still carrying his earlier tenderness.

I nodded and watched as he answered the call. "Hello?"

I heard Tina Green's shrill voice on the other end of the line. She sounded on the verge of tears as she shrieked, "Rowan! Miranda wants to jump off the building! S-She's having a meltdown, and she's screaming for you! She won't let anyone get close."

The phone crackled with harsh static, followed by Miranda Kane's hysterical screams. "Ro, are you with Clara? Do you not want me anymore?"

Her voice was so shrill that it almost pierced my eardrums. "I knew it! I knew that wretched woman…"

Rowan turned ashen. He cried in panic, "Miranda, calm down! I'll be right—"

I instinctively grabbed his wrist. "Rowan, the Kane residence has a psychiatrist on standby around the clock. Their security system—"

Tina abruptly started shouting again. "Is Clara Sterling stopping you from coming here? Miranda's about to die, yet she's…"

"Stop this!" Rowan scowled, sounding displeased. "Miranda's in danger now!"

Then, he softened his tone and reached out to caress my face. "Be good, alright? I'll be back soon."

I turned away to avoid his touch.

On the other end of the line, Tina screamed, "Hurry up and get over here, Rowan! Miranda's already at the edge of the roof! She says… she says if you still don't come, she'll…"

Rowan's eyes turned red. "Clara, we can celebrate your birthday some other time. Miranda is what matters now. I'll never be able to forgive myself if anything happens to her."

He pinched his nose bridge. "I swear I'll spend all my time with you after this."

I sneered. "You said that the last time. The time before that, too."

"I mean it this time." He grabbed my shoulders, but his eyes were already on the door. "I swear that we'll go to Maldove once Miranda's condition has—"

Before he could finish, Tina started berating me on the other end of the line. "You're a shameless wretch, Clara! Do you have to pick a fight with Miranda now?"

Then, there was a violent coughing fit. "Ro, I… I'm so dizzy…"

"Miranda! Miranda, hang in there!" Rowan shouted into the phone, his usual grace and composure nowhere in sight.

Miranda let out a heart-wrenching scream, followed by the sound of something falling to the floor with a heavy thud.

Tina cried out, "Miranda slit her wrist! There's blood everywhere! You need to be here now!"

"Ro… save me…" Miranda's voice suddenly became weak.

Rowan took a deep breath. "Wait for me at home, alright? I'll be back once I've handled this."

When the door slammed shut, I heard myself say, "Don't bother coming back once you leave."

All that answered me was the sound of the elevator arriving with a ding.

I stared at the mess on the table. "System, I give up."

Once upon a time, Rowan would be racked with guilt throughout the night for standing me up. He would hurry home as quickly as possible just so he could apologize to me.

When had even pretending to care become too much trouble?